Steve Runge of Mission Viejo Wins Golf Playoff

Steve Runge of Mission Viejo won a one-hole sudden-death playoff of the American Junior Golf Assn.’s USF&G; 54-hole tournament Thursday.

Runge, playing in the 15-18 age division, tied with two other golfers with three-day totals of 222 but made par on the first hole of the playoff while Kent Wiese of Huntington Beach and Scot Frisch of Scottsdale, Ariz., each bogeyed.

Runge is a Capistrano Valley High School graduate and a Times’ first team All-County golf selection and South Coast League individual champion. He shot three consecutive rounds of 74 to reach the playoff. It was his third junior tournament championship.

Meanwhile, Wiese shot 72-78-72 for his 222 total on the Lakewood Country Club’s 6,280-yard course.

Tina Trimble, 15, of Houston won the girls’ division with a final round 2-under-par 70 for a 54-hole total of 228.

In the boys’ 11-14 division, the winner was Keith Rick of Boca Raton, Fla., with a 223.