Seventh time is a charm for Nakunz at the NCGC

Mike Nakunz has now played in his seventh NCGC tournament in Las Vegas in 2010. Mike's golf ability and skill has gotten him here with success at the Local Qualifier level while playing with various team partners in order to make it to the NCGC each year. He has traveled to Las Vegas each year accompanied by his supportive wife who has been at all of the events that Mike has played in with the exception of when she was pregnant with their child. 

 

Mike and his son select his team's hole selection at the Pairings Party

 
In 2010, the Nakunz family arrived in Las Vegas together. With his wife and four year-old son cheering him on, Mike and his playing partner, Mark Startup, finally captured the Alumni/Community Division title on the Wolf Course at the Paiute Golf Resort. It could not have been more enjoyable to watch how a committed NCGC participant like Mike has persevered through each year's disappointment and was able to come back and finally lay claim to a championship title at this event.

Sonoma State captures 2010 NCGC title; NC State follows with National Skills Challenge honors

Carter/Briones - SSU

The 2010 National Collegiate Golf Championship (NCGC) overall title was decided during the final few holes of play on the Wolf Course at the Paiute Golf Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday afternoon. Resembling a U.S. Open-style set-up with lush and firm fairways and fast and firm greens, the 7600-yard layout was made even more challenging to play with 20-25 mile per hour winds gusting throughout the day. Only three teams scored under par in the eighth playing of this national championship presented by the Collegiate Golf Alliance, with the winning score being the highest in tournament history to determine the national title.

Rackley/Kowalski - NC State

Aaron Briones and Ryan Carter from Sonoma State University captured the Student Division and overall tournament championship titles posting a tournament low 3-under par score of 69. North Carolina State University’s Josh Rackley and Alex Kowalski finished in second place as the only other participants posting a score below par (-1, 71). The Wolfpack PGA/GM students captured the National Skills Challenge overall championship with Rackley additionally picking up honors as the overall Skills Challenge Champion for all division competitors. Will Holmes and Keoho Ishimine from Arizona State University rounded out the NCGC Top 3 in the Student Division carding an even par score of  72.

Faculty/Staff Division and Alumni/Community Division winners

Top: Morrison/Whitt - WKU
Bottom: Nakunz/Startup - CSSB

Matt Morrison and Adam Whitt from the University of Western Kentucky came into the clubhouse with a  score of even par 72 to win the Faculty/Staff Division with their closest competition being Toeuto Faaleava and Derek Tretheway from Portland State University who finished in second place by posting a 10-over par score of 82. Seven-time NCGC participant Mike Nakunz with partner Mark Startup represented Califonia State - San Bernandino and captured the Alumni/Community Division title with the only other tournament score under par (-1, 71). For Nakunz, the win is his first and was a rewarding one as he and Startup staved off two-time NCGC participants Steve Bedford and Marty Stanovich from the University of West Florida by two strokes (+1, 73).

The Collegiate Golf Alliance and the 2011 National Collegiate Golf Championship (NCGC)

The NCGC will return once again to the the Paiute Golf Resort in 2011. Information on next year’s Local Qualifier tournaments will be posted in late May/early June on the Collegiate Golf Alliance web site (www.cgagolflinks.com/ncgc).  For more information on the Collegiate Golf Alliance and the NCGC, please contact
413-332-6038 or info@cgagolflinks.com.

2010 NCGC: Final Results

Play at the 2010 NCGC on the Wolf Course at the Paiute Golf Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada has been completed.

Leaderboard

Final Results

Overall Champions:  69 (-3) - Aaron Briones/Ryan Carter - Sonoma State University

Student Division:


1st Place: 69 (-3) - Aaron Briones/Ryan Carter - Sonoma State University

2nd Place: 71 (-1) - Alex Kowalski/Josh Rackley - NC State University

3rd Place: 72 (E) - Will Holmes/Keoho Ishimine - Arizona State University


Faculty/Staff:


1st Place: 72 (E) - Matt Morrison/Adam Whitt - Western Kentucky

2nd Place: 82 (+10) - Toeuto Faaleava/Derek Tretheway - Portland State


Alumni/Community Division:

