For a month main as much as the Metropolis Part Golf Championships, Joseph Wong spent two hours a day placing.

That apply paid off Wednesday on Griffith Park’s Harding Course, the place the Granada Hills senior birdied the final three holes to seize the person title by one shot over defending champion Luke Schultz of Palisades.

“My driver’s the strong suit of my game, but I was able to roll in a few putts at the end,” stated Wong, who carded a five-under-par 67 every week after firing a 66 at league finals on the longer Wilson Course. “I shot what I did because my coach [Chris Ancheta] has been preparing me for this all year and I knew what I needed to work on.”

Wong was third with a 70 as a junior, fourth with a 74 as sophomore and tied for fourth with a 71 as a freshman. He’s the fourth Granada Hills participant to complete first since 2019, when his older brother David carded a 69 to beat Highlanders teammate Leo Cheng, who had received the earlier yr.

Taking part in within the first group, Wong birdied the second gap and made up for his lone mistake (a bogey on No. 3) with birdies at seven and 11 to take care of a slim lead. He pumped his fist after sinking a four-foot birdie putt on 16, however after hooking his drive on 17 right into a stand of bushes he chipped to inside 5 toes. One other birdie and fist pump adopted, transferring him to 4 beneath.

As Palisades’ Jake Norr watches, Joseph Wong pumps his fist after watching his birdie putt drop on the seventeenth inexperienced.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Occasions)

On the par-five 18th Wong hit an ideal drive down the center of the green and his method landed 10 toes above the pin. His eagle putt missed by inches, however he tapped in for his third straight pink quantity.

“I played it straight and it broke an inch left more than I thought it would,” added Wong, who’s headed to Hofstra College on a full-ride scholarship and hones his expertise taking part in 30 to 35 junior occasions per yr. “My goal wasn’t to play Division I golf… I wanted to go to NYU for business, but I’ve gotten much better the last two years. When I play individual tournaments it’s mostly for me, but this means more because it’s for my school and I’ve come close three times before.”

Early this season the 18-year-old from Porter Ranch aced the eighth gap at Knollwood Nation Membership on his technique to taking pictures 4 beneath over 9 holes.

“I played baseball for eight years, but I stopped during COVID,” he stated. “I took up golf in seventh grade and I wasn’t too good at first.”

He’s now.

Schultz, taking part in within the fourth group, birdied the fifteenth and seventeenth and got here to the final gap two behind the chief. He discovered himself in the same state of affairs 12 months in the past when he eagled the 18th to power a playoff and finally beat Van Nuys’ Isiah Kim on the sixth additional gap.

This time, he reached the inexperienced in two however wanted to make a 40-footer to tie. His eagle try curled to inside just a few toes. Wong, who watched from the placing inexperienced the place he had gone to hit balls to remain sharp in case of a playoff, lastly breathed a sigh of reduction.

Defending champ Luke Schultz shot a four-under 68 to complete second however led Palisades to its fourth group title in 5 years.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Occasions)

“I don’t look at the scoreboard much [during a round], but when I was two over through four and saw I was only three back I knew I had a chance,” Schultz stated. “On the last hole I had a big breaking putt and I hit my line; it just happened to be low.”

Palisades beat runner-up Granada Hills by 24 photographs for its section-best twenty fourth group crown, second in a row and fourth in 5 years. All six Dolphins positioned within the prime eight and every shot a 77 or decrease. Venice was third by one stroke over Cleveland.

Palisades (eight) and Granada Hills (4) have mixed to win the final 12 group titles. Each faculties superior to regionals on Might 29 on the South Course at Los Serranos Golf Membership.