Oscar Lopez Welcomes Baby, Then Wins Annual Bowl Shootout

Lakeside, CA (September 21, 2009) – After ten days of qualifying and 29,077 shots, the 2009 Barona Million Dollar Hole-in-One Shootout – A Pacific Life Holiday Bowl production – concluded today with the finals at Barona Creek Golf Club. Seventeen golfers qualified for the contest finale by winning one of ten qualifying days with holes-in-one at Stadium Golf Center, September 7-11 and 14-18.

By landing his shot 16 feet 10 ½ inches from the hole, Oscar Lopez of San Diego took home the first-place prize of a seven day Mexican Riviera cruise, courtesy of Carefree Vacations and Royal Caribbean. If Lopez or any of the other 16 shootout participants had hit a hole-in-one on the 170-yard hole, they would have won $1 million.

Lopez’s biggest prize of the day, however, came earlier in the morning when his wife, Diann, gave birth to their first child. They welcomed Mia Maria Lopez to the world at 12:16 a.m. at Kaiser Zion Hospital. She weighed in at 6 lbs. 7 oz. and was 19 ½ inches long.

Defending champion Matt Sparks finished in second place with his shot coming to rest 20 feet 9 ½ inches from the hole. The top five finalists all received prizes for placing. San Diego resident Hien Nguyen finished in third place by stopping his ball 21 feet 8 ½ inches short of the pin.

The revenue generated by the Barona Million Dollar Hole-in-One Shootout supports the non-profit Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. The Pacific Life Holiday Bowl kicks off at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 30th at 5 p.m.

Top Five Final Shootout Finishers
1. Oscar Lopez – 16 feet 10 ½ inches
2. Matt Sparks – 20 feet 9 ½ inches
3. Hien Nguyen – 21 feet 8 ½ inches
4. Matt Sparks – 29 feet 2 ½ inches
5. Jacobe Washburn – 33 feet ½ inch