1st Place: 71 (-1) - Mike Nakunz/Mark Startup - California State - San Bernandino

2nd Place: 73 (+1) - Steve Bedford/Marty Stanovich - West Florida

2010 NCGC: Leaderboard Update 4

The 2010 NCGC is underway on the Wolf Course at the Paiute Golf Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Leaderboard

- After 16 holes of play -

Student Division: Texas (-1), NC State (-1), Southern Miss (-1), UNLV (-1), Cortland (E), Sonoma St (E)

Faculty/Staff: Western Kentucky (E)

Alumni Division: UC San Bernandino (E), West Florida (+1), Towson (+1), Southern Mississippi (+3), 

2010 NCGC: Leaderboard Update 3

The 2010 NCGC is underway on the Wolf Course at the Paiute Golf Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Leaderboard

- After 11 holes of play -

Student Division: Texas (-1), NC State (-1), Southern Miss (-1), Cortland (E), Oklahoma St (+1)

Faculty/Staff: Western Kentucky (E)

Alumni/Community Division: Southern Miss (-1), Towson (E), West Florida (+1), UCSB (+1)

2010 NCGC: Leaderboard Update 2

The 2010 NCGC is underway on the Wolf Course at the Paiute Golf Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Leaderboard

- After nine holes of play -

Student Division: Alabama (-2), Oklahoma St. (-1), Texas (-1), Cortland (E), NC State (E)

Faculty/Staff: Western Kentucky (E)

Alumni Division: West Florida (-1), Southern Mississippi (-1), Towson (E), UC San Bernandino (+1)

2010 NCGC: Leaderboard Update 1

The 2010 NCGC is underway on the Wolf Course at the Paiute Golf Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Leaderboard

- After three holes of play -

Student Division: Cortland (-2), Texas (-1)


Faculty/Staff: Western Kentucky (-1)

Alumni Division: UCLA (Even), Towson (Even)

2010 NCGC competition set to begin

 

On another beautiful and sunny day at the Paiute Golf Resort  in Las Vegas, Nevada, the 2010 NCGC is off an running. All competing two-player teams in the Student, Staff/Faculty and Alumni divisions arrived at 7 am, had breakfast and warmed-up on the range before teeing off at 8:15 am.

They've got the look when playing into the wind

After experiencing 20+ mile per hour winds on Saturday during their practice rounds, teams came to the course on Sunday morning prepared. Teams from Hawaii had their sweaters and jackets on while the team from Rutgers had shorts on. Many teams were color-coordinated sporting their school colors proudly while others enhanced their wardrobe with some impressive attire (Lone Star College System). Regardless of what they were wearing, this group of skilled and sharply-dressed golfers were ready to take on the Wolf Course.





Live scores will be posted throughout the day on Sunday in all competing divisions.

Saturday Skills Challenge blows the field away

Photo: Peter Koutroumpis

The Paiute Golf Resort had a big surprise for all the 2010 NCGC competitors on Saturday - 20-25 mile per hour winds. The Skills Challenge Competition highlighted great distance on the range for the Longest Drive competition as it was held in a location 'downwind' while the nine-hole course chipping and putting areas were definitely a 'challenge' for all participating.

The 7600-yard Wolf Course set the stage for all competitors to preview and strategize their play for Sunday. The wind did not help to allay fears of what would happen during the Championship round. The fairways and rough were in great shape and the greens were firm and fast. Combined with 20+ mile per hour winds, the course played long for many and the greens were slick as a simple 6-ft putt would roll past with a return 12-foot putt (at minimum) expected if the wind and green speed (12+ on the stimp meter) were not considered.

Photo: Peter Koutroumpis

Pairings Party brings together competitors and friends

The 2010 NCGC Pairings Party held on Friday night at the Gameworks in Las Vegas, Nevada brought together all participants in this years competition to meet one another, renew friendships, and to prepare players for Sunday's competition. All teams stepped up to the tee placement Draw sheet to select which hole on the 7600 Wolf Course they would start on at the host Paiute Golf Resort. With that knowledge in mind, they had a night to enjoy the sights, scenes, and sounds of Las Vegas before heading out for the 2010 Skills Challenge on Saturday.

