59th NCGA Public Links Championship

After a few years of watching cohorts Bobby Bucey, Robby Salomon and pal Nick Moore win, San Francisco resident Matt Cohn kept wondering when his turn would come.

“It wasn’t on the back of my mind. It was on the front of my mind,” Cohn said. “I consider those guys my peers.”

For the 35-year-old Cohn, the wait is over.

Nick Moore has established himself as a guy who can close things out. The 34-year-old Monterey resident is also now one of the top NCGA men’s players of all-time.

Ben Peters had already proven that he was one of Northern California’s elite amateurs. On more than one occasion, he’s helped represent the NCGA in the annual Hanna-Wehrman Cup Matches against the Northern California PGA. But the 33-year-old’s resume had lacked an NCGA championship. At least, until now.

When Matt Cohn won the NCGA Public Links Championship in 2016, it marked his first NCGA victory. As his good friend and seven-time NCGA champ Nick Moore told him at the time, “Welcome to the club.” Cohn’s climb up the club ladder has reached another rung.

Drake Mendenhall could be described as someone who’s climbed the NCGA ladder. The 21-year-old Granite Bay native and now senior at the University of Arizona captured his first NCGA title, shooting a final round 2-under 69.

Las Vegas native Matthew Manganello returned to a place that he’s always been smitten with and walked away with his first NCGA title.

Matt Cohn notched his fifth NCGA crown with his third win in the Public Links Championship.