Skip to content
background image background image

59th NCGA Public Links Championship

September 4-5 | Poppy Hills

History

The NCGA Public Links Championship began in 1966, and is the premier event for public-course players.

The 36-hole stroke play Championship is contested by a field of 96 players split into one scratch championship flight and two net championship flights.

Male and female contestants must be public course players who do not hold playing privileges in any course from which the general public is excluded. Members of associate clubs and eClubs are also eligible. (see eligibility criteria below).

Ryan King holds the scoring record set in 1999 of six-under-par 138.  Only three players have managed back-to-back victories, Mike Powers in 1972 and 1973, Mitch Thomas in 1978 and 1979, and Scott Hardy in 2010 and 2011. Four-time NCGA Player of the Year Casey Boyns still reigns with the most NCGA Public Links wins, having claimed the trophy four times.

Recaps

750 x 580-Jan-10-2023-11-23-24-9995-PM

2016

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.

2017

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.

2018

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.

2019

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.

2020

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.

2021

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

2022

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

2023

Jeremy Gearhart won his first NCGA title, defeating Jason Herrera on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff. Gearhart was playing Poppy Hills for the first time since the course was remodeled in 2014.  
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023

Past Champions

Year Winner Score
2023

Jeremy Gearhart 

Net Champions:
Big Sur: David Prato
Golden Gate: Joe Chen
Yosemite: Tony Allen 

76-67-143

Net:
67-68–135
65-77–142
67-72–139

2022

Matt Cohn

Net Champions:
Big Sur: Ken Harrington
Golden Gate: Bill Villareal
Yosemite: Terry Won

69-69-138

Net:
74-65–139
72-69–141
69-69–138

2021

Matthew Manganello

Net Champions:
Big Sur: Ken Harrington
Golden Gate: San Tamang
Yosemite: Walter Parubrub

66-73-139

Net:
71-70–141
70-63–133
68-67–135

2020

Drake Mendenhall

Net Champions:
Big Sur: Billy Witt
Golden Gate: Patrick Bernard
Pinnacles: Bill Berkley
Yosemite: Richard Hicks

66-69-135

Net:
71-70–141
77-70–147
76-64–140
71-68–139

2019

Matt Cohn

Net Champions:
Golden Gate: Al Varga
Yosemite: Dev Rahal

70-73-143

Net:
64-71–135
67-69–136

2018

Ben Peters

Net Champions:
Golden Gate: Andy Nordhoff    
Yosemite: Patrick Tam

70-69-139

Net:
65-71–136
71-68–139

2017

Nick Moore

Net Champions:
Big Sur: Jarrett Jern
Golden Gate: Paul Gamez
Yosemite: Stephen Ackley

72-75-147

Net:
71-69–140
75-65–140
67-66–133

2016

Matt Cohn

Net Champions:
Big Sur: Jon Swift
Golden Gate: Carl Thoreson
Yosemite: Clint Jones

73-74-147

Net:
74-67–141
74-71–145
71-67–138

2015

Nick Moore

Net Champions:
Chardonnay: Ken Gosselin
Merlot: Manuel Herrera
Zinfandel: Jeff Benrey

71-71-142

Net:
70-71–141
71-72–143
71-68–139

2014

Austin Roberts

Net Champions:
Chardonnay: Jason Marks
Merlot: Robert Freitas
Zinfandel: Eddie Zahariades

73-73-146

Net:
70-73–143
75-64–139
68-67–135

2013

Nick Moore

Net Champions:
President: James Pogue
Director: David Foord
Secretary: Brian McClintock

73-71-144

Net:
68-71–139
74-69–143
74-65–139

More Past Champions

background image

Join the NCGA

Providing benefits and services to:

members-icon 185,000+ Members
glof-clubs-icon 1,400+ Golf Clubs