56th NCGA Public Links Championship | Poppy Hills / Pacific Grove | June 28-29, 2021
2020 champion Drake Mendenhall
The NCGA Public Links Championship began in 1966, and is the premier event for public-course players.
The 36-hole stroke play Championship is contested by a field of 96 players split into one scratch championship flight and two net championship flights.
Male and female contestants must be public course players who do not hold playing privileges in any course from which the general public is excluded. Members of associate clubs and eClubs are also eligible. (see eligibility criteria below).
Ryan King holds the scoring record set in 1999 of six-under-par 138. Only three players have managed back-to-back victories, Mike Powers in 1972 and 1973, Mitch Thomas in 1978 and 1979, and Scott Hardy in 2010 and 2011. Four-time NCGA Player of the Year Casey Boyns still reigns with the most NCGA Public Links wins, having claimed the trophy four times.
ENTRIES CLOSE: May 16, 2021
ENTRY FEE: $135 per player. Exempt players pay an additional $30.
QUALIFYING for the 2021 Public Links and Public Links Net Championships will take place June 2-5 at the following courses:
Baylands GL (June 2) | Laguna Seca GR (June 3) | Poppy Ridge GC (June 3) | Ancil Hoffman GC (June 4) | Riverside GC (June 5)
ELIGIBILITY: All players must be bona fide Public Links golfers, defined as a player holding no privileges at a private facility through membership. Any player listed on a private facility roster (GHIN roster) is deemed ineligible for the Public Links Championships. SCRATCH: Players must have a numeric index listed on their club’s master roster of 5.4 or less on the date of registration. NET: Players must have a numeric index listed on their club’s master roster on the date of registration.
FORMAT: 192 total players will be divided into flights. All Championship players will be in a single flight and net divisions will be divided equally into two or three flights based on the number of entries. All flights will play 36 holes stroke play, with 18 holes at Poppy Hills and 18 holes at Pacific Grove.
EXEMPTIONS: Exempt players must otherwise meet the eligibility requirements. Each exempt player is required to submit an entry prior to the closing date. 2021 Public Links Exemptions
Check out NCGA GO for the best hotel rates in the area!
Tournament Recaps
Drake Mendenhall could be described as someone who’s climbed the NCGA ladder. On Tuesday, the 21-year-old Granite Bay native and now senior at the University of Arizona captured his first NCGA title, shooting a final round 2-under 69 at par-71 Poppy Hills Golf Course to win the annual NCGA Public Links Championship by a stroke over Grayson Stapleton. Read Full 2020 Recap | View 2020 Photo Gallery
When Matt Cohn won the NCGA Public Links Championship in 2016, it marked his first NCGA victory. As his good friend and seven-time NCGA champ Nick Moore told him at the time, “Welcome to the club.” Cohn’s climb
up the club ladder has reached another rung. Read Full 2019 Recap | View 2019 Photo Gallery
Ben Peters had already proven that he was one of Northern California’s elite amateurs. On more than one occasion, he’s helped represent the NCGA in the annual Hanna-Wehrman Cup Matches against the Northern California PGA. But the 33-year-old’s resume had lacked an NCGA championship. At least, until now. Read Full 2018 Recap | View 2018 Photo Gallery
Read Full 2017 Recap | View 2017 Photo Gallery
Read Full 2016 Story | View 2016 Photo Gallery
