Pairings | Results
July 11, 2025
San Francisco resident Matt Cohn already has six NCGA titles.
The 44-year-old is now firmly in the hunt for a seventh.
On Friday, Cohn leaped into the lead at this weekend's annual Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Poppy Hills after posting a championship record score of 7-under 64 that included five birdies and a pair of eagles to go against two bogeys. The eagles came on par-5 holes Nos. 18 and No.4, the latter of which was playing at 572 yards.
The 64 was one shot better than the previous event mark of 65, which Kevin Lucas and Jonathan De Los Reyes held.
While a championship record, the 64 was so good that it was just one shot shy of the NCGA record for lowest round at Poppy Hills: 63, co-held by Jack Barber (2024 Mid-Amateur) and Wes Payne (2025 Mid-Am).
The great day also for now gave Cohn a cushy four-shot lead over the field. The next closest players entering Saturday's second round will be Parker Mapes and Avinash Iyer, who are both tied for second at 68.
Defending champion Joey Hayden opened with a 5-over 76. In winning the title last year, Hayden finished with a championship record score of 10-under 203.
Following Saturday's second round a cut will be made with the low 30 players (and ties) advancing to Sunday's final round.
Cohn's previous NCGA victories have come at the Mid-Am Four-Ball and Four-Ball with partner Nick Randazzo, Public Links Championship (three times), and Mid-Amateur. Only six players in NCGA history have won seven or more titles--Randy Haag and Casey Boyns (16), Randazzo (12), Bobby Bucey, Talbert Smith and Scott Hardy (7).
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