Bouchard finishes strong to advance to CIF
GLENDALE — Jack Bouchard will accept second place as long as it extends his season.
Bouchard made sure that happened by rebounding in a big way during the Prep League final on Wednesday at Brookside Golf Course No. 1 in Pasadena.
The Flintridge Prep boys’ golfer fired a four-over-par 76 to earn medalist honors and finish second in the league final for the second straight season. With that result, Bouchard, who opened with a seven-over-par 77 on Tuesday during the prelims at Brookside Golf Course No. 1, will move on to the CIF Southern Section Individual Regional, which will begin at 8 a.m. May 16 at Las Posas Country Club in Camarillo.
Bouchard, a Glendale native who entered Wednesday’s round in fourth place, had a two-round score of 153. He finished three strokes behind Alex Angard of Viewpoint, who won his second league championship in a row after shooting a 77. Croix Griffin of Pasadena Poly had an 81 and finished third with a 157 and Webb’s Jaryd Jackson carded an 82 for a two-day 158.
“I was hitting the ball better, though I was struggling a little with my driver,” said Bouchard, a sophomore who finished with three birdies Wednesday. “My approach shots were OK.
“I started off with a double-bogey on the second hole and then I had a triple-bogey on the fourth hole. I picked it up with a birdie on the sixth hole and then I just kept playing solid.
“It will be exciting moving on. I’ll try to work on my swing to get better.”
On the fourth hole, Bouchard hit a shot that landed on the green before hitting a sprinkler head and going under a tree.
“At that point, you think you are having terrible luck,” Flintridge Prep Coach Bob Loughrie said. “To his credit, he kept battling hard.”
Justin Farshidi of Flintridge Prep had an 87 on Wednesday to finish with a 174. He tied for ninth with Viewpoint’s Ian Levy. Will Guthrie of Flintridge Prep shot a 91 to finish 10th with a 176.
