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Courtesy of the NCGA
On the eve of the final round of the 35th California Senior Amateur Championship, Atwater resident Ron Ewing got a message from his mother.
At the time, Ewing, 58, was set to enter the last round holding a comfy three-shot lead.
"She told me, 'Go get 'em tomorrow, you have a big lead.,' Ewing said. "I said, 'Mom, I don't have a great track record when I am winning. I am better when I am doing the hunting.'"
A day later, Ewing was ready to call his mom back and tell her the good news. "I can tell her that I earned it," Ewing said.
Ewing had to hold off a hard-charging Steve Sear, and came up with some crucial shots and putts late of his own to win the biggest Senior amateur prize in the Golden State under the sun at Serrano CC in El Dorado Hills. While Ewing was already an NCGA champion, having won the 2024 Mid-Amateur Four-Ball with Chris Cuttone, he is now also a state champion.
"My dad will be very proud. Both my dad and mom have always supported me. They love following the scoreboard," an emotional Ewing said. "Besides a USGA event, this is one of the biggest events in the nation. It's special. I am very happy and proud to win it."
In what became a duel, it was Sear, the 2025 NCGA Senior Player of the Year, who came out applying pressure. The Washoe Valley, Nev. resident came out blazing, going 7-under through his first 13 holes to not only tie Ewing, but eventually pass him atop the leaderboard.
It was on the par-5 14th hole that Ewing, playing two groups behind Sear, finally realized what was happening. While Sear was on fire, Ewing had only gone 1-under through 13 holes. That comfy three-shot lead had vanished.
"I really thought coming in that if I shot even-par, with a three shot lead that would be enough. So I just tried to make zero mistakes early on," Ewing said. "Then on No. 14, I had a choice to go for the green in two, and I pulled out my phone and looked at the leaderboard and thank God I did. I saw that I was down, and thought, 'You are here to win it.' I got lucky and made birdie there and then got the other one coming in."
The birdie at 14 would put Ewing back into a tie with Sear at a total of 10-under par. Sear would go on to finish at 10-under after making pars on his final five holes. On the par-3 15th, Ewing had a chance to take the lead back outright, but he'd miss a short birdie putt.
That set the stage for Ewing to get his "other one." With Sear in the clubhouse, Ewing on the par-3 17th almost made a hole-in-one, his ball stopping just 5 feet from the pin. This time around, he'd make the putt to get to a total of 11-under.
A hole later on the par-4 18th, needing a par for the victory, Ewing's wedge came shorter than he planned. He was left with a 50-foot, uphill putt for birdie. That missed, but he'd again make his short comebacker to seal the deal. His winning total of 11-under par tied the championship record, set in 2025 by Bob Schaeffer and winner Bob Niger.
"It was right in that range where I struggle from. About 18 inches," quipped Ewing. "Walking off the green on 18, the emotions really hit. Steve Sear has been beating me since I was 10 years old. I haven't come up on the winning often going up against him, so it means even more."
Sear's final round 7-under 65 is one of the lowest rounds in the championship's history. In the second round, Ewing carded a 66 that gave him the three shot lead.
Third place went to Sweden's Goran Hagegard at 207 after a final-round 67. Niger placed fourth at 209.
