NCGA

Ryan King Wins Public Links
Championship in Record Style

GolfCalifornia.com Staff Report

Public Links Championship -- July 26-27
Spyglass Hill GC

PEBBLE BEACH – Ryan King, a senior-to-be at Fresno State University, put on a birdie barrage Tuesday en route to a five-stroke victory in the Northern California Golf Association’s 34th annual Public Links Championship at Spyglass Hill Golf Course.

King, who opened the day a stroke off the pace, recorded three birdies against a single bogey on the front nine to grab the lead. He ran away from the field with birdies on four of the first five holes on the back nine for a brilliant closing score of 4-under-par 68.

King’s 70-68—138 shattered the tournament record of 143 established by Dennis Mitchell in 1997. That tournament was played at Poppy Hills Golf Course and the Links at Spanish Bay. The previous best score at Spyglass Hill was 145.

King, a member of Fig Garden GC in Fresno, birdied the third, fifth, seventh, 10th, 11th, 13th and 14th holes. Three of the birdies came after he hit par-5s in two shots. His only bogey blemishes came on the eighth, 12th and 16th holes.

King is the second consecutive Fresno Stater to take the title. Matt Christensen was the winner a year ago but has joined the professional ranks. Christensen also went on to win the NCGA Amateur crown – with King as his caddie.

Oak Ridge GC member John Ellis fired a 3-under-par 33 on the front side to get within three shots of the lead at the turn. However, Ellis finished with a 69 and second place at 74-69—143. Alameda GC’s Dong Yi, the first-round leader with a 69, closed with a 75, but dropped to third place with his par effort of 144.

Madera Municipal’s Dennis Bingham finished with a 36-hole net of 71-65—136 to win the President’s Flight by eight strokes. Fellow member Rich Cornwell was second at 70-74—144. Chris Wissen of Bayonet/Blackhorse took third at 75-71—146.

Porterville’s Tony Salazar turned in a pair of 66s for a net of 132 to triumph in the Director’s Flight. Larry Rutledge from Spring Hills was second at 63-74—137. Anthony Gonzales (Skywest GC) and Jerry Sherlock (California Players) tied for third at 141.

Geoff Yeager of Cinnabar Hills grabbed part of the day’s spotlight with a hole-in-one on the 12th hole.

Following are the final results:

