WW-P North’s Trink claims golf crown in playoff
By: Bob Nuse
Dan Trink never thought he’d be playing in a group with the top golfers at the Mercer County Tournament.
Turns out, on this day the West Windsor-Plainsboro High freshman was the best of those golfers.
After all three had shot a 1-over par 73 for 18 holes, Trink captured a playoff against West Windsor-Plainsboro South junior Anthony Aloi and Princeton senior Peter Teifer when he shot a par on the second playoff hole.
Teifer finished second on a match of cards and Aloi was third at the MCT for the second straight year.
"I was a little nervous," said Trink, who had a chance to win on the first extra hole but just missed on a short putt for par. "This was actually the first time I had ever played with Pete. I’ve played with Anthony before over the summer here. I was not expecting to be a part of that group today. They’re great golfers. I got more comfortable as we played, but I was still nervous.
"I was surprised to be in the playoff. I couldn’t really eat during the time in between because I was nervous."
Trink, a freshman, had a right to be nervous. Over the past three years, Aloi and Teifer have established themselves as two of the best golfers in Mercer County. They were the favorites heading into Wednesday’s tournament at Mercer Oaks.
"It all comes down to Dan as an individual," WW-P North coach Trevor Warner said. "On the golf course, he is so composed. There is no up and down. From a mental standpoint, he is ‘Even Steven’. Nothing rattles him. I’m sure he was nervous. Beforehand he talked about how he was playing in the top group and someone in that group was going to be the winner, but he wasn’t talking about himself.
"I told him, their names are the first ones out of everybody’s mouth for who is going to challenge for a title. I told him, you’re there for a reason. You are there because you put up big scores and you belong. And the positive thing is, you’re flying under the radar."
Trink needed to sink a 20-foot putt in the 18th hole just to get into the playoff. On the first extra hole, No. 9 at Mercer Oaks, he had a nine-foot putt to win and just missed. He quickly put that behind him and on the next hole he chipped to within an inch of the cup for an easy tap in for par.
"I just didn’t make a good putt there on the first, so I knew I could make a putt if I had to," Trink said. "And I didn’t have to make a putt on that next hole, so I wasn’t really thinking about missing the putt there. I just had to tap that one in."
Trink won with a fairly steady round. He birdied the first hole and was pretty much on an even keel the rest of the way.
"I started out with a birdie on the first hole and that’s always nice," Trink said. "I didn’t know the other scores. I knew Jake’s (Murphy of Hamilton) score because that was the card I was keeping. I’ve been very surprised with the way this season has been going for me."
The 73 was a career-best for Trink, who shot a 73 from the white tees at Mercer Oaks last summer. Those were days when he would play on the course with Aloi just for fun. This time, he was playing for a title.
"A lot of people carry that baggage with them from hole to hole," Warner said. "He literally has amnesia from shot to shot. If it doesn’t go in, he’s focused on that next shot. He has a short-term memory. He matured so much in those two extra holes, just walking from the tee box to his ball showed great growth.
"Now he’s got a target on his back. If nobody knew who he was, I think he has done well for his name. But the competition is so good. Don’t forget that Anthony is going to be back and he’s a great player. These are high caliber kids in this county. He had to beat the best kids. He had to play with them all day."
Aloi shot a 73 last year and missed qualifying for a playoff by one stroke. This year his 73 got him into the playoff, where he came up just short.
"It was rough the last two holes," Aloi said. "I didn’t play them very well. I started off the day real well. I was 3-under after five holes, which was a really good start. I was happy and felt good. Then I had a couple bad holes. I drove into the trees on 11 and had a bogey."
Aloi shot a 74 as a freshman and has been near the top of the leader board every year at the MCT. He’ll get another shot at the title next year.
"He keeps shooting 73 for the Mercer County Tournament," WW-P South coach Russell Wray said. "That seems to be his number. He’s very consistent. He has a great short game and when you have a great short game you always have a chance. You can always get near the green in regulation. He’s a smart player who doesn’t get any big numbers and he makes the birdies when he gets the opportunity."
Teifer was also right there with a chance for the title. His 73 helped the Little Tigers win the team title, but two bogeys in the playoff left him in second place on a match of cards.
"I went driver this morning and I cleared the bunker," Teifer said of the second playoff hole, where his tee shot found the bunker this time. "There was a little more wind and I thought I could get over it. But the wind took my ball and it just hit the top of the lip and rolled down. I had an uphill lie in the bunker and the ball went higher in the air and it got caught in the wind. And then I basically didn’t hit the right chip."
Teifer came away impressed with the poise of Trink, especially for a freshman. And he also tried to focus himself in the playoff against two other talented golfers.
"He was steady all round," Teifer said. "He just went and did his thing and made a couple of solid putts. It gets your adrenaline going being in that situation. Everyone was watching. People are talking. But you have to maintain your poise."
This was the third straight year where a Princeton player was involved in a playoff for the individual title and came up just short. Jordan Gibbs lost in a playoff last year, while Michael DiMeglio fell just short two years ago.
"I believe that Peter is a great player and it was a little tough on him out there," Princeton coach Sheryl Severance said. "There had to be some nerves going because he’s a better player than he played those two holes. All three probably could have played better, but I know Peter can play better."
For the two holes that matter for the MCT title, it was Dan Trink who played the best. And while the freshman may have been nervous, it certainly didn’t show.