Locals place in top 10

Two golfers from the Newport-Mesa area had successful weekends at a Toyota Tour Cup series tournament.

Mike Moorhead, a Corona del Mar High junior, tied for fourth, and Estancia junior Jake Knapp collected 30 points by finishing tied for fifth in the 49-player tournament Oct. 16-17 at the par-72 Cypress Ridge Golf Course in Arroyo Grande.

Moorhead finished one-over (73-72 – 145), two shots behind tournament champion Jason Semthiti (one-under; 73-70 – 143) from Los Angeles. Moorhead eagled the 300-yard, par-four seventh hole in the second round and finished the two-day tournament with six birdies.

Knapp finished five-over (73-76 – 149) and tallied his fourth top-10 in six Toyota Tour Cup events this year. He has first-, and second-place finishes.

Knapp, who has verbally committed to UCLA, has made the cut in all six events and ranks tied for fifth in the series standings with 525 points.

Moorhead has played in and made the cut in all three events this year.

There is one tournament remaining (Nov. 6-7 at Rancho San Marcos Golf Course in Santa Barbara) before the series qualifying tournament Nov. 20-21 at The Palms Course at Menifee Lakes Country Club in Menifee.

Both events lead up to the series championship (Moorhead won this event last season) Dec. 21-23 at The Country Club at Soboba Springs in San Jacinto.

***The United States team defeated the European team, 821-801, in Mesa Verde Country Club’s version of the Ryder Cup Oct. 3.

Two couples comprised each of 24 foursomes (12 per team).

Tom and Tami McGreevy, paired with Pete and Bridget Mata, tied with the foursome of Frank and Diane Williamson and partners Ken Passon and Bonnie Renta, with 81 points to lead their teams.

The teams earned points for certain scores: An eagle is worth five points, a birdie two points and a par one point. A bogey or more is worth zero points.