LONG BEACH – Judging by his team’s recent results, University girls golf coach Kevin Kasper expected the Trojans to contend for another championship at the Long Beach Wilson Invitational.
But he never though that Trojans would be able to go as low as they did Monday at Recreation Park Golf Course.
With four players posting a score in the 70s, University became the only team in the field to break 300, winning the tournament for the second year in a row with a 298.
Troy finished second, eight strokes behind, and Palm Desert finished third with a 312.
Usually, the top five scores are counted in the team’s final score, but this tournament uses the top four.
“I think this shows that in a tournament situation like at CIF, we can go out there and have a good chance,” Kasper said. “This helps us with our confidence. That (the 298) .. it was really nice to see that.”
Each of the top three teams had a player tie for first in the individual competition after shooting a 2-under-par 72, but first place went to University junior Samantha Cabunag, who won a card-off. The back nine was used as a tie breaker and she was three under par on that stretch of holes. Palm Desert junior Madison Walker came in second with Troy freshman Isabel Sy following in third.
This is the second year in a row that Uni has had the medalist in this tournament as Ellen Takada topped the leaderboard with an 8-under-par 66.
Cabunag shaved three strokes off last year’s score, and at one time, she was 5 under par.
“Over the summer, we all got a lot better, and we got more bonded as a team, so it connected us better. That is really important in a team to be bonded,” Cabunag said.
Nodoka Honda fired an even-par 74 for the Trojans while her teammates Dana Choi and Coco Yang added a 75 and 77, respectively.
“It feels amazing,” Cabunag said. “I really wanted to be defending champions.”
RESULTS
Long Beach Wilson Invitational, 5,900 yards, par 74
1. University 298, 2. Troy 306, 3. Palm Desert 312, 4. Long Beach Wilson 320, 5. Santa Margarita 321, 6. Huntington Beach 334, 7. Mater Dei 335, 8t. San Clemente 338, 8t. Peninsula 338, 10. Xavier 340, 11. Palos Verdes 341, 12t. Los Alamitos 342, 12t. Cerritos 342, 13. Marina 343, 14. San Juan Hills 352, 15. Fountain Valley 354, 16. Edison 366, 17. Orange Lutheran 375, 18. Mission Viejo 414, 19. St. Joseph 445