Read Full 2015 Recap | View 2015 Photo Gallery
Read Full 2014 Recap | View 2014 Photo Gallery | Net Recap
Read Full 2013 Recap | View 2013 Photo Gallery | Net Recap
Past Champions
(All played at Spyglass Hill GC, unless otherwise noted)
| 1966 | Robert Heaton | N/A |
| 1967 | Ross Randall | 151 |
| 1968 | Jim McMurtrey | 76-73-149 |
| 1969 | Forrest Fezler | 75-74-149 |
| 1970 | Larry Cram | 74-77-151 |
| 1971 | Dick Dallagiacomo | 73-78-151 |
| 1972 | Mike Powers | 77-74-151 |
| 1973 | Mike Powers | 76-74-150 |
| 1974 | Jeff Burda | 71-74-145 |
| 1975 | Kim Flint | 73-76-149 |
| 1976 | Mike Pouey | 76-76-152 |
| 1977 | Terry Foreman | 78-76-154 |
| 1978 | Mitch Thomas | 73-73-146 |
| 1979 | Mitch Thomas | 78-74-152 |
| 1980 | John Munro | 80-72-152 |
| 1981 | Casey Boyns | 76-74-150 |
| 1982 | Jim Knoll | 79-72-151 |
| 1983 | Casey Boyns | 74-75-149 |
| 1984 | Bill Malley | 76-74-150 |
| 1985 | Aly Trompas | 77-73-150 |
| 1986 | Terrence Miskell | 77-72-149 |
| 1987 | Casey Boyns | 76-72-148 |
| 1988 | Randy Bridge | 72-73-145 |
| 1989 | Jeffrey Thomas | 78-74-152 |
| 1990 | Bob Eberle | 73-73-146 |
| 1991 | Bill Sendell | 79-70-149 |
| 1992 | Lou Alvarez at Poppy Hills | 74-74-148 |
| 1993 | Tyler Williamson | 76-75-151 |
| 1994 | Yasu Amaya | 70-76-146 |
| 1995 | Arron Oberholser | 72-74-146 |
| 1996 | Casey Boyns at Poppy Hills | 72-69-141 |
| 1997 | Dennis Mitchell at Poppy Hills and Spanish Bay | 75-68-143 |
| 1998 | Matt Christensen | 73-74-147 |
| 1999 | Ryan King | 70-68-138 |
| 2000 | J.J. Jakovac | 75-73-148 |
| 2001 | William Moore | 70-73-143 |
| 2002 | Logan Goettsch | 71-69-140 |
| 2003 | James Hay | 72-73-145 |
| 2004 | Gary Young | 72-71-143 |
| 2005 | Michael Ostrich | 71-70-141 |
| 2006 | Arvo Voip | 73-73-146 |
| 2007 | Scott Hardy | 71-69-140 |
| 2008 | Kyle Prolo | 69-71-140 |
| 2009 | William Moore | 72-72-144 |
| 2010 | Scott Hardy | 74-73-147 |
| 2011 | Scott Hardy | 73-71-144 |
| 2012 | Trent Tessler | 76-73-149 |
| 2013 | Nick Moore at Bayonet and Spyglass Hill | 73-71-144 |
| 2014 | Austin Roberts at Spyglass Hill and Bayonet | 73-73-146 |
| 2015 | Nick Moore at Poppy Hills and Spyglass Hill | 71-71-142 |
| 2016 | Matt Cohn at Bayonet and Poppy Hills | 73-74-147 |
| 2017 | Nick Moore at Poppy Hills and Bayonet | 72-75-147 |
| 2018 | Ben Peters at Poppy Hills | 70-69-139 |
| 2019 | Matt Cohn at Poppy Hills | 70-73-143 |
| 2020 | Drake Mendenhall at Pacific Grove GL and Poppy Hills | 66-69-135 |
Past Net Champions
| 2013 | President: James Pogue | 68-71–139 |
| Director: David Foord | 74-69–143 | |
| Secretary: Brian McClintock | 74-65–139 | |
| 2014 | Chardonnay: Jason Marks | 70-73–143 |
| Merlot: Robert Freitas | 75-64–139 | |
| Zinfandel: Eddie Zahariades | 68-67–135 | |
| 2015 | Chardonnay: Ken Gosselin | 70-71–141 |
| Merlot: Manuel Herrera | 71-72–143 | |
| Zinfandel: Jeff Benrey | 71-68–139 | |
| 2016 | Big Sur: Jon Swift | 74-67–141 |
| Golden Gate: Carl Thoreson | 74-71–145 | |
| Yosemite: Clint Jones | 71-67–138 | |
| 2017 | Big Sur: Jarrett Jern | 71-69–140 |
| Golden Gate: Paul Gamez | 75-65–140 | |
| Yosemite: Stephen Ackley | 67-66–133 | |
| 2018 | Golden Gate: Andy Nordhoff | 65-71–136 |
| Yosemite: Patrick Tam | 71-68–139 | |
| 2019 | Golden Gate: Al Varga | 64-71–135 |
| Yosemite: Dev Rahal | 67-69–136 | |
| 2020 | Big Sur: Billy Witt | 71-70–141 |
| Golden Gate: Patrick Bernard | 77-70–147 | |
| Pinnacles: Bill Berkley | 76-64–140 | |
| Yosemite: Richard Hicks | 71-68–139 |