SHAG BAG ACCOLADES Senior Women’s Player of the Year after earning 518 points. Marianne Towersey would finish second at 500. “I’m very, very excited to win such a great award, ” said Moridaira, who earned the majority of her points via a runner-up finish at the NCGA Senior Women’s Amateur and a T-3 finish at the CWC Senior Championship. She clinched the title when she finished T-10 at October’s California Senior Women’s Amateur Championship. Moridaira is proof that it’s never too late to succeed as a golfer. She played collegiately at a junior college in Michigan, but eventually quit the team because she couldn’t break 100. Things changed more than a decade later when, in 2006, two years after getting a membership at Green Valley CC, Moridaira began a quest to improve her game. Once a 26-handicap index, she’s now down to a 2. “I practiced a ton, and then practiced some more, ” Moridaira said. 2020 NCGA Tournament Official of the Year—Phil Sexton fter nearly six decades of playing golf, Rancho Murieta Country Club member Phil Sexton got a nudge from his good friend, Doug Ruley. “He suggested I become a volunteer tournament official for the NCGA,” Sexton said. That was in 2009. More than 11 years later, the now 77-year-old Sexton is a regular among the tournament official volunteer corps. Along with working over 40-50 tournament days per year, Sexton plays a major role in course procurement, marking and maintenance at Rancho Murieta CC for NCGA events. “I enjoy being a representative of the NCGA,” said Sexton, a retired sales executive for a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch. “I also enjoy mentoring other officials.” It was mentoring—specifically from longtime NCGA volunteers John Nakamura, Dan Wettstein, John Korvin and Gary Fox—that helped Sexton get to where he is today. Now, Sexton is sharing all the advice and wisdom he’s gained over the years. And of course, his love for the game. “I sometimes meet with various member groups at Rancho Murieta and we discuss the Rules,” Sexton said. “I also enjoy being involved with golf in the community. I’ve enjoyed working with the NCGA staff. They’re great people.” A NCGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year—Itsuko Moridaira pon turning 50 last November, Green Valley Country Club member Itsuko Moridaira told herself to play in as many senior events as possible. Her decision to do so would pay big dividends. Moridaira went on to become the U 2020 NCGA Course Rater of the Year— Kern Hunewill ern Hunewill is one of those people who, when he does something, he’s going to give his all. There is no halfway. At the age of 12, he got a job at Yancey Lumber Yard in his hometown of Newman. Today, at age 69, he owns the business. “If I do something, I’m going to commit to it,” he said. The same could be said for his devotion to being a volunteer course rater for the NCGA. He’s now been a part of the course-rater corps for 16 years. “I just liked golf so much and wanted to do something for the game, so I volunteered,” said Hunewill, who picked up the game while he was in high school. As a course rater, Hunewill said some of his biggest joys are working with the other course raters and NCGA staff members. He also loves that, even after all this time, he’s still learning. In a year when the World Handicap System was introduced, picking up new knowledge has never been more important. “There’s always new wrinkles that (NCGA Director of Handicapping and Course Rating) Jim Cowan is discussing with us,” Hunewill said. “It’s always evolving. It’s been a lot of fun.” K NCGA Super Senior Player of the Year—Jeff Burda n what was his first full season competing as a Super Senior, Modesto resident Jeff Burda left an indelible impression. The now 67-year-old dominated the competition with a total of 1,628 points, nearly double the figure of his nearest competitor, runner-up and former winner Frank Pieper, who finished with 835 points. “It’s a lot of fun to still be competitive at this age, ” said Burda, who won all eight Super Senior events he entered during the points season. “It’s satisfying. Fortunately, I’m still able to play well. ” Burda’s wins included the NCGA I Super Senior Amateur Championship (300 points), the Sacramento County Super Senior (200 points), California State Fair Super Senior (150) and the Sacramento City Super Senior (150). He also finished second at the 2019 NCGA Super Senior. With his victory at the NCGA Senior Amateur, Burda earned the distinction of winning an NCGA title in six different decades. His first victory came at the 1974 NCGA Public Links Championship. There to watch the latest triumph was his son, Patrick. “I had a feeling he was going to show up for the finals, ” Burda said. “It was a lot of fun having him there. ” The NCGA expresses its gratitude to all of its tournament officials and course raters. Without you, it all doesn’t happen! NCGA.ORG | WINTER 2021 13
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