Big Week for Sacramento Golf: A Marty James Story

Marty James Shares the Recent Success of Sacramento Golfers

It was a big week for four Sacramento-area golfers. 

First, there is Corey Pereira, a resident of Cameron Park, who played in the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at The Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course. He got into the field through local and final qualifying. 

Next is Chase Sienkiewicz, who tied for eighth place in his professional debut at the Royal Beach Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist. The PGA Tour Canada event was played at Uplands Golf Club in Victoria, British Columbia. 

Next is Spencer Levin, who tied for 61^st place at the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open Benefitting KU Wichita Pediatrics. The Korn Ferry Tour event was played at Crestview Country Club, in Wichita, Kansas. 

There is also Sam Harned, who got into the field as an alternate and tied for 45^th place at PGA Tour Canada’s Royal Beach Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist. 

Yes, a super great week of golf for players with very strong ties to Sacramento. 

“Very lucky to have everyone from Sacramento cheering me on,” Pereira said in a phone interview on Sunday, June 18. “The people at Cameron Park are incredible. So thankful to have such a strong golf community there.” 

Corey Pereira

Pereira said he and his girlfriend, Leah Bertuccelli, received a lot of support during the week of the U.S. Open, played on the par-70, 7,421-yard LACC North Course. Pereira, a former star at the University of Washington, said it was an emotional week. 

After shooting a 1-over-par 71 in the first round, he returned and shot a 76 in the second round and missed the cut. Sixty-one professionals and four amateurs made the cut, at 2-over 142. There was a field of 137 professionals and 19 amateurs. 

“It was a combination of me reaching something that I’ve dreamed about since I was very, very young, which was incredible. But it was also just maybe a little bit of an end to some of the struggles that our family has faced in the last 6-8 months,” said Pereira, who played in his first U.S. Open, also the 35th of 44 FedExCup Regular Season events during the 2022-23 PGA Tour season. 

Pereira left the Korn Ferry Tour to stay at home and care for Bertuccelli, who is getting treatment – both chemotherapy and radiation – for cancer at Stanford. 

“I made the decision last year to not pursue professional golf that much this year, and being with Leah through this time,” said Pereira, 28, who plays out of Cameron Park Country Club. 

“Between me losing my card on Korn Ferry, and more importantly, just a terrible diagnosis, that it’s really your worst nightmare for someone you care about. So, things were going from bad to worse for us. We kind of dug our feet in the sand as a couple and as a family and fought through it and continue to work hard in all aspects of both of our lives.” 

The road to the U.S. Open and Los Angeles Country Club took Pereira through local qualifying in Mesquite, Nev., and final qualifying in Columbus, Ohio. 

“Leah was showing some nice progress through her treatments and she was in a stable place. I signed up so late, that all the California sites were taken. And last minute, got into Mesquite, Nevada,” he said. 

Playing at CasaBlanca Golf Club on April 26 in Mesquite, Pereira finished third in the local qualifier, shooting 70. There were 78 players for four spots. 

“I hadn’t played a competitive round all year and I went there and was 2-over through nine holes. I kind of found something on the back (nine) and barely squeaked through the local qualifying,” he said. 

From there, he advanced to The Lakes Golf & Country Club and Brookside Golf & Country Club, in Columbus, Ohio, for the final qualifying, on June 5. He secured a spot in the U.S. Open, tying for third place, shooting 9-under-par 135 with rounds of 65 (The Lakes Golf & Country Club) and 70 (Brookside Golf & Country Club). There were 103 players for 11 spots. 

“I went out there and just really played some great golf that whole day for 36 holes and found myself with one of the U.S. Open spots,” said Pereira. 

“I just feel like these are the fruits of both of our labors, of Lea fighting hard every day and staying positive, and myself kind of getting back to basics on the golf side a little bit. So emotional for all those reasons, just to be at the U.S. Open competing.” 

This year’s U.S. Open, which had a $20 million purse, was the first major championship to be held at The Los Angeles Country Club. Pereira said the North Course is a good test. 

