Bobby Bucey won the NCGA Mid-Amateur in a Playoff
6/11/2017 | by Northern California Golf Association
see also: View results for NCGA Mid-Amateur, Poppy Ridge Golf Course
The win for Bucey was his third career NCGA title
PEBBLE BEACH, CA (June 11, 2017) - As he prepared for extra holes, Bobby Bucey’s mom and caddie Karen Bucey gave her son some advice.
“I reminded him that he’d done this before,” Karen said.
Bucey, who hails from Concord, has now done it twice.
A member at Oakhurst Country Club, Bucey erased a three-stroke deficit in regulation and went on to defeat Jason Anthony on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to capture the NCGA Mid-Amateur Championship on a sunny Sunday at par-71 Poppy Hills Golf Course. The win marks Bucey’s third career NCGA title. In 2014, he’d win the NCGA Amateur Stroke Play title in a playoff.
“This is pretty sweet,” said Bucey, who won on the first extra hole (No.10) with a par to Anthony’s bogey. “I wasn’t hitting the ball as well as I did Saturday. I just stayed patient.”
No where did that patience come in more handy than on the 18th hole of regulation. Standing on the tee, Bucey held a slim one stroke edge over Olympic Club member and current NCGA Player of the Year points leader Jason Anthony. Going for the green in two, Bucey would hit his approach shot into the front hazard. Following a drop, he again hit short of the green.
He’d escape disaster by calmly draining a 10-foot putt for bogey to tie Anthony, who made par.
“I had 200 yards to the green. I’m never going to lay up there,” Bucey said.
With first round leader Juan Gonzalez slipping to a 77 that left him in third place, the door opened for not only both Bucey and Anthony but others in the field. Early on though, Bucey wasn’t able to take advantage. The 28-year-old accountant went 2-over through his first 11 holes–including a bogey on the par-3 11th–before his fortunes changed.
Again, it was Karen who played a role.
“When we were walking off No.11, my mom said that I’d make some birdies too,” Bucey said.
Sure enough, Bucey birdied the next two holes–No.12 and No.13–to immediately get right back into contention.
“Those were huge. They got me going,” Bucey said.
Anthony also had his chances, but he’d go birdie-less all day.
“You can’t win an NCGA championship without making a birdie,” Anthony said. “You’ve got to get the ball in the hole. Losing with a bogey makes the drive home that much longer.”
When he won the 2014 NCGA Stroke Play title, Bucey had his dad, Robert, on the bag as caddie. Robert again was on Bucey’s bag, but had to leave after the first nine holes. Then it became Karen’s turn.
“They definitely help me relax,” Bucey said. “On the 18th, I was frustrated. She told me to just make the putt.”
Winner of the 2015 NCGA Four-Ball Championship with partner Brett Viboch, Bucey next time will take aim at his fourth NCGA crown.
“I’m starting to believe that it’s not a fluke,” Bucey said. “I’m feeling more comfortable out there.”
Results: NCGA Mid-Amateur
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Concord, CA | 150 | 70-73=143 | |
| 2 | Fairfield, CA | 100 | 70-73=143 | |
| 3 | Antelope, CA | 50 | 67-77=144 | |
| T4 | Brentwood, CA | 50 | 78-67=145 | |
| T4 | Ripon, CA | 50 | 73-72=145 |
About the NCGA Mid-Amateur
The NCGA Mid-Amateur Championship began in 1982 as the Master Division Championship, a competitive opportunity for players aged 40-54 who were not yet eligible for senior tournaments. In 2016, the event was re-named the Mid-Amateur Championship, open...
Most Popular Articles
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced
Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing
2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING
Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Final Stage: Ewart Leads Five New TOUR Card Winners
Dec 14, 2025A.J. Ewart topped Final Stage at TPC Sawgrass, leading five players who secured PGA TOUR membership for 2026.
Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch
Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory
Inside Gil Hanse’s Restoration of Baltusrol’s Upper Course: A Return to Tillinghast’s
Dec 11, 2025Renowned architect Gil Hanse reveals how he brought Baltusrol’s Upper Course back to life by honoring A.W. Tillinghast’s original