119th Amateur Championship | Spyglass Hill GC | August 16-19, 2022

 

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 for any NCGA event that’s been held at Spyglass Hill.

The event often determines the NCGA’s Player of the Year award with 700 points awarded to the winner. Multiple-time Player of the Year winners Casey Boyns and Randy Haag have both claimed the championship twice. Over 300 players attempt to qualify for the championship each year and the event is open to anyone with a handicap index of 5.4 or less.

 

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Tournament Recaps

When the last putt fell in, Sam Sommerhauser and his caddie, his dad Dave, exchanged a high-five and a long hug. A marathon week had ended in victory. Sommerhauser, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Arizona, got his first amateur win in a big way, capturing the 118th NCGA Amateur Championship at Spyglass Hill after defeating runner-up Michael Slesinski, 3 and 2, in Friday’s 36-hole final. 2021 Recap | 2021 Bracket 

Having already competed each of the four previous weeks, UC Davis sophomore Lucas Carper wasn’t sure he had enough gas in the tank for the grind that is the NCGA Amateur Championship. The 19-year-old former Junior Tour of Northern California standout and No.26 seed not only hung in there, but ended up taking home the biggest amateur prize in Northern California, defeating No.12 seed Weston Payne, 5 and 4, in Friday’s 36-hole final at Spyglass Hill. Full 2020 Recap | 2020 Bracket 

While progressing through the ranks, including winning Junior Tour of Northern California Player of the Year honors in 2014, Danville resident Josh McCarthy has always had his eyes on the NCGA’s biggest prize. It’s now his. McCarthy, now a 22-year-old senior at Pepperdine University, captured the 116th NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship on a suddenly chilly Friday at par-71 Spyglass Hill after defeating runner-up Toby Briggs, 7 and 5, in the 36-hole finale. Full 2019 Recap | 2019 Bracket

Just prior to the formal presentation, 18-year-old San Jose resident Thomas Hutchison took a good look at some of the engraved names on the trophy. The list includes the likes of amateur legends Lawson Little Jr. and Charlie Seaver as well as current or past PGA Tour members Kevin Sutherland, Arron Oberholser and Spencer Levin. Hutchison’s name will soon be engraved as well.The UC Davis sophomore, who was seeded No.31, completed a marathon week Friday at par-72 Spyglass Hill, defeating No.32 Ned Jensen 3 and 1 to win the 115th annual NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship. Full 2018 Recap | 2018 Bracket 

As he scanned the names on the sterling silver trophy, Stanford junior Isaiah Salinda slowly began shaking his head in realizing what he’d accomplished. “There’s a lot of history on here,” Salinda said. “It’s awesome. It’s an honor.” The 20-year-old South San Francisco resident will be the latest to his name engraved on the trophy—joining the likes of Charlie Seaver, Lawson Little, Jr, and Roger Maltbie—following a dramatic 1-up victory over friend and defending champion Shintaro Ban in Friday’s 36-hole final of the 2017 NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship at Spyglass Hill. Full 2017 Recap | 2017 Bracket

In a span of over a century, only 10 players had ever won the California Amateur Championship and the NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship in the same year. San Jose resident Shintaro Ban is the latest to join the list. The No.2 seeded UNLV junior came scorching out of the gates and never let up, defeating Bellarmine High senior Eddy Lai, 10 and 9, in Friday’s 36-hole finale at Spyglass Hill. Read Full 2016 Recap | 2016 Bracket

Maverick McNealy’s plan was to use the NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship as a warm up for next week’s U.S. Amateur. The Stanford junior did just that, and walked away with yet another trophy in the process. Recently named to the 2015 U.S. Walker Cup squad, the No.1 seeded McNealy lived up to all the expectations—and tossed in some history—in winning the 112th NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship Friday at par-72 Spyglass Hill. In the 36-hole finale, McNealy defeated San Francisco’s Matt Cohn, 6 and 5. Read Full 2015 Recap | 2015 Bracket 

