Steven Chung claimed the NCGA Valley Amateur Championship at Winchester CC.

2008 NCGA Valley Amateur Champion Steven Chung

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Championship Division Results |  Senior Division Results

The 22-year-old came from one-stroke back to win the championship by a single stroke over the field.  After losing in a six-hole playoff last year, Chung felt like it was well overdue to etch his name on the trophy. 

The Sacramento resident fired rounds of 69-77 to finish at two-over-par 146 for the biggest win of his amateur career.  “I like the course and it fits my game,” Chung commented after the round. 

It was touch and go for a while when Chung found the water off the tee on the par-3 15th and made a double-bogey.  But the Morgan Creek member kept his focus and knew that he was competing for the title when a course marshall told him on the 17th tee that he had a one-stroke lead.  “I knew I had a one-stroke lead coming down 18 and all I had to do was two-putt the final green,” he said with a smile.

Chung accredits his good playing this week to working on his game with swing coach Keith Lyford and from experience in playing the U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst where he qualified with 140.

Ben Geyer of Arbuckle GC made a late charge for the championship with a final-round three-under-par 69 to take the runner-up spot at 147.  Meanwhile, NCGA Amateur Match Play Champion Matthew Marshall posted a final-round 77 to tie for third with Matthew Hollinsead at four-over-par 148. 

Senior Divison

2008 NCGA Senior Valley Amateur Champion Jim Knoll

In his rookie year of NCGA senior competition, Jim Knoll is making a charge at the coveted Player of the Year honor. 

The 55-year-old captured the NCGA Senior Valley Amateur today with a poetic seven-under-par 65 that sent jaws dropping as players came in from their round and saw the scoreboard.  The round included seven birdies and no bogeys and followed up a first-round 77 to nab the tournament by a single stroke over No. 1 ranked Jeff Burda. 

Although the scorecard suggested a blemish-free round, the golf shots were not entirely text book.  On the par-5 4th hole, he tried to lay up with a 4-iron, but the shot found the water hazard instead.  Knoll still managed to save par on the hole with a 15-foot holed-putt.  “I putted good for a change,” commented the Sunnyvale resident after the round, “I’ve been struggling with my putter all year.”

Overnight leader Bob Fleming of Haggin Oaks posted a 77 to tie for third with John Enright of the Olympic Club at five-over-par 149.

Knoll, a Rooster Run GC member is currently third on the NCGA Senior Rankings and has been quietly edging his way up the list as the 2008 season has progressed, aided by a win at the San Francisco City Senior Championship.  “I’m playing more golf this year.  It’s fun to be able to compete again and have some success now that I’m not playing against the kids anymore,” said Knoll who admits that the friendly rivalry of the senior competitions has inspired a newfound energy into his golf game.

The win represents the first time that Knoll has defeated Burda head-to-head all year.  The pair teamed together to win the Roddy Ranch Four-Ball earlier in the season, then Knoll finished runner-up to Burda at the Manteca City Senior.

The printing salesman cites his biggest career achievement as making the cut for the U.S. Senior Open at Whistling Straights in 2007. The Spartan alumni will look to continue his success at the upcoming California State Senior at Poppy Hills and U.S. Senior Amateur in Shady Oaks, Texas.

Valley Amateur Champion Steven Chung, runner-up Ben Geyer
and third-place ties Matt Hollinsead and Matt Marshall.

Senior Champion Jim Knoll, runner-up Jeff Burda
and third-place ties Bob Fleming and John Enright.

