Wilson's Tyler Schafer fires a final-round 68 to win Moore League title

LONG BEACH >> The 2016 Moore League boys golf individual finals seemed destined for a dramatic finish on Thursday at Skylinks Golf Course when the top four golfers made the tu only separated by three strokes.

Instead, Wilson sophomore Tyler Schafer stole the show when he holed out for eagle on the par-five 15th hole to build a lead and hold on for the touament win.

Poly senior Jericho Betts led the four-day touament for three rounds before Schafer overtook him on the front nine with two birdies on his way to a four-under par 68. Schafer finished the touament with a six-under par 282, four shots clear of his teammate Andre Calubid in second place.

“This was an amazing experience,” Schafer said. “It’s a lot of golf and it’s so much fun.”

Schafer didn’t shoot over par in any of the four touament rounds this week at Skylinks, El Dorado Golf Course and Recreation Park. He started the day three shots back of Betts, and said that played in his favor.

“I’ve felt very confident in my game all week, and (not leading) was a relief because I didn’t have to worry about anyone else today,” Schafer said. “I just went out, played my game, and it worked out.”

Schafer led by one stroke when the final group reached the 15th tee, and he pulled his drive into the trees.

“I had hit a tree earlier in the week (with an iron) so I decided to try something a little different,” Schafer said.

With a fairway wood in hand, Schafer cut a shot around two trees and landed safely about 65 yards in front of the pin. His plan from there was to land on a slope behind the pin for a short birdie attempt.

“When I hit it I thought it was long,” he said. “But then I heard it hit the pin, and (coach Doc McBride) yelled ‘It’s in’ and I was just like ‘what?’ because I’ve never dunked it like that before.”

The ball landing in the cup on the fly, and the always even-keeled Schafer simply put his hands up in the air as if to shrug off the stroke of luck.

“There’s a lot of kids who would be out here jumping up and down after that shot,” Wilson coach Jeff Evans said. “But that’s just Tyler. He’s mentally superior to a lot of golfers his age.”

Evans credited that mental toughness to the challenging schedule the Bruins play. Schafer calmly made par on the final three holes after the eagle.

“They’ve been in these stressful situations before and they’re better for it,” Evans said of his team. “(Schafer) just knows how to put the ball in the hole. It’s an intangible.”

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Schafer only had one bogey in the final round because of his impressive putting. No matter where he was on the green, the sophomore always left himself a makable second putt.

“It’s just a feel,” Schafer said of his lag putts. “You can’t practice on greens like this, so you have to find the touch.”

Schafer, Calubid, his freshman brother Brad Calubid, Betts and Wilson’s Hunter Epson, Andrew Feandes and Tyler Allen all qualified for the CIF Southe Section individual touament at Skylinks on Monday. Millikan’s M.J. Dela Cruz just missed the cut off in eighth place.