• COURSE: Los Feliz
• CHECK IN TIME: 7:15am, Saturday July 18
• STORYLINES: It’s the first major of the year. Last season Match Play looked part Survivor, part Charly Classic mini golf, and part Match Play what with the atrocious conditions at Burbank Mini DeBell (a last minute course replacement). Doug Vargas claimed his first Match Play title (3rd overall) in 12 years after a dramatic come-from-behind win over Chris Moawad… Season-opening South Bay Challenge winner Dominic Gonzales (seeded 5th) makes his Match Play debut, drawing #4 Walter Vargas… #3 Tim Joe and #6 P-Jay Fidler face one another for the first time in their careers.
Doug Vargas (25-12 record in match play): Defending champion (2009,2013, 2025); 1-0 lifetime vs. Stolz (won 5and3 last year); 2-0 vs. Walter Vargas
Tim Joe (7-18): 2024 champion; 0-0 vs. Fidler (1-3 vs. Moawad; 1-1 vs. Vaughan)
Chris Moawad (28-12): Career leader in match wins (28); tied in all-time tournament wins with Armen Grigorian (5). 0-1 lifetime vs. Vaughan (lost in 2012 Q-finals); 3-1 vs. T. Joe; 1-0 vs. Fidler
Walter Vargas (17-14): 4-time finalist (2009, 2012, 2019, 2023); Match Play remains the one major missing from his impressive resumé. 0-2 lifetime vs. D. Vargas and 0-1 vs. Stolz
Eric Stolz (2-7): In 2022, as a 4-seed, upset #2 Walter Vargas in the semi-finals, advancing to the Finals for the first time in his career; lost to defending champion Chris Moawad 3and1. 0-1 vs. D. Vargas and 1-0 vs. W. Vargas
P-Jay Fidler (8-12): 2013 and 2017 finalist; 0-0 vs. T. Joe; 0-1 vs. Moawad; 0-2 (1 forfeit) vs. Vaughan
NEW TIE-BREAKER RULE: In the event a match ends all square, golfers will play a sudden death hole(s) until a winner is determined.
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PAST CHAMPIONS:
2003, Jo Clemente
2004, no tournament held
2005, Jo Clemente
2006, Armen Grigorian
2007, Armen Grigorian
2008, Chris Moawad
2009, Doug Vargas
2010, Armen Grigorian
2011, Armen Grigorian
2012, Armen Grigorian
2013, Doug Vargas
2014, Travois Gordón
2015, Nik Freitas
2016, Ed Quiroz
2017, Chris Moawad
2018, no tournament held
2019, Chris Moawad
2020, no tournament held
2021, no tournament held
2022, Chris Moawad
2023, Chris Moawad
2024, Tim Joe
2025, Doug Vargas