Jason Anthony/Randy Haag
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — The home of the Northern California Golf Association — Poppy Hills Golf Course — hosted the second to last California qualifying tournament on Tuesday for the second annual U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship. Jason Anthony of Fairfield and Randy Haag of Burlingame shot a bogey-free 62 and earned the top qualifying spot by three.
Anthony, who plays out of Green Valley Country Club, was medalist at this year's San Francisco City, reached match play at the U.S. Mid-Amateur, and tied for fourth at the Stocker Cup. Haag, who plays out of The Olympic Club, is a staple in USGA events, reaching the quarterfinals at the U.S. Mid-Amateur five times and has advanced to match play in 16 of his 20 total USGA championships.
The pair cruised on Tuesday, birdieing three of their first five holes and beginning the back nine with an eagle on the par-5. Birdies at 14 and 15 gave them seven on the day as they closed with three consecutive pars to post 62.
Tim Mickelson and Jake Yount, as well as Nick Moore and Matt Cohn each carded 65 and needed a sudden-death playoff for the final qualifying spot. It was Yount and Mickelson coming out on top, qualifying for the second consecutive year. The Mickelson/Yount duo advanced to the round-of-16 in the inaugural event at The Olympic Club before losing to James Edmondson and Zach Atkinson 3-and-1.
It will be the first Four-Ball for Moore and Cohn if they can get in the alternate route. Moore has victories in 2015 at the Northern California Valley Amateur and the Northern California Public Links, while Cohn finished runner-up at the Northern California Match Play, losing to Stanford University superstar Maverick McNealy.
Narrowly missing qualifying were the teams of David Reneker and Drew Olson at 66, as well as three other teams at 67 includng Brady Exber and Kevin Marsh, Tug Maude and John Sawin, and brothers Ryan and Jason Higton.
Exber is the two-time defending Stocker Cup champion while Sawin captured the 2015 Walter J. Travis Invitational.
The championship proper will be played in May of 2016 at the renowned Winged Foot Golf Club.
Full results from the site can be found here.
ABOUT THE U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Qualifying
Conducted over 18 holes, sectional qualifying
is held at sites across the United States
from late summer to early winter. Handicap limit 2.4.
View Complete Tournament Information