Aliso Niguel HS senior Kyle An (Conner Penfold photo)
The past and the future came together seamlessly on Sunday for Aliso Niguel High School senior Kyle An.
Trailing leader Lingkun Kong by one heading to the final hole of the Pasadena City Championship, An channeled course knowledge to sink a clutch birdie putt, and did so beside the historic home to his future university’s football team.
“I actually had the same putt in CIF [SCGA Boys Regional Championship] last year so I knew exactly what to do,” said An, who will join the UCLA men’s golf team this fall.
The three at 18 put An at 4-under for the tournament, though he would have to wait for the last pairing to finish. Kong, also 4-under at the time, parred his two closing holes while UC Santa Barbara sophomore Blake McGovern failed to make a needed birdie to join An and Kong for extra holes.
Long birdie tries on the first playoff hole slipped by for both An and Kong, who turned back away from the setting sun to play the narrow par-4 ninth. With the north entrance to the Rose Bowl just yards away, An nestled a shot from the greenside bunker to within six feet and cashed it in after Kong’s par attempt rolled past.
“It’s definitely memorable,” An said. “I’m going to be here [at the Rose Bowl] a lot so to come back to good memories is always nice.”
PHOTO GALLERY
An’s final-round 66 was the best score posted on the longer C.W. Koiner course, edging Kong’s opening 67 on Friday.
McGovern, whose Saturday 64 on the shorter E.O. Nay course was low round of the tournament by two, finished in third.
Eight-time winner and four-time defending champion Tim Hogarth’s chance at a five-peat was diminished following an opening-round 76 on Koiner side, though a Sunday run gave the Northridge resident an outside shot.
Hogarth strung together five birdies from holes 5 to 15, putting him inside the top-five at 1-under par. Though he would go on to finish solo seventh after a deflating double-bogey at the 16th.
Dan Sullivan, another former winner, did manage to crack the top-five, tying for fourth with Scotland Schmidt, who shared the lead at various points during the day but like Hogarth, the final three holes were unkind.
Sullivan, twice champion at the Pasadena City, birdied three of his last five holes to post 70 on Sunday.
ABOUT THE
Pasadena City Championship
The Pasadena City is a historic championship
that
dates back to 1929 and has
long been one of
Southern California's most prestigious
tournaments.
A WAGR counting event
and
SCGA Player of the Year points tournament.
Proceeds
from the Championship will support youth
development
programs for the First Tee of Greater Pasadena.
The Championship Flight is an open flight (no
age
limit) conducted over 54 holes. The field will be
cut to the top 30% and ties after 36 holes, to
play
the finals on Course #1 Sunday.
Net Flights are open to all players 18 or older
with
12-month low handicap index ranging from 2.7
to
31.5. The field will be divided into
six flights to play over 54 holes. Cut after
Saturday
rounds to 30% and ties for all flights. Finals for
all
Net Flights are to be played on Course 1 on
Sunday.
View Complete Tournament Information