From First Tee, Noe a Driving Force for 49er Golf Team

Terry Noe, an enthusiastic Long Beach State freshman, quickly learned what his role would be on the 49ers’ golf team. And it isn’t the typical freshman gig.

“He’s the foundation for everything we’re trying to do here,” Coach Bob Livingstone said. “Terry is our superstar.”

Well, it’s good to know they’re not putting too much pressure on the kid.

Only a few weeks into his first semester at Long Beach, Noe, a former standout at Sunny Hills High, already is carrying the hopes of an entire program on his shoulders. Noe, though, seems capable of handling whatever NCAA golf has to offer.

He certainly was up to the task in his first collegiate tournament. Noe’s powerful drives and solid short game enabled him to finish third at the Cal State Northridge Matador Classic Sept 16-17 at Wood Ranch Golf Club in Simi Valley. He shot 222 for three rounds, finishing three strokes behind the leader.

“I didn’t play too good in the second round, but I think it was a pretty good start,” Noe said. “For my first tournament, I felt pretty good about it.”

But what pleased Noe and Livingstone most was the bigger picture: Noe’s presence and performance helped the 49ers win the tournament--their first such victory since 1992.

“That’s the main thing, that the team won,” Noe said. “I felt good about that because it shows that we’re getting better.”

Well put, Livingstone said.

“It was a good way to start and I’m very pleased with what Terry did,” Livingstone said. “We’re really pleased he’s here.”

Noe followed his initial strong showing with an even better outing in his second tournament. He finished tied for second--the 49ers’ top performance--at the Montecito Intercollegiate Invitational Sept. 23-24, shooting 219 in three rounds at the Carlton Oaks Country Club in Santee.

Livingstone isn’t surprised.

He knew exactly what he could expect from Noe, who won the the 1994 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship as a sophomore at Sunny Hills. During that year, Noe also helped the Lancers win the Southern Section team title.

A two-time Times Orange County first-team selection, Noe chose Long Beach because of his relationship with Livingstone. They met while Livingstone was director of junior golf for the Southern California PGA. When Livingstone became the 49ers’ coach in 1993, Noe’s name topped his recruiting wish-list.

“He’s helped me a lot,” Noe said of Livingstone. “I trust him and he trusts me.”

From the moment he signed a letter of intent, Noe became the centerpiece of Livingstone’s plans to rebuild the 49er golf program. He has fulfilling that role on the greens as well as off.

“Having him here is unbelievable,” Livingstone said. “He lends credibility to the program with other recruits.

“He’s opened the door to some tournaments that we might not have been invited to otherwise. It’s kind of like when Long Beach signed [All-American] Ed Ratleff in basketball.”

Noe, who won the 1992 junior national championship in his native South Korea, said he loves Long Beach. College life is even better than he had hoped.

“I’m having a great time,” said Noe, 19. “I’m in an apartment with three other guys on the golf team and we have a lot of fun. They all help me with my English.”

In addition to everything else, Noe is also the answer to a trivia question: Who is the last person to defeat Tiger Woods in an amateur golf competition? Noe beat Woods in match play in the first round of the Western Amateur in Michigan.

“Everybody was really surprised I beat Tiger and I was proud of myself,” Noe said. “It was a big gallery and everybody supported Tiger. Even my mom and dad were [surprised].”

Noe would enjoy defeating Woods again, but he’d like their next meeting to come as professionals on the PGA Tour.

“That’s my goal,” he said. “To play the PGA [Tour] is a dream. I’ve been playing golf to one day play the PGA. I’m thinking like [joining the tour] two or three years. Hopefully, I’ll be ready then.”

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The natural: Noe’s father owned a company in South Korea that manufactured golf shoes.

When Noe was 11, he joined his father at work one weekend. While his father was working, Noe wondered off to a nearby driving range.

His father found him hitting balls flawlessly as adults looked on in amazement. Two years later, Noe won his first tournament.

“I liked it from the start. It was just like, ‘Boom!’ ” Noe said. “That turned me on. My dad couldn’t believe it.”

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On a roll: The women’s volleyball team (14-0, 2-0 in the Big West Conference) has tied the 1987 squad for the second-best start in school history.

The 49ers, ranked fifth in the USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Assn. poll, can tie the school record for victories to open a season tonight against Boise State at the Pyramid. The 1991 squad also started 15-0.

49er Notes

Anja Grabovac, a freshman outside hitter from Rijcka, Croatia, will have surgery Oct. 10 to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee, a Long Beach spokesman said. Grabovac, 19, suffered the injury Wednesday during a match at Loyola Marymount. She is expected to miss the remainder of the season. . . . The U.S. national women’s volleyball team, featuring former 49er All-Americans Tara Cross-Battle and Danielle Scott, plays Long Beach in an exhibition match at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Pyramid.

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Coming Attractions

Here’s a look at key games this week for Long Beach State:

* Women’s volleyball against Boise State at the Pyramid at 7:30 tonight. The 49ers are 14-0, 2-0 in the Big West. Boise State (6-9, 2-0) is in its first season in the conference since moving from the Big Sky.

* Water polo Friday night at 7 against Cal at the Belmont Plaza Pool and Saturday at noon against Santa Clara at Long Beach State.