Dino Miyamoto of Watsonville drives down the fairway on the seventh hole at Gilroy's Eagle Ridge Golf Course during Friday's Fire Cracker Golf Classic.
GILROY -- While recession takes its toll on the U.S. and the wide world of sports, it has nothing on the Fire Cracker Golf Classic.
Hosted by Independence Day Incorporated, the annual scramble once again surpassed the previous years' number of participants Friday as more than 70 golfers teed off at Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Gilroy.
"Seventy-nine were scheduled to play, and I think 75 showed up. We had 65 last year," event director Monique Dubois said. "This is my fifth year running the Classic, and it's only gotten bigger and better. The community has really come together to support this event and IDI.
"Everyone had fun."
There was nothing unlucky about the tournament's 13th running. It drew a gorgeous setting at the 6,665-yard course, which features spacious fairways and challenging greens.
After settling for second place the past two years, the foursome of Rich Gamboa, Tony Parrish, David Norman and Doug Kalpakoff won the men's title with a team score of 60. Manny Padilla, Allan Heinzen, Dino Miyamoto and Brooks Carpenter finished a stroke behind in second.
It was the second Fire Cracker Classic win for Gamboa, who has played each year.
"We're a dedicated foursome," he said. "We have one guy that comes all the way down from Brookings, Oregon -- he's the farthest away of any golfer, I think.
"We love doing this tournament. It's a lot of fun and it gets great participation from its sponsors."
Deborah Morton, Cindy Mann, Bruce Mobley and Brian O'Neil won the co-ed title at 70 followed by Mike Luner, Denise Luner, Roy Zarate and Chris Lee at 71.
Scott J. Adams Scott J. Adams covers Morgan Hill sports for South Valley Newspapers. Send him an email or call him at 779-4106.
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