NCGA photo

With a one-stroke lead at the start of the final round, Hardy, the golf coach at Saint Mary’s College, would expand that margin in the final round, concluding with a five-stroke win. After an impressive two-under-par 69 and two-day total of 140, Hardy had eliminated the rest of the field.

"I knew (on the 18th) I was four-up on the guys I was paired with and figured a 67 would tie, so I liked my chances," said Hardy.

Hardy, and his wife/caddy Nancy, welcomed their first child recently and playing golf is no longer a priority.

"This is only the fifth tournament I’ve played and I practice less than that," said Hardy about his approach to the game.

It was a birdie on the 15th and another from the deep bunker on 16 that sealed the deal for Hardy. The Public Links Championship is the fourth NCGA title for the Pleasant Hill resident as he has also won the Valley Amateur, Stroke Play Championship and the Four-Ball Championship.

As for runner-up Bill Moore of Monterey Bay Golf Club, a three-over-par 74 was not enough to overcome the short game of Hardy.

"I got myself into a hole - you can’t chase a guy like Hardy at Spyglass unless he makes bogey" he said. "Today he wasn’t making bogey."

Draining a 15-footer at the 15th hole after sinking a birdie at 14, it looked as if the two would play it out till the end. However, with Hardy’s final birdie at the 18th, Moore knew he had given it his all, but came up short. Defending champion Arvo Voip and Riverbend’s Michael Stieler tied for third with a two-day total of 149.

Ron Aivazian of Sherwood Forest was able to come back from a one-stroke deficit to first-day leader David Fletcher and win the President’s flight. With a two-day, net five-under-par 137, Aivazian beat Fletcher by six strokes. In a three-way tie for third, Rocky Wolf of Palo Alto, Jack Dominguez of Rancho Solano and David Cox of Eagle Ridge all shot an impressive net 144. As the weather got cooler, the Director’s flight produced a two-hole playoff for first place between Manteca Park’s Roy King and San Jose Muni eClubhouse’s Quy Pham with King prevailing. Both men finished with a two-day net 129. Wayne Hoffer of Bennett Valley claimed third with a net 143.

Final results follow: