Player Information/Pairings/Results
August 18, 2023
NCGA Hall of Famer Casey Boyns has literally won just about every NCGA tournament there is.
One thing that had been missing, however, was a Super Senior title. The longtime Pebble Beach caddie can now scratch that off as well.
Boyns had yet another great showing, carding a front-nine 32 on his way to defeating Herb Jensen, 6 and 4, in the 18-hole final at Spyglass Hill.
The victory marked Boyns' 10th Senior crown, moving him into a tie for third on the all-time Senior win list (10) with fellow Hall of Famer Gary Vanier. Overall, Boyns now has a record total of 26 NCGA victories.
'It's always nice to get an NCGA win, and yes I had thought about the Super Senior," Boyns said. "Getting that now, it's sort of like a bucket list thing."
Just 1-up through the first five holes, Boyns went 4-under through holes Nos. 6 through 8 (birdie-eagle-birdie) to break the match open. Last year, Jensen, 74, had eliminated Boyns in the first round.
"Casey got his revenge," Jensen joked. "I knew I would have to play well. Casey was just hitting the ball great today."
Looking back, in 2012 Boyns, now 67, played in his first Senior Amateur Match Play Championship. That year he lost in a playoff to Vanier.
"I remember at the time, I was thinking, 'Oh no, there's goes my chance to win a Senior event,'" Boyns said. "You never know how things are going to go."
For some, taking on NCGA Hall of Famer Casey Boyns would be nerve-wracking.
Carmichael resident Herb Jensen, however, has some reason to feel confident entering Friday's 18-hole final of this year's NCGA Super Senior Match Play Championship.
In last year's event, Jensen knocked out Boyns in the first round.
"I'm sure Casey will want to get after me for that," said Jensen with a laugh.
Boyns, the all-time leader in total NCGA wins with 26, will take on Jensen, whose career includes three NCGA wins and a Super Senior Player of the Year title (2015), after both got through Thursday's semifinals at Spyglass Hill.
The 74-year-old Jensen, the No.4 seed, would advance after defeating No.9 Todd Palmaer, 2 and 1. Up by two through 14 holes, Palmaer was able to get the lead back to one with a birdie win on the par-3 15th. A hole later though, Jensen got his 2-up lead right back when he made par and Palmaer made bogey.
For Jensen, the late moments were eerily getting similar to the 2022 championship semifinals, where he gave up a lead to lose.
"I thought the match was going to go that way again, but I was able to hold on," Jensen said.
As for Boyns, the No. 2 seed, getting to the final meant eliminating good friend Jim Knoll, 6 and 5. While he's won just about every event, the now 67-year-old Boyns has yet to win a Super Senior crown.
"He was good, and I was awful," quipped Knoll, whose resume includes a record five straight NCGA Senior Player of the Year titles from 2011 to 2015.
"I've thought about it," said Boyns, of a Super Senior title missing from his accomplishments. "You always want to win."
August 16, 2023
On Monday, Todd Palmaer was medalist in an 18-hole qualifier to get into match play at this week's NCGA Super Senior Amateur.
Now, Palmaer is just two wins away from winning the title.
On Wednesday, the No.9 seeded Palmaer took another step toward the crown, advancing through the quarterfinals with a 1-up win over No.1 seed Joey Ferrari. The difference came down to the 18th hole, where Palmaer made par and Ferrari made bogey.
Palmaer's next match will be in Thursday's semifinals against No.4 Herb Jensen. Jensen, who won inaugural Super Senior Player of the Year honors in 2015, marched on with a 1-up win of his own over No. 12 Rich Gleghorn. Gleghorn was the Super Senior runner-up in 2021 to eventual champion Frank Pieper.
In the other semifinals match, it'll be No.2 seed Casey Boyns vs. No.6 Jim Knoll. Boyns, the all-time leader in total NCGA victories (25), has never won a Super Senior match play title. He'd advance with a solid 6 and 4 win over No.10 Curtis Worley.
Knoll, who won a record five straight Senior Player of the Year titles from 2011 to 2015, advanced with a 2 and 1 win over No.3 Jim Williams. Coming into the event, Knoll was in second place (11) on the NCGA all-time Senior win list, trailing only leader Jeff Burda (12).
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August 15, 2023
Whatever happens the rest of the way, history will be made at this week's annual Super Senior Match Play Championship.
In a shocker, No.8 seed and defending champion Jeff Burda fell to No.9 Todd Palmaer, 3 and 2, in Tuesday's Round of 16 at Poppy Hills.
With Burda out, that means for the first time in the event's seven-year history, the champion will not be Burda, Frank Pieper or Ron Johnson. Pieper and Johnson are not competing this week.
While Burda fell in a stunner, No.1 Joey Ferrari moved on with a 2 and 1 win over No.16 David Barnett. Next up for Ferrari will be a quarterfinals match vs. Barnett on Wednesday at Spyglass Hill.
Each of the other top seeds--No.2 Casey Boyns, No.3 Jim Williams and No.4 Herb Jensen--all came away with wins.
Boyns, looking for his first Super Senior Match Play crown, will next face No.10 Curtis Worley. Williams will take on No.6 Jim Knoll, and Jensen will face No.12 Rich Gleghorn.
Both Thursday's semifinals and Friday's 18-hole final will also be at Spyglass Hill.
August 14, 2023
Todd Palmaer led a group of eight players through Monday's stroke play qualifier at Poppy Hills with a solid even-par 71.
Overall, eight players advanced to the match play brackets of the championship proper. Among those also moving on was 2021 runner-up Rich Gleghorn (74).
The No.1 seed for match play will be Joey Ferrari. The No.2 seed is Casey Boyns. Both Ferrari and Boyns, who are good friends, are looking for their first Super Senior match play titles.
Defending champion Jeff Burda is the No.8 seed and will open match play vs. Palmaer.
Now in its 7th year, the championship has been won by only three player so far: Burda, Frank Pieper and Ron Johnson.
On Tuesday, it'll be the Round of 16, followed by the quarterfinals on Wednesday, when play moves to Spyglass Hill. Both Thursday's semifinals and Friday's 18-hole final will be at Spyglass Hill.