Matthew Seramin’s self-proclaimed slump is officially over. Seramin more than snapped out of his funk Friday at par-72 Spyglass Hill, draining a tough 13-foot putt for birdie on the 36th hole to defeat No.1 seed Aaron Beverly 1-up in the finals of the 111th NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship. Just last summer, Seramin was so unsure of his golf future that he began contemplating a temporary divorce from the game. The last time the finals came down to the 36th hole was in 2009, when George Gandranata defeated Casey Boyns 1-up. Read Full 2014 Recap | 2014 Bracket Results

Ben Geyer just keeps making history. A month after becoming the first player in 54 years to win back-to-back titles in the NCGA Amateur Stroke Play Championship, Geyer became the first player in 51 years to win the NCGA Amateur Stroke Play and Match Play championships in the same year. He accomplished that by winning the110^th NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship at Spyglass Hill on Friday beating Andrew Morgan 5-and-4 in the 36-hole final. Read Full 2013 Recap | 2013 Bracket Results

Given the spectacular nature of Spyglass Hill’s first five holes, it might come as a surprise that NCGA Amateur Match Play Champion Jake Yount now has a special affinity for the iconic course’s back nine. The champion made do this week by playing his best golf on Spyglass Hill’s final nine. In his four matches leading up to the 36-hole final, Yount trailed early in three of the four before making a move on the back nine to finish off his opponents. Friday told a different story, though, as Yount got off to a quick start and cruised to the finish line, winning 6 & 4 over Eric Ash. Read Full 2012 Recap | 2012 Bracket Results

Past Champions

 

