Not one to let a perfect spring day pass him by, David McDaniel crafted the best of his four straight Tucson City Amateur championships.
“The first day was a desert course (Fred Enke) and (Saturday at Randolph) I missed a lot of putts,” McDaniel said, “but (Sunday) I got rolling.”
The Canyon del Oro High graduate rolled over the Dell Urich back nine with a 63 and won the title by 12 strokes with a 10-under- par 274.
There were no illusions about what the script was as Championship Flight golfers arrived Sunday ready to battle for second place. It was a man playing against boys – literally, although University of Arizona sophomore Takuyi Fuji eventually claimed second with a 65 Sunday.
The boys were high school stars Billy Flower of Catalina Foothills, Ian Patterson of Immaculate Heart and Alex McMahon of Ironwood Ridge.
One thing the trio learned was Dell Urich looks nice and easy, especially on a sunny day with light breezes, but it can bite you.
“Trouble on a few holes,” said Flower, who salvaged a tie for fourth place.
Flower had four birdies on the front nine and the roles were reversed on the back when Patterson go hot. Patterson missed a chance at a finishing birdie when his downhill lie rolled over the hole.
The greens were making their own breaks, the two agreed.
“This course will keep you honest,” Patterson said.
Aside from McDaniel’s clinic, the story of the day was Fuji, who moved up from eighth place.
“I hit the iron shots all day,” he said. “I never had a putt of more than six feet.”
Fuji plays the game regularly but would like to improve.
“I want to walk on and play for U of A,” he said, “but so far nobody wants me, I guess.”