Westlake Hotshots Advance : Foursome’s Feats Par for the Course

Officially, it is called Westlake High. But maybe the name should be changed to Golf High. The school’s mascot would be a caddy. The school motto would be “Nice Putt.”

OK, that might be an exaggeration. But you get a hint that the school is fairly serious about golf when the coach says, “I tell my kids that if I can beat them, I’ll cut them.” And he is not kidding.

When four members of the school’s golf team qualified for the Southern Section individual championship, which was held Monday, it was no big deal at Westlake. In a field of 130 players, of which 22 advanced to the Southern California individual championship next month, Westlake qualified all four of its entries. That feat probably prompted yawns, even though no other school had more than one golfer advance.

You see, high-caliber golf at Westlake is taken for granted.

“I’ve been the coach for 10 years and last year we won the Southern Section championship with a pretty good team, but I don’t think that team was quite as solid through the first four positions as this one is,” Coach Lorin Maygren said. “These guys are really something else.”

In the CIF-Southern California Golf Assn. qualifying match Monday, Westlake was led by sophomore Charlie Wi, who shot a 3-over-par 75 on a tough La Purisima Golf Course in Lompoc. Wi then beat five competitors, including Westlake senior Chris Zambri, with a birdie on the first playoff hole to take runner-up honors behind medalist Matt Baugh of Huntington Beach High, who shot 72. Finishing behind Zambri were teammates Jamie Nello (77), and Jimmy Chang (80), both seniors.

All four will play June 6 in La Jolla in the CIF-SCGA individual championships. The top four in that tournament will play in the state championships against four Northern California golfers. Last year, three of the four golfers who advanced to the state finals were from Westlake--Chang, Zambri and his older brother, Mike.

“Let’s just say all four of these guys have a chance,” Maygren said. “All four of them could go to the finals this year. It’s possible. All of them are good enough. We know there will be other high-quality kids there, but I wouldn’t rule out any of my kids.”

Big talk from a guy who has done nothing more than guide his team to four consecutive unbeaten seasons, four consecutive Marmonte League championships, 70 consecutive dual-match victories and two consecutive Southern Section titles.

Westlake’s show of power in the qualifying tournament has been accomplished several times previously. A Southern Section spokesman said a high school has placed five representatives in the Southern Section finals, although records were not available. But even though his players haven’t broken new ground, Maygren knows it is lightly traveled ground.

“I’ve been at these Southern Section qualifying tournaments for eight years and I’ve never seen this happen,” he said. “This is something special.”

Westlake will play in the Southern Section team regional tournament Monday at Olivas Park Golf Course in Ventura. The top three teams advance to the section team final at Canyon Country Club in Palm Springs on May 23.