 Championship Flight
 Ryan King, Fig Garden 
                                         70-68--138
 John Ellis, Oak Ridge
                                         74-69--143
 Dong Yi, Alameda
                                         69-75--144
 Dustin Smith, Del Norte
                                         73-74--147
 Steve Carter, Monterey Bay
                                         70-78--148
 Andy Blossom Jr., Lockford Springs
                                         78-71--149
 Steve Christophel, Green Tree 
                                         75-74--149
 David Burroughs, Gilroy
                                         75-75--150
 Jim Knoll, Windsor
                                         73-77--150
 Lucio Alvarez, Black Oak
                                         79-71--150
 Danny Paniccia, Fig Garden
                                         76-75--151
 Robert Pereira, Vallejo
                                         79-72--151
 Michael Facciani, Madera Muni
                                         78-74--152
 Brad Bulcock, Gleneagles Intl
                                         78-74--152
 Robert Heaton, Antioch
                                         74-80--154
 Brian Koehler, Davis
                                         78-77--155
 Michael Feld, World
                                         78-77--155
 Richard Guzman, de Laveaga
                                         77-79--156
 Tim Dougherty, B A G S
                                         80-76--156
 John Jaramillo, Bennett Valley
                                         74-83--157
 Kenneth Gosselin, Bodega Harbour
                                         81-77--158
 Mark Miller, Antioch
                                         82-76--158
 Stephen Smoot, Milpitas Family
                                         77-81--158
 Phillip Donaldson, River Oaks
                                         78-82--160
 Dominic Debellis, Antioch
                                         78-82--160
 Jason Snyder, French Camp
                                         82-78--160
 Joe Negri, Bennett Valley
                                         81-79--160
 Robert Levin, Wildhawk
                                         80-81--161
 Steven Feldman, San Geronimo
                                         81-82--163
 Mike Powers, Antioch
                                         79-84--163
 Jon Halverson, Bayonet/Black Horse
                                         81-84--165
 Chris McKenna, Twelve Bridges
                                         81-84--165
 Michael Harrop, Sacramento Bee
                                         88-78--166
 Ralph Costanzo, Marines Point Links
                                         80-86--166
 Brian Rugne, Whitney Oaks
                                         85-82--167
 Ren Chang, Am Golf Tilden
                                         81-89--170
 Robert Hyatt, Bell GC of SF
                                         85-87--172
 Chad Martinez, Sacramento
                                         81-WD--WD
 President's Flight (Course Handicaps 6-16)
 Dennis Bingham, Madera Muni
                                         71-65--136
 Rich Cornwell, Madera Muni
                                         70-74--144
 Christopher Wissen, Bayonet/Black Horse
                                         75-71--146
 Robert Dalziel, Lincoln Park
                                         74-73--147
 Craig Rourke, Lera
                                         74-73--147
 Linn Derickson, Sandia Tourney Golf 
                                         70-78--148
 Cecil Warren, de Laveaga
                                         73-76--149
 Michael Fox, Lake Chabot
                                         73-76--149
 Barry Witt, Tilden Park
                                         76-74--150
 Alex Merkner, Napa
                                         75-75--150
 Jim Adams, Pgg Laguna Seca
                                         81-70--151
 Ray Kong, Cinnabar Hills
                                         76-75--151
 Todd Bengtson, Creekside
                                         79-73--152
 David Marks, Sacramento
                                         73-79--152
 Michael Jenks, Bay Area Union Prntr
                                         78-76--154
 Skip Houston, Peninsula, Ga. 
                                         82-73--155
 Michael Peters, Walnut Creek
                                         79-76--155
 Ray Francisco, Country Drivers
                                         86-70--156
 Chuck Russell, Mather
                                         76-80--156
 Michael Toth, M & D Marshall Mem
                                         72-84--156
 Ernest Hutchings, Hidden Valley Lake 
                                         71-85--166
 Frederick Harris, Sherwood Greens
                                         77-81--158
 Alan Share, de Laveaga
                                         79-80--159
 Daniel Murray, Sharp Park
                                         83-77--160
 Don Markham, Ancil Hoffman
                                         80-81--161
 Bud Christians, El Dorado Hills
                                         79-82--161
 Chris McClaine, Band of Gypsies
                                         82-80--162
 Shawn Flanagan, Sacramento
                                         76-86--162
 Forrest Shigley, San Mateo
                                         88-75--163
 Tom Bremer, West Coast
                                         84-79--163
 Dennis Mehas, Riverside/Fresno
                                         87-80--167
 Jerry Haddock, Rancho Solano
                                         84-83--167
 Jeff Gidre, Virtual Country Club
                                         79-88--167
 Burnett Dougherty, Rancho Canada Playrs
                                         88-80--168
 Geoff Yeager, Cinnabar Hills
                                         92-78--170
 Roberto Esparza, Table Mountain
                                         84-87--171
 Randy Tanaka, Milpitas Family
                                         90-85--175
 Bob Enfantino, Campbell
                                         89-86--175
 Hiram Sera, Peninsula Fairways
                                         95-91--186
 Ram Sharma, Tilden Park
                                         103-84--187
 Director's Flight (Course Handicaps 16 and above)
 Tony Salazar, Porterville
                                         66-66--132
 Larry Rutledge, Spring Hills
                                         63-74--137
 Anthony Gonzales, Skywest
                                         72-69--141
 Jerry Sherlock, California Players
                                         66-75--141
 Jeff Huehn, Rolmex
                                         72-71--143
 Sam Haskins, Lincoln Park
                                         73-72--145
 Albert Zavattero, Walnut Creek
                                         74-73--147
 Robert Holmblad, Wise Owls
                                         81-68--149
 Morris Bell, Ancil Hoffman
                                         71-78--149
 Emily Bell, Oak Ridge
                                         77-72--149
 Shane Davis, Willow Park
                                         75-75--150
 Janis Biksa, San Mateo
                                         67-84--151
 Karl Stahl, Atascadero
                                         83-69--152
 Stephen Nash, Professional Guajolo 
                                         75-78--153
 Ken Perea, Cinnabar Hills
                                         77-77--154
 Ron Sills, Bayonet/Black Horse 
                                         82-73--155
 John Schmidt, Cherry Island
                                         79-76--155
 Scott Logan, Golden State
                                         69-86--155
 Douglas Marshall, Spring Valley
                                         78-78--156
 Linda Rindt, Dawn Ball Club
                                         81-75--156
 Paul Lord Jr., Sf Hp Linksters
                                         77-81--158

 Robert Kiddoo, Whitney Oaks
                                         77-82--159
 Michael Riche, Palo Alto
                                         86-75--161
 Keith Christensen, Chevron Richmond
                                         83-79--162
 Charles Marion, Golf Sports Club 
                                         81-81--162
 Morrison Yomtob, Ahwahnee
                                         77-85--162
 Ralph Westover, Rosendin
                                         87-77--164
 Jim Wood, Healdsburg
                                         86-78--164
 David Geary, Sfd Army Engineers
                                         82-82--164
 Rich Williams, Bridge Dept
                                         91-75--166
 John Weirich, Walnut Creek
                                         80-86--166
 Ronald Celaya, 444
                                         75-93--168
 James Nolte, Modesto
                                         88-81--169
 Roark Weber, La Contenta
                                         83-87--170
 Steven Vanwinkle, Pudders
                                         87-91--178
 Mark Mignano, Santa Teresa
                                         88-93--181
 Morris Sr. Bell, Ancil Hoffman
                                         81-100--181
 Hiram Sera, Peninsula Fairways
                                         95-91--186
 Ram Sharma, Tilden Park
                                         103-84--187