Player Information/Pairings/Results
June 24, 2023
When it was all finally over, Rocklin resident Zachery Pollo finally cracked a big smile.
Pollo (pronounced Po-Lo) joined the likes of Johnny Miller, Ken Venturi and Xander Schauffele as a California Amateur champion, defeating runner-up Dylan Oyama, 5 and 4, in the 36-hole final held Saturday at par-72 Lake Merced Golf Club.
An 18-year-old sophomore-to-be at University of Arizona, Pollo is one of the event's youngest winners. Mac Hunter won the 1972 title at 16.
Immediately after his victory, Pollo started receiving congratulatory texts from Wildcats head coach Jim Anderson as well as some of his teammates, including 2021 NCGA Amateur champ Sam Sommerhauser.
"It feels good. Coming into it, I knew it would be a long week," said Pollo, a former standout on the Junior Tour of Northern California. "There's a lot of golf. You just try to prepare yourself. Fortunately, I was able to come out on top."
A Pac-12 All Freshman Team pick last season, the No.14 seeded Pollo turned into a birdie machine to close out the match. Over his last 14 holes, he'd go 8-under.
Through the first 18 holes, Pollo had numerous chances to increase what was a 1-up lead but his putter didn't cooperate. At the midway break, following a quick meal Pollo went out and repeatedly practiced making 3 to 4-footers.
In the afternoon portion, he wouldn't just sink the shorter putts, he even began draining some 20 to 30-footers, including a winning eagle putt on the 32nd hole (par-5 14th).
"I didn't think my putting was all that great on the first 18. On the second 18, my putting was beyond good," Pollo said.
A sophomore-to-be at San Diego State, the No.16 seeded Oyama had never competed in an official match play event prior to the week.
His last lead was 1-up after a par win on No.12 in the morning. Through the first 25 holes, neither player ever held more than a 2-up lead.
"There's a lot of things I will stay take away from the week," said Oyama, who picked up the game from his grandfather around the age of 5. "There are also a lot of things I need to work on, including my stamina."
As for Pollo, while the week was also grueling, he's in a way been there and done that. At only age 6, he competed in a 100 kilometer bike race. He also climbed Mount Whitney as a child. His mom Carrie and dad Jay are both into fitness, with Carrie even having once competed in the Boston Marathon.
"I was also tired as the week went on, but when you're in the moment, you still remain focused," Pollo said.
In the morning portion of the final, Pollo and Oyama see-sawed with neither ever holding more than a 2-up lead. Tied through 16 holes, Pollo grabbed a 1-up lead on the 17th when Oyama failed to reach the green in regulation, leading to a bogey. The two tied the 18th hole with pars.
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June 23, 2023
It'll be Pac 12 against Mountain West in the finals of this week's California Amateur at Lake Merced Golf Club.
On Friday, Zachery Pollo, a sophomore at Arizona, and Dylan Oyama, a sophomore at San Diego State punched their tickets with semifinal wins. Pollo, the No.14 seed, defeated No.18 Davis McDowell on the 19th hole due to a Rules infraction. The No.16 seeded Oyama defeated No.21 Casey Leebrick, 1-up.
On the 19th hole, McDowell's caddie removed sand from off the putting green on his line of play. The removal was a violation of Rule 8.1, which prohibits a player, and their caddie, from improving his line of play by removing sand in the general area. Sand may only be removed on a putting green. The violation in match play results in loss of hole.
Pollo, a former standout on the Junior Tour of Northern California, was among those stunned by what happened.
"It was a tough match," Pollo said. "There was so much golf today. 36 holes is a lot."
Tied through 15 holes, McDowell looked to be in good shape when he took a 1-up lead on No.16 with a par. Following a tie on the 17th, the two on No.18 both were just off the green in two. McDowell bladed his chip shot, squirting his ball towards the back of the green on his way to a double-bogey. While Pollo would hit his third shot within 4 feet of the flagstick and was conceded the birdie.
