SOCAL Tustin Ranch 2027 Season Opener

The Southern California Amateur Players Tour opened its 2027 season on Saturday, November 7 at Tustin Ranch Golf Club in Tustin, California for a premier amateur golf tournament. A field of 56 players competed across five divisions, with two net contests running alongside, in one of the first Southern California amateur golf tournaments of the new season. Players are flighted into divisions based on their APT Tournament Index, and on this day that produced a scorecard full of new names: five of the day’s winners were claiming a first victory on tour, with Riley Thornbrugh in Division 5 the only returning winner in the group.

Tustin Ranch Golf Club is a picturesque facility tucked inside the community of Tustin, and it carries the résumé to match — named California Golf Course Owners Association “CGCOA Course of the Year,” voted a best “Orange County Golf Course and Driving Range” by readers of the Orange County Register, and rated four stars by Golf Digest several years running. The course was in good shape for the opener, and the greens were rolling a touch quicker than most courses the chapter sees, which put a premium on leaving the ball below the hole.

Conditions were about as good as November golf gets in Orange County: 82 degrees and sunny with a slight breeze for most of the day, which meant par was defended by the golf course and the putting surfaces rather than by the weather.

In Division 1, Trevor Ruiz of Chino Hills, CA became a first-time champion on tour, and he did it with the low round of the day. Ruiz signed for a 2-under 70, five clear of the field, and the win was built entirely on the inward nine. He turned in 2-over 38 and was level with Josh Caldwell through six, with Andrew Thomson a shot ahead and Timothy Barto two in front. Then Ruiz flipped the switch, rattling off four straight birdies at the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th to come home in 4-under 32. The birdie at the par-4 14th was worth noting on its own — the hole gave up only two birdies all day and played better than a shot over par. Thomson, of La Mirada, CA, took runner-up honors with a 3-over 75 that included an even-par 36 on the front and four birdies on the card. Caldwell, of Temecula, CA, and Barto, visiting from the Charlotte chapter, shared third at 4-over 76, Caldwell matching 2-over 38s on both nines.

Division 2 produced another first-time champion in Dennis Cory of Beaumont, CA, who held on for a one-shot win at 2-over 74. Cory went low early and often, playing the front nine in 3-under 33 with birdies at the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th — the par-5 2nd was the most generous hole on the property, surrendering ten birdies on the day. He came home in 5-over 41, and the chase got close: both Jayson Huett and Mark Iriarte were a stroke ahead of him with three to play before Cory answered where it mattered most. Huett, of Los Alamitos, CA, finished second at 3-over 75 with an even-par 36 on the inward half. Iriarte, of Costa Mesa, CA, took third at 4-over 76 and provided the division’s loudest moment with an eagle 3 at the par-5 15th. He was not the only one: Brian Lamers holed out for an eagle 2 at the par-4 16th.

Division 3 belonged to Robert Engar of Ladera Ranch, CA, who broke through for his first win on tour — and had to go to a playoff to get it. Engar and new member Thomas Botello of Long Beach, CA both posted 10-over 82, with Engar taking the title in sudden death. Engar led at every checkpoint in regulation, turning in 2-over 38 with birdies at the 2nd and the 12th, and was two clear of Botello with three holes to play before Botello closed the gap to force extra holes. It was the deepest division of the day with 23 players, four of them finishing within two shots of the lead and twelve within seven. Kent Muraoka of Azusa, CA and Royce Jiang of Chino, CA shared third at 11-over 83, Jiang playing the last three in 1-under with birdies at the 16th and 18th, to round out the money positions.

Division 4 added a third first-time champion in Michael Loehnig of Lake Elsinore, CA, who won by a single stroke at 13-over 85. It was a two-man race from the start. Ayden Ruiz of Chino, CA was a shot ahead of Loehnig after six holes and a shot ahead again with three to play, but Loehnig steadied over the closing stretch, playing the last three in 1-over after a birdie at the par-5 15th. Ruiz finished second at 14-over 86, his lone birdie coming at the 16th. Kurt Odegard of Anaheim Hills, CA took third at 17-over 89 after a 7-over 43 on the back nine.

Division 5 was the one place where a familiar winner returned to the Winners Circle. Riley Thornbrugh of Valencia, CA posted a 14-over 86 to win by one, birdieing the par-3 3rd and leading at every checkpoint. David Cavanaugh of San Bernardino, CA and Jeremiah Cassidy, visiting from the Central Pennsylvania chapter, tied for second at 15-over 87. Cassidy made it a genuine race from a long way back — six shots adrift after six holes, he was within two with three to play after turning the round around with a 5-over 41 on the inward nine.

Thornbrugh completed the double-dip in the Mid-Am Net, where his net 9-under 63 was the clear best of the day, four shots ahead of the field. Loehnig backed up his Division 4 win with a net 5-under 67 for second, and Cavanaugh followed his Division 5 effort with a net 3-under 69 in third. Three players shared fourth at net 2-under 70 — Gino Giambanco of Los Angeles, CA, Huett and Jiang — to round out the money positions.

Central Pennsylvania chapter player Jerry Cassidy made the trip from Ephrata, PA count twice. On top of his share of second in Division 5, he won the Senior Net with a net 4-under 68, three strokes clear of the field. Cory, fresh off his Division 2 win, and Muraoka, third in Division 3, tied for second at net 1-under 71.

Closest-to-the-pin honors went four ways on the par 3s. Cory stuck his tee shot to 2’5″ at the 3rd, the tightest of the day. Caldwell was inside 12’1″ at the 6th — a hole that gave up exactly one birdie all day — and Jiang put one to 8’3″ at the 11th. The winning shot at the par-3 17th finished 12’5″ from the cup.

Next up in the Southern California chapter — a trip to Trilogy Golf Club at La Quinta on Saturday, November 21. Space is limited and registration closes November 14. The Pala Mesa Winter Classic follows on December 12, with registration closing December 7.