Mikey Burkland of Alamo, Calif., needed all 36 holes to secure the 2024 San Francisco City 2024 Men's Championship at TPC Harding Park on Sunday.
Burkland battled with friend and competitor AJ Fitzgerald of Salinas, Calif., all the way to the final hole, getting up and down for par to secure a 1-up victory.
"I knew it was going to be a battle," Burkland said about the final match. "AJ is a great player, a great competitor, and a good friend. We play a lot in these tournaments out here."
Burkland started hot and was 4-up through the first 18 holes, but found himself 1-down heading into the final nine holes after a blitz from Fitzgerald.
Then, Burkland played "the best nine holes of golf" in his life to secure the win. He needed to make a par on the 36th hole to win, and he got up and down from the tricky Harding Park rough to make the championship-clinching par. Burkland was 2-under and bogey-free in the difficult conditions on the final nine holes.
"The relief when the ball went in the hole was unbelievable," Burkland said. "Just so pumped."
Burkland defeated Ryan Vaughan of San Jose, Calif., 6&5 in the semifinals to get to the final match, while Fitzgerald took down Guilio Zanichelli 4&2 in the semifinal.
In the women's competition, Nicola Kaminski of Los Gatos, Calif., defeated Darla May Dela Torre of Fairfield, Calif., 5&4 to win the title.
Nicola Kaminski
"I am so excited," Kaminski said. "It was such a fun tournament, and I had a great time. I am happy it worked out."
Kaminski found herself quickly 2-down after the first two holes but was 5-up after the opening 18 holes. Part of the reason for Kaminski's solid play was the great play of her competitor.
"She is such a great player," Kaminski said about Dela Torre. "She would hit good shots, and it would put pressure on me to get some good shots."
And the challenge of Harding Park kept her focused and engaged throughout the round.
"You have to be straight with your drive, good out of the rough, straight into greens, and good with your short game, so it challenges you all around as a player," Kaminski said.
She added, "It was definitely a challenge all around.
However, there was a chance Kaminski wouldn't be playing on Sunday at all. She was 1-down with two holes to play in the semifinal round against Michelle Woo of Fremont, Calif., and it was her first time seeing the last three holes. She hit her approach shot into No. 17 to six feet to make a birdie, and on 18, from 160 years out, hit it to nine feet and made the putt to win.
Randy Haag
In the Senior Division, NCGA hall of famer and four time NCGA player of the year Randy Haag of Orinda, Calif., defended his 2023 title after defeating Mark Sanchez of Kentfield, Calif., 1-up and defeating Scott Anderson Sr. of Bakersfield, Calif., 1-up in the semifinal match.
Haag is ranked No. 13 in the AmateurGolf.com Senior Rankings.
In the super senior division, Matt Vukicevich of Kenwood, Calif., defeated Ray Kong 3&2 after defeating Richard Petit 1-up in the semifinal match and in the women's senior, Christy Atencio of Reno, Nev., defeated Lynn Couillard of Irvine, Calif., 4&3 to win.