County Open Golf : Gunn Fires 66, Wins by 8 Shots

Roger Gunn had to tell somebody about his 63 in the second round of the Buie San Diego County Open on Thursday.

His girlfriend? Parents?

Nope.

‘I never had a lead in a big tournament, so I asked what I was supposed to do now.”

Ah, a little strategy from the coach?

Sorry.

“The strategy was to call my sports psychologist like I do every evening during a tournament,” Gunn said.

“There was a possibility I could jump way out in the lead,” he said. “Then what do you do?”

Apparently, you call sports psychologist Fran Perizolo in Houston.

Gunn, 26, did indeed jump out to a big lead Friday by making birdies on six of the first seven holes of the final round at Torrey Pines Golf Course.

He finished with a 6-under-par 66 on the North Course to win his first tournament as a pro and $4,500. Gunn, who is from Napa, had a 54-hole total of 197, 19 under par and eight shots ahead of runner-up Mark Burk, who shot 70.

Howie Johnson, who trailed Gunn by two entering the final round, shot 73 and tied for third with Victor Regalado, the first-round leader, who shot 69.

So, what was this sage advice from the psychologist?

“He said not to get too external with your

thoughts,” Gunn said. “Don’t think about the money and the trophy.”

Nobody could have faulted Gunn if he did tee off with thoughts of winning his biggest check. His previous best was approximately $2,600 in a tournament in England while on the European tour in 1986.

Gunn picked up where he left off Thursday when he was 6-under on the final five holes for a 30 on the par-36 back 9. Friday, Gunn opened with two birdies and then parred the par-3 third when his 13-foot putt hit the lip of the cup and stayed out.

Gunn then birdied the next four holes and finished with a 30 on the front nine. Including the end of Thursday’s round, Gunn was 11 under in a stretch of 12 holes (the 14th through the 7th).

“It was unbelievable,” Gunn said. “I thought I was going to birdie every hole. It got to be silly out there.”

Gunn led by seven strokes after 45 holes. The magic touch deserted him a little on the back nine. He three-putted for bogey on the par-4 11th, only his second bogey of the tournament.

Gunn finished with a birdie on the par-5 18th.

“He got way under real soon,” Burk said. “It was basically over after nine holes.”

Burk, however, was in a tight duel with Johnson for the second-place check of $2,700.

Burk chipped in from 30 feet for a birdie on the par-3 17th, and Johnson bogeyed the hole.

“I made the crucial chip in on 17 when Howie and I were pretty close,” said Burk, who is from Los Angeles. “That was the difference right there.”

Greg Attiyeh of La Jolla shot par 72 to make up a three-stroke deficit and win the amateur title. Attiyeh played at La Jolla High School and recently graduated from UCLA, where he played two years on the golf team.