Robby Salomon of Portola Valley claimed the Northern California Golf Association Amateur Stroke Play Championship for the second straight year, but he needed some clutch putting on two playoff holes to do it.
Salomon sank a seven-foot putt for par on the first extra hole to stay alive and then two-putted for par from 13 feet to turn back Ryan Knop of Pleasanton at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach.
“I was putting so bad using the claw grip that I decided to switch,” said Salomon, who also went to a new putter before the tournament. “It made all the difference. Considering where I was, this was a huge win for me. It was not expected.
“That tee shot on (the second playoff hole), I hit where I wanted to. I hit a lot of shots that weren’t perfect, but they worked out.”
The 27-year-old Salomon, who played at Cal State Monterey Bay, finished with a score of 73-72-68–213, even par, and made a birdie putt on the final hole of regulation to get into the playoff.
Knop, who lipped out a four-foot birdie putt to win on the final hole of regulation, finished at 72-69-72–213, while Perry Cohen of La Jolla shot 71-72-71–214 to tie for fourth with Hayden Shieh of Fremont, who finished at 70-72-72–214.
Ryan Gronlund of Pleasanton totaled 76-72-69–217 to tie for fifth with Nick Moore of Seaside, who wound up at 71-74-72–217, while Nico Galletti of Clayton carded a score of 70-75-73–218 and tied for seventh with Joshua McCarthy of Danville, who came in at 72-73-72–218.
Kevin Velo of Danville posted a score of 72-72-75–219 to tie for ninth with Andrew Moen of Turlock, who wound up at 72-71-76–219.
