PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (May 11, 2008)--Four-ball partnerships generally take several events or even years to develop into winning teams.
But NCGA Four-Ball champions Ryan Sloane and Taylor Travis dispelled that theory, winning the 41st playing of the tournament by four shots at Spyglass Hill in their first championship together.
Sloane, of the Fifth Major GC, and Travis, of Castlewood, followed a time-tested map perfected by Tiger Woods in winning tournaments – seize the lead with aggressive play in the early rounds then hold on in the final round with conservative play and make your competitors chase you. The duo turned in stellar rounds of 65 (the low round of the championship) and 66 in building a four-stroke lead going into the final round, and closed the door on any close competition on the back nine when Travis hit both par 5s (nos. 11 and 14) in two shots and converted for birdie each time.
“We feed off each other really well,” said Sloane, the 2007 Palo Alto City champion. “To win a four-ball you have to have that.” The champions met for the first time in November playing in the same group in the final round of the Palo Alto City – Travis defending his 2006 championship and Sloane on his way to winning. The partnership sprang from that event and debuted in qualifying for NCGA Four-Ball where the duo won medalist honors at Coyote Creek.
At age 17, Travis has come close several times in NCGA events including last year’s Four-Ball and Junior, but the UCLA-bound senior at American High in Fremont has a preternatural calmness on the course that belies his age. “We just go out and play our normal game. We don’t want to make any bogeys,” he said. Indeed, the champions produced only one bogey over the course of the 54-hole event – on #8 Sunday that shrank their lead to two, the slimmest margin they would face.
“We have similar games. Taylor is such a terrific player that it gives me confidence in my game,” Sloane said regarding the poise displayed as the twosome played their final nine in 32 shots, putting the tournament title out of reach.
Brett Viboch of Moraga and Brandon Harkins of Orinda made a run in the final round, turning in the low score of the day at 66, but were unable to get any closer than four strokes. Current NCGA Player of the Year Casey Boyns and partner Bill Moore of Monterey Bay GC took third, seven shots off the lead.
Name/Club |
Score |
Taylor Travis, Castlewood CC / Ryan Sloane, Fifth Major |
65-66-69—200 |
Brett Viboch, Moraga CC / Brandon Harkins, Orinda CC |
69-69-66—204 |
William Moore, Monterey Bay GC / Casey Boyns, Monterey Bay GC |
70-66-71—207 |
Scott Hardy, amateurgolf.com / Rick Reinsberg, Moraga CC |
70-70-68—208 |
Dean Menante, Plumas Pines GR / Steve Sear, Scratch Players GC |
68-68-72—208 |
Eddie Davis, Green Valley CC / Jon Peterson, The Olympic Club |
70-70-69—209 |
Randy Haag, The Olympic Club / Darryl Donovan, CordeValle GC |
68-69-72—209 |
Jon Bettencourt, Sunnyside CC / Matt Fagundes, Fort Washington GCC |
67-68-74—209 |
Jeremy Harris, Serrano CC / David Leuterio, El Macero CC |
72-68-70—210 |
Scott Watson, Green Tree GC / Christopher Johnson, Ancil Hoffman GC |
71-70-70—211 |
Tim Breland, Stockton GCC / John Ashlock, Forest Lake GC |
72-68-71—211 |
Steve Woods, Coyote Creek GC / Jeff Gilchrist, Sunset Whitney CC |
71-67-73—211 |
John Enright, The Olympic Club / Gary Vanier, The Olympic Club |
71-71-70—212 |
Michael Stieler, Riverbend GC / Jeffrey Hollis, Brighton Crest CC |
70-72-70—212 |
Clifford Smith, Turlock GCC / Jamie Looper, Oakdale GCC |
73-69-70—212 |
Mark Miller, Roddy Ranch GC / Michael Vera, Roddy Ranch GC |
67-72-73—212 |
Kirk Thornhill, Green Valley CC / Jimmy Cacho, Green Valley CC |
69-72-72—213 |
Mark Mance, The Olympic Club / Paul Balatti, Mayacama GC |
69-71-73—213 |
John Mack, Scratch Players GC / Gary Havro, Scratch Players GC |
69-71-73—213 |
Brian Ruiz, De Laveaga GC / Trent Tessler, Burlingame GC |
72-70-72—214 |
Dennis Elgin, Rancho Murieta CC / Don Thames, Rancho Murieta CC |
71-70-73—214 |
Grant Doverspike, Riverbend GC / Brian Hogan, NCGA Association Member |
72-68-74—214 |
Todd Barsotti, San Joaquin CC / Jeff Wilson, Green Valley CC |
74-66-74—214 |
Ian Dahl, University of California GC / Jeff Hamm, Blackhawk CC |
71-71-73—215 |
Joseph Woo, San Geronimo GC / Larry Salk, San Geronimo GC |
72-72-71—215 |
Kevin Wolf, Woodbridge GCC / James Watt, Lockeford Springs GC |
73-72-70—215 |
Phillip Huff, The Olympic Club / Rob Martin, Rancho Murieta CC |
72-68-76—216 |
Ricky Stockton, Salinas Fairways GC / Anthony Stockton, Salinas Fairways GC |
72-72-72—216 |
Clayton Davis, Atascadero GC / Jeremy Gearhart, Links at Vista Del Hombre |
73-72-71—216 |
Nick Webb, Turlock GCC / Andrew Moren, Stevinson Ranch GC |
70-70-77—217 |
Tory Sherman, San Joaquin CC / Michael Facciani, Fort Washington GCC |
74-71-72—217 |
Steven Chung, Morgan Creek GCC / Jasper Gill, Wildhawk GC |
69-77-73—219 |
Kevin Kobalter, Meadow Club / Jonathan Carlson, Adams Springs GC |
75-69-76—220 |
David Baskins, El Macero CC / Lane Nonnenberg, Stanford University GC |
75-70-75—220 |
Mark Hill, Diablo Grande GC / George Grauer, Callippe Preserve GC |
76-70-74—220 |
Donn Berdahl, Reserve GC at Spanos Park / David Capel, Stevinson Ranch GC |
77-69-75—221 |
Brent Pottenger, North Ridge CC / Josh Twist, Rancho Murieta CC |
73-73-75—221 |
Coleman Sanders, Spring Creek GCC / Jared Rankins, Spring Creek GCC |
72-74-76—222 |
David Ujihara, Atascadero GC / Gary Wing, Atascadero GC |
73-72-79—224 |
Michael Wiechers, Granite Bay GC / Erik Pilegaard, Granite Bay GC |
72-74-78—224 |