Championship Info/Pairings/Results
August 19, 2022
When his pitch shot from the rough on the green of what was the 34th hole dropped in for birdie and a 2-up lead, Reno resident Ian Gilligan let loose with a Tiger-esque fist pump.
For Gilligan, the celebratory moment was somewhat symbolic of his journey over the last seven years. Now a 19-year-old sophomore at Long Beach State, following his freshman year in high school Gilligan was diagnosed with lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. He'd end up spending 50 days in a hospital and lost over 50 pounds.
Today, he's cancer free. And an NCGA champion, as he'd go on to defeat Bobby Bucey 2 and 1 in Friday's finals of the 119th Amateur Championship at Spyglass Hill.
"It feels good to win. I'm just so thankful to be here," said Gilligan, a former standout on the Junior Tour of Northern California. "I've put in a lot of work. I'm thankful to be able to compete against a player as great as Bobby."
Bucey, a 33-year-old member at Oakhurst CC who became the old guy in the semifinals brackets (the other three players were collegians), had been aiming to capture his sixth NCGA major title. Along with winning the California Amateur, he's won the Four-Ball title (2016), Mid-Amateur Four-Ball (2021), Stroke Play (2014) and Mid-Amateur (2017).
"It was an extremely memorable week," said Bucey, who had he won would've been the first player over the age of 30 to win since Darryl Donovan in 1999. "It hurts to get this far and fall short, but it's an experience I'll never forget."
It was also a match to remember, becoming a duel in the fog. Through the first 18 holes, neither Gilligan or Bucey ever held more than a 1-up lead. They'd head into the break all-square.
In the second half of the 36-hole finale, the two tied each of the first nine holes. On the the 28th hole (par-4 10th), Gilligan finally took a 1-up lead when Bucey's second shot clipped a tree, leading to a bogey. Bucey would later tie the match with a key birdie on the par-3 12th after he stuck his tee shot to within 3 feet of the flagstick.
The two would stay tied until the par-5 14th, where Gilligan, after just hitting long over the green in two, made a great up-and-down for birdie to beat Bucey's par. Following a halve on No.15, the tide turned when Gilligan sank his pitch from off the side of the green. Bucey, who'd gone through the green, had earlier missed his third shot.
Gilligan, the No.4 seed, sealed the match with a final birdie on 17. Through the 35 holes, Gilligan went just 1-over. That came after having already played six rounds earlier in the week.
"It was a tight match all the way to the end," Gilligan said. "All of the matches earlier in the week, I felt like I was in control. Against Bobby, I knew it was going to be tough. I just couldn't grab a lead against him."
The No.26 seeded Bucey, despite also being exhausted, never gave in.
"I can sleep well knowing I gave it everything I had," Bucey said.
Finals Photo Gallery
August 18, 2022
Ian Gilligan will have a chance to reach the top of a mountain after having once been in a deep valley. Bobby Bucey, meanwhile, will look to add yet another title to his NCGA resume.
Gilligan, a 19-year-old sophomore at Long Beach State, and Bucey, a 33-year-old controller for San Francisco Electrical Union and former California Amateur champion, will meet Friday at Spyglass Hill for the title of 2022 NCGA Amateur champion.
On yet another long day, the No.4 seeded Gilligan earned his spot in the finals after eliminating defending champion and No.8 seed Sam Sommerhauser, 5 and 4. Earlier in the day, Gilligan defeated Casey Leebrick 2 and 1 in the quarterfinals.
At the end of his freshman year of high school at the age of 16, Gilligan was diagnosed with lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. He'd end up spending 50 days in a hospital and lost over 50 pounds. Today, he is cancer-free.
"Every day is a gift," said Gilligan, a former standout on the Junior Tour of Northern California. "I'm fortunate and happy to be here."
And now, he's got a chance to join Lawson Little II, Kevin Sutherland, Spencer Levin and Maverick McNealy as champions of the NCGA Amateur.
"It's been an awesome week," said Gilligan, who lives in Reno. "I haven't had a lot of match play experience. To play Spyglass Hill this many times is so cool. It's one of the best amateur events in the world."
In facing Sommerhauser, who plays at the University of Arizona, Gilligan knew he'd have to be on his best. At this year's California Amateur, Sommerhauser knocked out Gilligan in the first round of match play. This time around, it was Gilligan who was steady, carding only two bogeys over the 14 holes.
"I knew Sam was really good. I've known him since our JTNC days," Gilligan said. "He's a great player."
