DONS’ COX ADDS NAME TO SECTION GOLF CHAMPIONS
Sophomore outduels Cathedral Catholic teammate in playoff
The list of golfers who have won the boys CIF San Diego Section golf championship reads like a who's who of local golf: Phil Mickelson, Craig Stadler, Scott Simpson, Charlie Hoffman and Chris Riley.
“Every player that wins it is usually a great player,” said Cathedral Catholic sophomore Trevor Cox.
Now Cox can add his name to the list. On a cool, overcast Monday afternoon, Cox birdied the fourth extra hole at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa to win a threeman playoff.
Cox, Cathedral sophomore teammate Michael Riebe and San Pasqual's Connor Williams finished the second round at 1-over 144. Williams was knocked out after the first playoff hole when he settled for a par on the short, par-4 16th while Cox and Riebe scored birdies.
Cox and Riebe were still tied after playing 17 and 18. Back to 16 the golfers zipped via carts. Riebe left a 9-foot putt for birdie a foot above the hole. Cox knocked in a 4footer for the win.
“It's fun (playing your teammate in a playoff), but it's also nerve-racking,” said Riebe. “You want to beat your own teammate and obviously he's thinking the same thing.”
“It's rare to play your own teammate in a playoff, so it was kind of fun,” said Cox. “I was excited more than nervous.”
In the team competition, six golfers play for each school with the low five scores counting. Torrey Pines won Division 1 with 754 strokes, 41 ahead San Marcos.
Cathedral took the Division 2 title at 767, eight ahead of Classical Academy. Bishop's won D-3 at 794, 65 strokes ahead of Santa Fe Christian.
Torrey Pines' win earned the Falcons their eighth straight section title and 13th in the last 14 years.
“It's a legacy that we've established that great golfers want to come to Torrey Pines to work hard and compete,” said Falcons coach Chris Drake. “It's awesome to support these guys, to put them in position to win, to let them make it look like I know what I'm doing.”
Cox came into the second round of the tournament seven shots behind first-day leader Daniel Chazen, a Classical Academy freshman. Riebe was nine shots back.
“I didn't think I had a chance to even come close,” said Riebe.
After an opening-round 67 last week at Steele Canyon Golf Club, Chazen shot 10over 82 to tie for seventh. The other golfers caught a break when Torrey Pines' Jay Leng Jr., who was in the lead at the time, was disqualified after two holes for a code of conduct violation.
CIF officials would not be more specific about the violation.
Riebe shot the day's low round, a 4-under 68. He started in a blaze, scoring birdies on four of the first five holes. His biggest disappointment on the day was failing to birdie any of the par 5s.
Cox, who signed for a 2under 70, pulled off one of the day's best shots. On the third playoff hole, the 457-yard par-4 18th, he pushed his tee shot into the rough, 200 yards from the pin and about 15 yards behind a tree.
With a 4-iron, Cox worked the ball left to right to 10 feet, where he two putted to continue the playoff.
“One of my best 4-irons ever,” he said.
As the two lowest scoring teams, Torrey Pines and Cathedral advanced to the Southern California Regionals on May 24 at Los Serranos Golf Club in Chino Hills.
They'll be joined by the tournament's next 12 lowest individual scorers.