Neil Ostermann of Santa Cruz finally won his hometown event.
The 32-year-old Ostermann sank a 25-foot putt for par on the final hole to wrap up a three-stroke victory over Joseph Yagmourian of Sunnyvale in the 31st Santa Cruz City Amateur Championship at Pasatiempo Golf Course.
“It’s definitely a dream come true, but golf’s a funny game,” said Ostermann, who played at Harbor High in Santa Cruz and Cabrillo College in Aptos. “Today, everything really just went my way. I made everything. … It was the best putting round of my life.
“I kinda had a good feel for the line (for his putt on the final hole). When you’re nervous, you tend to leave putts short. So I just told myself to hit it. And I hit it. And it hit the back of the hole, popped up about five inches, and dropped in.
“This will probably be the best win of my life, forever. I just really love this tournament.”
Ostermann, who finished second in his hometown event in 2017 and third in 2019, posted a score of 70-65—135, 5-under-par, while Yagmourian was second at 69-69—138, 2019 champion Casey Leebrick of San Luis Obispo shot 70-70–140 to tie for fourth with Nathan Robinson of Santa Cruz, who wound up at 73-67—140, and Jerry Ledzinski of Carmel was fifth at 70-71—141.
A caddie at Pebble Beach and Pasatiempo who first played in his hometown event at the age of 16, Ostermann became the first golfer from Santa Cruz to claim the title since 2014 by making seven birdies in the final round.
The tournament was not played the last two years because of the Coronavirus Pandemic.
“I got it close, but (Neil) kept his foot on the gas,” Yagmourian said. “It was unbelievable. It’s a good story. He grew up here and worked in the pro shop real young, so I’m totally happy for him.”
Other winners included Jen Brumbaugh of Boulder Creek in the Women’s Championship, Lori Shaw of Santa Cruz in the Women’s Net Division, Frank Pieper of Aptos in the Super Senior Division and Tony Ralph of Sunnyvale in the Senior Flight.
Dino Pizarro of Santa Cruz won the first flight, Michael Gomes of Aromas took the second flight and Alex Christensen of Soquel claimed the third flight.
