20th Annual Stocker Cup  -  October 27-30, 2011

 

 

CARMEL, Calif. (October 30, 2011) - It's no surprise that the longevity and success of Randy Haag's amateur golf career is best measured by numbers. The San Franciscan has captured low amateur honors at the British Senior Open the last two years, has won six Northern California Golf Association player-of-the-year awards, and on Sunday became the first three-time champion of the prestigious Stocker Cup Invitational.

 

More numbers? How about finishing at nine under par for an eight-stroke win over a talented field chasing Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Rankings points, or being the only player to post four consecutive under-par rounds in a wire-to-wire win at the devilish and expansive Tom Fazio-designed Preserve GC?

 

"I thought time might have passed me by for this event," the champion said. "The field gets younger every year, and some great players come from all over the country. It's very meaningful for me to win this. You always want to compete against the best." Though his third overall win of the event, it was the first for Haag at the Preserve, where the event moved in 2000 after being contested at other Monterey Peninsula courses.

 

Haag's only enemy is perhaps fatigue. The 52-year-old concluded a seven-day stretch of competitive golf with the final round of the Stocker Cup, and is primed for a month away from the game in November. Haag's ball striking suffered at times over the weekend, but a hot putter allowed the Olympic Club member to post low scores. "My putter really bailed me out the last couple of days." Haag has putted side saddle since 1997, a technique that rejuvenated his game. "It's very different and hard to learn, but well worth it for me," he said.

 

It wouldn't have been the final round of the Stocker Cup without a charge from two-time defending champion Kevin Marsh of Henderson, Nevada. The 2005 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion started the day six strokes behind Haag (he was four behind the lead in 2010). But by the middle of the round the lead had been sliced in half, harkening to Marsh's Stocker Cup titles in 2009 and 2010, when he came from behind in the final round. But a costly bogey on 15, where he came up short to the treacherous front hole location, coupled with a Haag birdie on the 13th ended the defending champion's hopes of a three-peat. Haag posted a one-over 37 on the front nine - his worst performance on that nine by three strokes - and added a bogey on the 10th, but was able to close with three birdies in the last eight holes to slam the door on his pursuers. Haag had a one-stroke lead after the first round, and added to that lead after each round of the event.

 

Marsh would tie for second with Jerry Ledzinski of Carmel, Dan Sullivan of Pasadena (who had the low round of the day at two-under 70) and Billy Mitchell of Atlanta. Through a card-off, Ledzinski earned second place followed by Mitchell, Sullivan and Marsh.

 

The battle for the Tatum Trophy, for golfers aged 55 and older, was claimed by Brady Exber of Las Vegas, who claimed a share of the lead after the second round and never let go. The Southern Nevada Golf hall-of-famer cruised to a five-stroke win over Doug Pool, also of Las Vegas.

 

Notes

  • The 15th at the Preserve, an uphill 443-yard par 4, is well-known as the most difficult hole on the course. When combined with a front hole location on the severe back-to-front sloping green, the hole becomes a beast. Of the 22 players who took on the hole in the final round, there were eight bogeys, one double bogey, a quadruple bogey and even the dreaded "other," in this case a 9. Shots routinely backed up off the green leaving a difficult chip. Any shot holding the back of the green left a lightning-fast putt that was all but impossible to stop.

  • Haag has played in 18 Stocker Cups in his career, and now has three wins to go with six second-place finishes, an astonishing record given the strong field the event attracts.

 

 

Final Round Photo Gallery

 

 

 

CARMEL, Calif. (October 29, 2011) - Randy Haag of San Francisco has a five-stroke lead after the third round of the 20th annual Stocker Cup at The Preserve GC.

 

Haag has led since the beginning of the event and is seeking to become the first player with three Stocker Cup titles. But, as with the second round, the 52-year-old came off the course grumpy after bogeying the 18th hole. "Today was a combination of putts not going in and struggling a little with the long game," he said.  But the Olympic Club member is on such a roll right now, his self-proclaimed poor rounds still end up under par - he shot 71 in the third round to extend his lead two more strokes. (Haag has gradually added to his lead each round).

 

Jerry Ledzinski from the nearby Tehama Club has quietly sneaked into contention after carding a two-under 70 in the third round, the low score of the day. But it took an almost disastrous triple bogey on the Preserve's 17th (Ledzinski's 8th hole) to jump-start the 38-year-old.  "I thought that I had the front nine left and that there could be a 32 or 33 there," he said.  Ledzinski, who qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur earlier in the year, ended up bettering that score by one for a 31, building some serious momentum for tomorrow's final round.

 

Two-time defending champion Kevin Marsh, 38, is six back after a 73 in the third round. "It was a struggle today," he said. "I'm playing better this week than I have in a while, but I've got to play better tomorrow."  Marsh is tied with Jeff Wilson, 48, or Fairfield, who posted a 71 in the third round. The five-time U.S.G.A. medalist is one of the most decorated players in the field and along with Haag, is the only other player to avoid posting a score over par all three days. Also at two-under for the event is Mike McCoy of West Des Moines, Iowa, who was unable to duplicate his tournament-low 67 in the second round.

