PREP GOLF: Medalist Mai leads Titans to golf title

Torrey Pines finishes second, advances to SoCal tournament

By MATT NULL - Staff Writer | Thursday, November 13, 2008 9:08 PM PST ∞

WARNER SPRINGS ---- While playing junior golf all summer, Poway High's Brittany Mai often saw herself in contention for first place but never found herself holding the trophy.

But after Thursday the sophomore can finally claim a tournament win as she shot a 4-under 68 to earn medalist honors at the CIF San Diego Section championships. Mai, who fired a 71 on Tuesday, carded a 139 to finish three strokes ahead of two-time champion Rachel Morris of Carlsbad and Cathedral Catholic's Joyce Kim, both of whom finished at 142.

Morris was looking to become only the second player in section history to win three straight section titles after Torrey Pines' Hannah Jun did it from 2000-2002.

Mai also helped lead the Titans to team championship as Poway placed first with a 779, followed by Torrey Pines with a 796. Both teams and the top 12 girls not on those teams will move on to play at the CIF Southern California Championships at SCGA Members Club in Murrieta on Monday.

During the summer, Mai finished in the top seven in 4-of-5 American Junior Golf Association tournaments and was even in first place going into the final round of one event before a lack of focus destroyed her chances.

On Thursday, focusing on her game was Mai's top priority, and she didn't realize she won the tournament until she sank a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole. It was Mai's sixth birdie in nine holes.

"The experience I learned from those matches taught me to focus more and not get distracted," Mai said.

Mai added that she didn't feel any pressure playing in a foursome with Kim, Morris and La Costa Canyon's Danielle Frasier, who are two highly ranked junior players.

"I was just focusing on my game," she said. "Danielle and Rachel are two friends of mine."

Poway coach Karen Brannon said Mai is one of the most consistent players she has ever seen.

"That's what makes her so phenomenal," said Brannon, who led Poway to a state title in 2006. "She is the leader of this team and she leads by example."

The second-ranked Titans led both days and Brannon said she had a game plan to help the team to victory.

"They just played lights out on Tuesday and that gave us the incentive to take it today," she said. "We had a very specific game plan and they stuck to it and executed it."

Other North County golfers to advance are Frasier and her La Costa Canyon teammate Georgiana Salant, Poway resident Julia Thead (Francis Parker), Del Mar residents Courtney Hooton and Spenser Krut of Bishop's, Cathedral Catholic's Devon Brown and Rancho Bernardo's Madi Mendiola.

Contact staff writer Matt Null at mnull@nctimes.com.