On the Long Beach Golf Festival website, it says the $160,000 LB Open is “Where Winners Get Their Start”.  For the young professional golfers who played four rounds this weekend in Long Beach, getting their start is learning how to win and sometimes that means chasing the same guy for 72 holes.

For South African Tyrone Van Aswegen, his record-breaking weekend was learning how to play with the lead.  Van Aswegen took home $29,000 with an tournament record -27 (61-65-68-67-261) at Skylinks and El Dorado Park Golf Courses.  

“The hardest part was handling the nerves,” said Van Aswegen, who started the weekend with a course record 61 at Skylinks.  It’s only his fourth victory in the United States.  He’s also won twice on the European Tour.  “I really didn’t drive the ball well today… dealing with the lead comes with pressure… at that point you just have to scramble and put the ball in the hole.”

Starting the final day with a five-shot lead, Van Aswegen struggled to find the fairway but got a little lucky out of the sand.  Mike Ruiz of Las Vegas and David Oh of Cerritos played with Van Aswegen in the final group and pulled within two shots.  After the front nine Ruiz was only three back, but Van Aswegen’s putter saved him as he saved par on 11 and 15.  After getting out of the fairway-side bunker on 18, he rolled in his birdie putt to end the weekend.

The Open also awarded the top amateur finisher, Long Beach State senior Michael Drake.  Coming down the par-5 18th Drake knew he needed a birdie to take the amateur crown.  From about 200 yards out, Drake put his second-shot five iron just ten feet from the pin.  He two putted for his birdie and the top spot, this just two weeks after missing the cut at another amateur tournament.

“I took a week off, and I was just coming here to practice for next year when I’m playing for money,” said Drake, who will look to be a leader for the 49ers this Fall.

Along with handing out $160,000 in prize money, The LB Open and American Golf were able to donate large novelty checks to The Assistance League, LBSU Women’s Golf and the Long Beach Parks.