Bumgardner, the war hero, remembered at his junior golf tournament in Modesto

The 154 kids and teenagers teeing it up at the 63rd Bumgardner Junior Memorial will be forgiven for not knowing much about one Fred Bumgardner.

But after they walked away from the event Tuesday at Del Rio Country Club, they had a good idea.

There, on a table beneath Del Rio’s signature oak tree, a tribute to Bumgardner was displayed – his Purple Heart, his Stars and Stripes, his Modesto High letterman’s sweater, his golf bag and a photo of him swinging a club.

“His father was one of the Del Rio founders,” head pro Fred Rodriguez announced. “Fred was 19 when he was killed in action in 1951 during the Korean War.”

The young golfers responded with silent respect. Bumgardner family members attended Tuesday to remember the young man whose promising life was cut short.

On the golf course, another competitive edition of the Bumgarder played out in ideal conditions. Michael Cliff, a 17-year-old senior at Fresno Christian, birdied three of his final four holes to win the overall title.

Cliff (75-70 – 145) finished off a 2-under-par 70, the tournament’s best round, by holing birdie putts of 8, 15 and 25 feet down the stretch. At his 18th hole – the demanding par-4 ninth on Del Rio’s Oak nine – his 25-footer hit the back of the cup and got a little air before it disappeared.

“I was scared for a second and then I blacked out a little bit,” he said. “When it went in, I realized I probably finished first or second.”

Cliff inched in front while he competed in the tournament’s next-to-last group. He was two strokes better than Modesto’s Chris Ebster (74-73 – 147) and Hanford’s Lane Pulliam (75-72 – 147).

Pulliam birdied the first playoff hole to capture the 16-18 age-group title. Ebster, a junior at Gregori High, will have two more chances to put his name on the tournament’s large perpetual trophy. His mother, Dana Arnold-Ebster, is a former Bumgardner girls champion.

“Two years left,” he said.

Central Catholic junior Nick O’Brien (75-74 – 149) placed sixth in the 16-18 division. Vacaville’s Jarrett Hill, the first-day leader after his 71, faded to a 77 and tied for fourth with defending champion Matt Lloyd of San Jose (73-75 – 148). Gregori’s Greg Jalli finished seventh (77-75 – 152).

Earlier in the day, 14-year-old Maya Pugatch of San Jose (73-76 – 149) became the youngest in six years to win the Bumgardner girls title. Former Enochs star Shawnee Martinez, a senior at Cal State Long Beach, won back-to-back in 2008 and ’09.

Pugatch, a sophomore at St. Francis of Mountain View, already won all-around titles at Santa Rosa and San Jose, then figured it was going to be her week at Del Rio when she drained a 50-footer for birdie on her second hole Monday. She led St. Francis to a berth at the CIF State Championships last fall.

“I like the greens here,” Pugatch said. “I’m not a long hitter, so I rely on my short game.”

Turlock’s Sarah Garcia (75-83 – 158) took third in the 16-18 bracket. Oakdale’s Ryan Meyer (79-75 – 154), who captured the 12-13 title at the JGANC Match Play last month, added the Bumgardner to his list with all-around steady play.

This story was originally published July 7, 2015 at 8:09 PM with the headline "Bumgardner, the war hero, remembered at his junior golf tournament in Modesto."