August 29, 2023
Alamo resident Mike Perchak finally got to fulfill his dream of being an NCGA champion. And he did it in record fashion.
A day after carding an NCGA all-time 18-hole low record score of 12-under 61, Perchak posted a 6-under 67 to cruise to a four-shot win at the annual NCGA Valley Amateur Championship at par-73 Dragonfly GC.
It's the first NCGA title for the 33-year-old Perchak, who works in property management.
"I'm to the moon over winning this," said Perchak, whose 36-hole total of 18-under 128 set a record for the championship. "It's such an honor and privilege to add my name to the list of NCGA champions."
A day after a birdie bonanza, Perchak started slowly by playing his first five holes at 1-over par. But he then found his touch again, carding an eagle on the par-5 6th and back-to-back birdies on holes Nos. 8 and 9. After making the turn, he'd seal the deal by playing his final six holes at 4-under.
Runner-up Mark Stephens, who was coming off a first-round 67, made a charge with a second-round 65 but couldn't get any closer. Third place went to Joey Hayden at 133 following a card-off with Danny Paniccia.
"I really put the pedal down at the end, which helped give me some extra breathing room," Perchak said. "I just trusted in the process."
The championships saw another rarity, as there were two albatrosses during play. Doug Burton had one on #17 and Tony Padilla (Senior Valley) had one on #6. It is believed to be the first time that two players have had albatrosses (3-under par on a par-4 or par-5 hole) during an NCGA championship.
NCGA Hall of Famer Casey Boyns can scratch yet another event off what he now calls his bucket list.
Boyns, who recently won his first Super Senior Match Play crown, defeated Steve Schroeder on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to claim his first NCGA Senior Valley Amateur title. The win marked Boyns' 11th career NCGA Senior title and record 27th overall NCGA title.
'It's always fun to win," said Boyns, whose 36-hole total of 138 tied the Senior Championship low, set by Jeff Wilson in 2020 and matched by Jeff Burda in 2021.
Looking for his first NCGA win, Schroeder, the COO of Poppy Holding Inc., made a clutch birdie on the 17th hole to tie Boyns in regulation. On the first playoff hole, Schroeder again came through, sinking a 12-footer to match pars and force another hole.
On the ensuing hole (No.8), however, Boyns made par while Schroeder three-putted for bogey. Boyns on his back-nine had made nine straight pars.
"The only way I was going to win was for him (Schroeder) to make bogey," Boyns said. "I was hitting the ball fine, but the putts weren't dropping for me at all."
Schroeder had back-to-back rounds of 69. Third place went to Chris Miller (141) after a card-off over Joey Ferrari and Bryan Waters.
Mike Perchak did something that no other NCGA player has ever done.
Perchak posted a record first-round score of 12-under 61 at par-73 Dragonfly GC in Madera in Monday's first round of this week's NCGA Valley Amateur
The course was playing at 6,867 yards. The previous all-time low for 18 holes for an NCGA championship was a 10-under 62 shot by Trevor Clayton at the 2014 NCGA Valley Amateur at the Reserve at Spanos Park in Stockton.
"Holy moley!," Perchak said. "I'm a little speechless after this. I am so truly honored to have set the record. There have been so many great players that have competed in NCGA events."
A 33-year-old property manager from Alamo, Perchak opened his round with a blistering, seven-birdie 7-under 29 on his front-nine. After making the turn, he'd card a 32 after adding three more birdies and an eagle on the par-5 13th. There, Perchak just missed out on going deeper with an albatross. His second shot, a 5-iron from 202 yards out, landed just 6 inches from the flagstick.
"The guys in my group thought it had gone in," Perchack said.
He'd hit all 18 greens in regulation, and not once faced a putt longer than 25 feet.
In second place after a 7-under 66 is Kevin Cook. The stroke average for the championship was 71.73.
Casey Boyns, the all-time leader in total NCGA wins, recently collected yet another title at the NCGA Super Senior Match Play Championship.
It was an event that Boyns had never won. The longtime Pebble Beach caddie, now 67, could scratch yet another event off his NCGA bucket list.
Boyns took the lead in the NCGA Senior Valley Amateur on Monday, posting a 5-under 68 that included five birdies and 13 pars. Boyns has never won a Valley Am or Senior Valley Am title.
In second place at 69, just a stroke off the lead, are Steve Schroeder and Chris Bailey. Schroeder is the COO of Poppy Holding Inc., which operates Poppy Hills and Poppy Ridge.