Eric Woods

Eric Woods of Newport Beach was defeated by Craig Perks of New Zealand, 7 and 5, in the semifinals of the Western Amateur golf championship Sunday. Hugh Royer III of Aiken, S.C.--who had open heart surgery less than a year ago--defeated Perks, 3 and 2, in the match-play final before 4,100 fans at the Point O'Woods Golf & Country Club. Royer, who plans to turn professional later this year, reached the finals Sunday with a 3 and 1 victory over Doug Martin of Van Buren, Ohio.

Coming off his worst performance of the year, Eric Woods nearly made the biggest mistake of his professional golf career. Woods, who played at Corona del Mar High and UC Irvine, missed his tee time for the first round of the Ontario (Canada) Open this month. That cost him two strokes. But had he arrived at the tee box a few minutes later, after his group had hit their second shots, he would have been disqualified from the tournament he had won in 1993.

Coming off his worst performance of the year, Eric Woods nearly made the biggest mistake of his professional golf career. Woods, who played at Corona del Mar High and UC Irvine, missed his tee time for the first round of the Ontario (Canada) Open this month. That cost him two strokes. But had he arrived at the tee box a few minutes later, after his group had hit their second shots, he would have been disqualified from the tournament he had won in 1993.

The way Eric Woods reads them, all the greens in Canada break toward the PGA Tour. Or Europe. Or Australia. Or just about anywhere golf is played for six- and seven-figure purses. No, last week's $125,000 Canadian Home Alberta Open wasn't The Masters. Neither are any of the upcoming stops on the Canadian Professional Golf Assn. tour. But there's good money to be won on the CPGA tour, which is why Woods, a Corona del Mar resident, is spending his summer north of the border.

Eric Woods of Newport Beach won two matches Thursday to advance to today's quarterfinal round of the 1987 U.S. Amateur Public Links Golf Championship at Glenview Golf Course in Cincinnati, Ohio. Woods, 23, and a graduate of Corona del Mar High School, defeated William Beck of Joliet, Ill., 6 and 4, Thursday morning. Thursday afternoon, Woods beat Franklin Langham of Thompson, Ga., 3 and 2.

The way Eric Woods reads them, all the greens in Canada break toward the PGA Tour. Or Europe. Or Australia. Or just about anywhere golf is played for six- and seven-figure purses. No, last week's $125,000 Canadian Home Alberta Open wasn't The Masters. Neither are any of the upcoming stops on the Canadian Professional Golf Assn. tour. But there's good money to be won on the CPGA tour, which is why Woods, a Corona del Mar resident, is spending his summer north of the border.

Eric Woods of Newport Beach advanced Wednesday after the first day of match play in the 62nd Public Links Championship tournament. Woods, 23, defeated John Ferrera of Staten Island, N.Y., a former PGA player, 3 and 2, on the 6,777-yard, par-72 Glenview Golf Course. Woods said he intends to apply for the PGA Tour in September.

Eric Woods of Newport Beach was defeated by Craig Perks of New Zealand, 7 and 5, in the semifinals of the Western Amateur golf championship Sunday. Hugh Royer III of Aiken, S.C.--who had open heart surgery less than a year ago--defeated Perks, 3 and 2, in the match-play final before 4,100 fans at the Point O'Woods Golf & Country Club. Royer, who plans to turn professional later this year, reached the finals Sunday with a 3 and 1 victory over Doug Martin of Van Buren, Ohio.

Eric Woods of Newport Beach won two matches Thursday to advance to today's quarterfinal round of the 1987 U.S. Amateur Public Links Golf Championship at Glenview Golf Course in Cincinnati, Ohio. Woods, 23, and a graduate of Corona del Mar High School, defeated William Beck of Joliet, Ill., 6 and 4, Thursday morning. Thursday afternoon, Woods beat Franklin Langham of Thompson, Ga., 3 and 2.

Eric Woods of Newport Beach lost to Kevin Johnson of Pembroke, Mass., 3 and 2, in a quarterfinal match Friday of the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. Johnson and Jimmy England of Gastonia, N.C., each won two matches Friday to advance to today's final. Johnson defeated Brian Bridges of Whitehall, Ohio, 3 and 2, in the semifinals and England beat Rodney Wilson of Petaluma, Calif., 2 and 1, despite a hole-in-one by Wilson.

PGA Tour pro Mark Wurtz of Bermuda Dunes and Nike Tour pro Chris Smith of Peru, Ind., each shot six-under-par 65 Friday and lead after the first round of the Taco Bell Newport Classic Pro-Am golf tournament at Newport Beach Country Club. Stan Utley of Columbia, Mo., and R.W. Eaks of Scottsdale, Ariz., are tied for second at 66. Eric Woods, a former Corona del Mar High and UC Irvine standout, shot 69.