Torrance Earns Record Victory

The Southern Section girls’ golf championships were supposed to be a showdown between Torrance and Long Beach Wilson, but it turned into a one-team show.

Torrance blistered Indian Hills Golf Club in Riverside with a tournament-record-shattering, five-player team score of 382 and finished 14 shots ahead of runner-up Wilson.

It was 19 shots better than the previous tournament record of 401, set by Goleta Dos Pueblos at the same course in 2003. It also equals the largest margin of victory in a section final. Irvine University won by 14 shots in 2000.

And if that isn’t enough, Torrance is about to get better.

Angela Park, the Tartars’ top player this season and No. 4-ranked girl in the nation, missed Thursday’s tournament because she is playing in the Futures Tour qualifying tournament in Florida, where she was tied for third after rounds of 72-65-73. The final round is today.

Torrance Coach John Wurzer said Park, who averaged below par this season, will be back in time for the Southern California Regional championship Monday at the SCGA Golf Course in Murrieta.

“We thought today was our biggest hurdle,” Wurzer said. “Not only because we didn’t have Angela, but because we have never qualified for the next stage. That was our first goal, and we got a total team effort. Our depth shined.”

Freshman Jane Rah led all scorers with a three-under 69. Freshman Demi Runas and senior Dani Powell each shot 77, senior Julie Cho shot 78 and senior Christina Siew had an 81.

Rah said she and Runas made it their mission to lead the seniors, who had been haunted by close calls the last three years.

“The seniors were all worried and getting on the negative side,” said Rah, who had an eagle, three birdies and two bogeys. “So the freshmen were trying to keep them positive.”

Wilson has now been runner-up in three of the last five section championships. Patty Chawalitmetha, Brianna Do and Kimberly Punyasavatsut shot 74, 74 and 75, respectively, but the Bruins were hurt by inconsistent play at the bottom of their lineup.

“That’s golf,” Wilson Coach Jim Ferguson said. “For us to compete with them we have to have all five play well on the same day, and we didn’t have that today.”

Cerritos, led by Stephanie Hu’s 74, was third with 419. Diamond Bar freshman Nara Kim, the only player other than Rah to break par, shot 71 and led the Brahmas to fourth with 420. Cerritos and Diamond Bar will join Torrance and Wilson as section representatives at the regional.