SOUTHERN SECTION GOLF : Freshman Wins as Woods Fades

With defending champion Tiger Woods having an off day and a tricky course sending scores soaring, an unheralded freshman stepped up to win the Southern Section individual golf championship Tuesday at the Hacienda Golf Club in La Habra Heights.

Torrance’s Ted Oh defeated Eddy Lee of Corona for the title by making par on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff. Oh and Lee had shot two-over-par 73s to force the playoff.

It was the third consecutive sectional title won by a freshman. Lee won in 1990. But Oh’s victory was surprising, even for Torrance Coach Will Boerger, who said he is the best player he has coached since he took the job in 1974.

“I expected him to be in the top 10, but I didn’t expect him to win it with Tiger Woods here,” Boerger said. “I wasn’t thinking a freshman could come in and beat all those experienced ball players, but he did.”

Woods, who played in the Los Angeles Open in February and last season won both the Southern Section and CIF-Southern California Golf Assn. individual titles, didn’t have it for this competition.

In front of the tournament’s largest gallery--including a local cable television crew--Woods shot a 76. Going into the 15th hole, he was two-over but bogeyed the 15th and double-bogeyed the par-three 16th. Woods had only one birdie.

“I just didn’t have it today,” Woods said.

Although below standard for him, Woods’ score was good enough to place him among the top 22, who advance to the CIF-Southern California Golf Assn. tournament June 8 at San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista. However, Woods won’t be defending his championship there. He’ll be at Lake Merced Country Club in Daly City attempting to qualify for the U.S. Open.