 

Anthony Barrera of the Ranch Club and Billy Mitchell of Bridgemill Athletic Club are seven back in seventh place.

 

Brady Exber of TPC Summerlin has the lead in the race for the Tatum Cup, for "A" golfers aged 55 and older. Exber stands at three-over 219 after a third-round 74.

 

Fred Vinton of The Preserve captured the Elliott Cup, which was  presented after Saturday's third round. The Elliot Cup is a 54-hole best-ball team competition that pits one of the scratch A-Players with a B-Player competing at 90% of his assigned handicap. Vinton was powered by a tournament-low net 60 in the second round.  Jerry Ledzinski earned Elliot Cup "A" player honors.

 

The top 16 "A" players and ties along with the top 4 senior players will advance to the final round on Sunday. The cut came at six-over 222 with 22 players (18 plus four seniors) earning a spot in the fourth round. Final round action begins at 8:00 at The Preserve.


Erik Stocker, Elliot Trophy winner Fred Vinton, tournament committeeman George Kelley and tournament organizer Mary Craig

 

Notes

  • Haag played with Dan Sullivan, who defeated him in 2010 in a two-hole playoff for the NCGA Master Division Championship. Sullivan had been three strokes down going into the final hole, but miraculously made double eagle to tie Haag. "I think the NCGA has a sense of humor because we've played together six to eight times since then," Sullivan said. "Whatever happens in the future, I'll always have that story to tell. That's why you play the game."

  • Jerry Ledzinski is unique in that he came late to tournament golf. The 38-year-old started playing seriously 12 years ago and has had to learn how to close tournaments successfully. "Tomorrow I just want to maintain my focus," he said.  "I can't worry about what's going on around me." Ledzinski has led the Stocker Cup before but has had trouble stringing together four good rounds. The first three rounds of the Stocker Cup (73-70-70) speak to a new level of consistency.

Round 3 Photo Gallery


 

 

CARMEL, Calif. (October 28, 2011) - Randy Haag has a three-stroke lead at the mid-point of the 20th annual Stocker Cup at The Preserve GC.

 

The Olympic Club member posted a three-under 69 to pair with an opening 68, yet still left the course unfulfilled after watching five putts rim out and making three bogeys. "That's too many on a day like this," the 52-year-old said after the round. But the leader still managed to avoid three-putting, a notable accomplishment on the Tom Fazio design's devilish greens. "I've really worked on my shot game the last year," Haag said. "I think it's important that your expectations match your talent level. I know I'm going to miss shots, but it's how I recover from those misses that matters."

 

Mike McCoy of West Des Moines, Iowa fired the low score of the event thus far in the second round, a sterling five-under 67 that has him three back of Haag. McCoy finished third in this same event in 2010 and has captured five Crump Cup championships at prestigious Pine Valley. "This sure is a relaxing week," he said. "It's such a spectacular place."  Defending champion Kevin Marsh of Henderson, Nevada posted a 69 in the second round and is four back of the leader in third place.

 

Last year's runner-up Brad Wilder vaulted into contention with a three-under 69, leaving the 2011 Greater Cincinnati Amateur champion two under for the championship and five off the lead. Wilder changed putters after Thursday's opening round, from an Odyssey Two-Ball model to a heaver mallet. "I putted poorly yesterday," he said. "You have to be comfortable with the putter on these greens so I was afraid to change, but it made a difference today." Wilder led the 2010 Stocker Cup for the first three rounds before getting overtaken by champion Marsh in the final round.

 

Friday's picture-perfect weather, low wind and slightly easier hole locations had a huge impact on scoring. After Thursday's first round saw only four players break par, 17 were below par Friday, with eight in the 60s. "If you didn't shoot a good score today, you got passed," Wilder said.

 

Russell Humphrey of Woodbridge GCC saw his second-round score swing 10 shots better than his opening effort. "The greens are tricky," he said. "I was able to get a lot of reads today from the other players in my group." Humphrey and partner Fred Vinton of The Preserve carded the low better ball team score of the event thus far, a 60.

 

Vinton, Justin Roach and Jack Myers, both of Claremont Country Club lead the Elliott Cup, a 54-hole best-ball team competition that pits one of the scratch A-Players with a B-Player competing at 90% of his assigned handicap. The three players stand at net 18-under 126. The Elliot Trophy is presented after Saturday's third round.

 

Brady Exber and Doug Poole, both members of TPC Summerlin, share the lead in the race for the Tatum Cup, for "A" golfers aged 55 and older. Exber and Poole stand at one-over 145.

 

The top 16 "A" players and ties along with the top 4 senior players will advance to the final round on Sunday.

 

Notes

  • Players universally praised the outstanding condition of the course. Superintendent Cory Isom, CGCS, has prepared an outstanding championship venue characterized by smooth and fast greens and fairways that rival the the putting surfaces at other courses.

