86th annual tourney set for May 10-12 at Spyglass Hill GC
PEBBLE BEACH – A talent-packed field will grace one of the Northern California Golf Association’s most popular events when the 36th NCGA Four-Ball Championship is held May 10-12 at Spyglass Hill GC.
The defending champion twosome of Robert Hamilton and Phil Cuthbertson won’t be in the field, but a host of other challengers will clash for the coveted title. One of the top contenders is Matt Bettencourt and Jon DeChambeau, both of Spring Creek GCC. Bettencourt and DeChambeau have virtually dominated the two-man circuit over the past year, claiming five titles in Northern California and finishing third in the NCGA Four-Ball last year.
On the strength of the two-man titles, along with victories in the NCGA Amateur and the NCGA Sacramento Valley Championship, Bettencourt was the 2001 NCGA Player of the Year. He is also on top of the current points list in the race for the 2002 title.
Earl Morley and Chad Miraglia, both of Ruby Hill GC, will return to the field after finishing second in last year’s event. The absence of the defending champions means the most recent winners in the field are the 2000 champion team of Darryl Donovan, a Gilroy resident, of CordeValle GC and Randy Haag of the Olympic Club. Donovan captured the CGA (State) Amateur last June, then was forced to abbreviate his tournament schedule because of work conflicts. Haag is attempting to return to the form that earned him NCGA Player of the Year in 1999, his third such honor.
James Hay of Diablo Grande GC, the 2000 NCGA Amateur champion, will team with Scott Hardy of Scratch Players GC, the 2001 NCGA Amateur runner-up. Another intriguing duo will be made up of teenagers Spencer Levin of Valley Hi GC and Kyle Metzler of Rancho Murieta CC, both of whom have had past success in NCGA competition. The 2000 NCGA Player of the Year, Jim Wilson, will team with fellow Butte Creek CC member Carl Selkirk, who finished second in a playoff at the NCGA Senior Championship last week.
Two father-son teams will be in the field: Cliff and Eddie Davis of Green Valley CC (who won the title in 1997) and Jeff and Patrick Burda of Del Rio CC.
The 81-team field will go off in two waves of tee times in the first round on Friday, May 10. After the second round, the field will be cut to the low 40 teams and ties for Sunday’s final round.
