Boys’ Golf: CdM tops Newport Harbor in Battle of the Bay reboot

Everyone involved with the Battle of the Bay boys’ golf match was pleased that it returned for the first time since 2010. But you could say Corona del Mar High was a bit happier about it than Newport Harbor.

CdM, led by its freshmen dynamic duo of Guy Clauss and Clay Seeber and by sophomore JohnMichael Jurgensen, came out on top over the Sailors, 182-194, at Costa Mesa Country Club’s Mesa Linda course on Monday.

Clauss shot a three-under 32, a bogey-free round that included three birdies, to capture medalist honors against the rivals. Seeber shot 33, as did Jurgensen, who came away with a hole-in-one on the par-3, 115-yard No. 6 hole. Jurgensen used a pitching wedge to provide the huge highlight during the rivalry match.

Clauss and Seeber enjoyed the win, but were rather nonchalant that it came against Newport Harbor. They are new to the rivalry, after all.

“It’s fine … Not really special,” said Clauss, who also said Monday felt like any other match.

Seeber agreed. He says high school matches are more about fun compared to junior golf tournaments. He should know, because he’s seen his scores improve in junior golf when he takes the event much more seriously.

He shot 16-under-par 200 to win the 36-hole Toyota Tour Cup event at La Costa Resort on Sunday. He won the event by 10 strokes. Seeber said he used the tournament as a warm-up for the Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic, an important American Junior Golf Assn. four-day event, that begins Thursday at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Ariz.

Seeber did show his talent on No. 5, when he drained an eagle putt from 25 yards out.

Jurgensen wasn’t shy about his feelings after CdM won.

“They’re a good team, I assume,” Jurgensen said of Newport Harbor. “We won, so we’re better … It was a lot of fun. [The Battle of the Bay is] a good rivalry. Golf needs to be a part of it. Hopefully it continues. I think we can get on a winning streak.”

CdM Coach Mike Starkweather and Newport Harbor Coach Scott Tarnow didn’t go into too much detail about why the Battle of the Bay had been dormant since 2010, and in girls’ golf, too.

CdM and Newport Harbor last played against each other at Pelican Hill Golf Club, where there was a controversial final tie score. A few weeks after the match ended, Tarnow went to CIF for a final ruling and CIF ruled it a Newport Harbor win, but Starkweather would not concede the victory.

Newport Harbor Principal Sean Boulton was instrumental in getting the Battle of the Bay in golf to return. Boulton met with both coaches, and CdM Principal Kathy Scott to talk about scheduling the nonleague rivalry match once again.

“It’s awesome for the golfers, for the schools and there’s such a rich rivalry between the two schools we should be playing in every sport, which is good to get this going,” said Boulton, who played with Tarnow against CdM Athletic Director Don Grable and Newport Harbor A.D. Mike Zimmerman during the high school match. “Thanks to the coaches who got it going. We set the stage for the future. We’re making two new cups for the rivalry. I’m looking forward to a lot of years of swapping that cup.”

Boulton and his playing group got to see Jurgensen’s hole-in-one. Jurgensen’s ace was part of a hot run. He had gone birdie, birdie before the hole-in-one and followed up that big shot with another birdie.

Jurgensen is the son of former PGA Tour golfer Steve Jurgensen, who is attempting to qualify for the Champions Tour, for golfers over age 50, Starkweather said.

Zach Glabman (40) and Ethan Wien (44) also scored for CdM, a young team that will take on highly regarded Woodbridge on Tuesday at Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course.

CdM (3-2) starts three freshman, including TJ Jenkins, the son of former pro Tom Jenkins, who is on the Champions Tour and played in last year’s Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach Country Club.

TJ had a rough day on Monday with a 45, which was thrown out.

Newport Harbor also features a son of a former pro, but this one coming from Major League Baseball. Noah Mayne, a junior for the Sailors, is the son of Brent Mayne, the Costa Mesa High and Orange Coast College alumnus who stood out as a catcher.

Noah began as a baseball player at Newport Harbor when he was a freshman, but switched to golf last year, when he earned all-league honors.

Noah struggled on Monday and finished at 40. Freshman Ethan Barnes, who’s also a key contributor for Newport Harbor, shot 41.

The Sailors (1-1) played Mesa Linda in a practice round three weeks ago and shot 178, Tarnow said.

Senior Drake Siegel led Newport Harbor with a 37. Richie Simons and Ryan Standt both shot 38.

“I don’t think we played our best,” said Tarnow, whose team begins Sunset League play against Fountain Valley on Tuesday at Big Canyon Country Club. “But CdM is a great team. They were clicking on all cylinders. They’re going to have a great season.”

Tarnow, who is in his 16th season at Newport Harbor, expressed positive feelings that the Battle of the Bay has returned in boys’ golf. The same went for Starkweather, who is in his 22nd year as golf coach at CdM.

“I think it’s great for the kids,” Starkweather said. “It’s bragging rights for Newport Beach. It’s great to have it back. They are two of the top programs in Orange County. It’s good to have that competition.”

Golfers from both teams posed together for photos after the match to help commemorate the return of the rivalry event.

“We want there to be a Battle of the Bay in every sport,” Grable said. “These kids grow up together. They do activities and sports together as kids. Win, lose or tie, it’s always great to have a worthy competitor.”