Chip Lutz (left) and Randy Haag (NCGA Photo)

Lutz and Haag, who originally met at the Coleman Invitational at Seminole back around 2003, posted a final-round 2-under 69 Wednesday at Poppy Hills to come in at 13-under 200, defeating co-runner-ups Mark Morgan and Mike Rowley and Bill Bunce and Darin Carlsen by two strokes.

Lutz, now 69, and Haag, 65, also won the title back-to-back in 2016 and 2017 at Bayonet/Black Horse GC in Seaside. Haag, who also won a title in 2022 with Robert Funk, is the first individual to win the event four times. Rob Thompson and Robert Berg won three titles in 2005, 2007, and 2008. 

"Our games complement one another beautifully," Lutz said. "We do a great job of keeping the ball in play, and neither of us is ever out of a hole, so we can at times be aggressive."

"Playing golf with Chip is like a dream. Spending the week with Chip is super special for me," Haag said.

The two made their biggest move in the first round. They were stuck at even par through 13 holes. But they'd go on a tear to close, carding a birdie on Nos. 14, 17 and an eagle on No. 18 to instantly put themselves in contention. A second-round 6-under 65 would give them a two-shot cushion entering the final round.

"The finish to the first round. That really jump-started us," Lutz said. "Prior to that, we weren't really doing much."

In each of the three rounds, Haag birdied the difficult par-4 1st hole. The first round was the first time that Lutz had ever played Poppy Hills. He'd card a 73 on his own ball.

Morgan and Rowley, who were looking to become three-time champions themselves, finished at 207 following a 67. They'd be stung in the second round when they played the par-5 ninth and 18 holes at 1-over par.

Bunce and Carlsen had the low round of the day, posting a 66 to move five spots up the leaderboard into a tie for second. They'd earn second place following a card-off win over Morgan and Rowley. 

SUPER SENIOR DIVISION

Teammates Rich Petit and Todd Palmaer made a breathtaking charge over the final three holes of regulation to claim the Super Senior title.

Petit made a birdie on No.16, sank a 30-foot birdie putt on the 17th, and drained a 9-foot birdie on the 18th following a spectacular bunker shot to finish with a 4-under 67 to hold off the runner-up tandem of Terry Foreman and Chuck Richesin.

Coming to the 18th, there was the possibility of a three-way tie. Foreman and Richesin were in at 202 after a 67 and tied at a total of 11-under with Petit and Palmaer. Also in the running was the brothers tandem of Jim and Doug Williams, who were at 10-under. 

The Williams brothers would settle for a par and a 69, landing them in third place at 203. Petit, meanwhile, hit a beautiful 35-yard shot out of the greenside bunker to 9 feet of the flagstick. He'd go on to make the putt to put him and Palmaer at 12-under. Their total of 201 set a 54-hole record for the Super Senior portion of the event. 

"I knew when I hit it (bunker shot) that it was pretty good," said Petit, who now has two NCGA titles (2020 Senior Amateur Match Play). 

Earlier on the 17th, Petit had sunk a curling 35-footer to tie Foreman and Richesin at a total of 11-under.

"Rich made two great shots to get us," Richesin said.

For Palmaer, a member at Monterey Peninsula CC, it was his first NCGA crown.

"I was just happy to ride in the cart with Rich," Palmaer quipped. "It feels great to finally get a win. It took me a few years."