CHINO HILLS – Jakeishya Le stood in the clubhouse at Los Serrano Country Club studying the first-place medal she had just won with Mater Dei on Monday when her attention turned to another tournament coming up in a couple of weeks. Success has a way of breeding confidence.
“We are going for a three-peat (at CIF),” Le said.
Backed by Le’s 6-under-par 68 on the North Course, Mater Dei won its second tournament in two weeks, shooting a 391 to edge second-place Diamond Bar by five strokes in the Ayala Fall Classic.
The Monarchs also won the Long Beach Wilson Invitational this fall, and both triumphs are a first for the Mater Dei girls golf team.
“The team is playing very well. Anytime you win a tournament with a quality field like this, you have to be playing well,” first-year Mater Dei coach Derek Uyesaka said. “It was a nice performance by everyone on the team. They are very motivated to win CIF again.”
Beckman finished third with a 404 after Chae-Lim Lee and Cameron Le posted a 76 and 77 respectively. It was a surprisingly high score for Beckman coach Penn Bushong, considering the Patriots recently set a school record finishing 3-under-par as a team at Oak Creek Golf Club.
But with its rolling terrain, Los Serranos, Bushong said, really didn’t suit the Patriots, who are used to teeing it up on “resort-style courses,” much like their home course Tustin Ranch Golf Club.
“We didn’t play our best that is for sure,” he said. “I told the girls this tournament was really just to see where we are at and see what we have to work on. A 404 isn’t bad for a par 74 course.”
Le was one of only three players in the field to post a sub-par round and won the individual portion of the tournament by two strokes, shooting the lowest round of her 4-year varsity career at Mater Dei.
“I was playing as best as I could. Then, I birdied and birdied and birdied again,” said Le, who had seven birdies on the day. “Everything just stayed on the fairway and the green.”
Cindy Oh of North Torrance carded a 4-under-par 70 and finished second while Foothill junior Madie Chou placed third with a 1-under-par 73. When her named got called to come and get her award, Chou seemed shocked.
“I expected the scores to be lower,” Chou said. “I was striking the ball well, but I struggled with my putting, so I was surprised to finish third.”
Ayala Fall Classic
At Los Serranos Country Club, North Course, par 74
1. Mater Dei 391; 2. Diamond Bar 396; 3. Beckman 404; 4. Foothill 416; 5. Santiago/Corona 436; 6. North Torrance 437; 7. Palm Desert 446; 8. Rosary 470; 9. Chino Hills 484; 10. Canyon 485; 11. Ayala 487; 12. Villa Park 498; 13. Glendora 517; 14. Fountain Valley 562; 15. St. Lucy’s 574
