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August 18, 2023
Sweet redemption, and one for the old guys, too.
A year after a runner-up loss at the 2022 NCGA Amateur that continuously gnawed at him, Concord resident Bobby Bucey can finally truly smile again.
On Friday at Spyglass Hill, Bucey got to hoist the NCGA Amateur Trophy, defeating runner-up Davis McDowell, 5 and 4, in the 36-hole final.
"I finally climbed the mountain," said a teary-eyed Bucey, a member at Oakhurst CC. "I knew I was ready for this moment."
For the 34-year-old Bucey, who becomes the oldest champion since Darryl Donovan in 1999, the win marked his 7th career title. Other victories are two Mid-Amateur Four-Ball titles, one Stroke Play, one Mid-Am, one Four-Ball and one California Amateur. He joins a group of only five players (Casey Boyns, Randy Haag, Nick Randazzo, Tal Smith and Scott Hardy) with seven or more NCGA titles.
"It means so much to me to have my name up there with those guys. Growing up, I remember playing in the Amateur at Spyglass with guys like Casey, Randy and Scott. I was starstruck playing with them," Bucey said. "I believed that one day I would be as good as them. That belief became one win, and then it just kept growing."
Having carved out a 3-up lead through the morning 18 round, Bucey upped the lead to 4-up to on the 20th hole when McDowell made bogey.
A red-shirt junior at UC San Diego and a semifinalist at the 2023 California Amateur at Lake Merced, McDowell managed to cut the lead back to 2-up with birdies on holes Nos. 25 and 27.
But on the 30th hole (par-3 12th), Bucey came storming back. He'd hit an 8-iron to within inches of the cup, while McDowell's tee shot landed in the pond. A hole later, McDowell found the fairway bunker, leading to a bogey and a Bucey 4-up lead.
On the penultimate 32nd hole, Bucey got on in two, striping a 4-hybrid from 220 yards out to within 12 feet of the flagstick. McDowell's second sailed far right, into the beyond the cart path. A drop later, McDowell's fourth shot went into the pond, sealing the victory for Bucey.
"I still probably had the best golf week of my life," said McDowell afterwards. "Playing with these guys, and playing Spyglass, which is a perfect match play course. I've got a lot of good things to build off of as I head into the college season."
The 2022 loss had stung Bucey so deeply that his father and caddie, Bob, said that Bobby had told him, "I'll never get that close again."
The experience still fresh in his mind, Bobby said he wasn't going to go down that same path again.
"On the second 18, I did start getting nervous. You get so close to a goal. My stomach was in knots," Bucey said. "But I also told myself to just stick with the process. I knew I was so close to a lifelong dream of holding that trophy."
August 17, 2023
During Thursday's break between the quarterfinals, Bobby Bucey and Davis McDowell happened to spend some time chatting together.
On Friday morning at Spyglass Hill, the two will be competing against one another for the NCGA's oldest amateur prize.
McDowell, a 20-year-old redshirt junior at UC San Diego, and Bucey, a 34-year-old former California Amateur champion, each punched their tickets to the 36-hole final with semifinal wins.
The No.21 seeded McDowell had the tougher road, squeaking by No.17 Max Ting on the 19th hole. A former Youth on Course and Junior Tour of Northern California member, McDowell had a 1-up lead through 17 but made bogey on the 18th, opening the door for Ting to tie things up with a par.
On the ensuing 19th hole (par-4 10th), McDowell found the fairway and green, leading to a par. Ting, who plays at Princeton and was the Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2019, on the other hand pushed his drive right just past the cart path. He was able to make a stroke, but his shot bounded through the back of the green. He chipped up, but would miss his putt for par to extend the match.
Last year, McDowell was eliminated in the Round of 16. This year, he has never trailed more than 1-hole in any of his four previous matches.
"It's amazing to get to the finals," said McDowell, who won his quarterfinal match 6 and 4.. "It's a lot of golf. I'll wake up and get out there and do my best against Bobby."
For Bucey, reaching the finals is a shot at redemption. Last year, he got to the finals before falling to eventual champion Ian Gilligan.
"I've been thinking about that for quite some time," Bucey said. "Pretty much ever since that day."
The No.18 seeded Bucey, who plays out of Oakhurst CC, earned his return trip to the finals via a 4 and 3 semifinal win over No.30 Colin Huang.
A huge swing in the match came on holes Nos. 9 and 10. Already holding a 2-up lead, on No.9 Bucey looked to be headed to a bogey after his third shot just got on the green. Huang looked to have a golden chance to cut into the lead, but Bucey went on to sink his 60-foot par putt. Huang, meanwhile, did go on to make bogey.
A hole later on the 10th, Bucey found himself in all sorts of trouble when his drive sailed right into the trees. He'd eventually get on the green--bending his 5-iron against a tree in the process--and would one putt for a double-bogey. Again, Huang had an open door to trim the lead. This time though, Huang put his second shot into the front bunker. He'd get on in three but then four-putted for a triple-bogey, pushing Bucey's lead to four. From there, Bucey never lost another hole.
Earlier on the 7th hole, Bucey nearly holed out for an albatross, leaving his second shot just a foot from the flagstick.
