106th NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship | Spyglass Hill GC | August 10-14, 2009
The oldest of the NCGA’s major events, the Amateur Match Play 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, Aaron Olberholser, Spencer Levin, 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 match play 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.
The event often determines the NCGA’s Player of the Year award with 650 points awarded to the winner. Multiple-time Player of the Year winners Casey Boynes 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.
Qualifying Information
Qualifying for the 2009 NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship will be held on July 15, 2009 at the following sites:
Bayonet | Copper River | Coyote Creek | The Reserve at Spanos Park | Roddy Ranch | The Ridge | San Geronimo
Format: 18 holes qualifying. 100 players plus ties (including exempts) will advance to the championship.
All players must qualify except the following: All past champions prior to 2004 (beginning in 2004, this is a 10-year exemption), players who reached the quarter-finals the preceding year, the top 10 and ties from the preceding year’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship, the following current NCGA champions: Public Links, Senior, Junior, Master Division, Valley Amateur and Valley Senior Amateur. Players who reached the quarterfinals of the CGA in the previous year are also exempt. Exemptions are also granted to the top 15 players on the preceding year’s final NCGA Points List. Each exempt player is required to submit an entry prior to the closing date. Amateur Match Play Exemptions.
Tournament Recaps
Matt Marshall picked a fitting way to end his last summer of competition as an amateur. The story of the match between Marshall and the 30-year-old Marin came down to putting. The champion put on a display of clutch putting that simply made it impossible for Marin to make up ground after ending the first 18 holes of the scheduled 36-hole final 2-down. The 3rd through the 5th holes of the second 18 told the story of the entire day. Marshall saved par on the 3rd with an 8-footer and then canned a triple breaking 35 footer on the 4th for birdie…
Read Full 2008 Recap | 2008 Bracket Results
View 2008 Finals Photo Gallery | View 2008 Bracket Photo Gallery
This one was a classic. In an epic 39-hole match that tied for the longest in NCGA Amateur history (1947), Ryan Hallisey of Granite Bay prevailed over Jeremy Gearhart of Atascadero at Spyglass Hill Friday in one of the most competitive finals in recent memory. Hallisey, a 19-year-old rising sophomore at the University of Nevada-Reno, established an early 3-up lead in the morning 18 via a deft short game. But consecutive birdies on the 13th and 14th holes by Gearhart, playing in his first major amateur competition after getting his amateur status back, brought the lead back to 1-up…
Read Full 2007 Recap | 2007 Bracket Results
View 2007 Finals Photo Gallery | View 2007 Bracket Photo Gallery
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 H/Rancho Can. | Casey Boyns | Aaron 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 140 | |
| 2008 | Spyglass Hill GC | Matthew Marshall | Chris Marin | 3 & 2 | Matthew Hollinsead, 70-73-143 |
* Championship was 36-hole stroke play in 1903 and 1904
* Played at Spyglass Hill GC
** Played at Poppy Hills GC and Rancho Canada GC
About Spyglass Hill
Ranked number five on “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” list by Golf Digest for 2003-2004. Spyglass Hill was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., as a part of the master plan for the Pebble Beach ocean front between Cypress Point and Pebble Beach. Opened in 1966, the design features two distinctly different kinds of terrain that influence the way the holes look and play.
The first five holes roll through sandy seaside dunes challenging the golfer to carefully pick the safest path. The following 13 holes are cut through pine trees with elevated greens and strategically placed bunkers and lakes to grab the errant shot. Spyglass Hill is rated one of the toughest courses in the world from the Championship tees, boasting a course rating of 75.5 and a slope rating of 147. The PGA Tour consistently lists Spyglass Hill’s holes 6, 8 and 16 among the toughest on the tour, and during the 1999 United States Amateur, the stroke average of the field during medal play was in excess of 79.