Dave Nevatt

For the fifth time and second consecutive year, the Championship had an all-California final. Dave Nevatt, of Merced, defeated Mark Tinder, from Pebble Beach, 4 and 3, in the final at the Brooklawn Country Club, Fairfield, Conn.

To illustrate the strength of the California delegation, 1,453 boys entered the Championship; these 1,453 played 18-hole qualifying rounds at various sites throughout the country for 150 places.

The 150 qualifiers then played 36 holes at the Brooklawn Country Club to determine the 64 starters for match play. Nineteen California juniors made the trip to Connecticut, 13 qualified for match play, and 2 were in the final. The losing semi-finalists were Bob Griffin, of Denver, and Bill Loeffler, from Englewood, Colo.

Charles H. Beck, Jr., of Fayetteville, N.C., was medalist with 143. In the final round, Nevatt went in to the lead on the first hole. Tinder won the second, and Nevatt went into the lead again on the third, increased his lead to two up on the sixth, and won the ninth hole with another birdie, to go 3 up.

The match was actually decided on the 10th hole, 140-yard par-3. Here Tinder was on the green with his tee shot, while Nevatt was in high rough back of the green. Nevatt hit a wedge to the edge of the sloping green and the ball rolled to within two feet of the hole.

Nevatt holed the putt and crushed Tinder's hopes for a comeback. Tinder won the 12th with a birdie, but Nevatt took the 14th and 15th with pars to end the match.