CHINO HILLS – On the first day of Yorba Linda’s fourth varsity girls golf season, the waiting finally came to an end.
With three of the six players who teed off on Tuesday at Western Hills Country club finishing in the 30’s, the Mustangs cruised to an eight stroke victory in the Rosary Royal Shotgun, shooting a 224
It is the first tournament triumph for the Mustangs, and to celebrate, they all posed for a selfie with their shiny new gold cup sitting right in the middle of the frame.
But the girl who led the team was missing from the shot as Brooke Graebe, a TCU commit, left the Chino Hills golf course almost immediately after she posted a 3-over-par 38. She had to get to a college world religion class which started at 5:30 p.m.
“I told the girls you have to start somewhere, and it was nice to start with this one,” Yorba Linda coach Dennis Riggs said. “The girls should be really proud.”
Brittany and Kylee Sok also broke 40 on Monday, carding a 4-over-par 39.
“Last year we were deeper, but this year we have four girls who can post scores in the 30s,” Riggs said. “We didn’t have that last year. This year, our good players have gotten better.”
Stang Sukaree earned medalist honors, shooting a 2-under-par 33 for Bishop Amat, which finished second with a 232.
Foothill placed third two shots behind the Lancers with Madie Chou posting a 37 to lead he Knights.
After taking her junior season off to concentrate on graduating early to play for USC in the spring, Amy Lee returned to the Wildcats lineup on Monday. She finished with the second lowest score of the tournament, an even-par 35, bogeying her last two holes.
She failed to get up and down on the par-3 No. 8 after she hit her tee shot left of the green and she went into the hazard the par-4 No. 9.
“Other than that, it was a decent day, nothing went wrong and nothing really went right,” Lee said. “But that’s all right.”
In a couple of weeks she is heading to Blairgowire Golf Club in Perthshire, Scotland to represent the United States in the Junior Ryder Cup. She called her selection to the team the highlight of her junior golf career, which includes a Junior PGA triumph and an appearance in the Junior Solheim Cup.
“Getting to represent your country is fun, but it is a big honor,” Lee said. “When I played in the Solheim Cup, I felt like a pro with kids coming up for my autograph. I played junior golf the whole year to make the Ryder Cup team.”
Results
At Western Hills Country Club, par 35, Chino Hills
1. Yorba Linda, 224; 2. Bishop Amat, 232; 3. Foothill, 234; 4t. Cypress, 241; 4t. Rosary 241; 6. Brea Olinda, 243; 7. Edison, 248