Year	Course	Champion	Runner-Up	Score	Medalist (score)
1903*	San Rafael GC	A.Guthrie Harvey (187)	W.P. Johnson (189)
1904*	San Rafael GC	A.Guthrie Harvey (182)	W.P. Johnson (194)
1905	No Championship
1906	San Francisco GC	Frank C. Newton	Frank Kales	5 & 4	John Lawson 83
1907	San Francisco GC	Frank C. Newton	B.D. Adamson	10 & 9	Frank Newton 83
1908	San Francisco GC	Frank C. Newton	Frank Kales	3 & 2	Campbell Whyte 83
1909	San Francisco GC	Douglas Grant	Jack Neville	4 & 3	Douglas Grant 82
1910	San Francisco GC	D.P. Fredericks	A.A. Cuthbertson	10 & 9	Campbell Whyte 80-73-153
1911	San Francisco GC	Frank Kales	Jack Neville	7 & 6	Robin Y. Hayne 79
1912	Claremont CC	Campbell Whyte	D.P. Fredericks	3 & 2	Frank Kales 72
1913	San Francisco GC	John F. Neville	Frank Kales	2 & 1	Vincent Whitney 77
1914	Presidio GC	H.K.B. Davis Jr.	Jack Neville	1 up	Fletcher Elliot 76
1915	Claremont CC	Robin Y. Hayne	Warner Sherwood	6 & 4	Robin Y. Hayne 75
1916	Menlo CC	Douglas Grant	Roger Lapham	37 holes	H.K.B. Davis Jr. 77
1917	San Francisco GC	Douglas Grant	Jack Neville	1 up	Douglas Grant 71
1918	Beresford CC	D.P. Fredericks	Vincent Whitney	3 & 2	F.W. Von Schrader 77
1919	Burlingame CC	R.K. Coleman Jr.	Vincent Whitney	6 & 5	Douglas Grant 69
1920	California CC	Sam L. Conlan Jr.	Jack Neville	5 & 4	Russell Smith 78-77-155
1921	San Francisco GC	Norman MacBeth	Vincent Whitney	3 & 2	Russell Smith 78-77-155
1922	Olympic Club	C.H. Walter	John McHugh	3 & 1	John McHugh 77-77-154
1923	Berkeley CC	George Ritchie	John J. McHugh	6 & 5	John J. McHugh 155
1924	Lake Merced GCC	John J. McHugh	Capt. A. Bullock-Webster	1 up	Francis Brown 156
1925	San Francisco GC	George Von Elm	Randolph Wilhelm	3 & 2	George Von Elm 76
1926	Beresford CC	Capt. A. Bullock-Webster	Claire Griswold	2 & 1	Oscar Willing 73
1927	Del Paso CC	George Ritchie	C.H. Walter	3 & 2	John McHugh 74
1928	Orinda CC	Lawson Little Jr.	Dr. Jack Wolf	1 up	Claire Griswold 72
1929	Olympic Club	John McHugh	George Ritchie	4 & 2	Dr. Jack Wolf 73
1930	Castlewood CC	Herbert Schultz	Hugh Ditzler	11 & 10	G. Schwartz, J.Ritchie 73
1931	Lake Merced CC	Lawson Little Jr.	Mel Thompson	8 & 6	Dr. Jack Wolf 73
1932	San Jose CC	Charlie Seaver	Charlie Ferrera	1 up	Lawson Little 74
1933	California Golf Club	Charlie Seaver	James “Babe” Ritchie	7 & 6	Ernest Pieper 73
1934	Orinda CC	Stuart Hawley Jr.	Jim Ritchie	1 up	Vern “Spec” Stewart 72
1935	San Francisco CC	Frank Dolp	Jim Molinari	1 up	Ernest Pieper 73
1936	Del Paso CC	Frank Shelden	Charley Swanston	3 & 2	Tommy Dwyer 70
1937	Lake Merced CC	Don Edwards	Mat Palacio	6 & 5	Mat Palacio 72
1938	Pasatiempo GC	Mat Palacio	Ernest Pieper	2 up	Mat Palacio and Ernie Carli 73
1939	Claremont CC	Mel MacNaughton	Walter Myers	11 & 9	G.C. Ehmann 66
1940	Harding Park GC	William Fritz	Jim Molinari	1 up (36 H)	Don Kennedy 70
1941	Orinda CC	Bud Brownell	Dee Replogle	4 & 3	Walter Gilliam 69
1942	Del Paso CC	Jim Molinari	Phil Gordon	3 & 2 (36 H)	Eddie Frye 69
1943	Harding Park GC	Jack McChesney	Pat Casey	2 & 1	W.M. Higgins 72
