Gore Drops Golf Final in Sudden Death

Austin Maki of Estancia High defeated Jason Gore of Hart on the first hole of sudden death to win the California Interscholastic Federation/Southern California Golf Assn. finals Monday at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana.

Maki, who turned a three-shot lead into a one-stroke deficit over the final four holes of regulation play, drilled a 25-foot putt for birdie on his 18th hole to force the playoff. Maki birdied the 510-yard par-five first hole to win the boys’ individual title.

Gore, a sophomore, birdied two of the last three holes to force the playoff. Maki and Gore each finished with 36-hole totals of 148. Maki made an eight-foot putt for birdie on the first hole of sudden death to end it.

Tony Bordwell of El Camino Real, the lone City Section player to qualify for the afternoon round, finished fourth individually with rounds of 77-76--153. In the boys’ competition, the low 10 players plus ties from the morning round play another 18 holes in the afternoon.

Westlake finished third in the team competition with a five-man total of 405, 11 shots behind West Bakersfield, which won for the second consecutive season.

Estancia, the Southern Section champion, was second at 396. Taft finished ninth at 432 and Granada Hills was 10th in the 10-team field at 450.