Tesoro’s two best boys golfers struggled on Tuesday, posting their worst rounds of the season on the South Course at Coto de Caza Country Club.
That was the best thing that could happen to Tesoro at this point of the season, Coach Van Johnstone said.
“What I need (in the CIF tournaments) is a guy coming in like Riley (Kumamoto) who was the medalist at the back of the match,” Johnston said. To find the depth is huge for us.”
Kumamoto hit a 6-iron 174-yard on the par-4 ninth and dropped his approach 2 feet from the pin. He tapped in for a birdie to card a 2-over-par 38 to help the Titans (10-2, 4-1) move into sole possession of first place in the South Coast League.
He shared medalist honors with Graydon Hughes, who posted a 38 for the Cougars (6-4, 4-2).
Two other Titans also finished in the 30s. Chase Van Bergh, a four-year varsity team member playing in his lat match at Coto de Caza, and Robert Beard both fired a 3-over 39.
“Depth is starting to become a strength of the team,” Johnstone said. “It wasn’t at the start of the season.”
Gordon Neale, a four-time medalist at Coto de Caza, hit two balls out of bounds on the first hole and ended up posting a 40 just like his teammate Jake Ireland, who won the AJGA Preseason Junior in Beaumont by five strokes this past weekend.
“That isn’t going to happen again. I expect them to keep going low,” Johnstone said.
On Thursday, the Cougars and Titans will meet for the final time this season on Capistrano Valley’s home course, Marbella Country Club.
Johnstone isn’t expecting the Cougars to finish 25-over par there, and should the Titans lose, Tesoro would have to share the South Coast League championship with Capo Valley.
“That (Marbella) is not our favorite track. What we need to do is bring our A game to beat them,” Johnstone said. “We don’t want to share (the title).”
