TEMECULA – It was a very busy end of the season for the area boys prep golf scene and a pair of locals had successful weeks at the SCGA Women’s Amateur. The following is a recap of recent action from the fairways.
Abuan finishes stellar Wolfpack career in style with a trip to CIF-State golf finals
Wednesday, May 31, was the final day of California’s high school boys golf season and Great Oak’s Ryan Abuan had a goal of being the last Valley golfer standing. After earning runner-up honors in both the CIF-SS Central Region Individual Qualifier at Murrieta’s Bear Creek Golf Club on Monday, May 8, and the CIF-State Southern California Regional Qualifier at Los Serranos’ South Course on Wednesday, May 24, he did just that.
In the CIF-State finals, held at Poppy Hills Golf Course on May 31, Abuan recorded a T9 finish after shooting a two under par round of 69 on the par 71 layout. He was the third player in Wolfpack history to appear in a CIF-State golf final. Michael Howe made back-to-back appearances in 2012 and 2013 while Jack Li reached the finals in 2015. Abuan is headed for the University of San Diego this fall on a golf scholarship.
Temescal Canyon’s Nixon Lauritzen advanced to the CIF-SCGA regional qualifier but again missed out on a finals appearance after shooting a two under par round of 72 and missing by a shot.
Lions wrap up stellar golf season with CIF-SS championship
If there is one word which comes to mind when describing the 2023 Linfield Christian golf season it would be historical. On Monday, May 15, at Western Hills Country Club in Chino the Lions brought home a CIF-SS Division 5 championship after shooting a round of 399 to defeat Canyon of Anaheim by one shot.
Luke Bohmer led the way with an even par round of 71 while Daniel Guerra added a 74. Alfredo Guerra shot 82 while Ben Kim and Charlie Lee each posted 86s. Abby Bi shot a 90 which was not used in the team score.
“I was helping input scores for CIF and kept looking at the players, but they were emotionless and that led me to believe we had come up short,” Lions coach Mark Moore said. “It wasn’t until Kevin LeDuc (former Riverside King coach now CIF-SS golf championship site manager) congratulated me that I found out and I was shocked to say the least. I felt we’d have a shot at it if we came in under 400 based on the Division 1 scores there last year but you never know.”
In addition to the team championship Monday, May 8, Bohmer (71) and Daniel Guerra (74) both advanced to the CIF-SS Individual Championship at River Ridge with top 20 finishes at the Central Region qualifier hosted by Bear Creek Country Club before seeing their seasons end a week later.
“Other teams are likely not going to be very happy with me, but they very well could be the best team in school history,” Moore added. “They finished 12-1 overall with an undefeated mark against the Southwestern League, an Ambassador League title, and tied or broke a number of school records.”
Pair of locals finish in top 25 at SCGA Women’s Amateur Championship
Pauma Valley Country Club was the host of the SCGA Women’s Amateur Championship from June 18-20, and a pair of locals came home with top 25 finishes.
Lauren Sammon, an incoming senior at Vista Murrieta who has verbally committed to Wisconsin, finished in a tie for fifth with rounds of 75-70-73=218 (+2). Sammon is the defending Southwestern League girls’ golf champion and course record holder at Hemet Golf Club after a 65 in final round play last fall.
Meanwhile Jordyn Parr, a 2019 graduate of Temecula Valley who recently announced she was transferring to Hawaii from San Jose State, shot rounds of 80-72-73=225 (+9) to finish in a tie for T23. Parr is the 2018 Southwestern League girls’ golf champion at Menifee Lakes Country Club.
Temecula’s Kaila Higgins (Great Oak/Chapman/Cal State San Marcos) missed the cut with rounds of 76-82=158 (+14). Also, Breanna Noble (Canyon Lake) missed the cut after rounds of 84-79=163 (+19).
Derryl Trujillo can be reached via email at socaltrekkie@gmail.com.
