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Damian Dottore. Sports. HS Reporter.

// MORE INFORMATION: Associate Mug Shot taken August 24, 2010 : by KATE LUCAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

It’s not unusual for Brandon Brame and Matt Wilson to play five rounds of golf a week at Western Hills Country Club, so by now, the two Servite seniors should have ever blade of grass memorized on the Friars’ home course.

But the course, Brame said, still chooses to surprise them from time to time. Take Thursday’s nonleague match against Los Alamitos for example.

Normally, the wind on No. 6 is blowing into their faces. Instead, there was such a heavy crosswind on Thursday that it was tough dial in the yardage on their approaches, and both Brame and Wilson flew the green.

Wilson said the strong gusting wind in the afternoon made the course play about three stokes harder at least, and just a day after carding a 2-under-par 33 at Western Hills, Wilson shot a 37.

“The greens are so soft and the ball is spinning so much up into the wind, it will suck right off the green,” Wilson said. “And these greens are tricky enough chipping and putting. It was a pretty hard test.”

So in these conditions, the Griffins didn’t stand much of a chance seeing as how they rarely play this Chino Hills course, and No. 2 Servite edged No. 7 Los Alamitos, 186-195, to remain undefeated through their first seven matches of the season.

“I am happy that we are winning and happy that we are posting scores, but we are two or three shots away each round from being one of my best teams,” Servite coach Dane Jako said. “We are really, really close. I like having so many scores in the 30s.”

All of five of the Friars’ scoring players broke 40 on Thursday. Sophomore Joey Torri medaled for the first time this season, shooting a 1-over-par 36. Wilson and Tanner Gunning came in with a 37 while Brame and Chad Deegan carded a 38.

David Lu birdied No. 4 and 5 to post a 37 to lead the Griffins (2-3).

“I felt pretty good today,” Torri said. “I guess I was missing shots in the right spots, where you are supposed to miss it.”

Brame has been among the Friars most consistent player, and is averaging 36.8 this season. Twice he has posted a 1-under 34, and he shot a 2-under 69 to finish second in the Servite Invitational at Western Hills on a card-off.

“We are counting all 30s most of the time. Yeah, we’d like to be a little more down, but this is a good way to start the season,” Brame said. “For me, all of the pieces are starting to come together, and Matt and I put in a lot of hard work here. We are just playing as a team and trying to get better.”