In the Leebrick-Oyama match, Leebrick, a recent Sacramento State grad, looked to be in command after building a 3-up lead through five holes. Oyama, however, won holes Nos. 6 and 7 with pars and went on to win the 9th hole to knot the match up.
Still tied through 14 holes, Oyama took a 1-up lead on the 15th, winning with a par. The two tied their final three holes.
While he's played in match play casually with friends, Oyama is making his competitive match play debut.
"I like match play, but sometimes I have no clue what I am doing when it comes to deciding whether or not to concede a putt," Oyama said. "But in match play too, you can kind of play mind games. I like that part."
Now, the two will have a shot at winning the biggest amateur prize in the Golden State.
"It feels great to get to the final, but I'm also really tired at this point," Oyama said. "It's been a long week."
Past winners of the event include Ken Venturi (1951, 1956), Johnny Miller (1968), Mark O'Meara (1979) and Xander Schauffele (2014).
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Quarterfinals
Casey Leebrick was the first player to earn a spot in the semifinals following a 3 and 2 win over No.13 Alexander Yang. Following a loss on the opening 1st hole, Leebrick first bounced back with a par win on No.5. Leebrick then birdied No.6 and No.9 to grab a 2-up lead. Two more back-to-back birdies on holes Nos. 11 and 12 increased his cushion to 4-up.
Oyama moved on to the semis via a 2 and 1 win over No.24 Andy Yoon. Oyama built a 4-up lead thru 12 holes, but Yoon didn't give in, winning holes Nos. 13-15 in succession to trim the lead to 1-up. Following a tie on No.16, Oyama won the 17th hole with a par to seal the match.
In another quarterfinal match, Pollo eliminated No.22 Ethan Chung, 2 and 1. Tied through 12 holes, Pollo took a 2-up lead with back-to-back birdies on holes Nos. 13 and 14. The two tied the next three holes.
McDowell would win a thriller, knocking out No.26 Domingo Jojola with a win on the 21st hole. Jojola was a Junior Merit member at Lake Merced GC and grew up in San Francisco.
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June 22, 2023
The brackets are officially busted at this week's annual California Amateur at Lake Merced Golf Club.
On Thursday, the Round of 16 saw all four top seeds--No.1 Joe Neuheisel, No.2 Nathan Wang, No.3 Ivan Barahona and No.4 Jerry Wu--getting sent home.
Neuheisel, the son of Rick Neuheisel, who was the head coach of the college football programs at Colorado, Washington and UCLA, fell 4 and 3 to No.16 Dylan Oyama. Oyama, a sophomore at San Diego State, will next face No.24 Andy Yoon.
Wang, the winner of last year's NCGA Amateur Stroke Play Championship, saw his hopes dashed in a 2-up loss to Davis McDowell. The No.18 seed, McDowell is a redshirt senior at UC San Diego.
In what was a thriller, No.14 Zachery Pollo, a star on the Junior Tour of Northern California, knocked out Barahona on the 19th hole. On the first extra hole, Pollo made a birdie to Barahona's par.
In the other big upset of the day, No.13 Alexander Yang eliminated Yu. Yang is the lowest seed remaining in the brackets.
The highest seed left is No.26 Domingo Jojola, who advanced with a 2 and 1 over No.10 Darren Chiu.
Jojola, who grew up in San Francisco and went to Lincoln High, was a Junior Merit member at Lake Merced when he was a kid.
The quarterfinals and semifinals will take place Friday, with the 36-hole finale on Saturday.
Past champions of the event include Ken Venturi (1951, 1956), Johnny Miller (1968) and Xander Schauffele (2014).
Round of 16 Photo Gallery Here
June 21, 2023
All four top seeds managed to get through the Round of 32 of match play on Wednesday at this week's California Amateur Championship at Lake Merced GC.
But things didn't go as planned for some of the other higher seeds.
