Exon has eagle eye

Drew Exon called it random.

Amazing or stunning would also be appropriate adjectives.

Exon, a 17-year-old who spends most of his free time pounding

balls or honing his touch around the practice greens at Mesa Verde

Country Club in Costa Mesa, reached rare territory with his feat at

the Costa Mesa junior golf championships July 26.

The blond-haired Irvine resident eagled three straight holes on

the back nine on Costa Mesa Golf & Country Club’s Mesa Linda course

en route to a startling 9-under-par 26 on that side. His 6-under 64

edged Newport Harbor golfer Justin Morehead by three shots to claim

the boys 16-17 division.

Exon’s scorecard for holes 14-16 read: 3-2-2.

He hit driver-4-iron to within a foot on the par-5, 475-yard 14th;

drove the green on the 268-yard, par-4 15th within seven feet and

made the putt; and hit driver to 25 feet of the cup on the par-4,

278-yard 16th. Exon, who will be a senior at Woodbridge High this

fall, knocked in the 25-foot, left-to-right breaker.

He said he was just trying to two-putt.

Exon’s back nine also included four birdies with a bogey 5 on the

18th. His previous low for nine holes was 31.

Exon’s scintillating streak drew laughs and high-fives from his

playing partners, which included Santa Ana Country Club member Scott

Travers.

“I’ve made eagles before, one or two in tournaments, but I never

expected [to tally three straight],” said Exon, younger brother of

former Woodbridge tennis standout Elizabeth Exon.

Exon said putting and accuracy off the tee fuel his game, but

added he didn’t change his swing before stepping to the fateful

holes.

“I took a normal swing and hit the best drives of the day,” he

said.

Lessons the last two years with Mesa Verde head professional Tom

Sargent have aided Exon’s rise. Exon said he spends six days a week

practicing or playing at Mesa Verde.

“[Sargent] has helped me],” said Exon, who started playing golf

five years ago. “I’m so much longer off the tee because of him.”

Sargent, the 1997 PGA of America Professional of the Year who

served 17 years as Yorba Linda Country Club’s head pro before coming

to Mesa Verde in 1995, said Exon’s feat was rare.

“I’ve never heard of anyone doing that and I’ve been reading most

of the golf magazines for a long time,” Sargent said.

Four days before his Costa Mesa triumph, Exon claimed the boys

division title by one stroke at the Junior Amateur Golf Scholars’

Jack and Madaline Hooper Memorial tournament at California Country

Club in Whittier. Exon shot even par for two rounds.

He considers the Costa Mesa victory his biggest yet because of the

unexpected back nine bliss.

“It was so random,” Exon said.

Exon’s game of late, though, is molding into a successful pattern.