Player Information/Pairings/Results
July 14, 2024
Dublin resident Joey Hayden came up clutch when it mattered the most.
Hayden, a 20-year-old junior-to-be at University of Santa Clara, made an eagle on the par-5 18th hole at Poppy Hills on Sunday to hold off AJ Fitzgerald by a stroke and win the annual NCGA Amateur Stroke Play Championship. It's the first NCGA title for Hayden, who in 2022 helped De La Salle HIgh win a CIF State title.
"This is an important win for me. I've been working hard on my game and it's good to see the results," said Hayden, who finished with a record 54-hole total of 10-under 203, eclipsing Daniel Connolly's previous record of 204. "The events the NCGA puts on, we all appreciate it and we have a lot of fun out there."
In what was a tense finish, both Hayden and Fitzgerald came to the tee at 18 tied at a total of 8-under par. Hayden's second shot, a 3-wood from 248 yards out in the fairway, landed just off the green, 12 feet away from the flagstick. Fitzgerald's second, from just off the cart path, found the deep-front greenside bunker. Fitzgerald hit a brilliant bunker shot to within 5 feet of the hole, but it wouldn't matter, as Hayden went on to make his putt for a final round 68 and the win.
"The pin was tucked right. I'd by lying if I said I was going for the flagstick. I was trying to get to the center of the green.," Hayden said. "I was trying to just make a four. If I made a three, I made a three. I did and I was pleased with that."
On the 17th tee, Hayden held a one-shot lead over Fitzgerald. Hayden's tee shot missed the green, leading to a bogey. Fitzgerald, who shot a final round 69, made par to tie things up.
"It was a hiccup on 17. It was a three-putt but not really because I was off the green," Hayden said.
A former Youth on Course member, Fitzgerald grew up playing Poppy Hills. It showed, as he only three-putted once over his 54 holes. Unfortunately, the lone three-putt happened on the 8th hole in the final round.
"What are you going to do?," asked Fitzgerald referencing Hayden's eagle to win it. "I still played super smart and putted well all three days. Just had that one three-putt."
One of the big differences for Hayden and Fitzgerald was the par-5 10th. There, Hayden went a total of 2-under, while Fitzgerald played the hole at 1-over.
Fitzgerald, a caddie at Cypress Point who also lost a heartbreaker in the finals of this year's San Francisco City Championship, had opened the event with a 5-under 66, just a stroke off the tournament record of 65 held by Jonathan De Los Reyes and Kevin Lucas. A day later, Hayden put himself in the mix with his own 66.
"Each day I just tried to do the same thing, play good golf," Hayden said. "This gives me a lot of confidence. There are a lot of great players out there."
Third place went to Jacob Goode at 206 after a final round 68.
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July 13, 2024
Sixty-six has been the magic number so far at this weekend's annual NCGA Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Poppy Hills.
Question is, will someone card a 66 in Sunday's final round?
A day after Salinas resident AJ Fitzgerald took the lead with a 66, University of Santa Clara junior Joey Hayden grabbed a share of the 36-hole lead with a 66 of his own on a foggy Saturday. Both Fitzgerald and Hayden will enter Sunday's final round tied for the lead with totals of 7-under 135.
While Fitzgerald slightly cooled off to a 69, Hayden, who entered the day three shots off the lead, had a day that consisted of six birdies to go against just one bogey. Included in Hayden's run was a spree of three straight birdies from holes Nos. 7 through 9.
Both Hayden and Fitzgerald, who are in search of their first NCGA title, will have a three-shot lead over third-place Jacob Goode when the final round tees off. Goode, who's coming off a victory at the Silverado Amateur, is at 138 after his second straight 69.
Four players--Nick Randazzo (70), Jeremy Gearhart (70), Ben Ragland (71) and Brandon Knight (68)--will be at 139 entering the final round. Randazzo is chasing his 12th NCGA title, which would be third-most all-time behind only NCGA Hall of Famers Casey Boyns and Randy Haag. Gearhart, winner of the 2023 NCGA Public Links Championship, earlier this year finished as runner-up at the NCGA Mid-Amateur.
The cutline (low 30 and ties) came at 4-over par 146.
Daniel Connolly holds the record for 54-hole total score (204) in winning in 2021.
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July 12, 2024
Salinas resident AJ Fitzgerald has already had a solid season. Things could soon get even better.
Fitzgerald, who's currently at No.5 in the race for NCGA Player of the Year honors, took a two-shot lead over the field at this weekend's NCGA Amateur Stroke Play Championship on Friday at Poppy Hills thanks to a stellar, first-round 5-under 66.
The runner-up at this year's San Francisco City (he'd lose a heartbreaker on the 36th hole to friend Mikey Burkland), Fitzgerald had a sensational 31 on the front-nine that was highlighted by a stretch of four consecutive birdies on holes Nos. 4 though 7. He'd also tack on a birdie on the par-5 9th.
Just how good was the 66? There have been only two lower rounds--a pair of tournament-record 65s--posted by Kevin Lucas and Jonathan De Los Reyes in 2010 and 2015, respectively since the event returned in 2004 after a hiatus. Lucas went on to win, De Los Reyes did not. Last year's winner, John Stembridge, also opened with a 66 on his way to hoisting the trophy.
Also going low early were University of Seattle junior Ben Ragland and University of Oregon junior James Gould-Healy, who each shot 68.
Four players came in at 69 including two-time champion Nick Randazzo (2018, 2020) and Jeremy Gearhart. Randazzo is chasing his 12th NCGA title, which would be third-most all-time behind only NCGA Hall of Famers Casey Boyns and Randy Haag. Gearhart, winner of the 2023 NCGA Public Links Championship, earlier this year finished as runner-up at the NCGA Mid-Amateur.
Following Saturday's second round, a cut will be made with the low 30 (and ties) advancing to Sunday's final round.