RIDGEFIELD — When his approach shot on No. 18 at Tri-Mountain Golf Course went into a greenside bunker, Anthony Tobias wasn’t thinking about a district championship.
At least, not for himself.
“At that point, I’m thinking ‘I’m doing this for the team, for the team to move on,’ ” Tobias said Tuesday afternoon. “I’m not too worried about whether I win or lose.”
But Tobias’ shot out of the sand left him with a short putt for par, and the Battle Ground senior celebrated a big fist pump.
When a birdie putt by Camas’ Owen Huntington was just off the mark, Tobias tapped in for par, and the two golfers were headed to a playoff for the Class 4A district championship.
Tobias birdied the first playoff hole to capture the district crown.
The par save on No. 18 and the birdie on the first playoff completed a big comeback for the senior.
He started the day two shots behind co-leaders Huntington and Skyview’s Anthony Chae. Tobias’s deficit grew to seven shots behind Chae at the turn.
“The front nine was little rough,” Tobias said. “I wasn’t hitting the club well. So I kind of told myself ‘relax. Chip away at this lead.’ I think around hole 13 it got closer, like three or four strokes. And that’s when I knew I had to lock down and make everything I can. Everything counts.”
Chae struggled on the back nine, making the race for the district title a two-man battle between Tobias and Huntington.
A birdie on No. 15 briefly gave Tobias the lead, but a bogey on No. 16 tied it back up again. Both golfers shot par on No. 17.
Then Tobias got up-and-down for par out of the bunker on No. 18, and Huntington’s birdie putt was just off the mark, leaving both with a 36-hole total of 153.
Both players found the fairway off the tee on the playoff hole, leaving each with an approach shot of about 120 yards.
Both players found the green. But Huntington’s 10-foot birdie putt missed, and Tobias’ eight-footer found the heart of the cup for the win.
“I struggled a lot with my approach shots, so being able to stick one in close there was just a great feeling,” Tobias said.
Union’s Chase Williams was third at 156, followed by Chae at 157 and Skyview’s Morgan Huseby at 160.
Five strokes separated four teams in the final standings with Skyview claiming the district title with 665. Battle Ground was second at 668. Camas and Union tied for third at 670 with the Papermakers winning the tiebreaker to claim third.
