HIGH SCHOOL GOLF : Angel Soars on Back Nine, Wins City Title

Darren Angel never asked how his competition was faring during the second round of the City Section golf championships Monday.

Ignorance is bliss.

His round was blistering.

“I knew if I shot what I thought I could, it wouldn’t matter what anybody else did,” Angel said.

The senior from Granada Hills High tore up the back nine at Rancho Park Golf Course in West L.A. and finished with a three-under 68 to win his third consecutive City individual title.

After stumbling to a 79 in the first round at Rancho last week, Angel opened the day four shots behind Greg Goodfried of Birmingham. With nine holes to play, Angel was still three shots in arrears.

Whereupon the stalking began in earnest. Angel reeled off three consecutive birdies starting on the 13th and reeled in Goodfried, a sophomore, with a three-under 33.

Goodfried shot a one-over 36 on the front nine, but bogeyed the 10th and 11th holes to open the door for Angel, who will attend Arizona State.

Goodfried shot 40 on the back nine to finish with a 76 and a two-day total of 151.

“It was my first year and there was a lot of pressure,” Goodfried said. “I was really concerned about shooting an 86, making a big choke.

“He beat me. I didn’t give it away.”

Angel had one bogey and hit 16 greens in regulation. If a half-dozen birdie putts hadn’t lipped out, it would have been an eye-popping score.

“I choked it up pretty good the first day,” Angel said. “I guess I had to do something to make it competitive or everybody would have gotten bored.”

The charge started on No. 13, after Angel pushed his tee shot into the right rough. He somehow finessed a pitching wedge around a stand of trees to within three feet of the hole for an easy birdie, moving him into a tie with Goodfried. Angel canned birdie putts of 18 and 15 feet on the next two holes to pull away.

Granada Hills shot a five-man total of 388 to finish with a two-round total of 791, good for the Highlanders’ third team title in a row.

It was a rout--Birmingham was second, 67 shots back.

Four of the top eight individuals were from Granada Hills. Brian Vranish was third at 155, Ben Krug was sixth at 158 and Joey Dougherty was eighth at 162.

Grant landed three in the top 10: Jordan Dinapoli was fourth at 156, Sean Oriti was seventh at 161 and Tyler Foster was ninth at 162.

Granada Hills and Birmingham advanced to the CIF-Southern California Golf Assn. championships June 7 at Bernardo Heights Country Club in San Diego.

The low 10 individuals who were not members of the two teams also advanced.