March 23-24, Mixed Team Spring Championship, Poppy Hills GC (par-71)
March 24, 2018
Big Sur Flight
The Friedrich’s are apparently on the S.F. Giants plan—win the title on even years. Angie and John Friedrich shot a final round 3-under 68 in cold and wet conditions to come in at 9-under 133, defeating the runner-up team of Takshi Usuzaka and Itsuko Moridaira by two shots. The Friedrich’s also won the championship in 2014 and 2016.
Usuzaka and Moridaira, who won the title in 2017, shot a final round 66 for a two-day score of 135. The teams of Joe Huston and Lynn Harvey and Merry and Bill Ayres finished T-3 at 137 after final rounds of 67 and 68, respectively. Huston, the NCGA’s CEO, and Harvey, the 2018 PWGA President, earned third place via a card-off. It was the first medal for both Harvey and Huston.
Golden Gate Flight
Nansea Russ and Pat Goodman had won medals before for second and third place, but never first. Until now. Russ and Goodman shot their second straight score of 5-under 66 to finish at 10-under 132, defeating the runner-up tandem of Denise Kam and Ian Farquharson by three shots.
Kam and Farquharson climbed the leaderboard, posting a 64 a day after shooting 71. Third place went to the team of Terry and Jim Knoll at 136 following a 69. Knoll is a record 5-time NCGA Senior Player of the Year.
Yosemite Flight
Melynda Li and Ken Yeh were again on fire, shooting a 12-under 59 to come in at 25-under 117 and win by 14 shots. Second place went to the team of Hao Jiang and Phoebe Yu at 131 following a 65.
The third place team was Cindie Young and Mike Winkenbach, who finished at 133 after a 65.
March 23, 2018
Big Sur Flight
Angie and John Friedrich grabbed the first round lead, posting a 6-under 65 that featured six birdies and an eagle on the par-5 10th hole. The Friedrichs are no strangers to winning, having captured the Big Sur Flight title in 2014 and 2016.
Three tandems–Justin Cowperthwaite/Lydia Hammock, Merry and Bill Ayres and Takshi Usuzaka/Itsuko Moridaira are all tied for second at 69, four behind the leaders. Usuzaka and Moridaira won the title last year.
Golden Gate Flight
The teams of Lynda Donahue and Michael Weeks and NanSea Russ and Pat Goodman took a share of the early lead, carding identical opening round scores of 5-under 66. Donahue and Weeks posted six birdies and two eagles but also three bogeys and a double-bogey. Russ and Goodman had five birdies and an eagle to go against two bogeys. Alone in third place is the team of Terry and Jim Knoll at 67. Jim is a record 5-time NCGA Senior Player of the Year.
Yosemite Flight
The team of Melynda Li and Ken Yeh caught fire, shooting a first round score of 13-under 58. Li and Yeh carded nine birdies, an eagle and a double-eagle on No.1. Their score gives them a comfy eight-shot lead over the second place team of Hao Jiang and Phoebe Yu, who opened with a 66.