Locals left in rough

Jim Riggio

The Burbank and Burroughs boys’ golf teams are supposed to have an

advantage playing on their home venue -- De Bell Municipal Golf

Course.

But Tuesday afternoon in the second of five Foothill League

matches, De Bell was anything but easy for the Bulldogs and Indians.

After finishing third and fifth, respectively, in the first league

match on April 1 at Vista Valencia Golf Course, Burbank finished

fifth and Burroughs sixth in Tuesday’s match.

“We had a golden opportunity [pass] us by to stay in the top half

of the league standings,” Burbank Coach Rich Sarquiz said. “This is

our home course.”

Hart finished first for the second straight match in the team

competition, shooting a combined 387 on the par-71 course.

Valencia finished second with 392 and Saugus -- which finished

fourth behind Burbank last week -- stunned the field by playing third

with 396.

Canyon was fourth (428), followed by Burbank (430) and the

Burroughs (455).

Burbank’s Denny Bae, who shot a one-under-par 61 last week to earn

low medallist honors, struggled Tuesday, shooting a 83.

Burroughs’ freshman Jeff Looby was the best finisher among locals,

firing a 75.

“I putted really bad,” said Looby, who said his personal best at

De Bell is 66. “My short game wasn’t there today.”

Looby, who has been golfing for five years, is optimistic about

being one of the top players in the league.

“I still have aspirations of league [most valuable player],”

Looby said. “I just need to shoot 68 the rest of the way.”

Danny Barber was Burbank’s best finisher with an 80.

Con O’Connor shot 84, Brian Ko had an 89 and Matt Chrzan and Jon

Goglia each shot 94s for the Bulldogs.

For the Indians, Chris Roseli and David Hamanaka each shot 86s,

Sang Lee had a 100, Rob Stonecipher had a 101 and Raymond Batarina

had a 103.

In a twist this season, league meets are being played at five

different courses. In years past, matches have been played at just

Vista Valencia and De Bell.

“CIF [competition] is at longer courses, and Hart and Valencia

wanted to play on them because they send a lot of guys to CIF and

they want to see how their guys play at courses like they’ll see in

postseason,” Burroughs Coach Mike Krose said.