March 25, 2017
The sun came out at Poppy Hills Golf Course and winners picked up shiny medals as the 2017 NCGA Mixed Team Spring Championship concluded on Saturday.
Big Sur Flight (Handicap Index 9-Below)
Big Sur Flight champs Itsuko Moridaira and Takeshi Usuzaka, runner-ups Dorothy and Steve Donnelly and third place finishers Angie and John Friedrich (left to right)
Green Valley resident Itsuko Moridaira and Takeshi Usuzaka went low to come back and take the title. Moridaira and Usuzaka carded a final round 5-under 66 to finish tied with Dorothy and Steve Donnelly after regulation at 7-under 135. In a sudden-death playoff on the 10th hole, Moridaira and Usuzaka made par to win.
In their final round, Moridaira and Usuzaka were nearly flawless, posting two eagles and three birdies to go against just two bogeys. The Donnellys, who were coming off a first round 68, shot a 67 that featured an eagle and three birdies to go against one bogey. Angie and John Friedrich, who like the Donnellys are former winners of the event, fired a 64 to claim third place.
Golden Gate Flight (Handicap Index 10-17)
Golden Gate Flight champs Suezette van Staden and Robert Bonin, runner-ups Cindy Aafedt and William Henry, Jr. and third place finishers Lauren Barr and John Wang (left to right)
Suezette van Staden and Robert Bonin ran away to where they couldn’t be caught. Van Staden and Bonin fired a sizzling 10-under 61 that included two eagles and seven birdies (with just one bogey) to finish at 8-under 134, winning the Golden Gate crown by four shots. The 61 is the lowest score by a winning team in the event’s 5-year history.
The tandem of Cindy Aafedt and William Henry, Jr. claimed second place at 138 following a final round 68. Third place went to Lauren Barr and John Wang at 140 after a final round 69.
Yosemite Flight (Handicap Index 18-Above)
Yosemite Flight champs Jim and Sasa Puchbauer, runner-ups Vicent and Janice Yoshimoto and third place finishers Faye and Dennis Donaghu (left to right)
Sasa and Jim Puchbauer returned to the top of the winners’ circle. The Puchbauers, who won the Yosemite title in 2015, shot a final round 5-under 66 to come in at 135, winning the Yosemite Flight crown by six shots.
In the finale, the Puchbauers carded seven birdies to go against just two bogeys.
The teams of Janice and Vincent Yoshimoto and Faye and Dennis Donaghu finished tied for second after regulation at 141 following rounds of 69 and 71, respectively. The Yoshimotos claimed second place alone following a card-off.
