Opportunity to play Torrey Pines awaits QND’s Eftink after playoff victory in Junior World qualifier

QUINCY — Beau Eftink described his history of playing in the Junior World Championships qualifiers as “kind of a grind.”

It felt more like a matter of bad luck.

A year ago, playing in the Gateway PGA Junior Tour qualifier in St. Louis, the Quincy Notre Dame golfer held the lead through 16 holes, although he didn’t realize it.

“I had no clue because they didn’t have any online scoring,” Eftink said.

He finished with a bogey on the 17th hole and a double bogey on the 18th to end up one stroke behind the leaders and miss his chance to advance. Later last summer, he tied it up in another Junior World qualifier in Florida, tying for the top spot only to lose in a playoff in which he didn’t participate.

“I had to go catch a flight so I could get back for another tournament,” Eftink said. “Therefore, I missed the playoff.”

And another chance to earn a spot playing at Torrey Pines.

This year, he made amends.

On Wednesday, at Bear Creek Golf Club in Wentzville, Mo., Eftink was one of three players to tie for the spot at 1-under 71 after an 18-hole round. He proceeded to win the playoff with an eagle on the second hole, securing the title and a trip to the Junior Worlds.

Eftink, who will be a senior at QND, will tee it up at the Junior World Championships, sponsored by Uswing Mojing, July 8-10 at the South Course at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif. The 2008 and 2021 U.S. Opens were played at Torrey Pines.

The South Course is ranked as the toughest course on the PGA Tour.

“It will definitely be a cool experience because it’s a top-five or top-10 course in the United States and it’s a great opportunity to play against great competition,” Eftink said.

To earn that right, he had to fight for the title.

Eftink tied with Alton’s Sam Ottwell and St. Louis’ Cole Hendrix after he shot a 1-under 35 on the back nine. A birdie on the par-4 17th pushed Ottwell into a tie and gave him what appeared to be the momentum heading into the playoff.

Both Ottwell and Hendrix reached the green in regulation on the first playoff hole, while Eftink ended up about 20 yards short of the green.

“The course was just drenched,” Eftink said. “I hit probably one of the worst wedge shots of all time.”

He scrambled by hitting his chip shot to within 10 feet and rolling in the par putt, while the other two both two-putted for par. On the second playoff hole, a 515-yard par-5, Eftink hit his second shot from the middle of the fairway to within about 8 or 10 feet of the cup and rolled in the eagle putt to take top honors.

Ottwell beat Hendrix in the remaining playoff to finish second and earn the other invitation to the Junior World Championships.

It’s another piece to a strong summer resume he is compiling. He qualified for he Illinois Junior Amateur, along with QND teammate Olliver Hendrian, and has played some historic courses such as Medinah Country Club, where three U.S. Opens, two PGA Championships and the Ryder Cup have been played.

“That was the goal,” Eftink said. “This is one of my last high school summers, so we planned out what are great tournaments and what are good courses to play at the same time.”