Pacific Coast Amateur Championship

Pairings | Results

July 31, 2015

The NCGA got the Morse Cup, but it was a Southern California Golf Association player who took home the individual title.

Aaron Wise, a sophomore at the University of Oregon, fired a final round 4-under 66 Friday at par-70 Eugene Country Club to come from behind and win the 49th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship. Wise, who hails from Lake Elsinore, finished the event with a total of 6-under 274.

Finishing tied for second at 276 were the SCGA’s Beau Hossler and Stanford’s Maverick McNealy, who posted final rounds of 64 and 69, respectively.

Wise was nearly perfect in the finale, carding six birdies to go against a double-bogey. With a birdie on the 15th, he got to a total of 8-under.

A junior at the University of Texas, Hossler’s 64 was a championship low. The No.7 ranked amateur in the world posted six birdies and had a hole-out eagle on the par-4 3rd to go against a pair of bogeys. He’d play each nine at 3-under par.

McNealy, who is in the field for this year’s NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship and is currently ranked No.3 in the world, posted a 69 with three birdies and two bogeys.

Texan Will Zalatoris and Clovis resident Bryson DeChambeau, who had entered the final round tied for the lead, finished tied for fourth after both shot 72.

The other NCGA players to finish in the Top 10 were Cal senior Shotaro Ban, who came in 9th after a 71, and defending champion Corey Pereira, who finished T-10 after a 72.

Held on an annual basis since 1967, with roots dating back to 1901, the Pacific Coast Amateur Championship boasts a rich history of showcasing some of the most talented golfers in the United States and Canada. In recent years, players from across the world have sought to compete in the event, including this year when players will be representing New Zealand, Chile, France and Australia.

Past champions of the Pacific Coast Amateur who have gone on to successful professional careers include PGA Tour winners Billy Mayfair (1987, 1988), Jason Gore (1997) and Ben Crane (1998) as well as Web.com Tour winners and brothers Michael Putnam (2004) and Andrew Putnam (2010).

July 30, 2015

Having already wrapped up the Morse Cup competition, players from Northern California are now eyeing the individual title at this week’s Pacific Coast Amateur Championship. The way things look, it’s going to go down to the wire.

Clovis native Bryson DeChambeau grabbed a share of the lead on Thursday, posting a 2-under 68 at Eugene Country Club, but there’s a number of other Northern California players right on his tail including Stanford senior Maverick McNealy.

A senior at Southern Methodist University and winner of this year’s NCAA D-I individual championship, DeChambeau penciled in five birdies and three bogeys, moving up from second place into a tie for first with Will Zalatoris of Texas at a total of 4-under 206. Zalatoris, who took the lead with a second round 67, shot a 69 featuring three birdies and two bogeys.

McNealy, who earned this year’s Haskins Award for Collegiate Player of the Year, charged up the leaderboard into third place at 207 after posting a tourney-low 65. The Stanford senior’s first sub-par round of the championship included six birdies to go against just one bogey.

Other Northern California players in the immediate mix are Cal sophomore KK Limbhasut and defending champion Corey Periera of Cameron Park.

Limbhasut moved into fifth place at 210 following a 68. Pereira, who cruised to an eight-stroke win at last year’s championship, kept himself in contention with a 70. A senior at the University of Washington, Pereira will enter the final round T-6 at 211 along with Cal senior Shotaro Ban. The winner of this year’s California Amateur Championship, Ban also stayed in the thick of things with a 70.

San Jose State senior Cody Blick had another one of the low rounds of the day, posting a 68 that moved him to 214 (T-15).

Past champions of the Pacific Coast Amateur who have gone on to successful professional careers include PGA Tour winners Billy Mayfair (1987, 1988), Jason Gore (1997) and Ben Crane (1998) as well as Web.com Tour winners and brothers Michael Putnam (2004) and Andrew Putnam (2010).

The final round of the championship will be held Friday.

July 29, 2015

The NCGA is starting to flex its muscle at the annual Pacific Coast Amateur Championship, starting with the Morse Cup competition.

The NCGA squad–Maverick McNealy, Bryson DeChambeau and Corey Pereira–posted a 3-under 137 in Wednesday’s second round at par-70 Eugene Country Club in Oregon, defeating runner-up and the defending champion Southern California Golf Association contingent by four strokes. The SCGA, which had entered the final round of the Morse Cup–which takes the best two out of three scores from each team over the first two rounds–tied with the NCGA for first at 140, had a final round 1-over 141.