"My dad (Bob, his caddie) was like, 'Get in the hole!'" Bucey said with a laugh.
While McDowell will be looking for his first NCGA win, Bucey will be looking to join a group of only five players (Casey Boyns, Randy Haag, Nick Randazzo, Tal Smith and Scott Hardy) with seven or more NCGA titles. Previous Bucey wins include two Mid-Amateur Four-Ball titles, one Stroke Play, one Mid-Am, one Four-Ball and one California Amateur.
The last player to compete in the NCGA Amateur Finals two years in a row was 2010-2011 champion John Catlin.
Fridays' final will begin at 7 a.m.
August 16, 2023
The wildness and unpredictability of match play was on full display Wednesday at Spyglass Hill as the Round of 32 and Round of 16 were held for this week's annual NCGA Amateur.
By the end of what was a wacky day, the highest seed remaining was No.6 Angelo Marcon.
No.1 seed Garrett Boe looked to keep rolling, opening match play with a solid 5 and 4 over No.32 Ryan Gay. In the afternoon Round of 16, however, Boe fell 4 and 3 to No.17 Max Ting.
Through holes Nos. 2-9, Boe suddenly fell apart, going 6-over par with a painful triple-bogey six on the par-3 5th.
Ting will next face No.24 Jeremy Gearhart, who cooled off another hot player in Jerry Ledzinski. Ledzinski, the No.8 seed, had opened the Round of 32 with a 7 and 6 win. In the afternoon Round of 16, Gearhart, winner of this year's NCGA Public Links Championship, got the best of Ledzinski, winning 4 and 3 thanks in part to a Ledzinski run of five straight bogeys from holes Nos. 6 through No.10.
The No. 2 seed, Cory Donnelly, never got going in his Round of 32 match, falling 7 and 6 to No.32 Jack Quilligan. Quilligan would then see his hopes dashed by 2022 runner-up and No.18 seed Bobby Bucey on the 19th hole in the afternoon.
Bucey's Thursday's morning quarterfinals opponent will be No.10 Brady Siravo.
The No.3 seed, Brett Viboch was stunned in the Round of 32 by No.30 Colin Huang, who won 1-up. Having held a 2-up lead through most of the match, Huang won 17 with a birdie to eventually tie things up. On the closing 18, Huang made par while Viboch made bogey.
Huang, the highest seed remaining, will next take on Marcon. In the other quarterfinals match, No.20 Ryan Firpo will face No.21 Davis McDowell.
The quarterfinals will begin at 7 a.m., to be followed by the semifinals in the afternoon.
The championship features past winners such as NCGA legends Lawson Little and Charlie Seaver. Recent winners include John Catlin (2010-2011) and Maverick McNealy (2015).
Amateur and Seniors Photo Gallery
August 15, 2023
Salinas resident Cory Donnelly and Clovis resident Garrett Boe will head into the match play portion of this week's NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship on a bit of a roll.
The two finished stroke play qualifying tied for medalist honors at 4-under 140. Donnelly, who reached the Round of 16 in 2020, shot his second straight round of 70. Boe, who played last season at CSU-Fullerton, had a 68 that included four birdies and an eagle (par-5 11th) to go against a double-bogey.
Also carding a 68 was 2020-21 NCGA Player of the Year Brett Viboch. The 68 pushed Viboch 24 spots up the leaderboard into third place and the No.3 seed position.
Three players--Mike Perchak, Sean Karl-Dobson and Angelo Marcon--finished T-4 at 144.
Only the low 32 players earned spots into the match play brackets. Two players making huge moves were Max Ting, who shot 42 spots up the leaderboard after a second round 71, and Ryan Firpo, who moved 61 spots up the leaderboard and into match play with a 70.
Wednesday's play will feature both the Round of 32 and Round of 16, Thursday will see the quarterfinals and semifinals and Friday will see the 36-hole final.
The championship features past winners such as NCGA legends Lawson Little and Charlie Seaver. Recent winners include John Catlin (2010-2011) and Maverick McNealy (2015).
Photo Gallery Here
Photo Gallery 2 Here
August 14, 2023
So far, Salinas resident Cory Donnelly is making the most of his spot in this week's NCGA Amateur Championship.
On Monday, Donnelly, who earned a spot in the field in a qualifier held at Del Monte GC, took the lead in stroke play qualifying with a solid 2-under 70 at Spyglass Hill.
Donnelly was one of only three players to crack into red figures. Xavier Coreno of Fresno and Angelo Marcon of San Francisco both came in with matching scores of 1-under 71.
How tough was Spyglass playing? The stroke average was a robust 78.29 for the field.
Following Tuesday's second round of stroke play qualifying, a cut will be made with only the low 32 advancing to match play. From there, it will turn into even more of a grueling test.
Wednesday's play will feature the Round of 32 and Round of 16, Thursday will see the quarterfinals and semifinals and Friday will see the 36-hole final.
The championship features past winners such as NCGA legends Lawson Little and Charlie Seaver. Recent winners include John Catlin (2010-2011) and Maverick McNealy (2015).
Monday Photo Gallery Here
Finn McCall had the shot of the day, acing the par-3 15th.
