2008 Hanna-Wehrman Cup Matches
NCGA amateurs retained the cup by a single point at Castlewood CC.
Castlewood CC, Hill and Valley courses
October 22-23, 2008
Hanna-Wehrman Cup Match Results
Link to Staedler-Jetter Senior Cup Matches
October 23, 2008
PLEASANTON – The NCGA amateurs fought hard to retain the Hanna-Wehrman Cup 10 1/2 to 9 1/2 at Castlewood CC.
The team managed to nab five wins and two halves in singles matches to edge out the NCPGA professionals for the fourth consecutive year.
The amateurs were led by a strong performance by Brett Viboch (right) of Lafayette, who was five-under-par when he beat professional Tighe Hammam 5 and 4. The Chico State graduate’s strong ball striking produced birdie putts within two feet on four holes, including gimmies on the 10th and 11th holes.
“It got more exciting as the tournament went on,” commented Viboch after the round. A rookie on the Hanna-Wehrman team, Viboch and other players gathered around the green to watch the final groups finish their matches in what turned out to be a nail-biting conclusion.
Saint Mary’s golf coach Scott Hardy came through for the amateurs with a clutch 3 and 1 win over Eric Costa. Hardy was five-under-par when the match ended.
Matt Hollinsead nailed a 5-and-4 win over Jerrel Grow, earning him a blemish-free tournament record. Casey Boyns managed a 1-up win over Jeffrey Anderson, despite knocking his approach shot in the water on the par-5 16th.
Jamie Looper shone through with a 3-and-1 win over professional Lance Johnson but the crucial matches might have been the halves gained by Steven Chung against Greg Rodgers and Jonathan Carlson with Eric Goettsch. The player’ half points meant that the amateurs tied up the overall tournament series against the professionals, 17-17-8.
NCGA Amateur Team
NCPGA Team
Day 1
October 22, 2008
PLEASANTON – The NCGA amateurs trail the NCPGA professionals by one point after day one of the Hanna-Wehrman Cup at Castlewood CC.
The matches were all tied up after the morning foursomes but the professionals managed to claw back with three wins in the afternoon four-ball competition for a 5 1/2 to 4 1/2 lead.
The annual event pits the finest Northern California amateurs against the best professionals as determined through a qualifying points’ system in a three-round Ryder Cup format.
NCGA Player-of-the-Year Matthew Marshall and NCGA Amateur Stroke Play Champion Matthew Hollinsead (pictured right) nailed down a point for the amateur team with a 5 and 4 win over professionals Lance Johnson and Jeffrey Anderson.
Hollinsead commented on their seven-under-par round on the Hills course, “We played well as a team, Matt (Marshall) came in on the holes when I was out of it and made pars and birdies.”
Marshall recently came off a 12-stroke win at PGA TOUR pre-qualifying at Morgan Creek and the former UC Davis player has professional golf in his sights.
Steven Chung and Jamie Looper came through with a 2 and 1 win over Jerrel Grow and Eric Costa. In other matches, Casey Boyns and Chris Marin lost to Rick Leibovich and Eric Goettsch on the 18th hole; Randy Haag and Scott Hardy lost to Tighe Hammam and Steve Pellegrine 2-down; and Jonathan Carlson and Brett Viboch lost to Eric Lippert and Greg Rodgers 2-down.
In the morning matches the amateur pair of Casey Boyns of Monterey Bay and Chris Marin of Cal State GC beat professional’s Rick Leibovich and Eric Goettsch 3 and 2 on the Valley course. The Olympic Club’s Randy Haag and Pleasant Hill’s Scott Hardy held their own against professional’s Tighe Hammam and Steve Pellegrine, with a 1-up win.
Amateurs Matt Hollinsead of Wildhawk and Matt Marshall of La Rinconada managed to nab half a point against the team of Lance Johnson and Jeffrey Anderson, just enough to tie up the team points at 2 1/2 heading into the afternoon four-ball matches on the Hill course.
In the other matches, Jonathan Carlson and Brett Viboch lost to the professional team of Eric Lippert and Greg Rodgers 3 and 2, while Oakdale’s Jamie Looper and Morgan Creek’s Steven Chung lost to professional’s Jerrel Grow and Eric Costa 2 and 1.
The amateurs have taken home the trophy for the last three years but still trail the NCPGA’s lead in the series 17-16-8.