It took about a day for the shock to subside before Royal High golfer Danny Katz was able to totally come to terms with his title-winning performance at last week's CIF-Southern Section Golf Individual championships.

The junior fired a 7-under 65 at the very challenging PGA of Southern California Golf Course in Beaumont to win the CIF title by three strokes.

With the victory, Katz's will forever be linked with golf immortals like Tiger Woods and Billy Casper, who both won the CIF-SS golf individual championship when they were high school players in Southern California.

"It's something he can tell his grandkids about," said Royal golf coach Bob Misko. "No matter what else he does in golf, he will always be a CIF champion."

Katz celebrated his victory with his teammates at Popeye's Chicken and he was also honored at a school assembly.

The 2006 Marmonte League champion had about 48 hours to bathe in the spotlight of being a CIF champion before returning to reality and starting to prepare for his next challenge.

Katz and his Royal teammates are playing in the 37th CIF SCGA Southern California championship on Thursday at the SCGA Course in Murrieta.

If the Highlanders finish either first or second, they will earn a chance to play for the CIF state championship at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach.

"I'm focused on trying to play well and help our team get to state," said Katz, while practicing at Wood Ranch in Simi Valley last Friday.

"It will be hard to forget about (winning the CIF championship). I know I will think about it on Thursday, but I will have to try and focus on every shot and try to play as well there as I did at the CIF (tournament).

"I never got ahead of myself there. I just stayed in the moment."

One thing that helped Katz stay in the moment at the CIF-SS tournament was not getting off to a blazing start. Instead, he played consistent throughout his round.

Katz birdied the first hole, but made bogey on No. 2. After nine holes he was 3 under, a good score, but nothing spectacular.

"I think that helped me stayed focused," Katz said. "If I had started with like six birdies, it would have probably been harder to stay in the present."

Katz was not a favorite heading into the CIF tournament. For the second straight season he started slowly, the result of switching teachers. About eight months ago, Katz started working with Kevin Scheller from Van Nuys Woodley Golf Course.

The coaching change led to a swing change and it's taken a while for Katz to start feeling comfortable.

Scheller works with several Royal players and also with PGA Tour rookie sensation Anthony Kim.

Scheller shortened and tightened Katz's backswing, so now instead of playing a draw, he has a left-to-right ball flight.

Katz made the switch because he was unhappy with his play last summer.

"My swing was kind of loose before, but now it's more compact," Katz said. "I had trouble with my timing early in the season, but now I'm hitting the ball really well.

"My misses are better. Even when I miss, my shots end up on the green. Before I would miss the green and end up in a bunker. I lost a little distance, but I'm much more accurate."

Katz and his teammates believe they have a decent chance to advance to the state tournament at Poppy Hills in Monterey if they play the kind of golf they are capable of playing.

Katz and Matt Hoffenberg were a combined 10 under at the CIF tournament. While Paul Misko didn't have a great round at CIF, he has been pretty consistent all year, as has Kyle Holden.

"All of us are playing good right now," Katz said. "Even Shane (Blanchard), our No. 5 guy, has been playing pretty well."

Katz said winning the state title as a team would be more significant than his victory at the CIF-SS individuals.

"Winning a state title would be big," Katz said. "I would love the chance to play at Poppy Hills."

The junior is hoping that his win at the CIF tournament will open the eyes of some college coaches as he tries to land a scholarship.

Hoffenberg, who is headed to San Diego State on a golf scholarship, called Aztecs coach Ryan Donovan and told him he should consider signing Katz.

"I would love to go there and play with Matt again," Katz said of San Diego State.

"It's a big summer for me (trying to get a scholarship). I need to play well, so winning last week gives me some momentum and a lot of confidence."