Carlmont’s Lee Wins State Championship

Joanne Lee walked away from the state championship of girls’ golf barely able to control an ear-to-ear grin, bursting with excitement and hugging just about anyone within reach.

What a difference a year makes.

Lee, a sophomore from Belmont Carlmont, shot one-under-par 71 on Tuesday at Red Hill Country Club in Rancho Cucamonga and won the title that eluded her last year. Lee left the 2003 state tournament in tears after she made a bogey on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff with Amie Cochran of Torrance and finished second.

On Tuesday, she had four birdies and won the title by a shot over Grace Woo of Burbank. Angela Park of Torrance and Jennifer Osborn of Huntington Beach Marina finished three shots behind Lee at 74.

Torrey Pines, the San Diego Section champion, shot a total of 426 and won the team title by six shots over Alhambra Keppel. Long Beach Wilson was third with 441.

“I wanted to win this pretty bad,” Lee said.

“Last year was hard, but this makes it better.”

Torrey Pines also got a taste of redemption. The Falcons, Southern California regional champions in 2000 and 2001, did not advance to the inaugural state finals last year. They played the regional without their top two players, who were at a national tournament in Florida.

Tuesday, those players led the charge. Alison Goodman and Angela King each shot a team-best 80 for Torrey Pines.

For Woo, the regional runner-up Monday, it was the second consecutive day in second place. “There were a few putts that didn’t go in, but I’m pretty happy,” Woo said.

Keppel also left content. Kylie Kimura shot 79 and Tina Eng shot 82 to lead the Aztecs, who finished third last year.