Winning Isn’t the Only Thing

One day, one round, one coveted trophy.

And if you don’t win it, an opportunity for one last chance.

The Southern Section boys’ individual golf championships are today at Friendly Hills Country Club in Whittier.

Eight players from the region are among 40 golfers vying for a trophy that has been won by Tiger Woods, Steve Pate and Billy Casper.

Representing the region are Russell Surber of Flintridge Prep, Charlie Smith of Hart, Jon Ohye of Calabasas, J.T. Kohut of Westlake, Brian Woolf of Alemany, Justin Ohye of Calabasas, Ian Medlock of Westlake and Aaron Huber of Saugus.

But the 18-hole contest is not a do-or-die situation.

The top 22 finishers advance to the CIF-SCGA tournament, where the top players from the Southern, San Diego, Central and City sections will compete. It is the closest thing to a California championship in high school golf.

Among the CIF-SCGA winners are Woods, Phil Mickelson, John Cook, Lennie Clements and Craig Stadler.

“[Today] is big, but not as big as state,” Smith said. “I mean, it would be cool to win. Every time I go out there, I’m trying to win.

“But I’ve never qualified for state before and I really want to go. The main goal is just to qualify.”

Even so, there will be more motivation to win today than there was Monday at the Southern Section Northern regional, where anyone who shot 80 or better advanced to the tournament today.

“When it really counts for something in the end, the goal is totally to win,” said Jon Ohye, who led players from the region Monday by shooting 73. “The last one, there wasn’t really any title on the line.”

In last year’s Southern Section tournament at Canyon Country Club in Palm Springs, Kohut, two-time Marmonte League champion, finished second after making a bogey on his last hole. A par would have given him a share of the title.

Surber, a University of Texas-bound senior, chipped in from the fringe for a birdie last year to win a 12-way playoff for the final qualifying spot, then finished third in the CIF-SCGA tournament.

Woolf, an Arizona-bound senior and two-time Mission League champion, was among those who Surber defeated in the playoff.

Medlock, who tied for third in the Marmonte League tournament, and Huber, third-place finisher in the Foothill League, are making their first appearances to the Southern Section championships.