SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The opening round of the California State Fair Amateur Golf Championship delivered plenty of drama Saturday at the historic Alister MacKenzie Golf Course at Haggin Oaks. When the final putts dropped, Charlie Berridge of Scarsdale, New York, and Cooper Greenwood of Westlake Village, California, shared the top spot, each firing an impressive 66 to seize the first-round lead.
The championship, now in its 101st year, remains one of the crown jewels of amateur golf on the West Coast. Its long roll of champions — from Ken Venturi to Kevin Sutherland and Nick Watney — has given the event a reputation as a launchpad for elite PGA Tour careers. That tradition continues this Labor Day weekend, with a field featuring top juniors, collegiate standouts, and decorated amateurs.
Leaders Make Their Mark
Charlie Berridge, a rising talent from Scarsdale, New York and a member of the Cal Bears collge team, used precision iron play and a steady putter to navigate Haggin Oaks’ MacKenzie greens. Known for his strong play on the junior circuit in the Northeast, Berridge has steadily built a national reputation and now has the chance to etch his name into one of California’s most storied trophies.
Joining him at the top is Cooper Greenwood, a Southern California product from Westlake Village. Greenwood, a SoCal high school senior who has already made a splash on the junior scene, used his length off the tee to attack the reachable par-fives and closed with a flourish to match Berridge’s 66.
A Pack in Pursuit
Not far behind is Ethan Gao of Johns Creek, Georgia, who carded a 67. Gao is a Stanford Cardinal that has been a force on the AJGA circuit and continues to prove he can compete nationally. Matching Gao at 67 was Jaden Hunter of Rancho Santa Fe, California, another rising star in Southern California golf circles, known for his short-game touch.
A crowded group sits within two shots of the lead, including Nolan Kuszyk of La Cañada Flintridge, Trenton Stuart of Folsom, Jack Hayden of Dublin, Taylor Knoll of Folsom, Luke Harrison of Sacramento, Shaunak Nair of Katy, Texas, and John McCord of Oakland — all posting 68s. With a cluster of players in red numbers, the tournament is shaping up for a tight battle over the next 36 holes.
Veteran Michael Weaver of Fresno, a former U.S. Amateur finalist and Cal Bear standout, lurks at 69 alongside Northern California’s Luke Dugger (Davis), Kyle Dougherty (Irvine), Kavi Marez (Carmichael), Ben Friedman (Mill Valley), and Dylan Ma (Goleta). International representation is strong as well, with Ivan Sablan of Guam and Louis Grizot of Paris, France both in the mix after opening with under-par rounds.
Haggin Oaks: Where Legends Began
That this championship is staged at Haggin Oaks only adds to the sense of history. The Alister MacKenzie Course, built in 1932 by the same architect who designed Augusta National and Cypress Point, has long served as the stage for Sacramento’s biggest golf moments. Its bold bunkering and subtle greens remain a test nearly a century later.
Haggin Oaks has been the backdrop to stories woven into California golf history. Ben Hogan earned his first professional paycheck here in 1938. Ken Venturi honed his game at the course before winning the 1964 U.S. Open. And over the decades, the California State Fair Amateur has crowned champions who would go on to compete in majors and win on the PGA Tour.
The Local Contingent
For Sacramento-area fans, the first round delivered reasons to cheer. Local standouts Trenton Stuart (Folsom), Luke Harrison (Sacramento), Dylan Van Ostrand (Sacramento), and Domingo Jojola (Carmichael) all sit within striking distance. Their knowledge of MacKenzie’s nuances may prove pivotal in the final two rounds.
Equally exciting is the youth surge. Teenagers like Gao, Berridge, and Hunter are shoulder-to-shoulder with veterans like Weaver, illustrating the generational handoff that events like the State Fair Amateur have showcased for nearly a century.
Looking Ahead
With Berridge and Greenwood leading at 66 and more than a dozen players within just a couple of shots, the tournament is wide open heading into Sunday. The pressure of Haggin Oaks’ closing stretch — particularly the par-five 18th, which demands precision into a firm green framed by bunkers — has often decided champions, and it likely will again.
As the championship marches toward its 101st winner, one thing remains clear: the California State Fair Amateur continues to blend the rich traditions of Sacramento golf with the future of the game.
This Labor Day, under the same oaks and over the same fairways where legends once walked, another name is preparing to join history’s ledger.
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