La Quinta, CA – Geoff Gonzalez of Diablo, CA picked up career win No. 1 at eGolf Tour West’s Championship at Carlton Oaks just three weeks ago, and more than kept the momentum swinging his way at this week’s Championship at PGA West. The former Cal-Poly star earned his second straight win in a playoff over J.J. Spaun of Laguna Niguel, CA and Kevin Lucas, CA, birdieing the par-3 third at the famed resort’s Nicklaus Tournament Course to claim the event’s $10,000 first-place prize, all while moving up to No. 3 on the tour’s money list during a breakthrough 2014 campaign.

Thursday’s final round began with eGolf Tour winner Tim Madigan of Rio Rancho, NM holding the 18- and 36-hole lead following rounds of 64-71—135 (9-under) to move one shot clear of the field with 18 holes to play.

Madigan’s march towards his first career eGolf win on the west coast began solidly with birdies on two of his first seven holes, but ended in less-than-ideal fashion, with bogeys on 17 and 18 leaving him one-shot shy of the playoff.

The late falter by Madigan left Gonzalez, Spaun and Lucas tied for the lead, heading to overtime – but not without some drama leading up.

“No one pulled away, all of us had a shot at winning,” said Gonzalez, 26. “But we all hung in there, it was definitely exciting throughout.”

Geoff Gonzalez

First to strike was Lucas, the tour’s leading money winner with now over $35,000 in season-long earnings. The former Nevada star reached 10-under par with birdies on Nos. 5, 6 and 7, but bogeyed the par-4 18th to finish with a closing 69 – in turn posting the first 10-under 206 tally in the clubhouse.

Gonzalez and Spaun, playing in the day’s final threesome alongside Madigan, traded blows throughout much of the round, with Spaun birdieing 16 and 17 to reach 10-under alongside Gonzalez, before the latter left himself one putt left for the outright win.

A stellar approach to the last gave Gonzalez what would turn out to be four straight putts for the win, but it wasn’t to be.

“I knew that putt was for the win, and I hit a really good putt there – it just didn’t go in,” said Gonzalez of his 12-footer at the 18th.

All tied at 10-under par, the threesome headed back to the par-4 first, where a failed up-and-down attempt by Lucas left the tournament title to a two-man race, both headed to the par-4 second hole at the Nicklaus Tournament Course.

Spaun hit his approach to No. 2 to 35 feet, while Gonzalez stuffed his to 15 feet, but both players missed to force a third extra hole.

Spaun, first to tee off on the par-3 third, hit his tee shot near the left side of the green, and watched as it roll down to the right fringe – roughly 20 feet from the hole.

“I saw his shot drift down there like that, and knew if I did the same that I’d have a good look,” said Gonzalez.

Looking to use the slope to his advantage, Gonzalez laced a 6-iron into the breeze from 180 yards to utter perfection, kissing it off the left fringe for a stellar tee shot that wound up trickling down to 4 feet from the hole.

“I had a putt to win on four straight holes, but I knew I was giving myself good chances so it wasn’t frustrating,” said Gonzalez after Spaun missed his try from the right fringe. “When I got over that one, I told myself, ‘I’ve got to get this in there.’”

Looking to end the drama yet again, Gonzalez converted, knocking in the short birdie try for the win, and the $10,000 first-place prize.

“I live on this course but don’t play here a whole lot; but, I have a lot of good feelings out here,” he said. “It’s pretty gratifying to win at PGA West.”

The win moved Gonzalez’s season-long earnings up to $25,652 – good for third on the tour’s money list.

The former Mustang star made it two wins in a row on eGolf Tour West, dating back to a one-shot victory at Carlton Oaks in the tour’s last stop. In college, Gonzalez starred at Cal Poly, winning three times and earning three NCAA Regional bids as an individual, but collecting the prized dream of west coast amateur golf in 2009 – the California State Amateur.

Chris Williams

Lucas and Spaun each collected $6,400 for their runner-up finishes.

Madigan, Gregor Main of Danville, CA, Chris Williams of Moscow, ID and Colin Featherstone of Fallbrook, CA finished tied for fourth at 9-under 207, one shot back of the three-man playoff. Each player earned $3,817 for the week.

Williams, making his eGolf Tour West debut, birdied 11, 13, 14 and 15 to close with a 3-under 69 and a 9-under total.

The former University of Washington star was the top-ranked amateur in the world in 2012 and 2013, a stretch with began with the prestigious Western Amateur title in 2012 and ended with the Ben Hogan Award in the spring of 2013 – given annually to the top player in both college and amateur golf.

• A special thanks goes out to PGA West director of golf Anthony Holder, golf course superintendent Greg Hryck, and their respective staffs for all of their efforts in making this first-year event such a success.

• The tour will take next week off before returning to action with the Avondale Open on May 7-9, 2014, to be contested at Avondale Golf Club in Palm Desert, CA.