Jonathan De Los Reyes
Editors Note: Press Release by Alameda Commuters publicist Mike Maurice
ALAMEDA, CA (April 14, 2016)--The Alameda Commuters Committee and Greenway Golf have been hard at work in preparing the Earl Fry North for championship form in preparation for the 88th Annual Alameda Commuters Golf tournament. The “Commuters” as it is fondly called is played every April on the Bay Farm links, in Alameda, since its inception in 1928.
With 250 NCGA points in play, once again, starting Saturday April 16th, 208 of the best amateur golfers in Northern California will come to Alameda to see who will be the “Commuters” champion for 2016.
Many of the very best local and regional golfers, along with many collegiate golfers, will compete in this 72-hole stroke play with the cut being low 50 and ties after the first weekend. All the pairings have been made and can be viewed in the golf shop and online at www.alamedacommuters.org.
Included in the field this year: Defending Champion Jonathan De Los Reyes, five-time “Commuters” champion Rick Reinsberg, Santa Clara University Junior and Alameda Jr. Club member, Carlos Briones, Brett Vibock, Austin Roberts and Patrick Burda. Also playing will be four women amateur golfers: Sara Banke: fresh off her San Francisco City Women’s championship and Alameda’s Sam Esquerra Chen. Sara will also be playing along side her brother Christian Bank, the first time in the history of the Alameda Commuters has a brother and sister competed in this event!
Many of Alameda’s best players will participate this year including Mike Maurice and Chico State star David Na. Also scheduled are 55 collegiate players from UC Berkeley, St Mary’s, California State University, East Bay, San Jose State University, Holly Names, as well as, from other west coast colleges. Andrew Bagabas, of San Ramon will be playing in his first Commuters at age 13!
Players will be met with a unique challenge this year. With the Clark South Course being closed and under complete renovation, The Commuters will be played on only one course this year. “Not since 1955 has the Commuters been contested on one course”, states PGA professional Jack Cummings. Players will be sent out the first weekend in a “wave” format. 104 players or half the field will be sent off in the morning with the other 104 teeing off in the afternoon. Being said, those who go early Saturday will go in the afternoon wave on Sunday.
On April 25-26th, the Alameda Commuters 28th annual senior championship with be contested with 52 of the best senior amateurs from northern and southern California competing over 36-holes for the coveted Commuters title. Included in this year’s field is 2013 champion Gary Vanier and fresh off a 2015 San Francisco City win, three-time winner and NCGA player of the year, Jim Knoll, and Ken Webb. Local Alameda favorites include, Mark Merrigan, Dave Nauman and Jay Guerin.
ABOUT THE
Alameda Commuters
What's in a name? In the case of the Alameda
Commuters Championship, the logo of the
almost 100
year old tournament would be a dead
giveaway. It's
a steam ferry, which was the only way to
"commute"
to San Francisco from the East Bay before the
Bay
Bridge was built. Started as an informal event
-- the
original first prize was a bag of nails -- the
tournament has grown into one of the top
independent events in California.
A
dedicated tournament committee prides itself
on
running the competition
as if
it were a PGA Tour event. Two of the best
public
courses at the city-owned Chuck Corica Golf
Complex
are prepared with care. Slick greens, Sunday
pins,
and even that rarity in amateur golf –
spectators are
all part of the fun. The roped-off scoreboard is
a
particular area of pride for the "green jackets"
who
were wearing dark green blazers before they
were
made popular by another tournament you
might be
aware of in Augusta Georgia. The 250 player
championship division is cut to 50 and ties for
the
second weekend, at which time the 36-hole
senior
division tees off to join them.
View Complete Tournament Information