PREP GOLF : Valencia of Placentia Wins Its First Southern Section Title

Because of a drenching rain, Sandpiper Golf Course played like a giant green sponge Monday, but Valencia High of Placentia handled the poor conditions best and won its first Southern Section team golf title.

Seniors John Lee, the medalist with a par 72, and James Wooley, who shot 75, turned in two of the lower scores in the tournament and Valencia’s five scoring players finished at 392, 32 over par and four ahead of second place.

Torrance, led by Ted Oh’s 74, and Westlake Village Westlake tied for second at 396. Defending champion Fullerton Sunny Hills finished fourth at 398 and became the final team to advance to the CIF-Southern California Golf Assn. tournament June 7 at Bernardo Heights Country Club in San Diego.

The conditions, poor at the start, deteriorated as a steady drizzle turned into a downpour that lasted about an hour and a half.

“It couldn’t get much worse than this,” said Sunny Hills’ Jin Park, who shot 77. “I couldn’t even grip the club.”

Park was one under at 35 on his front nine, but after the rain intensified, he slipped to 42 on the back.

Wooley coped by continually changing his golf glove. “I went though four gloves in three or four holes,” he said.

Apparently, that strategy was effective. Wooley, who shot 36 on his front nine, went only to 39 after the weather worsened.