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Encinitas Reader Neil O'Connor Wins Patch's March Madness Picks Contest

For his victory, he wins a free golf outing for four at the Castle Creek Golf Course in Escondido.

Update: Wednesday, April 10, 9:21 a.m.

We have a winner! Congratulations to Neil O'Connor, an Encinitas Patch reader, who by virtue of having the closest total points tiebreaker, wins a free golf outing for four people at Castle Creek Golf Course, a $264 value.

O'Connor was one of 12 people to successfully predict that the Louisville Cardinals would advance to the Final Game and was one of five contestants to predict that they would cut down the nets in Atlanta!

His tiebreaker score of 141 edged out Randy Engel by one, to win. The actual amount of points in the riveting, high-scoring, final game was 158.

Stephen Wilkinson was the only contestant to predict more than one team in the Final Four, also having Syracuse joining Louisville. However, his prediction of Georgetown as National Champions prevented him from winning.

Thanks to all who participated, and special thanks to Castle Creek Golf Course for donating such a generous prize.

Update: Tuesday, March 26:

With one weekend gone in the NCAA Tournament, the upsets are coming fast and furious. America's new darling, Florida Gulf Coast, became the first No. 15 seed to advance to the regional semifinals. They knocked out No. 2 Georgetown, who two entrants had winning the tournament.

Gonzaga, also a popular pick to make the last four was "shocked" in the second round by Wichita State.

Of our 16 official entrants, six still have all four of their picks alive.

  • Susan Baxter, an IB Patch reader picks Louisville to win.
  • Randy Engel, an IB Patch reader, picks Louisville to win.
  • Sheri Armendariz, an Encinitas Patch reader, picks Arizona to win.
  • Steve Lucas, a La Mesa Patch reader, picks Louisville to win.
  • Aimee Benz, a Santee Patch reader, picks Indiana to win.
  • Jamie Newton, an IB Patch reader, picks Kansas to win.

Several other entries have 3 out of 4 picks still alive, so it's anyone's ballgame.

The winner of the contest will receive a free golf outing for four people at Castle Creek Golf Course, a $264 value.

Located in Escondido, Castle Creek Country Club is home of the scenic Castle Creek golf course that provides golfers with an enjoyable and challenging experience. In addition, the Gopher Hole Sports Bar and Restaurant provides numerous TVs for patrons to watch sporting events, an extensive food menu and 20 craft beers on tap.

Original story:

Think you know college basketball? It’s time to put your predictive powers of prognostication to the test for a chance to win a free golf outing.

Patch is running a contest to see who can predict the last four teams in the Big Dance.  The winner of the contest will receive a free golf outing for four people at Castle Creek Golf Course in Escondido, a $264 value.

Located in Escondido, Castle Creek Country Club is home of the scenic Castle Creek golf course that provides golfers with an enjoyable and challenging experience. In addition, the Gopher Hole Sports Bar and Restaurant provides numerous TVs for patrons to watch sporting events, an extensive food menu and 20 craft beers on tap. 

It’s been a wild season in college hoops, and this year’s tournament should be wide open. Let the Madness of March begin.

Here’s how the contest will be scored:

Entrants will receive (1) point for each team they correctly pick to make it to the National Semifinals, (3) points for each team they correctly pick to make the Championship Game, and (5) points for correctly picking this year’s National Champion.

Tiebreakers will be determined by “total points” in the championship game.

To enter the contest, simply leave a comment in this post with the following information:

Full Name:

Local Patch site:

Last Four Teams (pick 4)

Championship Game teams (pick 2)

National Champion (pick 1)

Total points in championship game

Entries without all of the above information will be deemed ineligible. You are eligible for only one entry per registered Patch user. Comments will be locked beginning at 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 21, right before tip-off of the Second Round Games.

(Editor’s Note: The “play-in games” on Tuesday and Wednesday are actually considered the First Round.)

Must be a legal resident of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia who are 18 and older. The winner will receive a free golf outing for four people at Castle Creek Golf Course. Approximate retail value of prize: $264. Click the PDF above for complete details of the Official Rules.

Connect with Castle Creek Country Club on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