1944	Olympic CC	Ralph Hall	Richard McCreary	3 & 1	no medalist – “war restrictions”
1945	California GC	Ralph Hall	Nelson Cullenward	6 & 5	Bill McCallum 72
1946	San Jose CC	Ralph Hall	E.O. Pieper, Jr.	2 & 1	Joe Diaz, Ernie Pieper 68
1947	Del Paso CC	Capt. F.J. Moseley	Paul Millett	39th hole	Elmer Clites 68
1948	San Francisco CC	Bob Silvestri	E.E. Lowery	9 & 8	Robert Rosburg 70
1949	Meadow Club	Talbert Smith	Kenneth Venturi	8 & 7	Martin Stanovich 68
1950	Pasatiempo GC	Robert Rosburg	Kenneth Venturi	38th hole	Robert A. Roos 67
1951	Olympic Club	James Molinari	Ernest Pieper	4 & 3	James Molinari 70
1952	Sequoia-Sunnyside	Ed Castagnetto	Cy Donaldson	8 & 6	Tom Beck 68
1953	Orinda CC	Talbert Smith	Eli Bariteau	6 & 5	Eli Bariteau 69
1954	California GC	Daniel “Bob” Silvestri	Paul Millett	9 & 8	Phil Getchell 68
1955	Del Paso CC	Scotty McBeath	Dennis Hession	3 & 2	Frank Mogey 70
1956	Silverado CC	Robert Cardinal	Ed Castagnetto	8 & 7	Ed Castagnetto 65
1957	Green Hills CC	Bill Shook	Ed Castagnetto	3 & 1	Nelson Cullenward 68
1958	Belmont CC	John Brodie	Tom Beck	5 & 4	John Spinola 69
1959	North Ridge CC	Verne Callison	David Bohannon	1 up	Ron Luceti 68
1960	Del Rio GCC	Richard J. Giddings	Lloyd Rossi	4 & 3	Cliff Davis 69
1961	Stanford University	John Lotz	Kent Winton	1 up	George Archer 67
1962	Silverado CC	John Lotz	Kent Winton	2 & 1 (36 H)	Ron Cerrudo 68
1963	Valley Hi CC	John Lotz	Steve Oppermann	6 & 5	Steve Oppermann 66
1964	Silverado CC	Ron Cerrudo	Guy Bill	2 & 1	Guy Bill 66
1965	Olympic Club	Ron Cerrudo	Jack Chapman	7 & 6	Johnny Miller 69
1966	Spyglass Hill GC	Vic Loustalot	Bernard Magnusson	3 & 2 (36 H)	Robert E. Smith 72-73—145
1967	Spyglass Hill GC	Ross Randall	Tom Culligan	4 & 2 (36 H)	John Yelland 73-73—146
1968	Spyglass Hill GC	Ray Leach	Forrest Fezler	4 & 3	Forrest Fezler 78-70—148
1969	Spyglass Hill GC	Lee Cook	Greg Bean	2 & 1 (36 H)	Ray Leach 151
1970	Spyglass Hill GC	Steve Bohn	Sandy Galbraith	1 up	Jim Lathum, Jim Boer 74
1971	Spyglass Hill GC	Doug Nelson	Roger Maltbie	2 & 1	Sandy McCall 74
1972	Spyglass Hill GC	Roger Maltbie	Dallan Ragland	7 & 6	Bruce Robertson 71
1973	Spyglass Hill GC	Chuck Van Linge	Dean Prince	2 up	no qualifying round
1974	Spyglass Hill GC	Tom Culligan, III	Dean Prince	3 & 2	no qualifying round
1975	Spyglass Hill GC	Scott Hoyt	Ray Pellegrini	10 & 9	no qualifying round
1976	Spyglass Hill GC	Michael Brannan	Scott Hoyt	3 & 1	no qualifying round
1977	Spyglass Hill GC	Bryan Pini	Rick Gordon	3 & 2	no qualifying round
1978	Spyglass Hill GC	Bryan Pini	Dennis Trixler	8 & 6	no qualifying round
1979	Spyglass Hill GC	Jim Kane	Chris Gutilla	3 & 2	no qualifying round
1980	Spyglass Hill GC	Mike Rubio	Gary Vandeweghe	5 & 3	no qualifying round
1981	Spyglass Hill GC	Neil Robinson	Mark Morgan	1 up	no qualifying round
1982	Spyglass Hill GC	Bill Malley	Terry Foreman	4 & 3	no qualifying round
1983	Spyglass Hill GC	Michael Allen	Casey Boyns	6 & 5	no qualifying round
1984	Spyglass Hill GC	Tom Silva	Tim Loustalot	4 & 2	no qualifying round