Bucey, like Gilligan, also felt a bit of relief in reaching the finals. The No.26 seed, Bucey marched on with a 3 and 2 win over Bryce Kvick in the semis and a tight 1-up win over No.15 Matthew Watkins in the quarterfinals. In the match versus Watkins, Bucey was down three holes through 13. He'd respond by playing the final five holes at 2-under to come back for the win. Against Kvick, Bucey came back from a one-hole deficit through 12 for an eventual win.
"It hasn't hit me yet that I've made it to the finals," said an exhausted Bucey afterward. "It's just a grueling week. this golf course, it never lets up."
For Bucey, it's now a shot at carving his name a bit more into the NCGA history books. Along with winning the California Amateur, he's won the Four-Ball title (2016), Mid-Amateur Four-Ball (2021), Stroke Play (2014) and Mid-Amateur (2017). Another win would make it six major titles, moving him into a tie for fourth on the all-time NCGA win list with six other players.
"A win here would complete it for me," Bucey said.
The 36-hole final will tee at 7 a.m.
Quarterfinals Photo Gallery Here
August 17, 2022
Lower seeds may have wished there was somewhere in the Del Monte Forest to hide.
The brackets for the opening rounds of match play at this week's NCGA Amateur at Spyglass Hill were as predictable as the weather---which was basically every season inside a Farmer's Almanac.
On a day that was cold, at times warm, rainy and foggy, among those getting knocked out in the morning Round of 32--No.1 seed and medalist AJ Fitzgerald, No.2 Brian Ma, ,No.3 Griffin Pace and No.5 Brett Viboch.
The lone escapee of the madness was No.4 seed Ian Gilligan (pictured below in pink top). Gilligan, who plays at Long Beach State, won his opening match 5 and 3 before later knocking out No.20 Juan Gonzalez, 3 and 2, in the Round of 16.
Also moving on was No.8 seed and defending champion Sam Sommerhauser (pictured above). A junior at the University of Arizona, Sommerhauser was 2-down through 3 in his morning match against John Stembridge but came back to win, 3 and 2, after birdieing three of the final six holes of the match. The run of birdies may have been a wake-up call for Sommerhauser. In the afternoon Round of 16, he'd card four more birdies en route to eliminating No.24 Michael Jura, 6 and 5.
It was also a day of twists and turns for former California Amateur and NCGA champion Bobby Bucey. In the morning, Bucey took on No.7 seed and fellow former NCGA winner Matthew Manganello. Through 13 holes, Bucey looked to be in control at 3-up but Manganello never caved in, winning holes Nos. 14 and 15 with birdies and No.17 with a par to tie the match up. On the closing 18th, Bucey closed things out with a birdie of his own.
Later in the afternoon, Bucey took on red-hot No.10 seed Marc Engellenner, who'd opened with a 7 and 6 win. Playing the first seven holes at 2-under par, Bucey would take a commanding 5-up lead and never looked back, winning 5 and 3. Bucey will next take on No.15 Matthew Watkins, a 2 and 1 Round of 16 winner.
Also getting a big win in the Round of 16 was Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo junior Luke Adam, who punched his ticket to the quarterfinals with a convincing 5 and 4 win over No.22 Daniel Kim. Adam will next face No.30 Bryce Kvick. Kvick, another CSULB 49er, was responsible for sending Pace home in a 6 and 5 victory.
Gilligan's quarterfinals match will be against No.21 Casey Leebrick. Leebrick, who finished fourth at the recent NCGA Amateur Stroke Play Championship, advanced with a tight 19th hole Round of 16 win.
The Cinderella of the championship, No.32 seed Mike Perchak, continued to play on. Having started his day by getting through a playoff to get into match play, Perchak opened the morning by eliminating Fitzgerald on the 19th hole with a birdie on the par-5 1st. He later knocked out No. 16 seed Matt Cohn, 1-up. On Thursday, Perchak will face Sommerhauser.
Both the quarterfinals and semifinals will be held Thursday, with the 36-hole final to take place Friday. The last repeat winner was Maverick McNealy in 2016.
Wednesday Photo Gallery Here
August 16, 2022
One of the hottest players coming into this week's annual NCGA Amateur Championship remains that way for now.
AJ Fitzgerald of Salinas, who plays at nearby CSU-Monterey Bay, earned medalist honors and the No.1 seed for match play at this week's championship at Spyglass Hill after finishing stroke play qualifying with a two-day total of 3-under 141. A day after carding a 3-under 68 with six birdies, Fitzgerald shot a 73 that featured two birdies and three bogeys. Just recently, Fitzgerald won the title at the Monterey City Amateur at Del Monte GC.
