The 112th United States Open was played this past week at historic Olympic Club in San Francisco and over-par won. The U.S. Open is always golf's toughest test but it proved that how the course is set-up often has as much to do about the scoring as the play of the golfers do.

Just last year at this time, Bhavik Patel (BHS and Fresno State) was touring around that same Olympic Club track on his way to the California State Amateur title, a convincing 8 and 6 win over Kevin Wentworth of Arnold in the 36-hole final.

The last time Anna Jelmini threw the discus at the U.S. Olympic Trials, she was 17 years old and in awe.

"I was in high school (at Shafter), only a junior, and I was just shocked," she said. "When I actually stepped out onto the field, I didn't really know what I was doing there. I was kind of scared."

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- Billy Hamilton picked up right where he left off -- and so did the Bakersfield Blaze.

Hamilton, professional baseball's stolen bases leader, swiped two more bags Thursday night and the Bakersfield Blaze defeated the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 12-2 in the opening game of the second half of the California League season.

Kern County, southern San Joaquin Valley

STRIPER DERBY: The annual Bob's Bait month-long striper derby kicked off June 1. The entry fee is $1 per angler and you must register before you weigh in a fish. Only fresh fish can be weighed in and no weighing in of fish the same day as entering derby. The biggest striper weighed in during June will take the $100 prize, plus all the entry fee money from everyone entered. 157 anglers signed up, which means the pot is $257 at this point. The leader is Jose Rodriguez, Bakersfield, with an 8-14 caught out of the aqueduct at Taft Highway on Sunday.

Los Angeles Dodgers great Maury Wills will not participate in today's third annual Roger Gunning Memorial Golf Tournament after being assigned to work with slumping Dodgers shortstop Dee Gordon, according to event organizer George Culver.

Former Dodgers catcher Steve Yeager will take Wills' place in the event, added Culver, a former major league pitcher.

Could motor sports be incorporated into the future of the Kern County Museum?

Quite possibly.

Jimmy Watkins said it has been an extremely difficult road over the last two years that culminated in earning an Olympic berth in the men's sprint cycling event.

But the next month may be his biggest challenge yet, he said, and it goes beyond preparing for the London Games at the nearly 6,000-foot-elevation U.S. Olympic training facility in Colorado Springs, Colo.

LOS ANGELES

It's not often a person makes a lawful living from stealing.

In one respect, when Bakersfield Christian hired Brian Dignan, it immediately acquired one of the most experienced high school basketball coaches in Kern County.

In another respect, it hired one of the least experienced.

With 15 rookies on his roster at the end of last season, Condors coach Matt O'Dette vowed to bring back many of those players, and he's started with one of the best.

The Condors announced that leading scorer Tyler Helfrich has agreed to terms for the upcoming season.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Billy Hamilton, the Bakersfield Blaze star who leads all of professional baseball with 80 stolen bases, was the victim of an armed robbery following Tuesday night's California League vs. Carolina League all-star game.

Hamilton, the No. 2 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds' organization, according to Baseball America , was not injured.

The NCAA will announce Wednesday that Cal State Bakersfield's men's basketball program will be ineligible for postseason play for the 2012-13 season because of poor academic performance.

But CSUB athletic director Jeff Konya said the academic performance rate score of 879 over a four-year period -- it must be 900 or above to ensure postseason eligibility and avoid additional sanctions from the NCAA -- is not accurate and the university is hopeful the NCAA will rescind the ban once it completes an audit of CSUB's information and analysis.

Tebowmania hit Bakersfield on Tuesday night, and the result was a resounding success for Hoffmann Hospice.

Kern County's non-profit hospice service held its annual Voices of Inspiration fundraiser at the Icardo Center, with Tebow, the much-ballyhooed New York Jets quarterback, serving as guest speaker.

The Blaze's Billy Hamilton stole two bases, singled and scored his team's lone run, but those were among the few highlights for the California League All-Stars in a 9-1 loss Wednesday to the Carolina League All-Stars at BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The victory enabled the Carolina League to snap a three-game losing streak in the annual meeting.

The NCAA will announce Wednesday that Cal State Bakersfield's men's basketball program will be ineligible for postseason play for the 2012-13 season because of poor academic performance.

But CSUB athletic director Jeff Konya said the academic performance rate score of 879 over a four-year period -- it must be 900 or above to ensure postseason eligibility and avoid additional sanctions from the NCAA -- is not accurate and the university is hopeful the NCAA will rescind the ban once it completes an audit of CSUB's information and analysis.

Basketball

Basketball Universe Academy will be conducting its Summer Development League evaluations June 25 and June 27 at Thompson Junior High School, 4200 Planz Road, Bakersfield, 93309. Evaluation times: K-4th grade (coed)- 6-7 p.m.; Grade 5-6 girls: 6-7 p.m.; Grade 5-6 boys: 7-8 p.m.; Grade 7-8 girls: 7-8 p.m.; Grade 7-8 boys: 8-9 p.m. High school evaluations will be at a later date. League play will be from July 2-Aug. 18. For more information or to register in advance (recommended), call (661) 412-3312 or visit bballuniverse.com/

Here are some of the highlights from the California United States Bowling Congress held its annual State Convention the weekend of June 8-10 at the Double Tree Hotel in Sacramento.

CBW Annual Meeting

The Blaze ended the California League's first half Saturday night with the league's best record and a first-place finish in the North Division.

Reaping the benefits of that success should be a handful of players who will likely be promoted to Class AA Pensacola (Fla.) in the Southern League.

Today marks a moment to reflect on the impact fathers have made on our lives. From the moment we are born they are a guiding force in sculpting who we are.

There are events that will be remembered forever by father, child or both. The moment a child was born, the first day of school and the first time driving a car are all very special. One that many fathers will always remember is teaching their child how to play catch.

On a night where there was speed to be found in multiple grooves around Bakersfield Speedway, it was the bottom that proved to be a winner for Clay Daly during the Late Model feature race on Saturday night.

Sticking to the low line almost exclusively, Daly won the 30-lap Late Model feature, passing Mike Corwin with 2 laps left to get the win on the third-mile Clay oval.