Minus ‘Mr. Clutch,’ Toro Golf Team Struggles

Last year’s Cal State Dominguez Hills golf team made up 13 strokes in the last 18 holes to win the NCAA Western Regional tournament, but Coach John Johnson doesn’t expect the Toros to equal that success this year.

Dominguez Hills finished 12th in the NCAA Division II finals last year. But this year’s team will be without sophomore Enrico Montano, who earned the name “Mr. Clutch” by shooting a final-round 69 in the Western Regional.

Montano was injured in an automobile accident early this season, and Johnson said his chances of returning to action before the season ends are questionable at best.

“The possibility of him coming back is probably pretty remote,” the coach said, “especially since he hasn’t even been practicing up to now.”

The team hasn’t given up hope of finishing in the top 10 nationally, Johnson said, but Montano’s absence will definitely be felt at the NCAA finals May 22-26.

On Thursday, Dominguez Hills will begin play in the qualifying rounds for regional competition at the Ridgemark Country Club in Hollister.

“Anybody who can score a 69 on that kind of course is a clutch player,” Johnson said. “A player like that helps your whole team in any sport.”

He added, however, that Montano’s injury has had one positive effect.

“It’s made them a better team in a way. They know they have to rally together and get the job done,” Johnson said. “I think we still have a chance to go to the nationals, but we have got to play together as a team.”

In its most recent outing at Tuesday’s Stanislaus Invitational, Dominguez Hills was unspectacular, finishing 13th in a field of 21 teams.

The tournament did feature some strong individual performances by the Toros, led by junior Jeff Manare, who shot 231 for three rounds.

Manare recorded his season’s best score in a one-round outing at the Los Angeles Country Club on Feb. 6, when he shot a 74. His score in the Stanislaus tourney was consistent with his season average of 77.

Consistency isn’t something the Toros have had much of lately.

“We didn’t play well at all (in the Stanislaus event),” Johnson said, “but it was a good thing for our team because they realize now how much better we have to play.”

Monday’s UC Irvine Anteater Invitational at the Big Canyon Country Club near Irvine should be a good test for the team, he said. Without Montano, the Toros are depending upon solid contributions from returning players Ray Fawcett and Bob Hayes as well as two junior-college transfers, Todd Carcerelo and Bill Oxford.

Going into the season, Johnson expected this year’s team to be one of the best he had seen in his 30 years of coaching golf, but Montano’s injury changed that.

“If we do get Enrico Montano back, this will definitely be one of the best teams I’ve ever coached,” Johnson said. “We only had one senior last year, and that team finished 12th in the nation. But Enrico’s injury changed our outlook a little. We would obviously be much better with him.”