GOLF:

People who have watched John Chin play golf knew he was talented, but last week the incoming UC Irvine junior proved it to a lot who didn’t know who he was.

Chin, who lives in Temecula made the finals of the United States Golf Assn. Public Links Championship before losing to Jack Newman 5 and 3 in the match play event Saturday.

That Chin even made the match play portion of the tournament is amazing. This was his first USGA event and Chin didn’t really know what to expect.

At the U.S. Public Links there are two rounds of medal play to determine the field of 64 golfers for match play.

Chin’s first round was a respectable even-par 71 at Murphy Creek Golf Course in Aurora, Colo. He stumbled a bit in the second round and after making a triple bogey 7 on the 14th hole, knew he had to play well down the stretch or he wasn’t going to be around for match play. He made four pars coming in, finishing right on the cut line and advancing.

“Not only did I get into match play, but I proved to myself that I can just hang in there and grind it out,” Chin told the media at the tournament. “Luckily it was good enough to get into match play.”

It didn’t get any easier for Chin in match play. His first match was against Brandon Crick and was 2 down with four holes to play. He calmly birdied the par-five, 15th and the par-four 18th to tie Crick and set up sudden death.

The two players made a birdie on the first hole, but Chin ended the match with a birdie on the par-four, 495-yard second hole, winning the match on the 20th hole.

In his next match, Chin faced Luke Morgan and breezed to an 8 and 6 victory. Chin had two birdies and an eagle in the 12 holes played during the morning match.

He played in the afternoon and downed Wesley Bryan 3 and 2. Chin recorded five birdies over the 16 holes in the afternoon win over Bryan, including the first two holes and the last two.

In the quarterfinals, Chin made a birdie on the second hole and never trailed, defeating Jeff Dennis 4 and 3. In the afternoon semifinal match he eliminated David Johnson 4 and 3. He closed out the match with an eagle on the par-five, 603-yard 15th hole.

By the second hole in three of his five matches he held the lead by the second hole and never relinquished it.

The finals, though, Chin ran into Newman and the two battled for the first 27 of the 36 hole final. Newman, though, won holes 28, 29 and 30 and was 4 up with six holes to play.

“I’m a true believer in some things just not happening,” Chin said. “Nos. 9, 10 and 11 was just my calling to say it’s just not your day. He played well no doubt about it. It just wasn’t my day.”

But Chin’s day may be sooner than a lot of people thought. The Big West Freshman of the Year and Big West Player of the Year this past season, gained more confidence as he heads into UCI’s upcoming year. He also earned a berth into the U.S. Amateur in August and next year’s U.S. Public Links.

The best prize, though, may have been from his mother, who promised him an iPod under one condition.

“My mom is going to get me one since I asked for one before this tournament,” Chin said. “She said ‘If you get to the final, I’ll get you one.’ So, how about that?”

That may be one of many prizes Chin can expect down the road in his golfing career.

JOHN REGER’S golf column appears Thursdays.