Palisades Defends Title; Sylmar’s Montes Shines

Palisades High won its second consecutive City Section golf championship, and Sylmar’s Jay Montes won the individual title Wednesday at Griffith Park’s Wilson course.

Montes, a senior who did not start playing golf until the summer before his freshman year, shot a two-over-par 74 and finished with a 36-hole total of 141 to win the championship, the first in Sylmar history.

Defending champion Ed Turner of Palisades shot a two-under 70 for the low score Wednesday, but finished in second place with a 144 total.

Gavin Witzer of Westchester, Leif Hansen of Eagle Rock and Doo Kang of San Pedro tied for third at 150.

Palisades won the team title with a 794 total. Chatsworth, which led Palisades by a stroke after the first round, finished second at 805 and Hamilton was third at 816.

Turner, a sophomore, began the day seven shots off the lead. His 70 was five shots more than the City-record 65 he shot last year at Wilson to win the title.

“I played better than I did the first day, but the way [Montes] played, I almost had to shoot 65 again to win,” Turner said.

Montes, a senior, had shot a five-under 67 on Griffith Park’s Harding course Tuesday to take the lead heading into Wednesday’s final round on the longer Wilson layout.

“I really wanted to shoot par [Wednesday], but I’ll take a two-over on this course,” Montes said. “Basically I just used the same strategy as [Tuesday], tried to hit the fairways and greens.

“There was no reason to press and go for too much. I had the lead. Everyone else was chasing me.”

Montes admitted he was nervous, especially on the back nine.

“I was struggling the last couple of holes because I started thinking about it,” Montes said. “My school and where I live isn’t known for its golf so I thought, ‘Let me post something for Sylmar.’ ”