Mike Stieler and Danny Paniccia of the Olympic Club in San Francisco captured the Northern California Golf Association’s Mid-Amateur Four-Ball Championship for the second time, but needed 11 playoff holes to turn back Randy Haag and at Poppy Hills Golf Course https://poppyhillsgolf.com/ in Pebble Beach.
Stieler (pictured, left), superintendent at Spring Creek Golf Club in Ripon, ended the marathon by sinking a nine-foot birdie putt on the par-4 17th hole.
“Being that we did it against those two guys (Haag and Anthony), it’s bittersweet,” Stieler said. “It was epic.”
Nick Moore won the previous NCGA record playoff after nine holes in the 2015 Valley Amateur.
Stieler and Paniccia, who also claimed the Mid-Amateur title on the first playoff hole in 2017, finished with a score of 60-67—127, while Haag, the 2019 NCGA Senior Player of the Year, and Anthony, the 2019 NCGA Player of the Year, finished at 65-62—127.
Haag, of the Olympic Club, and Anthony, of Green Valley Country Club in Fairfield, were the defending champions and also took the title in 2016.
“Winning never gets old,” said Paniccia, who works at Sunnyside Country Club in Fresno and coaches at Fresno City Community College. “It’s always fun to win one with my partner.”
Matt Cohn and Nick Moore finished third at 62-66—128, followed by Brian Jones and Stephen Christophel at 65-65, while Ron Ewing and Chris Cuttone shot 67-64—134 to tie for fifth with Travis Peterson and Domingo Jojola, who also wound up at 67-64—131.
J.J. West and Garrett Wagner were seventh at 66-66—132, followed by Mark Casey and Michael Vera at 69-64—133, Jason Herrera and Jonathan Byers at 69-65—134, and Brett Viboch and Scott Oxandaboure at 71-64—135.
Mark Pavletich and Scott Anderson, the 2014 champions, tied for 24th at 70-71—141.
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