Casey Boyns (L) and Ron Johnson (NCGA photo)
Casey Boyns has accomplished something never done before—he has become a three-time winner of the NCGA Senior Match Play Championship.
Facing off against Scott Anderson in the 18-hole final, Boyns was able to find his swing that had been off and on in his previous matches.
“I had been struggling with my game lately, and frankly getting kind of frustrated with it, so this was a big confidence boost for me,” Boyns said.
Any previous struggles appeared to be long past during his Finals performance. Boyns rolled home three consecutive birdies on Nos. 5, 6 and 7 on his way to a front nine 1-under-par 34, which set the tone for the rest of the day. Boyns dropped his lone hole on No. 8 with a bogey, but got right back on track on the back nine. He once again made three-straight birdies to close out the match 6 & 5.
“NCGA events like this one are really just top of the heap for us,” he said. “So to win this thing is just great.”
Super Senior
The 2018 Champion, Ron Johnson—facing down Mark Miller in the Finals match—had his back up against a wall all day, but was able to keep it within striking distance. It wasn’t until the 16th hole, when he was down by one, he rollled in a clutch 30-footer to save par; he knew he needed to make his move. Heading into No. 17, still down by one he stuffed his tee shot to three feet and made birdie to even things up heading into 18. With Miller looking at a bogey on No. 18, all Johnson needed to do was hit a good chip to seal the deal. Instead, he made the chip for birdie to win the final hole and the match. All-in-all his first lead of the day came on the 18th green when it mattered most.
“This is always such a great event,” Johnson said, “the field is fantastic, the weather was great. To be champion of this event is marvelous, and to do it back-to-back years is really special to me.”
View results for NCGA Senior Match Play
ABOUT THE
NCGA Senior Match Play
The NCGA Senior Match Play Championship was
historically an invite-only event in which the top
16 players on the NCGA Senior points list were
invited to participate in the Senior Match Play
Championship, held concurrently with the NCGA
Amateur Match Play at Spyglass Hill, over a three-
day period. However, beginning in 2012 the event
was modified to a 32-player match play field,
still allotting 16 spots to the top 16 of the NCGA
Senior points list, while allowing the other half of
the field to qualify.
Senior players (ages 55+) must have a handicap
index of 7.4 or
less. There is no handicap limit for super
seniors (ages 65+).
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