Rah leads Torrance to yet another state girls’ golf title

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When it comes to consistency lately, few athletic programs in the Southland have kept up with the Torrance girls’ golf team.

The Tartars won their second state title in the last three years Thursday at Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach, shooting a 40-over-par 400 to edge Pebble Beach Stevenson by one stroke. Torrance has finished first or second in its last 12 postseason tournaments dating back to 2005.

‘We’ve had a lot of good teams and they’ve been very competitive,’ Coach John Wurzer said.

Torrance junior Jane Rah, pictured from last season and the individual state champion as a freshman, shot an even-par 72, the second-lowest score in the field of 48. Jenny Shin, a sophomore, shot 77, followed by Demi Runas (81), Rochelle Chan (84) and Jennel Alexander (86).

Lee Lopez, a junior at Whittier La Serna, shot 70 to win the individual title. Lopez also won the Southern Section individual championship last week at Diamond Bar Golf Club.

The most decorated player on the course was Stevenson senior Mina Harigae, a two-time American Junior Golf Assn. champion and four-time Rolex Junior All-American. Harigae, runner-up at this event last season after blowing a four-shot lead with six holes remaining at Red Hill Country Club in Rancho Cucamonga, had another rough outing, despite playing on her school’s home course. She shot 77.

‘The course played tough,’ Wurzer said. ‘Only one player under par, only one player at even par, only one at one-over.?.?.?. These are good players, but this is a tough, long course, and it isn’t easy to make birdies.’

Cerritos finished third at 416, followed by Cypress at 417. Beverly Vatananugulkit shot 78 to lead Cerritos, and Lalita Patipaksiri shot 75 and teammate Amelia Ek shot 76 for Cypress.

-- Dan Arritt

-- Image by Karen Tapia-Andersen/Los Angeles Times