PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — In one of the most prestigious amateur golf tournaments in the state, Saint Mary's is onto the finals. Michael Slesinski has qualified into the championship round in a head-to-head with Sam Sommerhauser of Arizona.
 
In a tournament that began with 150 golfers, the field was trimmed down to just 32 for match play, which began on Wednesday. 32 went down to 16, which went down to eight, and the semifinals (with just four) took place on Thursday.
 
Slesinski drew Joshua Lim in the round of 32 on Wednesday, and won after taking three of the final four holes from Lim, turning a deficit into a two-stroke win. Against Casey Leebrick in the round of 16, Slesinksi began with a three-stroke lead after one hole, and then finished with a 33 on the back nine to finish with a 69 and a spot in the round of eight.
 
In the round of eight against Michael Jura, Slesinski did not lead until the 17^th hole, when he birdied and held on with a par on the 18^th hole to win with his 72. Maxwell Holm was the opposition in the semifinals, and Slesinski made quick work of him, bringing a five-stroke lead into the final few holes.
 
"It's awesome to see Mikey battle his way into the 36-hole final at the 118^th NCGA Championship," head coach Scott Hardy says. "Spyglass is a demanding golf course that requires consistent ball striking and a strong short game to score well. In a field loaded with talented college players and top mid-amateurs, making the final match is a great accomplishment. I'm excited to see Mikey contend for and hopefully bring home the title tomorrow."
 
Of note, former Gael teammate of Slesinski, Blake Hathcoat, has one of the best performances in this tournament's history. En route to a medalist performance in 2018, Hathcoat tied the tournament's all-time low score of 65, ty8ng Maverick McNealy's mark at the 2015 championship.
 
This event has been held since 1903 when it began at the San Rafael Golf Club. Since Spyglass Hill opened in 1966, it has held the NCGA Championship every year except 1996.
 
That final round of the NCGA Championship will take place on Friday morning and rolling into the afternoon. Beginning at 7:00 am, Slesinski and Sommerhauser will do battle early in the morning for the first 18 holes before beginning the final 18 at 11:30 am. Statistics for the final 36 holes can be found HERE.
 
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