Persistence pays off for Centennial's Shah in title-worthy performance
| Thursday, May 28 2009 11:14 PM
Last Updated Thursday, May 28 2009 11:14 PM
Boys golf
Central Section Individual Championships
At Seven Oaks; par 72
q-qualified for SoCal regional; t-already qualified through team
q-Manav Shah, Centennial, 69; q-Stephen Harmer, Garces, 72; t-Michael Weaver, Clovis West, 72; t-Nate Jessup, Porterville, 72; t-Pace Johnson, CW, 72; q-Pete Fernandez, Stockdale, 73; q-Tim Toste, Kerman, 73; t-Mickey McGinn, Port, 74; q-Richard Gilkey, Liberty, 75; q-Bryce Keene, Stock, 75; q-Bryson Dechambeau, Clovis East, 75; q-Gunner Kirschenmann, Gar, 76; q-Rhett Kilgore, Fresno-Bullard, 76; q-Riley Scott, Gar, 77; q-Cody Neal, Lemoore, 77; t-Quinn Proctor, Port, 77; Michael Tolladay, Bull, 77; Micah DiFalco, Clovis Christian, 77; Steven VanDerHouk, Visalia-Redwood, 77; Alex Marina, Stock, 78; Conner Huser, Bakersfield, 78; t-Kris Kennel, Port, 79; Buddy Sentatore, Fresno-SJ Memorial, 79; Chase Goodvin, Frontier, 79; Jake Jacobus, East, 79; Matt Wisniewski, Ridgeview, 79; t-Barrett Schortman, Port, 80; Jeremy Choi, Cent, 80; Colby Thompson, SJM, 80; Weston Smart, CE, 80.
Other locals -- Max Schmidt, Lib, 81; Rufie Fessler, Lib, 82; Michael Brown, Delano, 84; Daniel King, Stock, DQ.
Images
Felix Adamo / The Californian Stockdale's Pete Fernandez comes out of a trap on the back nine at the Central Section boys individual championships at Seven Oaks Country Club
Felix Adamo / The Californian Liberty's Richard Gilkey lifts the ball out of the sand trap on 11 at Seven Oaks Counrty Club during the Central section individual golf championships
Felix Adamo / The Californian After hitting in the water hazzard on 10, Stockdale's Alex Marina drops another ball into play under the watchful eye of scorer Don Ward.
Manav Shah decided that for this big golf tournament, he'd play it safe, shoot in the 60s and hope that held up for a Central Section championship.
Turns out, it was more than enough.
Shah shot a 3-under-par 69 at Seven Oaks Country Club on Thursday and won the section's individual title by three strokes over his nearest competition.
"I hadn't really put it all together until today," Shah said. "All my work's starting to pay off."
Shah, a junior, has played in junior world tournaments and in U.S. Amateur Championship qualifier events, so he was used to the pressure. It's just that his results haven't always matched his all-around talent.
"When he came to the course, he seemed to have a different demeanor," Centennial coach Andy Muro said. "... He had a gameplan he stuck to all day long: Hit fairways and greens, and make the putts. Nothing more than that. Not trying to force anything."
Mission accomplished. Shah hit 13 greens in regulation, putted like a veteran and made just one bogey.
"I knew it was coming," Muro said. "He's been working very hard the last few weeks, not only physically but on his mental approach to the game. He's been grinding it out, because he's been a little disappointed in his game. I could see the fire in his belly."
Shah, who had a solid year but usually played second fiddle to Stockdale's Pete Fernandez in the SWYL, was at 2-under Thursday when he drained in a couple of knee-knocking, par-saving putts on Nos. 14 and 15. He then hit his shot of the day, an iron on the par-4 16th that stuck within two feet of the pin.
It was then that Shah allowed himself to wonder about the leader board.
"Right after that shot, I was like, 'OK, if I make that putt, I can get to 3 (under),'" Shah said. "If I can birdie on coming in, I can get to 4. I didn't, so I had to hope this held up."
Turns out, he had nothing to worry about. The next-lowest number was 72, where four golfers came in at even par. That group included Garces' Stephen Harmer and Clovis West's Michael Weaver, who had the low score at last week's section team championships.
"Off the tee I struggled, but I kept it together," Harmer said. "I had a lot of saved par putts. I'm very happy; no complaints."
Fernandez, second in the state last year and one of the favorites on his home course, was in position to shoot under par, but two late bogeys left him with a 73.
That still was plenty good enough to get Fernandez back in position to defend his state position. The top 12 section finishers who weren't already on a qualifying team (Clovis West or Porterville) advance to Wednesday's CIF Southern Cal Regional at the SCGA Golf Course in Murrieta. From there, they can advance to the state tournament at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach.
Besides Shah, Harmer and Fernandez, local golfers advancing to the regional were: Liberty's Richard Gilkey (75), Stockdale's Bryce Keene (75), Garces' Gunner Kirschenmann (76) and Garces' Riley Scott (77).
Kirschenmann had the shot of the day when he holed out from 100 yards for eagle on No. 12, and Scott survived a five-way playoff at 77 that allowed only three golfers through.
Those seven will now play at the regional, where Shah can show off his skills in a big tournament again.
"He knows what it takes," Muro said. "He's getting more and more comfortable with each big tournament he plays in, and I think he's really close to coming into his own."
