It took more than 36 holes to decide a champion in what was a thriller in the Sierra Nevada.
In the end, the Summer of Payne continued to shine in Northern California.
Wes Payne took home the tile at Old Greenwood Golf Course with a birdie on the first playoff hole over two-time reigning champion Mike Perchak.
The title was Payne's second in less than a month. The former professional golfer took home the NCGA Mid-Amateur Championship at Poppy Hills in early June.
The San Francisco native started the day two shots back of Perchak. The championship would become a two-man race early on with Perchak getting an eagle on par-5 6th hole.
That eagle followed by birdies on the 8th and 10th holes would give Perchak a three-shot lead with seven holes to play.
But Payne cut into the deficit with birdies on the par-5 12th hole and par-4 14th hole.
Perchak, meanwhile, would bogey the 11th and 15th holes leaving both tied for the lead with three holes left in regulation.
On the par-4 16th hole, the script flipped as Perchak made a double-bogey while Payne made par.
The two-shot swing would leave Payne leading the championship by two shots where both men made par on the par-3 17th hole.
Only needing a par to win, Payne would make bogey on the par-4 18th hole while Perchak made a clutch birdie on the 18th hole to force a sudden-death playoff with both in at 5-under par after regulation.
It would be the first sudden-death playoff in the NCGA Valley Amateur since 2021.
Both players would head back to the 18th hole to start the playoff. Payne would get sweet redemption as he made a clutch birdie to complete the three-shot comeback for the ages.
Perchak was looking to become the first player to win three consecutive NCGA Valley Amateur titles. He would shoot a final round 1-over 73.
The only other player to finish in red figures for the championship was Rocklin native Eric Morgan who started the day one shot back.
He did not have an ideal final round as he had five bogeys on the day to shoot a 4-over 76. However, he finished at 1-under-par 143 to get solo third.
Bob Niger had already been a Valley Am champion twice but this one tasted especially sweet.
The Sacramento native shot a tournament low 5-under 67 to win with a two-day total of 2-under 142 which was one clear of NCGA Hall of Famer Randy Haag. The victory was Niger's fourth of the 2025 season which includes winning the Super Senior Division at the Sac Valley Senior Amateur Championship a few weeks ago.
Niger became the first player to win an NCGA Valley Amateur title and a NCGA Senior Valley Amateur title.
The former PGA Tour Champions pro started his final round at 3-over par which was five shots back of co-leaders Haag and Mark Morgan.
Niger had three birdies on the front-nine to get back in the title hunt. He responded with four birdies including back-to-back circles on the scorecard on the par-3 15th hole and the par-4 16th hole.
He bogeyed the par-4 18th hole and would wait to see how the tournament unfolded.
Haag had an birdie on the opening par-4 first hole. But he would bogey the par-5 sixth hole.
The Orinda resident on the back-nine posted a 1-over 37 on the back-nine which included the par-3 17th hole.
Niger and Haag were the only players to finish under par in the Senior Division. Coming in third place was Mark Morgan who finished at 1-over 75.
Morgan's quest for a fourth Senior Valley Amateur title will have to wait another year. He posted a 3-over 75 which saw a stretch of three straight bogeys on holes Nos. 3 through 5.
Defending champion Chris Miller finished at 5-over par for the championship which resulted in a tie for seventh place.