Tahvildari ends 2024 with solid performance at State Finals

GOLETA -- It was a magical season for Orange Coast College men's golfer, Tiger Tahvildari and the Pirate freshman capped off his 2024 campaign by shooting an even-par 72 on Day 2 of the 3C2A Men's Golf State Championships on Monday at Sandpiper Golf Club.

Tahvildari, who was named the Orange Empire Conference MVP as well as Southern California Regional champion, topped his opening-round 74 with an even-par 72 to finish his two-day finals at 2-over-par, 146, just two shots off of the co-leaders Kyler Ostrom from Sierra (74-70-144) and Markus Nanpei of Napa Valley (72-72-144). Ostrom was named the individual state champion by way of a card-off tiebreaker. 

Tahvildari finished tied for third with four other golfers and earned the No. 5 spot after tiebreakers were calculated, earning all-state honors. Others in the 146 club included Canyons' Owen Crockett (75-71), Fresno's Giuseppe Aliotti (75-71), Riverside's Bingcheng Zheng (77-69) and Canyons' Paul Grimonpon (74-72).

One of his highlights from Round 2 came on the par-5 fifth hole, which played at 502 yards and features several elevation changes as the hole headed towards the Pacific Ocean. Tahvildari ripped his driver 310 yards, over the gulley at the bottom of the fairway, leaving him with a flat lie and 192 yards to go. Tahvildari grabbed a 6-iron and hit his approach pin-high, but just off the green to the left, where from there, he pitched his third shot to within 10 feet of the hole, leaving Tiger with a birdie opportunity.

Tahvildari addressed the ball and just as he started his putt, an over-aggressive golfer in the group behind Tiger's foursome reached and flew the green, fortunately avoiding everyone still ON the green. With all of that going on, Tiger's putt found the bottom of the cup for a birdie, erasing a bogey he picked up a couple of holes before.

After sitting at 1-over par through his first 17 holes, Tahvildari ended his season in style, reaching the green on the par-4 12th hole (his final hole of the afternoon) and calmly two-putted for birdie and his even-par result.

It was a 2024 season rarely seen at this level for Tahvildari and the OCC Pirates. Through 12 total rounds of golf this year, Tiger shot par or lower on NINE of them.