Eric Yates (Editor) March 18, 2013 at 10:14 pm
Even though as a Patch employee, I'm not eligible to win, I'll kick it off:
Final 4: Louisville, Ohio State, Indiana, Florida Final Game: Louisville, Indiana Champions: Indiana Total score: 151
Ken Stone March 18, 2013 at 10:43 pm
Even though I'm Eric's supervisor, I'll contradict him by picking:
Final 4: Louisville, Indiana, Kansas and Gonzaga Champions: Kansas Total score: 144
Stephen Wilkinson March 19, 2013 at 12:32 am
Final 4: Louisville, Gonzaga, Syracuse, Georgetown
Final Game: Louisville, Georgetown Champions: Georgetown Total score: 124
khoa March 19, 2013 at 04:22 am
Final 4: louisville. Duke. Gonzaga. Indiana
Final 2: louisville. Indiana Champs louisville
Sheri March 19, 2013 at 12:00 pm
Sheri Armendariz
Leucadia Final 4: Arizona, Duke, Louisville, Kansas Championship game: Arizona, Louisville National Champions: ARIZONA!! Total score: 164
Eric Yates (Editor) March 19, 2013 at 12:56 pm
Hi Khoa,
We need your full name and preferred Patch site, please. Thanks.
Neil O'Connor March 19, 2013 at 02:38 pm
Full Name: Neil O'Connor
Local Patch site: Encinitas Final 4: Louisville, Gonzaga, Indiana, Florida Final Game: Louisville, Indiana Champions: Louisville Total score: 141
Randy Engel March 19, 2013 at 03:45 pm
Full name: Randy Engel Local Patch site: Imperial Beach Final 4: Louisville, Kansas, Indiana, Ohio St. Final Game: Indiana, Louisville Champions: Louisville Total score 140
Randy Engel March 19, 2013 at 03:54 pm
Full name: Dustin Engel Local Patch site: Imperial Beach Final 4: Miami, Georgetown, Duke, New Mexico Final Game: New Mexico, Miami Champions New Mexico 148
Diane W March 19, 2013 at 06:56 pm
Full Name: Diane Williams
Local Patch site: Oceanside Last Four Teams (pick 4): Louisville, Gonzaga, Florida, Indiana Championship Game teams (pick 2): Louisville vs Indiana National Champion (pick 1): Indiana Total points in championship game: 159
Michael Jackson March 20, 2013 at 07:46 pm
Full Name: Michael A. Jackson
Local Patch site: La Mesa Last Four Teams (pick 4): Florida, Louisville, Wisconsin, Indiana Championship Game teams (pick 2): Louisville, Indiana National Champion (pick 1): Indiana Total points in championship game: 63-62
Steve Lucas March 20, 2013 at 08:42 pm
Full Name:Steve Lucas
Local Patch site: La Mesa Last four teams: Louisville, Ohio St, Miami, Florida Championship game: Louisville, Miami Champions: Louisville Total points: 117
Aimee Benz March 20, 2013 at 09:04 pm
Kim Benz
Santee Last Four Teams: Louisville, Ohio State, Kansas, Indiana Championship Game: Louisville and Indiana Champions: Indiana Total Points: 85
Jamie March 20, 2013 at 09:42 pm
Full Name: Jamie Newton
Local Patch site: Imperial Beach Patch Last Four Teams: Louisville, Kansas, Indiana, Ohio Championship Game teams: Louisville, Kansas National Champion: Kansas Total points in championship game: 127
susan baxter March 20, 2013 at 10:46 pm
Full Name: Susan Baxter
Local Patch site: Encinitas Last Four Teams (pick 4) Louisville, ohio st, florida, Mai. FL Championship Game teams (pick 2)Louisville, ohio st National Champion (pick 1)Louisville Total points in championship game 126
James Baxter March 20, 2013 at 10:50 pm
James Baxter
Encinitas Patch Last Four Teams: Kansas, Indiana, Gonzaga,Louisville Championship Game teams: Gonzaga, Indiana National Champion: Gonzaga Total points in championship game 173
Komfort March 21, 2013 at 12:50 pm
"ESPN reports that Barack Obama has filled out his brackets for the NCAA tournament, picking Louisville to go all the way.
It's that time of year. It's also that time of year when the President submits a budget request to Congress. And while he hasn't submitted it to Congress yet, Obama has devised a method to not only help focus his decisions, but also to organize the process in a way that is familiar to him. Here is where he has ended up:" http://www.flickr.com/photos/59013527@N00/8576804597/sizes/l/in/photostream/ Main site: http://thevimh.blogspot.com/2013/03/obamas-2013-bracket.html?m=1
Kathryn Hope March 21, 2013 at 01:00 pm
Kathryn Hope
La Mesa Patch Michigan State Georgetown New Mexico Miami MSU vs. Georgetown Champ: Georgetown Total 127

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In Soviet Obamerica Buck Strider ATS-34 assault knife sharpen YOU!
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Aren't you one of the guys who thinks Obama is secretly a Muslim?
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Secretly?
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Steven Bartholow (Editor) June 3, 2013 at 08:59 am
I attached a PDF with all the GUHSD graduation information to this article:Read More http://lamesa.patch.com/groups/schools/p/la-mesa-2013-high-school-graduation-guide Click the pdf thumbnail in the images at that link and then right click "download pdf" and choose save as. That will get you all the info you need.
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Not a bad turnaround in one year—from last to first. We'll have a photographer at USD onRead More Friday night. But feel free to upload your own shots of the Hillers!
Shari Rodriguez June 1, 2013 at 08:01 pm
Thanks for covering, Ken. It was a great night and an awesome win for the Foothillers!
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