PJ Samiere wins 106th California Amateur

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In what will instantly go down as a classic, the 106th California Amateur Championship was won Saturday by PJ Samiere, who birdied the iconic 18th hole of the Lake Course at The Olympic Club, the match's 36th hole of the day, to secure a 1 up victory over Noah Norton of Chico.

"Patience and perseverance, that's what it took," said Samiere. "But I'm really excited about this win."

Patience is right, as Samiere quickly fell down in the match early, struggling with his driver to find himself 4 down through five holes. Samiere went 3-over par during that five-hole stretch, far off the pace set by Norton's 1-under through five.

"The thought definitely crossed my mind that it just wasn't my day," said Samiere. "I started thinking a little negatively after all those bogeys. But I had to turn it around in my head. You never know what can happen."

Samiere and Norton would play the next five holes evenly, before another timely birdie by Norton on the 11th hole of the match would balloon his lead to five. Samiere would, however, birdie the 12th hole to pickup his first won hole of the day. He would then go on to birdie 17 and 18, cutting Norton's lead down to two to end the morning round.

"I started feeling better about my driver towards the end of the first 18," said Samiere. "I knew if I stayed patient and waited for it to come around it would. I started making some putts and got things going."

With the momentum having swung pretty significantly, Samiere and Norton re-approached the first tee box after a brief pause for the start of the final 18. Samiere, who had already won back-to-back holes, picked up right where he left off, collecting a birdie on the par-5 533-yard first hole to close the gap to one. A win with a par on Hole 2 put the match at All Square for the first time since it began.

That's when things got good. Samiere, a golfer at San Diego State, and Norton, a golfer at Georgia Tech, played the final 14 hole of the tough Lake track in 2-under and 1-under par respectively, with two lead changes and three different stints at All Square during that stretch. Norton would regain the lead on the match's 23rd hole, Samiere would tie it back up with a birdie on Hole 25, and the eventual champion would take his first lead of the day with a par on the following hole. Norton would tie it, Samiere would again take a 1 up lead, and Norton would again tie it, bringing the match to its 35th hole all tied up.

"I came out of my hybrid a little too much and blocked out to the right," said Samiere of his drive on No. 17, a 522-yard par 5 that the duo was playing for the second time Saturday. "But I had a really good lie, and I had a hit a similar chip a few holes before, so I knew I had a good feel for it."

Samiere's chip would sail right over the greenside bunker, and disappear out of his view.

"I heard people say "go in" and realized that might be it," said Samiere.

The putt did not go in, but it was close. Norton conceded it, and then stepped over his own ball, which was in the bunker. Now knowing he needed to match Samiere's birdie to keep the match All Square, Norton successfully went up and down, knocking in a five-foot putt to head to 18 tied up.

After both competitors safely made it on the green in regulation, Norton was first to putt, staring at an eight-footer for birdie. He would miss low, giving Samiere the opportunity to knock in his six-footer for the win, with the iconic Olympic Club clubhouse looming in the background.

"I thought he was going to make his, especially with how well he was playing," said Samiere. "When he missed, I just told myself it was time to be clutch. It was on a great line and I knew it was in about halfway there."

A modest fist pump coincided with the ball hitting the bottom of the hole, and the 106th California Amateur Championship was over.

"It's a great feeling," said Samiere.

With the win, Samiere becomes the second Aztec to win the Championship in the last four years, with now-PGA TOUR pro Xander Schauffele having defeated Beau Hossler in an equally as exciting final match in 2014 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad. He becomes the fifth straight collegiate golfer to win the event. The 2018 California Amateur will return to La Costa next June.

Past Winners