Golf: Hie takes fifth place in state tourney
Press-Telegram Staff Reports

Many golfers would call shooting a 3-under 69 at the CIF State tournament the best day of their lives. Cerritos senior Rory Hie’s take?

“Today was not my day.”

Perhaps, since Hie’s score Tuesday at Santa Maria Country Club was good only for fifth place, five strokes behind champion Rickie Fowler of Murrieta Valley High, who shot a 64. Earlier this postseason, Hie had won both the CIF Southern Section and SCGA tournaments, becoming the only golfer to do so in the same season other than Tiger Woods.

Monday, Hie played in a U.S. Open qualifier, missing a playoff by two strokes after double bogeying the final hole.

“It was Rickie’s day, he caught lightning in a bottle today,” Hie said. “I was kind of tired from yesterday. I felt like I couldn’t focus on my game today because of the U.S. Open qualifying.”

Hie, who was on the Cerritos varsity for all four of his prep seasons, will next play golf for USC.

“Last year was kind of a bummer for me. I didn’t really do well in high school at all. This year I started out differently. I set a goal for myself to raise my game to another level,” Hie said. “I felt like I’ve done that this season. But unfortunately, I didn’t reach my goal, which was to win state. But I won plenty of awards along the way, so I’m pretty happy with the way I finished this year.”