Category: Tournaments

2024 Stearns Cup: A Weekend for the NGC History Books

What an incredible day of golf we had Sunday for the conclusion of the 2024 version of the Stearns Cup which was capped off by the longest and most thrilling playoff in recent NGC history. First and foremost, we wanted to say thank you to Tiffany (who absolutely crushed it!), all the NGC staff, Chuck (our tournament photographer and Golf Digest swing sequence editor extraordinaire), and all our MGA members who made the weekend truly special. And thank you to Mr. Stearns — the spirit of competition and camaraderie that your legacy at NGC embodies is unbreakably tied to the love of the game that we all share. NGC is a place where our strongest emotions come alive and that was on full display during this year’s tournament.

Congratulations to both our champions and the teams that challenged them throughout the weekend through their outstanding performances.

Net Division

In the Net Division, after a fiery Saturday, we were treated to an unforgettable Sunday that turned into an all-out sprint to the finish. Through countless twists and turns, one team rose above, proving that in the end, golf conquers all. After narrowly edging out our runners-up, Oral Pottinger & Leo Goff, who posted an impressive -14, we send our genuine congratulations and a big well played to Ed Clarke & Mark Mattis, who claimed victory with a winning tally of -15, etching their names and partnership permanently on the Stearns Cup!

Champions – Ed Clarke & Mark Mattis (-15) – 110 Chase Points – $91.87 each
2nd – Oral Pottinger & Leo Goff (-14) – 95 Chase Points – $72.19 each
T-3rd – Erik Rosales & Royce Huffaker (-13) – 80 Chase Points – $32.81 each
T-3rd – Kevin Dick & Bruce Sedlak (-13) – 80 Chase Points – $32.81 each
T-3rd – Paul Weidenfeld & Scotty Kimmel (-13) – 80 Chase Points – $32.81 each
6th – Torey Diggs & Carl Ford (-12) – 35 Chase Points
T-7th – Joey Jewell & Colin Zoski (-9) – 20 Chase Points
T-7th – Ron Turner & Brian Carlstrom (-9) – 20 Chase Points

Gross Division

The battle for the Gross title of the Stearns Cup unfolded in spectacular fashion, with 36 holes proving woefully insufficient to crown a victor. As the shadows lengthened over the sun-drenched course on a glorious Sunday afternoon, we all played witness to a heart-pounding playoff and remarkable displays of skill, grit, and nerve. Matt Doherty & Joe Lapan faced off against Ryan White & Jared Powell in a fierce competition, with both teams pushing each other to the limit. The competitors dug deep, delivering a spectacle that had the crowd in a frenzy as the drama intensified hole by hole—including two nerve-wracking trips down the pressure-packed 18th hole and a journey back to the Front 9 for holes 1-4. Suspense truly filled the air with each swing, keeping everyone on the edge of their (cart) seats until the champions emerged. The historic playoff included…

• #18: A stellar tee shot under pressure from JP was followed by a stone-cold par putt from JL 
• #18: Another equally fearless par by MD was answered by JP’s clutch 3 to match
• #1: RW’s birdie attempt flirted with glory, clipping the inside of the cup
• #2: JP hit a stunning 7-iron to five feet, followed by back-to-back insanely clutch birdie putts from JL and JP, raising the tension even higher
• #3: JP’s tee shot was picture-perfect, but JL’s par putt stood tall in the face of pressure
• #4: RW delivered a dazzling recovery shot, yet it was JL’s clutch par that sealed the day

After the absolutely epic back-and-forth, Matt Doherty & Joe Lapan emerged as the 2024 Stearns Cup champions, sealing their victory with heart and determination in one of the most thrilling finishes the tournament has ever seen.

Champions – Matt Doherty & Joe Lapan (-4 won on 6th playoff hole) – 110 Chase Points – $91.87 each
2nd – Ryan White & Jared Powell (-4) – 95 Chase Points – $72.19 each
T-3rd – Weston Happ & James Hsiao (-3) – 80 Chase Points – $49.22 each
T-3rd – Kyle Armstrong & Sam Bowmer (-3) – 80 Chase Points – $49.22 each
5th – Jim Sussmann & Patrick Escalambre (-2) – 50 Chase Points
6th – Brad Simonich & Brad Adams (+3) – 35 Chase Points
T-7th – Nathaniel Burgess & Dave Krukowski (+7) – 20 Chase Points
T-7th – Jim Prendergast & Matt Nolan (+7) – 20 Chase Points

—

2024 Points Chase
https://mga.golf/points-chase

Thank you for the fantastic photos and amazing swing sequences, Chuck! More photos and videos here.

Stearns Cup Round 1: A Day to Remember

Well done today, boys — what a fantastic day at the club. It was a true honor to once again have Mr. Stearns with us, and we can’t express enough gratitude for the incredible legacy he has brought to the club we all love. A special thanks to Scotty for the arrangements, to Mr. Stearns’ grandson Ryan for hitting the pressure first tee shot and, of course, to Mr. Stearns for being an absolute legend.

Attached you’ll find the groups and starting holes for tomorrow’s 2nd Round which will again start with a 9:30 AM shotgun. We have very tight competitions on the Gross and Net leaderboards — tomorrow should be a very exciting Sunday showdown!