Boys’ golf: Meet the favorites heading into Sate Finals

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I asked full-time golfer, part-time footballer Johnny MacArthur of Hart what’s more difficult, kicking a field goal or making a putt?

MacArthur, pictured, who kicked this 43-yard field goal in the rain with no time left in the fall, said kicking a field goal-- by far. In golf, ‘you don’t have 11 guys rushing you,’ he said.

However, the Pepperdine-bound putter had difficulty with this 3-yard putt to win CIF/SCGA Southern California regional last Thursday in Murrieta.

‘I don’t know why, but I was just having a hard time [concentrating] with that three-footer,’ MacArthur said. ‘I think because I really wanted it, I really wanted to win.’

MacArthur is one of the favorites to win the CIF State Individual title Tuesday at Santa Maria Country Club. He will tee of at 8:51 a.m., according to the pairings.

The favorite for the team title has to be Santa Barbara, so says Santa Rosa Cardinal Newman co-coach Matt Vukicevich.

‘Santa Barbara is only about 45 minutes away [from Santa Maria Country Club] and they’ve played there,’ the co-coach told the Santa Rosa Press Democrats. ‘That gives them a big edge. They have to be the favorite.’

Santa Barbara also absolutely destroyed the field in the regional, that’s why they are considered the favorites.

Other favorites for the individual title:

Kyle Chatelain of Rocklin Rocklin (tee time: 9:36 a.m.)

Alex Kim of Sunny Hills (8:15 a.m.)

Daniel Semmler of Belmont Carlmont, the Northern California champion (8:51 a.m., same group as MacArthur)

Andrew Perez of Santa Barbara (9:45 a.m.)

Other favorites for the team title:

Fresno Clovis West
Rocklin
Sunny Hills

-- Jaime Cardenas

-- Image Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times