Trust your swing

Newport Harbor High School sophomore Lauren Draganza practiced the shot for a week leading up to Monday morning.

As last year’s co-Most Valuable Player on the school’s golf team, Draganza said the last thing she wanted to do was mess up.

With her ball 100 yards away from the 18th green at Newport Beach Country Club on a clear, sunny Monday morning, Draganza stepped up to the tee with her pitching wedge.

Her first shot sailed far right.

“It was exciting. I was really nervous. Especially after that first shot,” Lauren said.

Fortunately for her and Newport Harbor High, Monday’s qualifier for March’s “Shot From the Top” competition at the Toshiba Classic golf tournament is a team effort. Sophomore and teammate Mychael Clark was there to settle her nerves.

“Mychael told me to calm down and take my time,” she said. “On the next one, I just kind of hit it.”

The ball rolled up to the pin, stopping 7 feet, 9 inches away. For a closest-to-the-pin contest, that ain’t bad.

Mychael was just as successful.

“It’s difficult to just be able to trust your swing and be able to do it under pressure,” Mychael said. “But that’s why you play golf, the thrill.”

Mychael’s ball stopped just 5 feet 6 inches short of the pin.

Their combined scores gave the pair the shortest distance of the day and qualified them for the “Shot from the Top” March 4. They were one of eight teams that will smack golf balls off the Marriott Hotel next to the second green at the country club for a chance to win up to 25 laptops for their school.

“I started to tell all of them to just have fun. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. I think the kids get to feel a little bit of pressure. It prepares them for down the road when they play matches,” said their coach, Scott Tarnow.

Costa Mesa and Estancia high schools were also represented but finished in the bottom eight. Both teams left with five laptops for their schools.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at [email protected].