No.1 seed Joe Neuheisel, the son of Rick Neuheisel, who was the head coach of the college football programs at Colorado, Washington and UCLA, just squeaked by, defeating No.32 seed Tegan Andrews, 1-up. For Neuheisel, who won last year's Arizona Amateur, the difference was a late par win on the 17th hole.
Nathan Wang, the No.2 seed and the winner of last year's NCGA Amateur Stroke Play Championship, got a solid opening victory, defeating No.31 Calder Overfelt, 3 and 2.
Also picking up wins were Long Beach State sophomore and No.3 seed Ivan Barahona (4 and 2) and UC San Diego senior and No.4 seed Jerry Wu (3 and 2).
No.5 seed Michael Jensen, who was competing in his hometown, got eliminated via a 5 and 4 loss to Wyatt McGovern of Hillsborough.
Other upsets included No.6 seed Sam Sommerhauser falling 2 and 1 to No.27 Cade Anderson and No.7 Jack Cantlay losing on the 19th hole to No.26 Domingo Jojola. Cantlay is the younger brother of PGA Tour star Patrick Cantlay.
No.8 seed Garrett Boe also got sent packing following a 3 and 2 loss to No.25 seed A.J. Fitzgerald. In the first round of stroke play qualifying, Fitzgerald had carded a 78.
The Round of 16 will take place on Thursday. The quarterfinals and semifinals will take place Friday, with the 36-hole finale on Saturday.
Past champions of the event include Ken Venturi (1951, 1956), Johnny Miller (1968) and Xander Schauffele (2014).
June 20, 2023
Arizona resident Joe Neuheisel already has won a state title, having won last year's Arizona Amateur.
Now, Neuheisel will have a shot at winning the California Amateur.
Neuheisel, the son of Rick Neuheisel, who was the head coach of the college football programs at Colorado, Washington and UCLA, finished as co-medalist at this week's California Amateur at Lake Merced GC, shooting a second-round 5-under 67 on Tuesday to come in at 6-under 138 in stroke play qualifying.
Also coming in at 138 was Cal-Berkeley sophomore Nathan Wang, who posted a second round day-low 6-under 66. Wang was the winner of last year's NCGA Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Poppy Hills.
Ivan Barahona, a sophomore at Long Beach State, finished third at 140 after a second-round 69.
Only the low 32 players advanced to the match play brackets. The cutline came at 2-over 146.
Wednesday will see the Round of 32, followed by the Round of 16 on Thursday. The quarterfinals and semifinals will take place Friday, with the 36-hole finale on Saturday.
In the North-South Challenge, the NCGA came back to emerge with a 689-693 win over the SCGA.
The North-South Challenge is a competition over the first two days of stroke play qualifying that pits the NCGA vs. the SCGA (best five scores from all players representing each Association).
Past champions of the event include Ken Venturi (1951, 1956), Johnny Miller (1968) and Xander Schauffele (2014).
June 19, 2023
So much for the guys from SoCal feeling the effects of what was a cold and blustery day at par-72 Lake Merced Golf Club.
Jack Cantlay, the younger brother of PGA Tour star Patrick Cantlay, posted a solid 3-under 69 in winds that hovered around 25-30 mph all day. Cantlay, who played at Long Beach State last season, posted two birdies and an eagle on the par-5 14th to go against only two bogeys.
Just a stroke behind Cantlay at 70 is a pack of five players that includes the NCGA's Domingo Jojola and 2021 NCGA Amateur champion Sam Sommerhauser.
Tuesday's action will consist of the second round of stroke play qualifying with only the low 32 moving on to match play.
Wednesday will see the Round of 32, followed by the Round of 16 on Thursday. The quarterfinals and semifinals will take place Friday, with the 36-hole finale on Saturday.
In the North-South Challenge, the SCGA currently leads the NCGA 351-353.
The North-South Challenge is a competition over the first two days of stroke play qualifying that pits the NCGA vs. the SCGA (best five scores from each Association).
Past champions of the event include Ken Venturi (1951, 1956), Johnny Miller (1968) and Xander Schauffele (2014).
