Bollini Settles for Second at Qualifying

There were 36 guaranteed spots available at the Southern Section Individual Southern Region qualifying tournament at El Prado in Chino Monday, but Servite freshman Nico Bollini wanted the top one.

Bollini shot three-under-par 69, tying Brea Olinda junior Alex Oh for second place, one stroke behind medalist Brett Bockmann of Palm Desert, who shot 68 on the 6,508-yard par-72 Butterfield Stage course.

“You can’t go into any tournament not wanting to win,” Bollini said.

After bogeying the first hole, Bollini hit the pin with a seven-iron shot on the 153-yard second. The tap-in birdie got Bollini on track.

Bollini and 36 others in the 80-player field shot 75 or better to qualify for Thursday’s section individual finals at Friendly Hills in Whittier.

Eight Orange County players shot par or better Monday.

Juniors Brad Oh of Brea Olinda and Ron Won of University shot two-under 70 to tie for fourth.

“And I had six putts lip out,” Won said.

Fountain Valley’s Jeff Greenfield and Marina’s Scott Osterhout shot 71 and Foothill’s Nick Seymour shot 72.

Servite’s Will Luciano, who recently signed a letter of intent with Loyola Marymount, also shot 72.

“I was dying out there,” said Luciano, who has been suffering from the flu. “I was happy just to qualify.”

So was the Southern Section’s defending champion, University sophomore Brian Sinay.

Although Sinay was three-under after 11 holes, he said he missed a two-foot birdie putt on 12 before it really began to unravel.

He missed a six-foot birdie putt on 13. Then, after he put his tee shot in the front bunker of the 167-yard par-three 14th, he blasted out over the green and ended up with a triple bogey.

That put Sinay into a conservative mind-set, and he finished with pars on the remaining holes to shoot 73.

“I’m ready to play Thursday,” Sinay said. “I thought I hit some really good shots, the score just didn’t reflect it.”

Although Brea Olinda didn’t qualify for the section team finals, three Wildcats advanced in the individuals--the Oh twins and junior Brad Sader (73).

Servite also qualified three players--Bollini, Luciano and David Lauder (75).

Tournament Notes

Qualifiers shooting 74 included Santa Margarita’s Frank Merlo, Irvine’s Justin Neiman, El Toro’s Donald Rhee, Pacifica’s Justin Ritchie, and Corona del Mar’s Chad Towersey.