Panich bound for state
GLENDALE — No matter the weather or course conditions, Tammy Panich wasn’t going to let anything stop her from achieving her goal of advancing to the state championship.
Panich, a Glendale Community College sophomore golfer, had plenty to deal with during her two-round competition at the Southern California Regionals on Sunday and Monday at the Alisal River Golf Course in Solvang.
Some light rain fell late Sunday night and a cold, gusty wind continued to swirl throughout most of Monday’s portion of the event. Though not the most favorable conditions, Panich managed to once again show her resiliency and punch her ticket to the state tournament.
Panich fired a six-over-par on Monday and finished tied for second at the regionals. Panich, who won the Western State Conference championship, finished with a two-round score of 151 with Tina Yang of Mount San Jacinto College and Malea Miller of Bakersfield. She finished second in a card off behind Yang with the low score on the back nine serving as the tiebreaker.
Panich, a Glendale High graduate, will next compete in the state tournament, which will be held Monday and Nov. 16 at Los Serranos Country Club in Chino Hills. Twelve players from the regionals advanced to the state championship.
“It was really windy and I knew that I was going to have to hang in there,” said Panich, a former All-Area member and the first Vaquero women’s golfer to qualify for the state championship in the program’s four-year history. “I fired off a birdie on the first hole, but then I bogeyed a few holes.
“I’ve practiced in the wind a lot, so that helped me [Monday]. That’s an advantage for me because I know the distance.”
Panich finished her 36-hole competition with five birdies. She carded a 73 on Sunday and entered Monday’s round in fourth place. Nicole Rivera of Irvine Valley College won the regionals after opening with a 69 and then shooting a 76 for 145.
Glendale college Coach Greg Osbourne said Panich managed to have a consistent round Monday.
“The wind was incredible and it was very cold,” Osbourne said. “She had a couple of problems with her putting, but she overcame them.
“She wanted to win [the regionals], but nobody remembers who wins it. They only remember who wins state.”
Panich was the first Glendale college women’s golfer to participate in the regionals since Brittney Gonzalez in 2008. Gonzalez missed qualifying for the state tournament by one stroke.
