Former UC Irvine golfer Mike Lavery carded...

Former UC Irvine golfer Mike Lavery carded an 8-over-par 296

(72-74-75-75) through four rounds of the PGA Tour qualifying school’s

second stage, but it wasn’t enough to reach the finals, which begin

today.

Lavery, the 2003 Big West Conference individual champion, finished

73rd at the Oak Valley Golf Club in Beaumont after his fourth round

Nov. 20.

The 23-year-old Mission Viejo resident advanced past the first

stage in his inaugural attempt at Q-School since graduating in June.

The low 20 finishers and ties advanced to the final stage at the

PGA West Stadium Course and Nicklaus Tournament Course.

Danny Briggs of Cave Creek, Ariz., and Warren Schutte of Anthem,

Ariz., each finished at 17-under 271 to earn a share of top honors at

Oak Valley.

* Harold Graham, 70, defeated three other age group winners to

claim Santa Ana Country Club’s overall senior match play championship

Nov. 13.

Graham scored 20 points to win the overall title after claiming

the 70-79 age division championship. Keith Lyon (60-69 division)

finished second with 17 points, ahead of Mark Lofland (16) and Larry

Bonas (12).

The 18-hole contest was played using a point-par format. Golfers

earned one point for a par, two points for a birdie and three points

for an eagle.

Lyon, Lofland (50-59) and Bonas (80 and older) all won their

respective age division titles. Players competed in match play in

their respective age brackets.

Three golfers are tied at 1-over-par 73 after the first round of

Santa Ana Country Club’s 36-hole senior gross championship.

Rick Herrera, defending champion Boyd Martin and Chris Veitch each

shot 73 Nov. 20, the first of the two-round competition. All three

entered into the 50-59 age division.

Maury DeWald sits in fourth overall after carding a 75 and leads

the 60-69 age flight.

Bud Clark shot 82 and leads the 70 and older flight after one

round.

The final 18 holes will be played Sunday.

* Mark Johnson of Helendale, Calif., closed with an 8-under-par 64

on Nov. 22, to claim medalist honors at the 2004 Champions Tour

national qualifying tournament finals at the King and Bear at the

World Golf Hall of Fame Course in St. Augustine, Fla.

Johnson finished with a 108-hole total of 25-under 407, earning a

check for $45,000 and leading a field of seven golfers who

automatically earned exempt status for next year’s tour events, which

include the Toshiba Senior Classic at Newport Beach Country Club

March 14-20.

Former amateur standout Tom McKnight of Bluffton, S.C., was second

at 23-under 409 thanks to a course record-tying 9-under 63 in the

final round. Former PGA Tour player Brad Bryant (Lakeland, Fla.) was

third at 22-under 410.

Sunday’s co-leaders, Hajime Meshiai of Chiba, Japan, who made his

debut at Toshiba last year, and Doug Reese (Freeport, Fla.) finished

tied for fourth along with R.W. Eaks (Scottsdale, Ariz.) Pat McGowan

(Southern Pines, N.C.) claimed the seventh and final fully-exempt

position for 2005 when he birdied the third extra hole to drop Norm

Jarvis (Surrey, B.C.) into the eighth spot.

The second eight players are conditionally exempt for next year.