This Time, Determined Westlake Is a Qualifier

The Westlake High boys’ golf team will be back in familiar territory on Thursday, when it competes in the Southern Section championships for the eighth time in nine years.

The Warriors saw to that Monday by finishing second in the Northern regional at River Ridge Golf Club in Oxnard with a 15-over-par 375.

With UCLA-bound J.T. Kohut shooting an even-par 72 and fellow senior Ian Medlock shooting 74, Westlake finished two strokes behind San Luis Obispo.

Defending champion San Marcos shot 381 to grab the third--and final--qualifying spot. Simi Valley (385) was fourth.

Westlake finished fifth last year, when the top four teams advanced to the section championships.

“I told the guys beforehand that there were six or seven very good teams in this tournament and we just had to be one of the top three,” Westlake Coach Dave Costley said. “There was no pressure to win. This was just a qualifier.”

Kohut finished a disappointing fourth in the four-round Marmonte League tournament, but he was only one shot off the tournament-leading 71 fired by Simi Valley sophomore Mark Modglin on Monday.

Kohut would have tied Modglin if one of his playing partners had not erroneously credited him with a four instead of a three on the 351-yard, par-four 16th hole.

“I shot a 71, but the card says 72 and that’s what’s official,” Kohut said.

Kohut had four birdies and four bogeys during his official round.

Westlake’s Nos. 3-5 players were sophomores. Lee Krieger shot 75, Doug Miller shot 76 and Brian O’Flaherty shot 78.

Modglin and his Simi Valley teammates were visibly disappointed at not qualifying, but were excited at coming close.

The Pioneers finished second, 70 strokes behind Westlake, in the Marmonte League championships, but their five scoring players shot 80 or better Monday.

Sophomore Alan Johnson shot a 77, with senior Kevin Garretson at 78, sophomore Chris McLaughlin at 79 and sophomore Dante Ciolfi at 80.

Nordhoff, with senior Shawn Andrews shooting 73 and sophomore Devlin Thomas shooting 75, finished sixth at 391 in the 20-team tournament.

The section championships will be held Thursday at La Purisima Golf Course in Lompoc, starting at 7:30 a.m.