Bryce Alderton
Greens turned tricky on Costa Mesa Golf & Country Club's Mesa Linda
course during the first round of the 32nd annual Costa Mesa city
championship Saturday, stretching golfers to find any advantage they
could.
Laguna Niguel resident Sasan Shahi didn't have to look too far to
find another set of eyes, those of his father and caddy, Peter Shahi,
helping the 18-year-old birdie seven holes en route to a 6-under-par
64 and a one-stroke lead heading into today's final 18 holes on the
Los Lagos course in the amateur golf championship.
Shahi will join Robert Caton, Brandon Christianson and Newport
Beach resident Greg Meyer in the final group that tees off at 11:30
a.m. today on the longer Los Lagos course (6,542 yards).
The 16 golfers with the low scores Saturday will tee off beginning
at 11 a.m. today on Los Lagos with a chance to add their names to a
championship trophy alongside past champions Mark O'Meara and Scott
Simpson, both PGA Tour major champions.
Shahi moved closer to that feat after shooting a 5-under 30 on the
back nine, giving much credit to father.
"My dad helped with a lot of reads on the back nine," said Shahi,
who finished second in the Aliso Viejo city championship. Shahi shot
5-under 30 on a back nine that measures 236 yards shorter than the
front nine.
"There are more opportunities on the back nine," Shahi said. "Both
par 5s are reachable in two and there are two par 4s under 300
yards."
Caton, a Pelican Hill Golf Club outside services employee, also
shot 5-under on the back and was one of two players to finish at
5-under 65. Valencia resident Brandon Christianson tied Caton with a
65.
Caton, 28, birdied eight of his final 16 holes, including five on
the back nine, after a double-bogey-bogey start.
Meyer, Rob Clever (Placentia), Ben Miller (Palos Verdes Estates)
and Breene Murphy (Laguna Beach) all shot 66 heading into today's
final round of the 36-hole amateur championship open to men 18 and
older.
Costa Mesa men's club champions Sam Morgan (2003) and Ed Susolik
(2004), along with Irvine resident Ryan Rindfleisch, all shot 67,
while Costa Mesa resident Eric Vallely, Mike Walker, from Newport
Beach, and defending champion Adam Marshall are among eight golfers
who carded 68s. Eight golfers shot 69 including Robert Ury, who will
attempt to walk-on at USC this fall after playing at Corona del Mar
High, and former champion Greg Sato.
Twenty-seven players finished under par Saturday.
Caton, who considers Costa Mesa his "second home club" to Pelican
