Wood’s Best Earns Him Third Place

Taylor Wood did all he could in shooting a five-under-par 67 Monday in the Southern Section Individual golf finals at Canyon Country Club in Palm Springs.

But when it was over, the Santa Margarita High junior was left with one thought: “That I came up short,” Wood said.

His 67 tied a personal best in tournament play, but left him with a third-place trophy, one stroke out of a playoff for the section championship.

Anthony Kim, a 15-year-old sophomore from Desert La Quinta, defeated John Poucher of Santa Barbara San Marcos with a par on the second playoff hole after the two finished regulation tied at 66.

Defending champion Nico Bollini played a solid round from tee to green, but routinely left birdie attempts short and shot 70, finishing in a tie for 10th. The Servite High junior did not make a bogey until the final hole.

Wood, who birdied three of the final four holes, might have been in the playoff or won if not for birdie putts that lipped out on his third and seventh holes and a chip that lipped out on his ninth.

“It could have been better,” Wood said. “I had my share of good putts that didn’t go in, but I got lucky too.”

Wood has been playing solid golf. After shooting 81 during an 18-hole regular-season match in March, he started seeing Tom Sargent at Mesa Verde for lessons and said that has made the difference.

Since then, he has twice shot 67 and 69 and has been under par in several nine-hole matches.

“He’s really helped me, especially in thinking out there,” Wood said. “We’ve made some minor swing changes and ever since I’ve been playing well.”

Kim, a 15-year-old sophomore who transferred from North Hollywood Campbell Hall, has shot 66 three times in his last four rounds. He had the same score during the section team finals two weeks ago and shot 66 to win a local qualifier for the U.S. Open last week.

The temperatures Monday soared into the mid-90s by the middle of the round, but there was no breeze. The greens were immaculately groomed and players took advantage.

There were 23 scores under par and only two players--Greg Wells of Glendora and J.P. Policarpio of San Dimas--shot over par and finished among the top 25 who advanced to the CIF-SCGA finals June 5 at the SCGA Members’ Club.

Wells and Policarpio tied five others at 73 then each went birdie-par and won a playoff for the final two spots. Peter Whang of Kennedy was among those that missed out in the playoff.

With no leader board to inform him of his position, Wood thought getting in at four-under would put him in good standing.

“I was thinking 68 and get in the clubhouse,” said Wood, who made a conservative play by hitting a 2-iron off the final tee. But he stuck a 6-iron approach to within eight feet and made birdie to finish at 67.

Mike Rim of Sunny Hills and Neno Boonyaplanun of University each shot 70 and Matt Isaacson of Tustin and Ed McGlasson of El Modena shot 71. All advance to the CIF-SCGA finals, as will all members of Santa Margarita’s and Servite’s teams, which qualified two weeks ago.