Riverside County — The 14th Annual High School Golf Match Play Tournament recently concluded, making waves as the only event of its kind in Riverside County. Hosted at the picturesque Golden Era Golf Course, this highly anticipated event brought together eight local high school teams for a thrilling three-day competition.
Started 14 years ago by Steve Simpson, the previous boys’ golf coach at San Jacinto High School, the Match Play Tournament has grown in stature and importance over the years. Now overseen by Jim Stull, the current San Jacinto High School golf coach, the event made its triumphant return after a brief hiatus due to the pandemic. The tournament continues to grow every year, giving local golfers a unique opportunity to showcase their skills in a match play format—something rarely seen in high school golf.
Unlike traditional stroke play, where golfers compete based on total strokes, match play focuses on head-to-head competition per hole. The golfer who wins the most holes, not the most strokes, emerges as the winner. This format allows for a more strategic and exciting competition, where players can recover from a bad hole and still stay in the game.
The tournament saw eight high schools participate:
- Heritage High School
- Citrus Hills High School
- San Jacinto High School
- Lake Elsinore High School
- Orange Vista High School
- Indio High School
- La Quinta High School
- Liberty High School
Coaches from the participating schools praised the unique nature of the event. Chris Baxter, head coach of Citrus Hills High School, noted, “This match play gives these student golfers a chance to progress up the levels and enjoy the game. It’s a great competition that builds camaraderie with teammates and opponents. It’s unique—there’s nothing like this in Southern California.”
Kevin Ho, coach of Orange Vista High School, echoed that sentiment: “This tournament gets bigger every year, and it’s an excellent pre-season warm-up. It’s a change from the team aspect of golf. Everyone gets to compete on their level.”
Jeff Hickock, coach of Lake Elsinore High School, added, “The kids love this format. It’s different and exciting, and it gives them so much golf experience early in the season.”
The event is more than just about the competition—it’s about building skills and experience for the students. According to Jim Stull, San Jacinto High School’s golf coach and the event organizer, “The kids have a great time and gain valuable experience. That’s the main reason we do this. They end up playing 36 to 45 holes of golf over three days, which is a lot of good playing experience. I do not know of any other High School Match Play tournaments anywhere. This is unique.”
The tournament also saw the continued support of local organizations, including the Hemet Sportsman Club, which graciously provided lunch for the golfers, adding to the community spirit surrounding the event.
Looking to the future, Jim Stull is already planning for the next phase of the Match Play Tournament—expanding to include a girls’ golf team competition. “Stay tuned,” Stull said. “We’re working on getting a girls’ golf match play tournament set up for September at Golden Era Golf Course.”
The event was a resounding success, and next year’s tournament is already on the radar for high school teams across Riverside County. Golf teams interested in participating in future tournaments can contact Jim Stull at San Jacinto High School for more information.
