COSTA MESA – There is a confidence on the Marina boys golf team this season that sometimes borders almost on cockiness. The Vikings know they are good. They are in a position to win the Sunset League for the first time in 20 years.
So when the Vikings showed up at Mesa Verde Country Club on Monday for the Estancia Tournament, Coach Jim Morris said the four golfers on his roster knew that if they played like they usually do, they’d probably win.
That they did, and they posted one of the highest scores in the events history, finishing with 79 points, which is one shy of the 80 that Brea Olinda posted in 2008 which is the best that a team has done in the tournament since 2006.
The Estancia Tournament is scored using a modified Stableford scoring system in which a par counts as one point, a birdie two and an eagle three.
Justin Gullock had five birdies during his round and led the Vikings with 24 points. Cameron Kaneko finished with 23 points off four birdies and Ramiz Jamal had two birides and 21 points.
“These kids have worked really hard and they play tournaments on weekends,” Morris said. “I would have been disappointed if we lost, but someone would have had to play pretty good to beat a 79.”
Woodbridge almost did it, finishing with 78 points. On their final two holes, the Warriors had a chance to win the tournament with a birdie putt, but both times, Woodbridge to settle for a par. Ryan O’Connor led the Warriors with five birdies while Hide Yoshihara and Andy Bhushan added four and three birdies, respectively.
“We have been playing tremendously,” Woodbridge coach Tracy Roberts said. “We have worked hard, but we have had fun doing it. Everything has been a byproduct of their hard work.”
Defending tournament champion, Newport Harbor finished third with 74 points followed by Sunny Hills which had 73. Brad Tapfer chipped in twice and posted a 69 for the Sailors, holing five birdies and an eagle during his round which was good for 27 points.
“Marina is a great team. They are a class act,” Newport Harbor coach Scott Tarnow said. “We played great today, but Marina had the consistency.”