. Championship Flight . Steven Chung, Morgan Creek GCC 69 77 - 146 . Ben Geyer, Arbuckle GC 78 69 - 147 . Matthew Hollinsead, Wildhawk GC 75 73 - 148 . Matthew Marshall, La Rinconada CC 71 77 - 148 . Andy Nevin, eClub East Bay 76 73 - 149 . Chris Marin, Cal State GC 76 73 - 149 . Scott Roak, Sierra View CC 76 73 - 149 . Brent Booth, Palo Alto GC 71 79 - 150 . Darren Shaw, Bennett Valley GC 77 73 - 150 . Dino Giacomazzi, Bayonet/Blackhorse GC 68 82 - 150 . Jim Wilson, Butte Creek CC 75 75 - 150 . Joshua Stone, Swenson Park GC 77 74 - 151 . Robert Sottile, Bayonet GC 78 73 - 151 . John Jaramillo, Bennett Valley GC 78 74 - 152 . Jonathan Carlson, Adams Springs GC 79 73 - 152 . Reid Scarff, Butte Creek CC 80 72 - 152 . Travis Stephens, Seascape GC 78 74 - 152 . Tyler Raber, El Macero CC 72 80 - 152 . Chris Mendenhall, Granite Bay GC 78 75 - 153 . Don Thames, Rancho Murieta CC 78 75 - 153 . Justin Estrada, Colusa GCC 80 73 - 153 . Steven Wight, San Geronimo GC 75 78 - 153 . Casey Boyns, Monterey Bay GC 80 74 - 154 . David Capel, Stevinson Ranch GC 77 78 - 155 . Austin Roberts, Ancil Hoffman GC 81 75 - 156 . Eric Leeworthy, Lockeford Springs GC 74 82 - 156 . Michael Gillette, Sacramento GC at Haggin Oaks 79 77 - 156 . Ron Collet, Madera GCC 78 78 - 156 . Jeff Hoffman, Empire Ranch GC 79 78 - 157 . Mike Montgomery, eClub Sacramento 76 81 - 157 . Jon Kosier, Cameron Park CC 81 77 - 158 . Jud Spencer, Silver Creek Valley CC 79 80 - 159 . Curtis Kuwatani, Rancho Canada GC 80 80 - 160 . Sean Demeter, Walnut Creek GC 81 79 - 160 . Chris Smith, eClub Sacramento 79 82 - 161 . Jared Rankins, Spring Creek GCC 82 80 - 162 . Keith Postler, Copper River CC 83 79 - 162 . Fred Jaicks, Peach Tree GCC 85 78 - 163 . Kyle Calonico, Walnut Creek GC 77 87 - 164 . Kevin Alexander, amateurgolf.com 87 79 - 166 . Kyle Candlish, Rancho Murieta CC 80 87 - 167 . Mike Conklin, San Geronimo GC 82 86 - 168 . Travis Sayer, Almaden CC 82 87 - 169 . Lamar Hinds, Wildhawk GC 84 86 - 170 . Joseph Woo, San Geronimo GC 83 89 - 172 . Wes Shelledy, Sierra View CC 82 94 - 176 . David Maly, Roddy Ranch GC 88 89 - 177 . Don Demyan, eClub Fresno 87 90 - 177

. Senior Flight . Jim Knoll, Rooster Run GC 77 65 - 142 . Jeff Burda, Del Rio CC 73 70 - 143 . Bob Fleming, New Sac Golf eClub at Haggin Oaks 72 77 - 149 . John Enright, The Olympic Club 74 75 - 149 . Chris McKenna, Sunset Whitney CC 73 77 - 150 . Douglas Johnson, Fig Garden GC 72 78 - 150 . Greg Olson, Gold Hills CC 77 73 - 150 . Herb Jensen, Del Paso CC 76 74 - 150 . Bruce Swanson, Roddy Ranch GC 75 76 - 151 . Carl Selkirk, Butte Creek CC 78 73 - 151 . Dennis Younglove, El Macero CC 71 80 - 151 . Ronald Johnson, Diablo CC 80 71 - 151 . Gary Vanier, The Olympic Club 75 77 - 152 . Peter Hackett, Bass Lake GC 75 78 - 153 . Michael Davis, Serrano CC 79 75 - 154 . Rob Thompson, Merced GCC 73 81 - 154 . Sherman Haggerty, Serrano CC 75 79 - 154 . Tony Wilmer, The Castlewood CC 74 80 - 154 . Bob Olds, Roddy Ranch GC 77 78 - 155 . Mark Miller, Roddy Ranch GC 77 79 - 156 . Tom Lyons, The Castlewood CC 77 79 - 156 . Ben Whipple, Serrano CC 80 78 - 158 . Frank Pieper, Monterey Peninsula CC 78 81 - 159 . Lou Alvarez, Black Oak GC 83 78 - 161 . Jan Jakovac, Napa GC at Kennedy Park 86 79 - 165 . Bobby Fries, Fort Washington GCC 85 83 - 168 . Rob Seidel, Fig Garden GC 86 82 - 168 . Mark Maroney, Ridgemark GCC 87 87 - 174

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