Finishing tied for second place at 142 were Sonoma State senior Griffin Pace and Brian Ma of Harvard after second round scores of 71 and 69, respectively. Having started on the back-nine, Pace was at a total of 4-under par before a closing double-bogey on the par-4 9th.
Defending NCGA Player of the Year Brett Viboch and Ian Gilligan of Long Beach State both came in T-4 at 143 after rounds of 72. Sam Sommerhauser of the University of Arizona, who is looking to be the first repeat winner since Maverick McNealy, finished T-6 at 144.
The cut for match play came at 5-over 149. As for those making it, the route to victory now gets even tougher. And longer.
Wednesday's play will consist of the Round of 32 and Round of 16, Thursday will be the quarterfinals and semifinals and Friday will feature the 36-hole finale.
Alex Barclay had the shot of the day, acing the par-3 15th hole.
Past winners of the event include NCGA Hall of Famer Lawson Little II, Kevin Sutherland, Spencer Levin and Maverick McNealy.
Second Round Photo Gallery Here
August 15, 2022
A pair of red-hot players and the defending champion all got off to solid starts as stroke play qualifying for this week's NCGA Amateur Championship got underway on a gray and chilly day at Spyglass Hill.
AJ Fitzgerald, who's coming off a recent win at the Monterey City Amateur, and Sam Sommerhauser, who won last year's title, both opened stroke play qualifying with identical rounds of 4-under 68.
Fitzgerald, who plays at nearby Cal State Monterey Bay, had six birdies and two bogeys on the day. Sommerhauser, a junior at University and a former standout on the Junior Tour of Northern California, posted five birdies to go against just one bogey.
The last player to repeat as champion of the NCGA Amateur is current European Tour member John Catlin, who did it in 2010-11. Prior to Catlin, it was Randy Haag all the way back in 1992-93.
Also coming out strong was Marc Engellenner, who posted a 2-under 70. Engellenner comes into the championship on a roll, having recently won the 2022 International Mid-Amateur and the Bay Regional at Tilden Park.
Six players are at 71, including defending NCGA Player of the Year Brett Viboch.
Following Tuesday's second round, a cut will be made with the low 32 advancing to match play. Wednesday's play will consist of the Round of 32 and Round of 16, Thursday will be the quarterfinals and semifinals and Friday will feature the 36-hole finale.
Notables currently on the bubble are 2018 California Amateur champion Bobby Bucey and Nick Moore, who is third on the all-time NCGA win list with 10. The two are T-32 after opening rounds of 74.
First Round Photo Gallery Here
The oldest of the NCGA’s major events, the Amateur Championship, dates back to 1903 when it was first played at San Rafael GC.
The antique sterling silver trophy reveals a who’s who of historical Northern California amateur golfers including Pebble Beach course designer Douglas Grant, Charlie Seaver, Lawson Little Jr., as well as current and past PGA Tour players Kevin Sutherland, Arron Olberholser, Spencer Levin, Maverick McNealy, Matt Bettencourt, Roger Maltbie and Ray Leach.
Varying formats have been used over the 106 years of competition but today the tournament is 36 holes of stroke-play qualifying, followed by a 32-person seeded match play bracket. The one-day final match is a 36-hole test of stamina and concentration after a week of golf at Spyglass Hill. The event has been played at Spyglass Hill every year since 1966, with the exception of 1996 when the course was closed due to renovations.
The largest winning margin was in 1930 when Herbert Schultz beat Hugh Ditzler by 11 & 10 at Castlewood GC, this was equaled in 2004 when Spencer Levin claimed the title. The longest final match was seen in 2007 when Ryan Hallisey triumphed on the 39th hole over Jeremy Gearhart, equaling the record set in 1947. Notable runner-up finishers include Ken Venturi and Johnny Miller, with Jack Neville having finished runner-up more than any other player, five times.
At the 2015 championship, Stanford junior and No.2 world-ranked amateur Maverick McNealy set a championship record for low round during stroke play qualifying with a 7-under 65. The 65 was a low for any NCGA event held at Spyglass Hill. Blake Hathcoat matched the 65 in 2018. The two-day, 36-hole scoring record for stroke play qualifying is 10-under 134, set by Finigan Tilly in 2017. Tilly’s stroke play total of 10-under 134 is the low 36-hole total (individual) for any NCGA event that’s been held at Spyglass Hill.