ORANGE COUNTY ALL-STAR GOLF : Igarashi’s Three Late Birdies Propel South

NEWPORT BEACH —  Just when the golf match seemed to be slipping away, Jaycy Igarashi discovered the birdie.

Igarashi, from Laguna Hills High, made birdie on three of the last four holes at Newport Beach Country Club. That proved crucial to the South team’s 16-8 victory in the Southern California PGA Orange County all-star match Wednesday.

It was the South’s fourth victory in the four years the tournament has been held.

Each foursome played two individual matches, plus a third match based on combined scores of each two-man team. Two points were awarded for a victory and one for a tie in each match, for a total of six team points per foursome.

Igarashi and his partner, Graham Lynch of Capistrano Valley, were awarded all six points in their match against Yong Chun of Loara and Mike Kruse of Western, the only team to sweep its matches in the tournament that featured the county’s top senior golfers.

“We started off winning and then they caught up,” said Igarashi, who will walk-on at USC next fall. “But Graham and I put together some birdies to close it out.”

Igarashi had birdies on 15, 16 and 18.

“Jaycy came alive on the back side,” said Lynch, who will attend Baylor. “He closed out his partner and pretty much cinched it for the team.”

After trailing by two points after two foursomes had finished, the South outscored the North, 11-1. Joe Garner and Brian Voytovich of El Toro defeated Scott Ohls of Savanna and Brian Shearan of Pacifica, 5-1.

In the most competitive match, the South’s Scott Richardson of Dana Hills and Mark Christensen of Trabuco Hills defeated Scott Gibson of Huntington Beach and Paul Hinkle of Estancia, 4-2. Richardson had the low round of the tournament, a one-over par 72.