DESERT HOT SPRINGS – One Orange County boys golf team is going back to an old familiar tournament while another is ready to travel down a new, historic course later this month in Pasadena.
On Thursday here at Mission Lakes Country Club, Sunny Hills and St. Margaret’s both finished second and fourth, respectively in the SCGA team qualifier, giving both teams a spot in the Southern California Regional Championships at Brookside Golf Club.
Should the Lancers or Tartans place in the top three there on May 30, they would advance to the CIF State Championship on June 5 in Carmel.
This is the third time since 2007 that the 2008 CIF State Champion Lancers have qualified for the SCGA tournament, but this is the first time that the Tartans have made it this far.
“It’s a milestone for us. To get halfway to state is amazing,” St. Margaret’s coach Rocky Parker said. “I am so proud for the boys.”
Led by Chris Chu who fired a 2-over-par 73 on Thursday, the Lancers finished with a 374, putting them three strokes behind first-place Oaks Christian. All five of the Lancers who figured into the final score, finished in the 70s. Luke Park and Justin Kim both carded a 74 for Sunny Hills while Jack Chung and David Won finished with a 76 and 77, respectively.
“And we have yet to all play well on the same day,” Sunny Hills coach Tim Devaney said. “All we wanted was a ticket to the next dance.”
St. Margaret’s senior Robert Deng holed two birdies and an eagle to post a 2-under-par 69, the low round of the tournament. That helped the Tartans post a 380, which put them in fourth place by one stroke, and only the top four teams qualified for the So Cal Championships.
“My putting was on. I didn’t really miss anything inside 10 feet,” said Deng, who needed 28 putts to complete his round, played on greens that were running close to PGA Tour speeds, registering a 12 on the stimp meter. “I am very proud of the team for staying strong all day.”
Prior to the Thursday’s tournament, Deng had only played a couple of the holes, getting a preview of the rest of the course from a golf cart.
This is the second consecutive postseason tournament in which Deng has topped the leader board. On Monday, he carded a 2-under 70 while playing in down pour at Tijeras Creek Golf Course, leading the Tartans to a second-place finish in the CIF-SS South Coast Team Regional.
And to think Deng said his ball striking is off right now. All he said he is trying to do is get around the course and leave himself in some good positions.
“Luckily, this course was real wide open on a couple of holes, so I could rip it, and rely on my short game to save me,” Deng said.
Mater Dei, the top-ranked team in the county at the end of the season, placed eighth with a 386, despite having four of its six players shoot in the 70s. Ryan Mendoza led the Monarchs with a 4-over-par 75.
“We didn’t make a few key putts. This is disappointing. It just didn’t happen,” Mater Dei coach Ollie Martin said. “We didn’t have to shave off many strokes to make it, just one per player. But we just didn’t play strong.”
Results
At Mission Lakes Country Club, par 71, Desert Hot Springs
1. Oaks Christian 371, 2. Sunny Hills 374, 3. Loyola 375, 4. St. Margaret’s 380, 5. Great Oak 381, 6. Damien 383, 7. Diamond Bar 384, 8. Mater Dei 386, 9t. Arcadia 389, 9t. Harvard-Westlake 389, 11. Tesoro 390, 12. Westlake 391, 13t. Ventura 392, 13t. Orange Lutheran 392, 15. La Quinta 393, 16. Mira Costa 395, 17. Corona del Mar 396, 18. Arroyo Grande 399, 19. Rio Mesa 404, 20. Newport Harbor 406, 21. Murrieta Valley 412