1985	Spyglass Hill GC	Tim Robinson	Dana Banke	10 & 9	Dana Banke 217
1986	Spyglass Hill GC	Kevin Sutherland	John Childs	37th hole	Terrence Miskell 215
1987	Spyglass Hill GC	Casey Boyns	Frank Schiro Jr.	1 up	John Kennaday 68-74-75—217
1988	Spyglass Hill GC	Steve Sear	Frank Schiro Jr.	2 & 1	Steve Sear 74-76-74—224
1989	Spyglass Hill GC	Mike Foster	Ron Ewing	7 & 5	Pat Lay 72-74-71—217
1990	Spyglass Hill GC	Terrence Miskell	Brian Pemberton	3 & 2	Casey Boyns 72-74-72—218
1991	Spyglass Hill GC	Mike Lane	Jason Larson	6 & 5	Casey Boyns 74-73-74—221
1992	Spyglass Hill GC	Randy Haag	Darren Dragovich	7 & 6	Dennis Mitchell 74-74-72—216
1993	Spyglass Hill GC	Randy Haag	Joey Ferrari	3 & 2	Randy Haag 74-70-74—218
1994	Spyglass Hill GC	Rod Souza	Jon Bettencourt	2 & 1	Casey Boyns 70-71-74—215
1995	Spyglass Hill GC	Jeff Gilchrist	Randy Haag	3 & 2	B. Nottingham 72-73-73—218
1996	Poppy Hills GC & Rancho Canada GC	Casey Boyns	Arron Oberholser	5 & 4	Darren Slackman 70-71—141
1997	Spyglass Hill GC	Gary Vanier	Casey Boyns	3 & 2	Justin Russo 67-73—140
1998	Spyglass Hill GC	Matt Christensen	Ray Otis	37th hole	Jim Wilson 73-75—148
1999	Spyglass Hill GC	Darryl Donovan	Bob Niger	3 & 2	Tom Johnson 80-68—148
2000	Spyglass Hill GC	James Hay	Randy Haag	2 up	Tim Tipton 74-73—147
2001	Spyglass Hill GC	Matt Bettencourt	Scott Hardy	6 & 5	Jonathan Echols 71-70—141
2002	Spyglass Hill GC	Spencer Levin	Jason Higton	6 & 4	Matt Bettencourt 74-69—143
2003	Spyglass Hill GC	Patrick Nagle	Darryl Donovan	7 & 6	Randy Haag 73-67—140
2004	Spyglass Hill GC	Spencer Levin	Terry Foreman	11 & 10	Travis Esway 70-69—139
2005	Spyglass Hill GC	Eddie Olson	Eric Lillibridge	4 & 3	Eddie Olson 68-70—138
2006	Spyglass Hill GC	Ryan Thornberry	Eddie Olson	2 & 1	R. Thornberry, Kaz Hoffman 139
2007	Spyglass Hill GC	Ryan Hallisey	Jeremy Gearhart	39th hole	Scott Hardy, 70-70—140
2008	Spyglass Hill GC	Matthew Marshall	Chris Marin	3 & 2	Matthew Hollinsead, 70-73—143
2009	Spyglass Hill GC	George Gandranata	Casey Boyns	1 up	Mat Montez, 77-70—147
2010	Spyglass Hill GC	John Catlin	Scott Hardy	3 & 2	Randy Haag, 70-69—139
2011	Spyglass Hill GC	John Catlin	Michael Weaver	5 & 3	Kevin Wentworth, 68-71—139
2012	Spyglass Hill GC	Jake Yount	Eric Ash	6 & 4	Jay Myers, Austin Roberts 66-75—141
2013	Spyglass Hill GC	Ben Geyer	Andrew Morgan	5 & 4	Alex Franklin 71-69—140
2014	Spyglass Hill GC	Matthew Seramin	Aaron Beverly	1-up	Aaron Beverly 72-69—141
2015	Spyglass Hill GC	Maverick McNealy	Matt Cohn	6 & 5	Maverick McNealy 65-71—136
2016	Spyglass Hill GC	Shintaro Ban	Eddy Lai	10 & 9	Eddy Lai 68-69—137
2017	Spyglass Hill GC	Isaiah Salinda	Shintaro Ban	1-up	Finigan Tilly 66-68—134
2018	Spyglass Hill GC	Thomas Hutchison	Ned Jensen	3 & 1	Blake Hathcoat 70-65—135
2019	Spyglass Hill GC	Josh McCarthy	Toby Briggs	7 & 5	Josh McCarthy 67-70—137
2020	Spyglass Hill GC	Lucas Carper	Weston Payne	5 & 4	Griffin Pace 69-71—140
2021	Spyglass Hill GC	Sam Sommerhauser	Michael Slesinski	3 & 2	Ian Dahl 75-70—145

* Championship was 36-hole stroke play in 1903 and 1904