Player Information/Pairings/Results
July 16, 2023
It's not a last-place-to-first-place story. But it's pretty darn close.
Santa Cruz resident John Stembridge made birdie on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff (par-5 18th) to defeat Aidan Tran and win the annual NCGA Amateur Stroke Play Championship on a chilly Sunday at Poppy Hills.
Now 33, Stembridge last played in the Stroke Play Championship in 2019. That year, he nearly finished dead last after rounds of 85-87.
"It goes to show where I've come from, and how much work I've put in," said Stembridge, who finished with a 54-hole total of 5-under 200. "Things started clicking for me the last week. It feels great to get a win."
A Georgia native who played at University of Auburn, Stembridge, who moved to California to work for Apple, hadn't tasted victory since a collegiate win for the Tigers at the Bluegrass Invitational. He gave a huge shout-out to swing coach Brad Marek and mental coach Paul Ashbrook for turning his game around. Marek has been a featured instructor in NCGA Golf Magazine.
Coming to the 15th hole in regulation, it didn't look like Stembridge would get a chance to snap his winless skid. Tran held a commanding three-shot lead, but back-to-back bogeys on holes Nos. 15 and 16 brought not only Stembridge into the picture, but also Baron Szeto.
On the 18th tee, Tran was still the leader at a total of 5-under, with Stembridge and Szeto just a shot behind. Tran's second shot was pulled right into the bunker, leading to a bogey, while Szeto had to settle for a par after missing his birdie putt. Stembridge, who began the day three behind Tran, reached the green in two and made his birdie putt to also get in at 5-under.
In the ensuing playoff, Tran and Stembridge went back to 18. After Tran found the fairway, Stembridge pulled his drive right. He'd receive a fortuitous bounce, however, with his ball ricocheting back into the fairway. On their approach shots, Tran found the greenside bunker. He'd get on in three but his short birdie putt lipped out. Stembridge again got on the green in two--hitting a 3-iron from 228 yards out--and proceeded to two-putt for birdie and the win.
"Aidan had piped his drive, and I wanted to get out there with him. I got a good break with the kick off the tree," said Stembridge, who shot a final round 68. "All three of us were hitting the ball well. I managed to hang in there."
Tran, a star at Clovis North High, had a final round 71. Szeto, who plays at Cal-Poly San Luis Obispo, shot a final round 72 to place third at 209.
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July 15, 2023
Aidan Tran and Baron Szeto continued to shine while others fell off the pace.
Tran, who plays at Georgia Tech, and Szeto, who plays at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, will head into Sunday's final round of the annual NCGA Amateur Stroke Play Championship tied for the lead at 5-under 137.
Tran, who began the day one shot behind leader John Stembridge, carded a second round 70. Szeto jumped three spots up the leaderboard with a 69.
Stembridge, who formerly played at Auburn but now lives in Santa Cruz, had a 74 to fall back into third place at 140.
Both AJ Fitzgerald and Mason Benbrook are just four behind the leaders after rounds of 73 and 69, respectively.
Only the low 30 (and ties) advanced to Sunday's final round.
Second Round Photo Gallery
July 14, 2023
Santa Cruz resident John Stembridge traveled down to Pebble Beach and made some noise.
Stembridge took the first-round lead in this week's annual NCGA Amateur Stroke Play Championship, carding a solid 5-under 66 on an overcast Friday at Poppy Hills.
The 66 was just one stroke shy of the championship record for low round. Kevin Lucas and Jonathan De Los Reyes share the record for low round since the tournament was re-established in 2004 with 65’s. De Los Reyes’ 65, shot in 2015, at the time was a course record at Poppy Hills.
Also having a hot hand early were Fresno's Aidan Tran and CSU Fullerton's Trevor McNary. Tran, who plays at Goergia Tech, posted a 67 that featured six birdies and two bogeys. McNary had five birdies and a bogey.
Both former CSU-Monterey Bay standout AJ Fitzgerald and Baron Szeto of Cal-Poly San Luis Obispo also were solid, carding rounds of 68 to finish the day T-3.
Players got to experience all 449 yards of the par-4 12th, as the championship back tees were used. The hole played as the most difficult of the day (4.59 stroke average).
Following Saturday's second round a cut will be made with the low and ties advancing to Sunday's round.
Two-time champ Daniel Connolly holds the record for total score at 9-under 204, which he shot on the way to winning in 2021. Connolly also won the title in 2017.
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