  • Six known players in the field have competed in past U.S. Opens including Darryl Donovan ('92 at Pebble Beach as a professional), Jeff Wilson ('82, '90, '00 - where he was low amateur at Pebble Beach and '08), Dave Nelson and "B" players Dr. James Rheim, (Southern Hills in 1977), Ron Ewing (Oakland Hills in 1996) and George Kelley (Winged Foot in 1974). Kelley, a tour pro at the time, would later add a British Open in 1975.


Round 2 Photo Gallery

 

 

CARMEL, Calif. (October 27, 2011) - Randy Haag of San Francisco has a one-stroke lead after the first round of the 20th annual Stocker Cup at the Preserve GC.

 

The 52-year-old carded six birdies in posting a four-under 68, but still left the course frustrated after a bogey on the 18th hole. "We're all looking for the perfect round," Haag said. "But you have to remind yourself that it's a 72-hole tournament. The patience aspect is important here - where to be aggressive and where not to be. But the course is in fantastic shape, and winning this would be a wonderful way to end the year."

 

Indeed, Haag won his sixth overall and third consecutive Northern California Golf Association player-of-the-year award and earned low amateur honors for the second straight year at the British Senior Open. Earlier this month, the Olympic Club member won his seventh Olympic club championship in a 13-and-12 blowout win. Haag, the '92 and '97 champion of this event, is seeking his first win in the championship at the Preserve, after finishing runner-up five times.

 

San Jose's Anthony Barrera is one behind Haag. The Ranch Club member has tasted success in the past two U.S. Mid-Amateurs, finishing in the quarterfinals and final 16. The 27-year-old is playing in his first Stocker Cup. Jeff Wilson of Fairfield, a three-time U.S. Amateur medalist, is three back of the leader. The Green Valley member is tied for third place with Jason Pridmore of Ventura. "These greens are tough," the 48-year-old Wilson said, echoing the feeling of many in the field. "You have to putt defensively. Sometimes you're happy with two putts from eight feet."

 

Two-time defending champion Kevin Marsh of Henderson, Nev. posted an even-par 72, and is four back.

 

David Nelson of Reno and Doug Pool of Las Vegas are tied for the lead in the Tatum Cup, for "A" golfers aged 55 and older. Nelson and Pool carded even-par 72s. The shots of the day came from Russ Newman of Fargo, ND, (pictured right), who holed out twice from exactly 111 yards (both shots came on par fours) for two eagles in shooting 73 (one of a slew of players posting that mark).

 

The Preserve's Brad Stroh has the lead in the Elliott Cup, a 54-hole best-ball team competition that pits one of the scratch A-Players with a B-Player competing at 90% of his assigned handicap. Stroh and partner Jerry Ledzinski of Monterey carded a net best-ball 61. The Elliot Trophy is presented after Saturday's third round. The top 16 "A" players and ties along with the top 4 senior players will advance to the final round on Sunday.

 

Notes:

  • A frost delay, not uncommon for Carmel Valley this time of year, held up the start of play for an hour.
  • Straight Down and Titleist Fittingworks were on hand, allowing players to get custom fitted and custom-embroidered clothing for the competitors.
  • The 108-player field (54 "A" and 54 "B" players) is the largest in tournament history.

 

Round 1 Photo Gallery

 

ABOUT THE STOCKER CUP: The Stocker Cup, played in memory of Peter Stocker, is held each October at The Preserve Golf Club in Carmel. The field is comprised of 56 world-class mid-amateur invitees, who meet stringent eligibility requirements, and pay a minimal fee for their participation. The A-list golfers are complimented by a matching number of qualified B-list competitors, with invitations extended to friends, relatives and associates of the late Peter Stocker, as well as to various sponsors and other supporters of the event. Every A-player is teamed with a B-player in a handicapped best-ball competition held simultaneously with the individual stroke-championship. The Stocker Cup is a Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Rankings points event. (Visit http://www.golfweek.com/amateur/rankings to view the complete list.)

 

ABOUT PETER STOCKER: Peter C. Stocker was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and educated at Denison University and the University of Denver. Peter and his wife Cathy came to San Francisco in the early 1970s. He exhibited entrepreneurial skills early in his career as he developed the internationally recognized "ParCourse" exercise and jogging trails. In 1974, Peter and his partners Bill Harlan and John Montgomery founded the Pacific Union Company of San Francisco, a highly successful real estate development firm. Pacific Union developed Meadowood Resort and Merryvale Vineyards in the Napa Valley, Opera Plaza in San Francisco's Civic Center and began the development of what was then known as Rancho San Carlos (and is now called The Preserve) a 20,000-acre private ranch near Carmel Valley. In the mid-1980s, Peter received national acclaim for his attempt to build a new downtown baseball stadium for the Giants, which ultimately came to fruition in 1998. He was also the developer of the highly touted Chardonnay Golf Club in the Napa Valley. His visionary talent and inspirational leadership were truly unique. Peter died in a tragic helicopter accident at Rancho San Carlos in 1990. The Stocker Cup Invitational was established in his memory the following year.