What rivalry? LO, Sobrato golfers yuck it up in last match
before BVALs
SAN JOSE — They gathered in twilight just beyond the ninth green of The Valley Course at Coyote Creek Golf Club, patiently waiting for the final group to finish.
There was audible buzz in the air. The Sobrato golf team — winless in 12 Mount Hamilton Division matches — was tied with Live Oak.
“Dude, if we lose,” Kevin Kjellsen, a Live Oak senior, said to teammate Ryan Colton.
“We won’t lose,” Colton responded.
“We can’t win,” Sobrato captain Doug Bennett chimed. “We have a reputation to keep here.”
The last ball dropped into the cup, and the players and coaches stormed the fringe, pulling out scorecards, pencils and cell phones to calculate. Thanks to a clutch finish by Live Oak freshman Marc Noble, the Acorns prevailed 218-221.
Both teams rejoiced.
“That would have been a bad way to end the season,” said Live Oak coach Tom Sumpter, whose team swept Sobrato in three matches this year. “We’re happy to go out this way.”
So were the Bulldogs, who, in achieving complete imperfection, likened themselves to the Detroit Lions.
“0-13 is an accomplishment,” Sobrato’s Reed Campbell said during the match. “1-12, that’s just a bad season.”
The regular-season finale between cross-town “rivals” played out like a celebrity pro-am, or a friendly game of H-O-R-S-E. There was good golf and Superbad comedy.
“I know we’re supposed to hate Sobrato, but how could we hate these guys? They’re the most fun to play with,” Colton said. “Some of the other teams in league, they take golf too seriously. We’re just having fun out here.”
Beyond that, Wedneday’s game was a final tune-up for Kjellsen, Colton, Bennett and Sobrato’s Brandon Roth, who will play in the April 27 Blossom Valley Athletic League Finals. Campbell and Roth joined Kjellsen and Colton in the top flight. The four finished in the low 40s, with Roth leading at 6-over-par 41.
Live Oak’s Danny LaCorte was medalist at 4 over.
Roth, a senior, highlighted his day on the par-5, 528-yard fifth hole, where he reached the green with a 3-iron from more than 220 yards out. Roth two-putted for birdie.
“I could have done a lot better today,” Roth said. “I had some good holes. I need to work on my swing, chipping and putting from here. My goal is to finish under 40 at finals.”
The game picked up on the fifth hole, starting with Roth’s approach shot.
“You taking notes?” Campbell asked Kjellsen.
“You should be. I’m beating you,” Kjellsen replied.
“I can beat you — at Tiger Woods (Golf) 2009.”
“No way. I played for like two hours before I came here.”
The gauntlet was dropped. Campbell sank an uphill putt from 25 yards out on No. 6, and Kjellsen answered with a curving 10-footer on No. 6 and a 9-footer on No. 7.
“I haven’t really been putting that well this season,” said Kjellsen, who is vying for a return trip to section finals after missing out his junior and sophomore seasons. “Today doesn’t really compare to how I’ve been doing. I just need to be consistent at League Finals. That’ll get me to CCS.”
Kjellsen was averaging a team-best 43.25 in nine-hole play before Wednesday. The senior shot a round-best 1-over-par 36 Monday, as the Acorns (6-8 overall, 4-8 league) beat Sobrato 225-236 at Summitpointe Golf Club.
League Finals will be held at San Jose Municipal Golf Course, a forgiving venue compared to gusty Coyote Creek.
“That’s an easy course, but that’s not necessarily a good thing,” said Colton, a junior. “If it’s easy for you, it’s easy for everyone. The hard courses are where you can rise up and boost your confidence. You’re not just playing against other people, you’re playing against yourself.”
With Sumpter and swing coach Barry McDonnell watching, Colton on No. 8 buried the biggest putt of the day, a 50-footer that touched every part of the lip.
“Sometimes, I can putt,” said Colton, who shot 46.
Ben Hartl carded a 44, and Noble followed at 47 to round out Live Oak’s top five scorers.
“I had some good shots today,” Noble said. “I almost birdied the third.”
Ben Rush shot 42, Campbell carded a 43, Bennett followed at 44 and Jeff Sim finished at 51 for the Bulldogs.
“A win would have been nice today, but at least the guys had fun,” Sobrato coach Jeff Bernstein said.
