POMONA – Daniel Guerra and Luke Bohmer knew it was going to take something special to catch and overtake the leader after Arrowhead Christian’s Scott Woo opened with a round of 73 to take a five-shot lead.
Guerra hit a bunker shot on the opening hole to about three feet and lipped out his par putt for a bogey. He’d make six bogeys, two birdies and a double bogey in a round of 78. His birdies were both on the back nine, at 12 and 14, where he stuck approach shots to ten and three feet respectively. For the two days, he posted a total of 156 (+12) and claimed the third of four qualifying spots.
“It’s been impressive to see just how far we’ve come as a team these last couple of years,” Guerra said. “When I was a sophomore, we were shooting around the 300s and now we’re league champions with an undefeated mark against the Southwestern League and one loss all year. Everybody’s worked so hard to get us to this position and deserves a lot of credit.”
Bohmer’s putter got warm en route to a second round 75 and two-day total of 154 (+10) which was good enough for second place and another berth in the CIF-SS regional qualifying tournament. He’d make par putts of between five and ten feet at one, three, four, and eight en route to a front nine 38 (+2). He made two birdies in a three-hole span at 15 and 17 (sticking his tee shot to 12 feet) but three bogeys at 14, 16 and 18 added up to a 37 (+1) on the way home.
“After we both made birdies on 15, I realized that catching Scott wasn’t very likely and that I had to protect a spot in the top four,” Bohmer said. “When someone plays as well as Scott did this week you just go about your business and tip your cap to them.”
Although neither caught the leader, they earned tee times in Monday’s CIF-SS Individual Central Region Qualifier at Bear Creek Golf Club, which according to Lions coach Mark Moore was the big picture objective.
Woo didn’t have his best stuff from a ball striking perspective in Wednesday’s second round but he too was able to chip and putt at a high level on Mountain Meadows’ sloping greens. He’d get up and down after nearly driving the green at three for his first birdie of the day, making a five-foot putt for birdie. He’d make putts from between five and ten feet on a regular basis over the first nine to save pars (and one bogey at six after leaving a short sided bunker shot in the sand) and go out in 37. With a comfortable lead, he made seven stress free pars, a birdie and a bogey coming home to shoot 36 and a final round 73. His two-day total of 146 (+2) was good enough for an eight shot margin of victory.
“My short game saved me today,” Woo said. “In fact, we all putted really well on these greens which can be quite difficult to read.”
It was a big day for Woodcrest Christian’s Shante Zhou who shot 83-74=157 (+13) to claim the final Ambassador League bid to Monday’s qualifier. That second round 74 tied for the day’s second lowest score and ended a lengthy drought of roughly a decade in which a Royals golfer did not make it to CIF-SS Individual Qualifying.
He beat out ACA’s Sebastian Rossi who shot 79-79=158 (+14) to miss by a shot. Linfield Christian’s Alfredo Guerra shot 85-74=159 (+15) and along with Ontario Christian’s Ethan Cobb (80-79=159 +15) the pair missed qualifying by two shots.
Final Results
At Mountain Meadows Golf Course (Par 36-36=72):
- Scott Woo (ACA), 73-73=146 (+2)
- Luke Bohmer (LC), 79-75=154 (+10)
- Daniel Guerra (LC), 78-78=156 (+12)
- Shante Zhou (WCS), 83-74=157 (+13)
- Sebastian Carrillo (ACA), 79-79=158 (+14)
T6. Alfredo Guerra (LC), 85-74=159 (+15)
T6. Ethan Cobb (OC), 80-79=159 (+15)
- Elias Cobb (OC), 81-79=160 (+16)
- Diego Carrillo (ACA), 80-82=162 (+18)
- Josh Cortes (WCS), 84-81=165 (+21)
- Reuben Kok (ACA), 84-82=166 (+22)
- Ben Kim (LC), 86-82=168 (+24)
- Caden Rossi (ACA), 84-85=169 (+25)
T14. Abby Bi (LC), 91-93=184 (+40)
T14. Drew Young (ACA), 90-94=184 (+40)
- Riley Ayala (AQ), 90-97=187 (+43)
Notes:
- 1-4 are qualified to participate in Monday’s CIF-SS Central Region Individual Qualifier at Bear Creek Golf Club in Murrieta.
- 1-9 earn Ambassador League first team honors
- 10-16 earn Ambassador League second team honors
Derryl Trujillo can be reached at socaltrekkie@gmail.com.