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NCGC Pairings Party Draw sheet for Sunday's Competition round.

 PGAU competing universities and their respective team representatives.

 As teams were announced to come up to the Draw sheet, their bios and team logos were flashed up on the screen for all to see while their school's fight song played.

 2010 NCGC competitors listen and prepare to make their selections for Sunday's championship.

The first competitors get their names on the Draw sheet and get some rest for Saturday's Skills Challenge.

NC State golfers travel to Vegas

Josh and Alex leaving Raleigh

 For NC State University Local Qualifier winners Alex Kowalski and Josh Rackley, a trip to Las Vegas is an adventure that they are fully excited to embark on to represent the Professional Golf Association/Golf Management (PGM/GM) program and their university with pride. Josh has never been west of Alabama while Alex hasn’t been to Las Vegas since he was 12 years old when he was there playing in a hockey tournament. Alex’s team won that tournament and that is what he and Josh expect to do when they take on the Wolf Course at the Paiute Golf Resort as participants in the 2010 National Collegiate Golf Championship (NCGC) taking place there November 12-14.

As PGA/GM students and first-ever representative of the program at the NCGC, both Alex and Josh aspire to become professional golfers after graduation, but when that part of their golf journey ends Alex will be happy to be a Head Golf Professional and Josh will aspire to be a teaching professional; both at prestigious country clubs. Playing golf 4-5 times per week, these two golfers are best friends on and off the course and are as competitive as they come. Having both played to par 71 on NC State’s home course, the Arnold Palmer-designed Lonnie Poole Golf Course, their nine-under par (62) scoring performance playing in the two-person scramble-format Local Qualifier sponsored by Campus Recreation secured their place to travel to Las Vegas.

Having not played the Paiute Golf Resort before will not present a problem for these two competitors as they are accustomed to playing challenging and prestigious courses as Josh considers Belgrade Lakes Country Club in Maine as his favorite course while Alex’s playing experience at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California ranks highest on his list. Not only are they both prepared mentally and physically to play in the NCGC, but they are taking this so seriously that they even have their wardrobe prepared for each day.  They have decided that they will wear black pants/red shirts/white caps during Saturday’s Skills Challenge while donning a conservative khaki/red shirt/white cap combination during the NCGC competition round on Sunday.

Las Vegas...

 Regardless of what they are wearing in Las Vegas, these young representatives of NC State will do themselves, their program, and their university proud. Go Pack!

Follow the 2010 National Collegiate Golf Championship at Paiute

Las Vegas, NV – The 2010 National Collegiate Golf Championship (NCGC) presented by the Collegiate Golf Alliance (CGA) will take place November 12-14 at the nationally recognized Paiute Golf Resort. The event will feature the high-level playing ability of 134 collegiate golfers, paired into 67 teams and representing 41 colleges and universities from across the country, as they compete for this year’s title. The Collegiate Golf Alliance aims to hit new highs in presenting this year’s event as all tournament happenings and score updates will be regularly available on a variety of online sources and social network outlets before, during, and after the event.

Local Qualifier winners seek out the Wolf

This year’s competing field of players will try to ‘bite back’ at the Las Vegas resort’s 4.5 Star Wolf course as rated by Golf Digest. The Wolf course Howls at 7,604 total yards, the longest course in Nevada. From May through October, 50 Local Qualifier tournaments qualified teams in three divisions to compete for the NCGC title, an annual competition to determine the top two-person amateur college golf team in America. Winning local qualifier teams earned travel stipends and national entry support from their Local Qualifier participation. This year’s competition promises to provide great competition and camaraderie amongst the participants as they maneuver around Pete Dye-designed course.

Follow the action online

The 2010 NCGC will keep all competitors, golf fans, and supporters up-to-date with the latest happenings and tournament results throughout the weekend as the Collegiate Golf Alliance will implement Facebook, Twitter and Blog updates. Subscribe to get all the latest news and happenings as they occur throughout the weekend.

Post, Tweet, Share - Stay in touch with the 2010 NCGC:

NCGC Blog:

http://cgagolflinks.blogspot.com/

NCGC on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=57142095025

CGA on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/CGAGolf