“I had played three competitive rounds all year and just had nowhere near the preparation that I would have liked to have going into a major championship. But I was thankful to be there,” he said. “I went out that first day and I didn’t play that bad. I did a lot of things really well and a few things sloppy. But I was fairly happy with that start to my U.S. Open debut. 

“There are scores to be had, but it can also go south really quick. The rough is really long and the course is long. 

“I feel like there are some opportunities on the front nine, and then you make that turn, into like Hole 11 or so, and when you look at it, there’s really not a birdie hole after that. I don’t think the course got out of hand. I think it was kind of that that perfect mix – the rough was very difficult and I think layout-wise, it gives you some room on the front nine, and really hammers you on the back (nine).” 

The United States Golf Association accepted a record 10,187 entries for the 123rd U.S. Open Championship, according to a report at www.usopen.com. 

Local 18-hole qualifying was conducted at 109 sites in 44 U.S. states and Canada, the USGA said. Final 36-hole qualifying was held at 10 U.S. and three international sites, the USGA said. 

“The U.S. Open is unique in major championship golf in that the qualifying process provides thousands of professional and amateur golfers with diverse backgrounds from around the world the opportunity to follow their dream and earn a place in the field,” USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer said, in a report, at www.usopen.com. 

Pereira is so very appreciative of the support that he and Leah received from fans, USGA and tournament staff, and the media. 

“Everyone has been great. All of the media outlets have been very respectful to our situation that we’re dealing with. In terms of the support with everyone else, it’s been really incredible. We’ve had people come up to us that we don’t know, this week, and just say how much they’re praying for us and giving us all their love. It’s been a lot,” he said. 

“We’re pretty low-key people. We come from a small town in Northern California, Cameron Park. We’re not around a bunch of people or in the spotlight a ton. There was a lot going on this week. But all positives. It was just a pleasure to have the support of everyone around us.” 

Pereira, in addition, can’t say enough about the support of his family and Leah’s family, along with the care Leah is getting from Stanford. 

“Both of our families have been incredible, with how they’ve stepped up, and allowed me to prepare for this championship, taking care of Leah, taking her to appointments, really giving me the freedom to go do stuff like this and go compete. Without them, I would not have been able to play local and (final) qualifying or even prepare for this tournament. I’m really, really thankful for their help in all this,” he said. “The team at Stanford is incredible.” 

Leah got out and walked the course at LACC each day during the U.S. Open, following Corey, watching his every shot. 

“She walked 18 holes both days at LA Country Club – just amazing and how impressive that is for anyone who knows the extent of that treatment,” said Pereira. “She’s deep into her treatment. She’s on round 11 of 12 of chemo. She has already completed seven weeks, 35 rounds of radiation. 

“She’s progressing nicely. The doctors are cautiously optimistic. We’ve seen a reduction in her cancer. So, we’re hoping that at the end of the treatment, our final scans will result in positive news.” 

Pereira is looking forward to going to Korn Ferry Tour Q-School later this year as he looks to earn his playing status. 

“It’s just kind of climbing that ladder again,” he said. 

Pereira graduated from Ponderosa High School-Shingle Springs. 

He had an outstanding collegiate career at Washington, as he had four wins and also 11 top-5 and 20 top-10 finishes. 

He was named All-American Honorable Mention in 2016 by GolfWeek. 

He was selected first team All-Pac-12 in 2015-16 and 2014-15 and second team in 2013-14 and 2016-17. 

Pereira won the Pacific Coast Amateur and California State Fair Men’s Amateur in 2014. 

He tied for sixth place at the Pac-12 Championships his senior season. 

He was the 12th-ranked amateur in the World Amateur Golf Rankings following his junior season, according to gohuskies.com. 

Pereira turned professional in 2017. 

He fired a 67 in the final round en route to winning the ATB Financial Classic, a PGA Tour Canada event, at Country Hills Golf Club in Calgary, Alberta, in 2018. It was his first win as a professional. 

