Bergen County's Shih Wins High School Tournament Of Champions
Spencer Shih of Northern Highlands Regional in Allendale didn’t mind the rain drops that fell consistently during the 2017 NJSIAA/NJSGA/MGA 83rdBoys High School Tournament of Champions on Monday, May 22 at Hopewell Valley Golf & Country Club in Hopewell.
By shooting a round of two-under-par 70, he won by one stroke the championship, joining his brother Harrison Shih, who did it in 2011.
Amazingly, the Shis are the second set of brothers to win the TOC title in the past seven years as Luke and Mike Graboyes of Watching Hills did it back-to-back in 2013 and 2014.
The team championship went to Christian Brothers Academy by a 297-302 margin over defending champion Bergen Catholic. Chris Gotterup, Jack Wall, Brendan Hansen and Manny Lazzaro shared the honor for CBA.
"My brother actually won this event in 2011, so coming into the season it was a goal of mine," Shih said. "So it definitely means a lot, just to be here and to win, it's just an awesome feeling."
Shih placed ahead of four players that were tied with 71 in the TOC, which included Shawnee's Chris Warner, Morristown's Will O'Neill, along with Christian Brothers teammates Wall and Gotterup.
Shih, a senior at Northern highlands, will attend George Washington University in the fall but is unsure if he will join the golf team there. The 70 was the best round he ever shot in New Jersey. He once shot a 69 at Berkeley Hall in South Carolina.
“I hit the ball well today. I stayed calm and patient and let the birdies come to me,” said Shih, who recorded four birdies and two bogeys. His 35-foot birdie putt on his final hole, the par-4 No. 5 hole, led to the championship.
“I know the course a little bit. I played a practice round last Friday. But my general knowledge of playing in the rain helped a lot. You can’t let anything get to you. With the conditions we had, I hit the ball very well. I had a good mental state: make pars and let he birdies come to you.”
Northern Highlands coach Steve Jochum said Shih’s potential is great.
“We’ve been waiting for him to have this kind of round. He’s very much a focused player. I don’t think the rain bothered him. He doesn’t let a bad shot bother him. He’s a good student who knows how to concentrate. He’s always focused on the shot at hand,” Jochum said.
Shih finished ahead of Old Tappan's Ryan Lee by four strokes for the Group 3 individual title as well.
In Group 1, Richie Neufeld of Kinnelon took individual honors, as he shot a four-over par 76, two strokes better than North Warren's Mike Bevacqua and Newton's Tyler Wilson.
In Group 2, Westwood's Christopher Lee took the title with a one-over par 73. He finished ahead of Wall's Luke Dougherty and Sparta's Jack Simon, who shot identical 74's.
Morristown's Will O'Neill won the Group 4 title in a playoff after shooting a 71, which tied him with Shawnee's Chris Warner. Stephen Sul of Old Bridge shot a 72 to take third.
The Non-Public A title came down to a playoff between two CBA teammates, as Jack Wall edged Chris Gotterup with an eagle on the fourth playoff hole after each shot 71's. Teammate Brendan Hansen shot a 72 to take third in that group.
In Non-Public B, DePaul's Ryan Fitzsimmons won the title with a two-over par 74. He was one stroke better than Pingry's Jake Mayer and St. Rose's Patrick Gates.
--nj.com contributed to this article.
