Sophomore delivers for the Sea Kings

NEWPORT BEACH ? Taylor Keddington could get used to his new surroundings.

The sophomore normally plays in the second twosome for the Corona del Mar High boys’ golf team. But with the Sea Kings’ top player David Su playing in a tournament in Pasadena, Keddington was bumped up to the top group, paired with teammate Jamie Bloom and matching shots with Beckman’s top two golfers.

Keddington excelled under the pressure and came out of nine holes at Newport Beach Country Club with a three-over 39 to earn medalist honors. Corona del Mar defeated Beckman, 211-237, in a Pacific Coast League match.

“I like it up there,” Keddington said.

Behind Keddington was Ben Wu with a 40, then Bloom at 41. Jack Francis shot a 45 and Cody Stewart shot a 46 for the Sea Kings.

Even though he was the low scorer Thursday, Keddington said he felt he could have easily shot a lower score, possibly under par.

“I was hitting the ball well, I just couldn’t make any putts,” he said. “I missed about four putts I could have made.”

Keddington reached the edge of the green on his tee shot on the 203-yard par-3 eighth hole. He came inches from sinking a 20-foot putt that even a little body movement couldn’t help drop.

“I was just trying to putt that one close and I struck it well,” Keddington said. “I’m hitting my irons and my chips well. I felt I played really well on [the ninth hole]. I hit a good drive and a good iron.”

But the putt just didn’t fall for birdie on the 407-yard par 4, so he saved par.

“I was so close on so many,” Keddington said.

The team was the same way. So nearly every player trotted over to the putting green after finishing their rounds to work on their short game. It was a sight Corona del Mar Coach Mike Starkweather said he likes to see.

“They’re there for at least a half hour after every match,” Starkweather said. “It’s always the short game. Boy, the short game makes it all the time.”

The Sea Kings (16-4, 7-3 in league) remained tied for second place with University and behind first-place Tesoro. The top four teams from the Pacific Coast League advance to the CIF Southern Section team divisionals.

“We’re not quite to our potential,” Starkweather said. “They work really hard and it’s starting to show.”

A 211 isn’t a score the Sea Kings are accustomed to, even though Su wasn’t there. It was one of the higher scores Corona del Mar has posted all season.

“After I asked them, ‘How did we do?’ ” Starkweather said. “They said ‘We won, but coach, our scores aren’t really good.’ ”

So the Sea Kings will continue to work on their game. Starkweather did not know what kind of team he had at the beginning of the year. Now, he believes Keddington, Bloom and Stewart can advance to the CIF individuals with Su.

“I think they all can step up and advance,” Starkweather said.

Thursday, though, it was Keddington who stepped up.

“Taylor has a lot of potential and he is starting to realize that,” Starkweather said. “Sometimes the mental aspect is the most difficult. You can’t think about the trig test or the [advanced placement] test out there on the golf course. What separates the good players is focus.”DON LEACH / DAILY PILOT(LA)Corona del Mar’s Taylor Keddington follows through on a drive during Thursday’s match against Beckman.dpt-golf21.IMGGraphicInfoQG1Q644420060421QG1Q6444No Captiondpt.21-golf-2-BPhotoInfoUO1Q642P20060421iy1rvpncDON LEACH / DAILY PILOT(LA)Corona del Mar’s Jamie Bloom rips a drive on the ninth hole at Newport Beach Country Club during Thursday’s Pacific Coast League match against Beckman. dpt.21-golf-1-BPhotoInfoUO1Q640G20060421iy1ruzncDON LEACH / DAILY PILOT(LA)Corona del Mar’s Jamie Bloom rips a drive on the ninth hole at Newport Beach Country Club during Thursday’s Pacific Coast League match against Beckman.