Corica Park South Shootout Recap
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Alameda, CA – The GOLF AM Tour’s Bay Area section had 100+ players tee it up at the popular Corica Park South Course on Saturday. It was a cold, windy day and Corica is about as exposed as it gets in the Bay Area, so there was no hiding from the conditions out there. The recently renovated Rees Jones South Course already plays very firm and fast, but add 15-25mph winds in the mix and it became extremely difficult to judge everything from approach shots to even knocking in short two-footers. Needless to say, it was a very tough day for scoring on Saturday. It’s all about distance control and limiting damage on the greens at Corica, so here were your top finishers who were able to do just that:
Dan Corral, out of San Bruno, was your winner in the Championship flight and tournament medalist on Saturday. Corral posted (+6) 78 to edge out local player Christopher Goin (79) by one shot. Corral finished this one off in style, as he was one-under par on his final four holes to secure his second W in a row. The victory moved him a bit closer to Goin in the Championship flight standings heading into a busy month of March.
San Martin’s Justin Alonzo was your champion in the Palmer flight on Saturday. Alonzo posted (+10) 82 to win the flight by a single stroke over William Rios (83). Saturday was already Alonzo’s third victory of the 2019-2020 season, so he is now qualified for our National Championship at Sunriver Resort in September. The 145 points earned also moved him into the top-five in the Palmer flight Race to Nationals standings heading into the Green Valley event on March 2nd.
The Senior Palmer flight saw Vacaville’s Ray Gregorich card a (+9) 81 to win the flight by five shots over nearest finisher Rob Bates (86). Like Alonzo, this was also Gregorich’s third victory of the season, so he is now qualified for Senior Nationals via top-three in a Major AND as a three-time winner. We’ll see Gregorich, the leader in the Senior Palmer Race to Nationals standings, at Green Valley on Monday.
Debbie Robertson, out of Martinez, successfully defended her Corica Park Shootout championship on Saturday as she posted (+11) 83 to win the flight by two over Grant Alvernaz (85). Robertson, the reigning Hogan flight Player of the Year, now has a win to her name in 2019-2020. She also snuck into the lead in the Hogan flight standings after earning 175 points on Saturday.
Newcomer Glenn Newman, out of Novato, was your champion in the Senior Hogan flight on Saturday. Newman carded a steady round of (+11) 83 to win the flight by four shots over runner-up finisher Gene Wright (87). What a great way to start off the AM Tour career for Newman, who we will also see at Green Valley on Monday where he’ll look to go two-for-two.
A tightly contested Sarazen flight was won by Dublin’s Tom Cignarella on Saturday. Cignarella fired a (+11) 83 to win the flight by one stroke over Julian Noh (84) and five other players that came within five shots of the lead. Saturday was Cignarella’s first victory of the 2019-2020 season and the 175 points earned moved into the top-five in the Sarazen flight standings heading into March.
Another flight was won with a score of (+11) 83 in the Jones flight on Saturday, as Diane Ventling was even-par on her final six holes to snag a one-stroke win over Michael Wright (84). A clutch finish gave Ventling her third victory of the season, which qualifies her for Senior Nationals in September (she also had a top-three in a Major back in November). Ventling continues to lead the Sacramento Tour’s Senior Jones flight by an impressive 500+ points.
The lone playoff of the day came in the Snead flight on Saturday, as newcomer Matt Solomon and Jerome Booker both came in at (+24) 96 after 18 holes. Matt Solomon, out of San Francisco, won it on the first playoff hole to claim victory in his first ever event on Tour. Solomon will tee it up next at Silverado (South) on March 8th, where he’ll look to continue to bat 1.000 on Tour.
Michael Alley, out of Mill Valley, was your champion in the Senior Snead flight on Saturday. Alley, the reigning Senior Snead flight Player of the Year, posted (+21) 93 to win the flight by five shots over nearest finisher Nick Vicari (98). Alley looks to be hitting his groove, as he has now won two of his last three events on Tour. We’ll see him again at Silverado on March 8th, a place where he’s had success in the past.
For full field scores and photos please visit www.gcamtour.com > Schedule > Local > Bay Area > Corica Park South Shootout
Top Finishers & Payouts
Championship Flight
78 – Dan Corral ($125 in gift cards + Award)
79 – Christopher Goin ($75 in gift cards)
80 – Christopher Kuester ($50 in gift cards)
Palmer Flight
82 – Justin Alonzo ($125 in gift cards + Award)
83 – William Rios ($75 in gift cards)
85 – Sonny Aulakh ($25 in gift cards)
Senior Palmer Flight
81 – Ray Gregorich ($125 in gift cards + Award)
86 – Rob Bates ($75 in gift cards)
Hogan Flight
83 – Debbie Robertson ($150 in gift cards + Award)
85 – Grant Alvernaz ($100 in gift cards)
86 – Frank Wagner ($50 in gift cards)
86 – Andrew Post ($25 in gift cards)
Senior Hogan Flight
83 – Glenn Newman ($125 in gift cards + Award)
87 – Gene Wright ($75 in gift cards)
88 – Chris Mateo ($25 in gift cards)
Sarazen Flight
83 – Tom Cignarella ($175 in gift cards + Award)
84 – Julian Noh ($100 in gift cards)
86 – Steve Kline ($50 in gift cards)
86 – Abey Mullassery ($50 in gift cards)
87 – Jose Espinoza ($25 in gift cards)
Jones Flight
83 – Diane Ventling ($125 in gift cards + Award)
84 – Michael Wright ($50 in gift cards)
Snead Flight
96 – Matt Solomon ($125 in gift cards + Award)*
96 – Jerome Booker ($75 in gift cards)
97 – Michael Wu ($25 in gift cards)
*Won in Playoff
Senior Snead Flight
93 – Michael Alley ($100 in gift cards + Award)
98 – Nick Vicari ($50 in gift cards)
Thanks again for coming out and playing!
We hope to see you in the beautiful Napa Valley on March 8th!!
Dan Cacho
dcacho@gcamtour.com
707-567-7700