With a record-setting start and a steady finish, San Francisco’s Wes Payne captured his first NCGA title at the 43rd NCGA Mid-Amateur Championship, shooting rounds of 63-70-68 for a 12-under-par total of 201 and an eight-shot victory.

A Record Start at Poppy Hills

Payne, a 35-year-old former professional reinstated as an amateur in 2023, opened the event with an electric 8-under 63, tying the lowest competitive round ever at Poppy Hills in NCGA history—set just last year by 2024 champion Jack Barber.

“I just got hot in the middle of the round,” said Payne. “I was swinging it great and made some putts.”

That stretch came between holes 7 through 14, where Payne went 7-under with five birdies and an eagle on the par-5 9th. He capped the round with a birdie on 18 for a back-nine 30.

Steady Finish Secures the Title

In round two, Payne carded a 70 and held a three-shot lead heading into Sunday. He weathered early pressure from Scotland Schmidt, who tied him at the turn with a front-nine 34. But Payne surged again with an eagle on the par-5 10th and closed the final nine holes at 4-under while Schmidt fell back with four bogeys and a closing 73.

“On the back-nine, I was just trying to hang in there,” Payne said. “It’s cliché, but true—just one shot at a time.”

Final Leaderboard Highlights

• Wes Payne: 63-70-68 = 201 (-12)
• Scotland Schmidt: 71-65-73 = 209 (-4)
• Jeremy Gearheart: 70-71-69 = 210 (-3)

Gearheart, the 2023 NCGA Public Links Champion, used a final-round 69 to take solo third. Barber, last year’s champ, wasn’t able to repeat his magic and faded out of contention after two solid opening rounds.

About the NCGA Mid-Amateur Championship

The NCGA Mid-Amateur is a 54-hole event played annually at Poppy Hills Golf Course and is open to players aged 25 and older. The format helps competitors earn World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points and has grown into one of the region’s top mid-amateur events.

Payne’s win is his first since the 2023 AmateurGolf.com Silicon Valley Amateur and caps a long road of near-misses, including runner-up finishes at the NCGA Amateur, California Amateur, and San Francisco City Championship.

Photo Gallery

Click here to view the full photo gallery from the 2025 NCGA Mid-Amateur Championship.

Congratulations to Wes Payne on a memorable and well-earned victory at one of Northern California’s most prestigious events.