It’s the second Morse Cup title for the NCGA in the last three years.

The biggest mover of the NCGA’s ‘Big Three’ was DeChambeau. A senior at Southern Methodist University and the winner of this year’s NCAA Division I individual championship, DeChambeau climbed into second place in the individual standings after posting a 2-under 68 that included five birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey.

Taking the lead in the championship was Will Zalatoris of Texas, who is at a two-day total of 137 following a 67.

Pereira, who ran away to an eight stroke win at last year’s championship in Arizona, also climbed the leaderboard, jumping into tie for seventh at 141 following a 69. The University of Washington junior posted three birdies and two bogeys, all on the front-nine.

Also at T-7 is recent California Amateur Championship winner Shotaro Ban. A senior at Cal, Ban fired a second round 71.

McNealy, who entered the championship at No.2 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, is T-11 at 142 after a second round. 72. Others at T-11 include Cal’s K.K. Limbhasut (70) and Luke Vivolo (68) of UC Davis.

Held on an annual basis since 1967, with roots dating back to 1901, the Pacific Coast Amateur Championship boasts a rich history of showcasing some of the most talented golfers in the United States and Canada. In recent years, players from across the world have sought to compete in the event, including this year when players will be representing New Zealand, Chile, France and Australia.

The championship runs through Friday.

July 28, 2015

Arizona resident Colton Yates grabbed the first round lead in the individual championship, while the Morse Cup Competition looks like it’s going to be another duel between familiar foes.

Yates, a junior at Colorado State University, took the lead in Tuesday’s first round of the annual Pacific Amateur Championship, firing a stellar 3-under 67 at par-70 Eugene Country Club in Oregon. Starting on the back-nine, Yates wasted no time in getting in gear, carding three straight birdies from holes No.11 through No.13. He’d bogey the 16th, but bounced back with back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th for a front-nine 4-under 32. After making the turn, Yates posted a 1-over 35 after bogeying both the 8th and 9th holes.

In second place at 68, just a stroke behind Yates, is Jared du Toit of British Columbia. Finishing opening day in a tie for third at 69 were Aaron Wise of Lake Elsinore and Southern Methodist University senior Austin Smotherman. Smotherman, who hails from Loomis and is a former member of the Junior Tour of Northern California, had four birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey.

In at even-par, and lurking well within striking distance of the leader, is a group of four players including Cal senior Shotaro Ban, SMU senior Bryson DeChambeau and Stanford junior Maverick McNealy.

Ban is a coming off a win at the recent California Amateur Championship, where he became the first Bears player to capture the prestigious title. DeChambeau won this year’s NCAA Division-I individual championship and competed in the recent U.S. Open at Chambers Bay, while McNealy, the No.2 ranked amateur in the world, is coming off made cuts at both the PGA Tour Greenbrier Classic and Barbasol Championship. DeChambeau and Smotherman played as teammates in this year’s inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship, reaching the Round of 16 before falling to eventual champions Todd White and Nathan Smith.

In the annual Morse Cup competition, which takes the best two out of three scores from each team over the first two rounds, the NCGA and Southern California Golf Association are tied atop the leaderboard at even-par 140.

The defending champion SCGA squad is being represented by Wise, Beau Hossler (71) and Jake Knapp (72). The 2013 champion NCGA squad is being represented by DeChambeau, McNealy and defending Pacific Coast Amateur champion Corey Pereira of the University of Washington, who is T-13 after a 72. The Pacific Northwest GA and Alberta GA are tied for third at 3-over 143.

Past champions of the Pacific Coast Amateur who have gone on to successful professional careers include PGA Tour winners Billy Mayfair (1987, 1988), Jason Gore (1997) and Ben Crane (1998) as well as Web.com Tour winners and brothers Michael Putnam (2004) and Andrew Putnam (2010).

The 72-hole championship will run through Friday.

July 28, 2015

The Northern California Golf Association will be well represented when the 49th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship gets underway Tuesday at par-72 Eugene Country Club in Oregon.

There will even be a ‘Big Three’.

Representing the NCGA in the Morse Cup competition portion of the championship, which takes the best two out of three scores from each team over the first two rounds, will be Bryson DeChambeau, Maverick McNealy and Corey Pereira.

