Filipino golfer, 14, wins SF city title
Source: Inquirer Bloggers
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/diaspora/diaspora/view/20090324-195882/...
CALIFORNIA, United States—With a level of focus, not to mention golf game, that belies his age, 14-year-old Carlos Briones became the youngest winner of the San Francisco City Golf Championship, and the first Filipino-American to capture the title in its 92 years as the longest running golf tournament in the country.
Briones sank a tricky downhill 5-foot par putt at Harding Park’s 16th hole, on March 8, 2009, to defeat University of California Berkeley freshman Jamie Core, 3 and 2, in the match play event.
Three days after the victory, Briones sat in the Harding Park clubhouse and was able to reflect on his monumental achievement at a course he described as being a “nice layout.”
“I love this course,” Briones said to FilAm Star. “It feels good to be here, just looking at the place where I made that putt. It’s amazing because that was the putt that made history for me and for the tournament.”
The San Lorenzo resident and freshman at Hayward’s Moreau Catholic High School used a solid short game to win six matches over a period of two weeks, a span that included a stirring come-from-behind semi-final victory over former UCLA quarterback Drew Olson.
In Saturday’s 36-hole duel between Briones and Olson, the Manila-native found himself down two strokes to Olson with three holes left to play, seemingly an impossible task to overcome.
“I told myself don’t ever give up and just dream big,” said Briones. “With that, nothing can stop you from getting there.”
Oblivious to the pressure of the moment, the unflappable Briones recovered from an errant drive to birdie the 16th hole, hitting a second shot 150 yards over the cypress trees that would have made Tiger Woods proud. From there, it was an Olson wayward drive on the 17th hole that eventually allowed Briones to even the match.
Briones, who turned 15 on March 12th, sealed the deal against Olson with an impressive two-putt par from 70 feet, which put him in the unlikely position to be a finals competitor.
It was quite an experience, Briones said, to face a former pro athlete such as Olson, who played for three NFL teams, but after being cut by the 49ers last year, decided to get back into competitive golf.
“It was good facing an athlete like him (Olson) because he’s actually had to face that pressure before, on the field, when he has to make a clutch pass for that touchdown to win it,” said Briones. “It was great playing against him. I got a lot out of it. He’s a really cool guy.”
Going into the event, the expectations of the young Fil-Am were modest, having more to do with garnering attention than winning the City Championship.
“I was really just trying to win a couple of matches, you know, just to get a little publicity for colleges, and all that,” said Briones. “But then I won my two matches, I felt good about it. Then I went to the next week of my matches and I won both of those. And then I won my last two matches, which felt great. I didn’t know I could do that, so it opened up a lot of things for me.”
Although both of his parents are very supportive of his golfing, Briones said they still stress academics over athletics. That’s one of the reasons why the math-loving Briones would like to go to Stanford University.
Nearly eight years ago at the Filipino festival, Penafrancia, Briones was introduced to the sport when he stopped by San Leandro’s Tony Lema Golf Course, where they were holding free lessons. It was under the suggestion of his father, George (who caddied for his son at the City Championship), that Carlos gave it a try.
“I didn’t even know what golf was, really, until I actually tried it out for myself,” said the younger Briones. “Then I just got hooked from there.”
As for the importance of being the first Fil-Am to win the event, Briones is very conscious of the accomplishment.
“It makes it more significant,” said Briones, who came over to the US when he was five years old. “And being the youngest, and Filipino, really makes it better. It gives recognition to the Filipinos, I could say. I have a lot of pride for my country.”
With hopes of eventually becoming the first full-Filipino on the men’s Professional Golf Association (PGA) tour, Briones said he will continue practicing, and later this summer, attempt to qualify for the US Amateur Golf Championship.
Putting in the time with his swing coach, Winslow “Woody” Woodard has paid off in spades for Briones, who won a $300 gift certificate to Harding’s pro shop to go along with the champion’s large crystal bowl.
Woodard, an instructor at the Chuck Corica Golf Course, in Alameda, has worked with Briones for over six years now. Unfortunately, he missed out on seeing his pupil’s victory, in person, due to family obligations.
To lighten the mood before the tournament, and as a little motivation, Woodard said that he promised Briones a bass fishing trip if he won the whole thing.
“He (Briones) gave me a call the latter part of Sunday afternoon, while I was driving home,” said Woodard. “And he says, ‘well I guess you’re going to have to take me fishing now.’”
