Ruby Hill Amateur Recap
Monday, January 13, 2020
Pleasanton, CA – The GOLF AM Tour’s Bay Area section had its first local event of the 2020 calendar year at the private Ruby Hill Golf Club on Monday. It was a chilly day out in Pleasanton, which is to be expected in early to mid-January, but what came as a pleasant surprise was the terrific condition of the course.
Anytime you can play the ball down and drive on the grass in January it’s a plus, but I was more impressed by how firm and fast the course was playing for this time of year. There was a bunch of run out in the fairways and the greens were really fast and difficult to hold out there, making for a tough scoring day, particularly when players got to their inward nine when the wind started picking up. Hats off the maintenance crew at Ruby Hill for having the course in such great shape for us. Here were top finishers from a fun day out at the Jack Nicklaus signature Ruby Hill Golf Club on Monday:
Christopher Goin, out of Alameda, was your winner in the Championship on Monday. Goin posted (+5) 77, which included an outward nine of even-par, to take the flight by two shots over Chris Holland and Sam Petke (79s). Goin is off to a strong start his AM Tour career and now leads the Championship flight points race after earning 175 points for his first victory on Tour on Monday.
The Palmer flight was won by Saratoga player John C Nora on Monday. Nora carded three birdies on his way to a (+5) 77 to win the flight by five shots over nearest-finisher and newcomer Rob Cahill (82). Nora is another first year player that is off to a great start on the AM Tour, as he has now racked up 450 points (including a runner-up finish and a W) in his first five events.
Roland Jasmann, out of Tulare, was your tournament medalist and champion in the Senior Palmer flight on Monday. Jasmann posted a very solid round of (+4) 76 to record a four-stroke win over runner-up finisher Marc Picciano (80). Monday was Jasmann’s first win of the 2019-2020 season and he now sits just 10 points behind the lead in the Central CA Senior Palmer flight standings.
A tightly contested Hogan flight was won by Alamo player Kevin Downey on Monday. Downey was only one-over on his final 11 holes on his way to posting (+9) 81 and winning the flight by a single shot over Issac Harris (82). Downey’s first victory of the 2019-2020 season was certainly a clutch one, and he now has his sights on matching or even surpassing the three wins he recorded in 2018-2019.
Matt Schelegle, out of Ben Lomond, was your champion in the Sarazen flight on Monday. Schelegle posted a very steady round of 42-42-84 to win the flight by two strokes over Tom Hunter (86). Monday was Schelegle’s first W of the new season and with the 175 points earned for the win he now holds the top spot in the Sarazen flight standings heading into a very busy stretch of the season.
The lone playoff of the day came in the Jones flight on Monday, as Paul Alexander and Samuel Rowe both posted rounds of (+21) 93s after 18 holes. Paul Alexander, out of Monterey, was able to take it on the second playoff hole to secure his very first victory on Tour. The big W moved Alexander up to fourth place in the Senior Jones flight standings and will give him some added confidence heading into a loaded 2020 schedule on Tour.
The Snead flight saw Dublin player Christian St Denis get back into the winner’s circle on Monday. St Denis posted (+27) 99 to edge out runner-up Betty Jasmann (100) by a single shot for his first win of the 2019-2020 season. St Denis won the final two events to close out the 2018-2019 season as the Snead flight Player of the Year, so this is really three victories out of the last five times he’s teed it up on Tour. After Monday he is now in second place in the 2019-2020 standings.
For full field scores and photos please visit www.gcamtour.com > Schedule > Local > Bay Area > Ruby Hill Amateur
Top Finishers & Payouts
Championship Flight
77 – Christopher Goin ($150 in gift cards + Award)
79 – Chris Holland ($50 in gift cards)
79 – Sam Petke ($50 in gift cards)
Palmer Flight
77 – John C Nora ($125 in gift cards + Award)
82 – Rob Cahill ($50 in gift cards)
Senior Palmer Flight
76 – Roland Jasmann ($125 in gift cards + Award)
80 – Marc Picciano ($50 in gift cards)
Hogan Flight
81 – Kevin Downey ($175 in gift cards + Award)
82 – Issac Harris ($100 in gift cards)
83 – Debbie Robertson ($50 in gift cards)
85 – Andrew Post ($25 in gift cards)
Sarazen Flight
84 – Matt Schelegle ($150 in gift cards + Award)
86 – Tom Hunter ($75 in gift cards)
87 – Walter Bouchard ($25 in gift cards)
Jones Flight
93 – Paul Alexander ($75 in gift cards + Award)*
*Won in Playoff
Snead Flight
99 – Christian St Denis ($150 in gift cards + Award)
100 – Betty Jasmann ($75 in gift cards)
101 – Charles O’Briant ($25 in gift cards)
Thanks again for coming out and playing! We hope to see you at the next one!!
Dan Cacho
dcacho@gcamtour.com
707-567-7700