Westlake, Hart Are Part of Stellar Boys’ Field

Westlake and Hart, the region’s top two high school boys’ golf programs in the 1990s, are among 21 teams playing today in the Southern Section championships at La Purisima Golf Course in Lompoc.

Westlake, coming off its eighth consecutive Marmonte League title, advanced to to the tournament by finishing second to San Luis Obispo in the Northern Regional at River Ridge Golf Club in Oxnard on Monday.

Hart, which has won every Foothill League championship this decade, placed second to Irvine University in the Eastern Regional at Mesquite Country Club in Palm Springs on Monday.

The top three teams in each of seven regionals contested Monday qualified for the section championships. The top four finishers today advance to the Southern California Golf Assn. championships on June 8 at the SCGA Members Club in Murrieta.

“The kids have been saying that [the Southern California Golf Assn. tournament] is the biggest match of the season,” Westlake Coach Dave Costley said. “But I told them that the bottom line is that the big match is the section match. You’ll have more good teams here.”

Seniors J.T. Kohut and Ian Medlock are Westlake’s leading players.

The UCLA-bound Kohut shot an even-par 72 on Monday and Medlock shot a 74 as the Warriors finished with a 15-over-par 375.

Sophomores Lee Krieger, who shot a 75 on Monday, Doug Miller (76), Brian O’Flaherty (78) and junior Chad Wensel (86) round out Westlake’s six-player roster.

Hart is led by Long Beach State-bound Ryan Wyman, who shot a two-under-par 70 on Monday.

Sophomore Andy Smith, who shot a 76, senior Jeff Siembieda (77), freshman Brian Edick (78), senior Mark Lauver (78) and junior Chris Stimson (79) comprise the rest of the Hart squad.