DeChambeau, a senior at Southern Methodist University and the No.9 ranked amateur on the planet, has been on a tear in recent months.

For DeChambeau, the run started with a final round 1-under 71 that led to an individual title at the NCAA Championship at The Concession Golf Club in Florida. With his victory, DeChambeau became the first SMU player to ever win a national title.

“I’m so honored to be named the national champion, the first national champion for SMU,” DeChambeau said at the time. “There’s nothing better to feel.”

Following his victory there, the former Junior Tour of Northern California Player of the Year (2011) finished T-45 at the PGA Tour FedEx St. Jude Classic after receiving a sponsor’s exemption. The Clovis native also competed in his first U.S. Open at Chambers Bay, missing the cut by only four strokes.

Pereira, a junior at University of Washington, has also had a hot hand. Earlier this month, Pereira captured the 22nd Sahalee Players Championship (SPC) held at Sahalee Country Club in Washington. He’d never trail in the championship, winning by six strokes.

At last year’s Pacific Coast Amateur, Pereira turned the championship into a one-man show. He’d card a final round 67 for a four-day total of 19-under 261, beating the field by eight strokes.

McNealy, meanwhile, will enter the championship as the No.2 ranked amateur in the world.

The Stanford junior has had such a great season that he recently played with the big boys at the PGA Tour Greenbrier Classic and Barbasol Championship. In both events, he’d make the cut.

From April to May, there was arguably no one better than McNealy. The Portola Valley native fired a bogey-free, 9-under 61 at the Pac-12 Championship to earn medalist honors and help Stanford capture their second straight conference title. The 61 not only set a course record at championship host Palouse Ridge (in Pullman, Wash.) but also matched Stanford’s 18-hole scoring record, previously achieved by Tiger Woods in 1996 and Cameron Wilson in 2012.

With a total score of 18-under 262, McNealy also set a record for the lowest 72-hole score in the Pac-12 Championship.

At the NCAA Regionals in May, McNealy remained red-hot. He’d win the Chapel Hill Regional with a score of 9-under 207, his sixth victory of the season, most among NCAA Division I players. The win also tied Patrick Rodgers for the second-most victories in a season at Stanford, two off of Woods’ record.

Thanks to his spring run, McNealy, who led the nation with a 68.70 scoring average, was named the winner of the 2015 Haskins Award, which goes to college golf’s top player. He’s the second straight Cardinal to win the award, following Rodgers.

Past winners of the award include Ben Crenshaw, Phil Mickelson and Woods.

“It is so humbling to be in the same conversation with the list of winners,” said McNealy, also a former member of the Junior Tour of Northern California. “It’s such an honor.”

As if the ‘Big Three’ aren’t enough, the NCGA will be also be represented by a slew of other great players.

Other players with NorCal ties slated to tee it up at Eugene CC include McNealy’s Stanford teammate Viraat Badhwar, recent California Amateur Championship winner Shotaro Ban and his brother Shintaro, Cody Blick of San Jose State, K.K. Limbhasut of Cal-Berkeley, Chistopher Petefish, Cal sophomore Sebastian Crampton and Luke Vivolo of UC Davis.

Blick was a quarterfinalist at the California Amateur Championship and recently earned medalist honors at a U.S. Amateur qualifier at Bayonet/Black Horse Golf Course in Seaside. Limbhasut reached the Round of 16 at the California Amateur.

All players will be vying for the individual Ed Updegraff Trophy, named after the longtime volunteer and standout amateur golfer who played on three Walker Cup teams and was the 1999 Bob Jones Award recipient from the USGA. Also on the line is the 36-hole Morse Cup Team Trophy, which was won last year by the Southern California Golf Association.

Held on an annual basis since 1967, with roots dating back to 1901, the Pacific Coast Amateur Championship boasts a rich history of showcasing some of the most talented golfers in the United States and Canada. In recent years, players from across the world have sought to compete in the event, including this year when players will be representing New Zealand, Chile, France and Australia.

Past champions of the Pacific Coast Amateur who have gone on to successful professional careers include PGA Tour winners Billy Mayfair (1987, 1988), Jason Gore (1997) and Ben Crane (1998) as well as Web.com Tour winners and brothers Michael Putnam (2004) and Andrew Putnam (2010).

The 72-hole championship will run through Friday.