Sailors dialed in to 70s

Newport Harbor High boys golf coach Scott Tarnow left Pelican Hill

Golf Club Friday astonished.

Not because his team won, but the way it won.

Five Sailors shot in the 70s on the par-70 South course to power

Newport to a 383-412 victory over Back Bay rival Corona del Mar in

the second Pelican Cup and the final regular season match for both

teams.

Newport’s 383 is a 35-stroke improvement from the first Pelican

Cup, which CdM won, 401-418.

Junior Davis Pemstein earned medalist honors with a 74, a

seven-stroke improvement from last year’s match, and was followed by

teammates Rhett Palmer (75), Brandon Sowers (76), David

Motschenbacher (78) and Michael Benvenuti (79) for Newport (12-8),

winners of five in a row.

Before the match, Tarnow said the wind, along with plenty of

hazards throughout the course, would make it a challenge to shoot low

scores.

His players proved otherwise.

“I’m still shocked five guys shot in the 70s,” Tarnow said. “The

course was tough. It was a little windy and the greens were punched

awhile back and still a bit sandy.”

Pemstein birdied one hole in shooting a 1-over 36 on the front

nine.

Zach Rabinovich led CdM (10-11) with a 78 followed by Alex

Chikovani (79), Matt Story (83), Rob Ury (85) and Ben Tilsen (87).

The names and scores of Newport’s top five players will be

engraved on the Pelican Cup, a ceramic trophy with a wood base,

created by a CdM student. Newport will keep the trophy until next

year’s event.

-- Bryce Alderton