MIAMI SHORES — The Benjamin School’s boys golf team struggled on the first few holes of Monday’s Class 1A Region 4 tournament at windy Miami Shores Country Club, but the Buccaneers rallied to finish second and secure an automatic spot in next week’s state championships.
Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest won the regional with a team score of 7-under 277 and Benjamin finished four strokes back.
Oxbridge Academy was third (285) and St. Andrew’s was fifth (305).
The state championships will be held Nov. 12-13 at Mission Resort + Club in Howey-In-The-Hills. Benjamin is aiming for its second consecutive title and fifth overall.
“The thing is, you’re trying to get there,” said Benjamin coach Toby Harbeck. “That was the main objective today – to finish first or second. We wanted to obviously win, but we want to defend our title. We’re going to get that chance, and I like our chances.”
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Benjamin’s Pavel Tsar finishes second
Senior Pavel Tsar, The Palm Beach Post’s reigning boys’ golfer of the year, had the second-best score individually Monday, firing a 4-under 67 to finish two strokes behind Pine Crest’s Alexander Weinberg and two ahead of third-place finisher Ajax Lanasa from Oxbridge Academy.
Tsar’s younger brother Andrew, who claimed the District 13 individual title, was tied for fourth at 70. Fellow sophomore Charlie Woods, the son of legendary golfer Tiger Woods, tied four others, including Oxbridge sophomore Joey Iaciofano, for sixth at 71.
Sophomore Brooks Colton and junior Jake Valentine each shot 73 for Benjamin.
“Overall, I would say we played solid,” Pavel Tsar said. “It was good enough to advance.”
“We got off to a terrible start,” Harbeck said. “I don’t know if it was nerves or what. We were like four or five over par after two holes. I was like, ‘What in the world?’
“But you know, this group, they battle back,” Harbeck continued. “They’ve done it all year. They did it last year. So, they know how to fight back when things aren’t going the way they want.
“I’m really proud of them. To shoot 3-under par on this golf course is great. We don’t know it. It’s wet. It’s long. It’s windy.”
Pavel Tsar, who will play at Notre Dame next year, bogeyed holes No. 2 and 5, and as well as 10, but recorded an eagle on No. 13, a birdie on the next hole, and a birdie on the final hole.
“Tough day out there with the wind, but I’m pleased with the way I played,” Tsar said. “We all knew we were a couple [strokes] back [of Pine Crest and Oxbridge], and I felt like if I got something going, that would spark the team as well. And it kind of ended that way.”
Tiger Woods, ex-wife Elin Nordegren watched Charlie
Charlie Woods bogeyed the second, third and eighth holes. But birdies on No. 6, 12, and 13 helped him finish at par. Woods’ father, wearing a white ballcap and sunglasses, polo shirt, and navy shorts (with a black sleeve on his right leg underneath) watched silently seated in a golf cart most of the round. However, the two chatted briefly a few times, including on No. 12.
Tiger’s ex-wife and Charlie’s mom, former Swedish model Elin Nordegren, rode with Tiger in the golf cart part of the way, wearing a white sun hat and a long-sleeve T-shirt with “Buccaneers” printed on the front.
After Charlie sank his final putt on No. 18, she was the first to greet him with a hug. Charlie declined comment to The Post about his performance.
“He’s tough on himself. If he could just relax and play, store some of that energy, it’s good,” Harbeck said. “He’s just young. He’s got a lot of Dad in him.”
Harbeck said Woods, Colton and Valentine, who had two birdies on the back nine, all steadily improved their scores during the round, and Pavel Tsar “put the pedal to the metal when he needed to.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tiger Woods watches as Benjamin boys golf team advances to state
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