Seo wins second straight 5A title, Timpview claims team championship

Darnell Dickson/Daily Herald

SANDY – For the second straight year, Timpview’s Sunbin Seo made a late charge at the 5A state golf tournament to claim the individual title.

Apparently, the BYU-bound senior likes a challenge.

“This was my goal, to win again, so I’m glad I was able to achieve it,” Seo said. “It’s such a fun adventure. I guess it just takes me a little bit to get rolling and once I do, I can go low. I was just enjoying my time out there.”

Last year, Seo made four birdies in the final six holes to win medalist honors at The Oaks at Spanish Fork. On Tuesday at River Oaks Golf Course she trailed first-round leader Pati Uluave by three strokes heading into hole No. 12. Uluave was already in the clubhouse at -2 and Seo was second at +1.

That changed in a hurry as Seo birdied 12, eagled 13 and birdied 14 to suddenly move into a one-stroke lead.

Darnell Dickson/Daily Herald

“I’m walking up on the par three, and my brother tells me Pati is done, and I’m three down,” Seo said. “Three down is big, but at the same time, I thought, ‘I can do this.’ So on that hole, I thought my shot was gonna break. But I hit it a little left. So I’m chipping. But I look at the chip and it’s a chip that I have a lot of confidence in. And so I say, ‘I’m just gonna make this’ and I do. I just needed one to start. And then it just continued.”

Seo chipped in for birdie on No. 12 and then nailed an even longer chip on 13 for her second eagle of the tournament. Another birdie on No. 14 put Seo in the lead and she never lost it, making par on the final four holes.

“I just kept saying, ‘Okay, one more. Let’s try to make one more,’” Seo said. “I didn’t get another birdie but I think it was my tight, aggressive approach that kept me from losing any strokes that I made. That’s how I played the entire back nine.”

On the par 3 No. 18, Seo’s tee shot came within eight feet of the pin to set up another par for the title. Seo shot a 67 (-3) on Monday and a 70 (even) on Tuesday to finish at 137 (-3), one stroke in front of Uluave at 138 (64-74).

“Sunbin’s short game is great,” Timpview coach Jeff Ward said. “She is phenomenal around the greens and she has a lot of confidence. She does that consistently so when she went over the green on No. 13, I wasn’t surprised she chipped it in (for eagle). She has really set the bar in this program. She has been a great example. She works hard and she’s kind to everyone on the team. She is really unfazed by anything and has such a good perspective of the game. She’s such a competitor.”

Darnell Dickson/Daily Herald

The T-Birds won last year’s 5A team title with four juniors and a freshman so it was no surprise to see them run away with the team title in 2022. Sisters Emma and Rachel Lillywhite tied for third place at +10 and Keilani Hanamaikai turned in a Top 20 finish at +42.

“Overall, I’m really happy with what we did,” Ward said. “To do this the way we’ve done it the past four years, this kind of team doesn’t come around very often. And so it’s extremely gratifying as a coach to see these girls succeed, to see the camaraderie that they have and the friendships that they have. The level of experience is just phenomenal.”

The team title was Timpview’s fourth straight, though the 2020 championship isn’t recognized by the Utah High School Activities Association due to COVID-19.

Timpview’s Sunbin Seo gets a hug from a T-Bird fan after winning the Class 5A State Golf Tournament at River Oaks Golf Course in Sandy, Utah, on Tuesday, May 10, 2022.

Timpview’s Sunbin Seo accepts congratulations for a shot from an opposing coach during the Class 5A Girls Golf Tournament at River Oaks Golf Course in Sandy, Utah, on Tuesday, May 10, 2022.

Timpview’s Sunbin Seo putts toward the hole during the Class 5A Girls Golf Tournament at River Oaks Golf Course in Sandy, Utah on Tuesday, May 10, 2022.

Timpview’s Kate Miller pushes her cart to the next hole at the 5A Girls Golf Tournament at River Oaks Golf Course in Sandy, Utah, on Tuesday, May 10, 2022.

Timpview’s Rachel Lillywhite tees off on the 18th hole at the Class 5A Girls Golf Tournament at River Oaks Golf Course in Sandy, Utah, on Tuesday, May 10, 2022.

The Timpview girls golf team accepts the Class 5A state championship trophy after winning the team title at River Oaks Golf Course in Sandy, Utah, on Tuesday, May 10, 2022.

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