NCGA Player of the Year point leader Jason Anthony

This time, he went solo.

The 34-year-old Anthony, who hails from Fairfield, shot 5-under 67 for the second day in a row to come from three shots back and win the NCGA Valley Amateur at Del Rio Country Club in Modesto. His two-day total of 10-under 134 was three shots better than runner-up Daniel Connolly of San Francisco.

Connolly, who was coming off a win at the recent NCGA Amateur Stroke Play Championship, slipped to a 73 a day after opening with a sizzling 64.

Anthony, who entered the event leading in the points standings for NCGA Player of the Year honors, was flawless. He’d card five birdies with zero bogeys. Connolly, meanwhile, never got going, posting two birdies but also three bogeys. In the first round, the Southern Methodist University sophomore torched Del Rio for seven birdies and an eagle.

Anthony’s 134 total was just one stroke off the 36-hole championship scoring record of 133, co-held by 2014 winner Trevor Clayton and 2009 winner Steven Chung.

Third place went to Del Rio CC member Matt Robinson, who moved up the standings with a 68 that left him with a 36-hole total of 139. Devin Hua of E-Club East Bay (72) and Christian Banke of Poplar Creek GC (75), who were four back entering the finale, fell to fourth and a tie for seventh, respectively.

Senior Valley Amateur

Jeff Hoffman waited only six months to become an NCGA champion. The Granite Bay GC member, who turned 55 in February, went wire-to-wire in the Senior Valley Amateur, shooting a final round 75 to finish at 1-over 145 for a two-shot win over co-runners-up David Halvorson and John Rotteveel.

Coming off a first round 70 that included a 32 on the front-nine, Hoffman eagled the par-5 7th for the second day in a row en route to an opening 35. After making the turn, he’d quickly birdie the 10th to get a total of 4-under. The Folsom resident bogeyed five of his final eight holes, but no one was able to catch him.

“It feels great. I haven’t played much so it’s very gratifying,” said Hoffman, who won this year’s Senior Alameda Commuters. “To win was a fun surprise.”

Halvorson, a member of Del Rio CC, got within two strokes of Hoffman with a birdie on the 15th but immediately bogeyed the 16th. Playing out of Yolo Fliers Club, Rotteveel also got within striking distance but was slowed by bogeys on 13 and 17.

Jim Knoll, a two-time winner of the event, slipped back to fourth place after a 75.