6th State Fair Masters Championship
Bing Maloney Golf Course
Aug 30,31, Sept. 1, 2008

The beautiful weather on Saturday with just a slight breeze led to some very low rounds for the 63 golfers playing in the 6th Annual California State Fair Masters Championship at Bing Maloney Golf Course. Jamie Looper, runner-up in last year's event, got off to a great start with a bogey free round and five birdies for a 67.

Also lurking were several other players under par with Craig Johns of Granite Bay with a 68, Tom Scarlett of Woodland with a 69, Michael Lee of Lincoln with a 70, Ken Crawford of Elk Grove with a 70, Lance Bishop of Wilton with a 70, Gary Chiurazzi of Valencia with a 71 and Mike Montgomery of Roseville with a 71.

On Sunday, the winds came up just a little and quickened the greens and the scores got a little higher. A few golfers separated themselves from the field with defending champion Ken Crawford taking control firing a 68 to go to 6 under. Jamie Looper shot a solid 72 with an OB onto Freeport Blvd on Hole No. 4, while Mike Montgomery followed up his 71 with a 70 to get into the final group on Monday. Jeff Hoffman, of Folsom, also got himself into the final group with a 69, going four under on the Par 5's. Jeff also birdied the 17th hole, which would serve him well for the next day.

Three other players managed to stay under par for the two rounds with Tom Scarlett, Mike Moreland of Rocklin and Mike Green of Elk Grove all at one under. 1983 California State Fair Amateur winner Cliff Smith and Three-time Masters winner Brad Penfold were not far behind at even and one over.

On Monday morning, the winds were howling. It was going to be a test and Sean Wong commented that three or four under would win the tournament. As it turned out, the combination of difficult hole locations, quick greens and 30 mph winds with gusts to 50 mph proved very tough and only two players managed to break par for the day. After the players battled the winds for the front nine, the leaders started to come back to the field when Ken Crawford double bogeyed No. 10 and went to 3 under.

Suddenly, the match turned into a four person grind between Ken Crawford, Jamie Looper, Jeff Hoffman and Tom Scarlett. Tom Scarlett went out fast and got to 3 under, but gave it back with a double bogey on No. 8. He got back to three under with birdies on Holes 11 and 14 and nearly won the tournament with a near hole in one on 16 that stopped short just 18 inches from the hole. Tom made the short birdie to take the lead at 4 under, but gave it back with a bogey on No. 17.

Jamie Looper and Ken Crawford suddenly found themselves behind when they came off 17 and realized Tom had posted a 70 as the leader in the clubhouse at 3 under. Jeff Hoffman's back nine was a roller coaster with a double on 10, birdies on 13 and 14 and a bogey on 16, but he also was still in the hunt at 2 under going into 17. Jamie Looper was the first to get to 3 under with a birdie at 17.

Going into 18 all three had birdie opportunities. Jeff Hoffman was the first to putt and his 25 footer from the back of the green was true. Jamie Looper was next with a great chance to close the tournament out from 12 feet, and his putt just slid right at the last minute and he had to settle for par. Ken Crawford was next with a tricky 10 footer. Ken showed that he was not going to give up his title easily as he rolled it and the crowd from Valley Hi Country Club went wild. After all the dust settled, four men stood at 3 under after 72 holes and they went to a playoff starting on No. 17.

At this point, there was quite a crowd of thirty to forty people watching the four men walk up to the 17th hole. In the playoff all four men showed that it was no fluke they were in the playoff and each of them stuck solid drives on the difficult dogleg hole. All four men also had excellent approach shots with good birdie tries. Jamie Looper was the first to putt and he just missed a 30 footer that grazed the hole. Tom Scarlett had a great opportunity, but his ten foot putt slid right at the last second and he tapped in for par. Ken Crawford also had a ten foot uphill putt, but he pushed it right. Jeff Hoffman was the last to putt with eight feet to victory. He calmly sank it and raised both arms in jubilation as the fourth Masters champion.

Jeff, who has been a perennial contender of the State Fair Amateur tournament at Alister Mackenzie Golf Course, stated that he enjoyed the camaraderie and relaxed atmosphere of the Masters and would definitely be back to defend his championship next year."