Also in 2018, Pereira lost in a playoff at the Mackenzie Investments Open. 

He had one top-10 finish on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2022. 

Pereira won the Napa Open, a mini-tour event, in 2019 at Silverado Resort and Spa. He had rounds of 66 (North Course), 68 (South Course) and 68 (North) for a 14-under 202 total and a seven-shot win. 

Chase Sienkiewicz 

Chase Sienkiewicz posted an 11-under-par 269 total, with rounds of 68, 67, 66 and 68, tying for eighth, at PGA Tour Canada’s Royal Beach Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist, at Uplands Golf Club, in Victoria, British Columbia. 

The 2019 Jesuit High-Carmichael graduate eagled the third hole in Round 3. 

With a Top-20 finish in the PGA Tour University rankings during the 2022-23 collegiate season, Sienkiewicz earned fully exempt membership on PGA Tour Canada for 2023. He also earned an exemption to the Second Stage of 2023 PGA Tour Q-School presented by Korn Ferry, plus conditional status through the Latin America Swing of the 2024 PGA Tour Americas season, it was announced in a report at www.pgatour.com in May. 

Sienkiewicz finished No. 19 in the final PGA Tour University Ranking. 

He was a standout at the University of Arizona 

Spencer Levin 

Spencer Levin, a resident of Elk Grove who plays out of Valley Hi Country Club, completed the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open, at 9-under-par 271. He had rounds of 64, 67, 71 and 69. 

“It’s an amazing year, really considering what Spencer’s done. Really, really happy for him,” said Pereira. “I got to play some golf with him this year and just really excited for him, taking his career back by the horns and getting back going. He’s a superstar.” 

Levin is 16^th in the Korn Ferry Tour Points List. The top 30 earn PGA Tour cards at end of the season. 

In April, he won the Korn Ferry Tour’s Veritex Bank Championship, in Arlington, Texas. It’s his first PGA Tour-sanctioned win. 

Sam Harned 

Harned got off to a great start in his PGA Tour Canada debut. He opened with a 6-under 29 on the front nine in his first round. He was tied for second place with a 7-under-par 63 in the first round. He eagled the par-5, 476-yard 12th hole. 

“I played my practice round on Tuesday, and I felt like a 20-handicapper. I was hitting some really bad shots on the range. Then I made a few swing adjustments, and it just really worked out for a really easy 13 holes. Then the last seven holes got a little a sloppy,” Harned said in a report, provided by PGA Tour Canada Communications. 

“When I made the eagle on 12, I knew I shouldn’t be thinking about it, but I was like, yeah, let’s get three or four more and hope for the good round,” said Harned. 

He finished the event in a tie for 45^th place, at 2-under 278, with rounds of 63, 71, 74 and 70. 

PGA Tour Canada Communications said Harned didn’t learn that he had gotten into the field as an alternate until Sunday. Harned caught a flight from his home in Reno, Nevada, traveling to Seattle on Monday. From there, he took a ferry Tuesday in time to play his practice round, PGA Tour Canada Communications reported. 

“I was six spots out of the 10 (players) that are in, so I just kind of gave up on thinking that I was going to play,” Harned said. “I was sitting on the couch on Sunday night and got the call. (The Tour official) was like, ‘Hey, you’re in the field. Can you get up?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, give me an hour and I’ll figure it out.’ So, it’s amazing.” 

Harned’s last PGA Tour-affiliated event was the final stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Q-School in November 2022, PGA Tour Canada Communications reported. Harned earned Korn Ferry Tour status through 2023 as an Additional Qualifying Tournament Finalist. He finished 134th at the Final Stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament in 2022. 

Harned is a 2015 graduate of Rocklin High. He played out of Whitney Oaks Golf Club. 

He played his college golf at University of Nevada, Reno.  

He now plays out of Somersett Golf and Country Club in Reno. 

* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019, after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016. 

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