Championship flight winner Bill Moore, runner-up
Ricky Stockton and third-place finisher Brandon McNally
PEBBLE BEACH, CA (June 2, 2009)--For NCGA Public Links Champion Bill Moore, the eight years it took to re-enter the winner’s circle were long overdue.
“After my win in 2001 (in this same event), I wanted to average a win in an NCGA event per year,” the assistant manager at The Golf Shop in Monterey said. “But that’s how tough the competition is.”
Moore’s steady, even par 144 (72-72) was good for a two stroke win over Salinas’ Ricky Stockton. Though the champion only made five birdies over the 36-hole championship at Spyglass Hill, he never made a big number that put him out of contention. “I had no big misses,” the Pacific Grove resident said. “I was really able to manage my game.”
Moore, Stockton and third-place finisher Brandon McNally of Poplar Creek began the day tied for the lead, and on a windy, foggy day not built for going low, only Moore was able to stay at even par (Scott Hardy’s final round 71 was the low round of the event). Birdies on 7, 10 and a closing exclamation-point birdie on the final hole spelled victory for Moore.
The tournament is the third NCGA title for the 39-year-old Moore, adding to the 2001 Public Links and 1991 Sacramento Valley championships.
The championship, for NCGA members who do not have privileges at a private course, is contested in three flights. In the president’s flight, for competitors with handicaps ranging from 5.5 – 11.4, first-round co-leader Joey Martin of Emerald Lakes held on to win by five shots, carding a 6-under net 138 (68-70). Michael Hoshida of Transit Hackers was second while Gregg Bargas of De Laveaga took, third, six strokes back of the champion.
In the director’s flight, for competitors with handicaps exceeding 11.4, Ahmed Shah of Cisco CC came from behind in the final round to capture the title, posting rounds of 73-70-143 to win by two strokes over Ed Zahariades of Sierra Meadows Ranch. First-round leader Joyce Glatt of Agilent Technologies faded to a tie for third with Morris Bell of Ancil Hoffman.
ABOUT THE NCGA PubLinks
The NCGA Public Links Championship began in 1966
at Spyglass Hill and is the premier event for the
public-course
player. The tournament has always included a
championship flight for players with handicap
indexes of 5.4 or less and
two handicap divisions for players with no handicap
limit. Contestants
must be bona fide public
course players
who do not hold playing privileges in any course
from which the general public is excluded.
View Complete Tournament Information