Player Information/Pairings/Results
August 17, 2023
NCGA Hall of Famer Randy Haag already shares the record for most NCGA titles with fellow Hall of Famer Casey Boyns at 16.
Now 64, Haag is starting to make a dent into the NCGA Senior history books as well.
On Thursday, the Olympic Club member and No.1 seed won his third Senior Amateur Match Play Championship title, defeating runner-up Rob Campbell, 3 and 2 at Spyglass HIll.
For Haag, it marks his eighth Senior title, leaving him just four behind all-time leader Jeff Burda, who's won 12.
The last time Haag had won the Senior Amateur Match Play was back in 2017, when he repeated as champion. He becomes the first player to win the event three times.
"I think winning now is more special than back then," Haag said. "I watched my dad lose his vision. So I just appreciate getting to be able to come out and play in these surroundings. You never know how long you'll be able to play."
Campbell, a 60-year-old member of both the NCGA and SCGA, was in search of his first title in either association.
"I'm proud of how I played. I just got beat, that was all there was to it," Campbell said.
As he did all week, Haag turned it up a notch. Through the final five holes of the match, Haag went 3-under par. In the quarterfinals, Haag knocked out defending champion Scott Anderson thanks to a run where he went 4-under through eight holes.
A change for Haag this time around was a switch in putting styles. Know for years for his side-saddle putting, he instead putted broomstick-style, a la Lucas Glover. He also three months ago began doing Yoga to help stretch himself out.
"I had really been struggling with the side-saddle. The broomstick is just more of a back-and-thru motion," he said. "As for the Yoga, it's been very helpful."
Wih the win, Haag also moved closer to locking up his second straight NCGA Senior Player of the Year crown. Earlier wins this year include the San Francisco City Senior, Alameda Commuters Senior and Monterey City Senior.
"It's really been one of my best years," he said.
August 16, 2023
No.1 seed Randy Haag got to put the 2022 NCGA Senior Amateur behind him, and then took another step towards returning to the winners' circle.
Haag, an NCGA Hall of Famer, faced a familiar foe in Wednesday's Round of 16 morning matches at Spyglass Hill. Last year, Anderson, the No.16 seed, knocked Haag out of the brackets.
This time around, it was Haag winning, eliminating Anderson via a convincing 6 and 4 win. An Olympic Club member, Haag caught fire on the final eight holes of the match, going 4-under with zero bogeys. Anderson, meanwhile, had trouble right from the start, carding four straight bogeys from holes Nos. 4 through 7.
In the afternoon quarterfinals, Haag found himself in a duel with No.8 seed Mike Stieler. In what was a thriller neither player ever held more than a 1-up lead, and Haag never led at all---until a closing birdie on the par-4 18th that secured a 1-up win.
In Thursday's seminfinals, Haag will face another tough foe in No.4 seed Mark Morgan. Morgan, who has yet to win a Senior match play title. had his own tough match. In the morning Round of 16, he'd slip by 2018 champion Tony Padilla, 1-up. Like the Haag-Stieler match, neither Morgan nor Padilla ever held more than a 1-up lead.
Later in the afternoon, Morgan knocked out No.5 Daniel Young, 4 and 2.
Also advancing to the semifinals was No.18 Rob Campbell. Campbell defeated No.7 Daniel O'Connor, 3 and 1 in the quarterfinals.
Campbell will take on No.14 William Bunce, who eked past No.6 seed Steve Schroeder, 1-up.
Thursday's semifinals will tee off at 7:44 a.m. at Spyglass Hill.
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August 15, 2023
No.1 seed Randy Haag rolled on to the Round of 16, while both the No.2 and No.3 seeds were sent packing.
Haag, the winner of the event in 2016-2017, defeated No.32 Andrew Dalhamer, 4 and 3. Already holding a 2-up lead through eight holes, Haag turned on the jets, carding an eagle on the par-5 9th and a birdie on the par-5 10th to take a commanding 4-up lead.
Next up for Haag will be a Round of 16 match against defending champion Scott Anderson. The No.16 seeded Anderson moved on with a 3 and 2 win over Jeff Thomas, the medalist from Monday's qualifying round.
No.2 seed Tony Ralph and No.3 seed Mike Stakus both were victims of upsets. Ralph fell 1-up to 2020 champion Rich Petit, while Staskus lost 2 and 1 to No.30 Dave Soika.
No.4 seed Mark Mogan, the NCGA Senior Player of the Year in 2020 and 2021, advanced with a convincing 5 and 4 win over No.29 Thomas Delappe.
Morgan will next take on No.13 Tony Padilla in the Round of 16. Padilla won the event in 2018.
Both the the Round of 16 and quarterfinals will be held at Spyglass Hill on Wednesday. The semifinals (Thursday) and 18-hole final (Friday) also will be held at Spyglass Hill.
August 14, 2023
Sixteen spots in the match play brackets for the championship proper were up for grabs at Monday's 18-hole stroke play qualifier at Poppy Hills.
Leading the way was medalist Jeff Thomas of Costa Mesa, who came in with a score of even-par 71. Thomas will be the No.17 seed when match play opens on Tuesday.
Rob Campbell finished second at 72 and Mitch Davis was third at 73.
The cutline to make it in to match play came at 7-over 78. Among those just squeaking in on the number was 2020 champion Rich Petit.
Randy Haag, who won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2016, will be the No.1 seed. Mark Morgan, who is still searching for his first Senior match play title, is the No.2 seed.
Defending champ Scott Anderson also was exempt from qualifying.
Tuesday's action will consist of the opening Round of 32. On Wednesday, the Round of 16 and quarterfinals will be held at Spyglass Hill. The semifinals (Thursday) and 18-hole final (Friday) also will be held at Spyglass Hill.