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Winfield misses state tournament by one stroke

Fallbrook High School senior Sebbi Winfield ended his high school golf career at the CIF Southern Regional tournament, qualifying for that four-section tournament through his performance at the CIF San Diego Section tournament and missing the state tournament by one stroke.

“He had a great year,” Fallbrook coach Steve Jorde said.

Fallbrook as a team qualified for the CIF tournament at the Admiral Baker course in San Diego. Golf still has enrollment-based team playoff divisions rather than competitive-based divisions, but Fallbrook’s fall 2017 enrollment of 2,039 students placed the Warriors in Division II. The CIF tournament included eight Division II teams with the four highest seeded teams automatically qualifying and the next eight highest seeded teams competing in play-in matches.

Fallbrook was seeded ninth but was given a home match as a league champion, so eighth-seeded St. Augustine traveled to the Pala Mesa course for a May 9 play-in match against the Valley League title winners. The Warriors defeated the Saints to enter the CIF tournament as a team.

A total of 24 teams from all three divisions competed May 14, on the Admiral Baker course as did golfers who qualified as individuals. Twelve schools advanced as teams to the second day of play May 16. Fallbrook’s team score of 420 placed the Warriors 21st among the 24 teams.

Six members of a high school team compete in each match. The high score is discarded while the scores of the other five golfers are added to obtain the team score. During regular-season dual meets a round consists of nine holes while the conference tournament and the CIF tournament involved 18-hole rounds.

The 28 individuals not affiliated with a qualifying team who had the best scores advanced to the May 16 second day of the tournament, and in case a tie for the 28th position occurred, all players with that score would advance. The cutoff score turned out to be 78 strokes. Winfield’s 71-stroke round placed fourth among golfers who did not advance to the second day as part of a team and shared 11th place among all golfers in the CIF tournament.

A score of 85 was shot by Fallbrook freshman Quinn Lynnus, junior Keller Hagen completed his round in 86 strokes, freshman Zach Hidalgo had a score of 99, senior Daniel Milton took 90 shots and freshman Damon Powell had a 114-stroke round.

Twelve individual qualifiers advanced to the CIF Southern Regional tournament, May 24, at the Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena with a playoff determining 12th place if necessary. Winfield’s May 16 score of 74 gave him a 36-hole total of 145.

“That was good enough to go to regionals,” Jorde said.

Two golfers had a playoff for the 12th position and the regional tournament berth after both had scores of 147. Winfield’s score placed him 10th among individuals.

“He played very well,” Jorde said.

Torrey Pines High School and La Costa Canyon High School qualified as teams, and including those golfers, Winfield’s 36-hole score shared 14th place with three others.

“Only 24 kids in all of San Diego go to regionals, and he was one of them,” Jorde said. “He deserves it. He works really hard.”

The top three teams at the regional tournament, and the top six individuals not participating with a team advanced to the state tournament, May 30, at the San Gabriel Country Club in San Gabriel.

“He just missed that by one shot,” Jorde said.

The golfers who had a 73-stroke round at the regional tournament participated in the playoff to advance to the state match. Winfield had a score of 74 on the San Gabriel course.

“He had a good round, really played well,” Jorde said. “Just ended up one shot short.”

The regional tournament ended Winfield’s high school golf career, but he will continue his golf competition at a higher level.

“He’s off to San Jose State, so he’s not done playing,” Jorde said.

Author Bio

Joe Naiman, Writer

Joe Naiman has been writing for the Village News since 2001

 

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