Chia keeps season going
Throughout most of the season, Jocelyn Chia has consistently relied on her short game.
It helped the Crescenta Valley High girls’ golfer win the Pacific League individual championship for the first time and then played a role in getting her through the CIF Southern Section Northern Individual Regionals.
On Monday at the CIF Southern Section Individual Final Championships at Talega Golf Club in San Clemente, Chia’s short game temporarily deserted her. She found it in time to keep her season going, however.
“Things weren’t going well and that left me scrambling for pars,” said Chia, the reigning All-Area Girls’ Golfer of the Year who carded a six-over-par 78 to finish in a four-way tie for 27th. “My short game was OK, but it didn’t help me a lot like it’s been in the past few rounds.”
Chia was one of 35 from the field of 92 to advance to the CIF Individual Final and Women’s Southern California Golf Assn. Qualifying Tournament, which will be conducted at The Golf Club at Rancho California in Murrieta on Thursday. Seven of those 35 qualifiers had already advanced from either Palm Desert, Torrance, Palos Verdes or Diamond Bar, all of whom qualified from their respective teams.
Chia will make her second appearance at the CIF Individual Final.
The top six from Thursday’s round will move on to the state championship, which will be held Nov. 15 at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach.
Battling a drenched course because of several rainstorms that pelted Southern California the past several days, Chia finished with 11 pars, five bogeys, one birdie and one double-bogey Monday.
Crescenta Valley Coach Lee Pope, who guided the Falcons to a second-place finish in league and a sixth-place effort in the CIF Southern Section Central Team Divisional, said Chia was able to overcome her brief struggles Monday.
“I saw almost every one of her shots and she could have easily shot par at best or even a 73 or 74,” Pope said. “On four or five birdie attempts, she left the ball just short or just wide.
“There were a lot of scores in the 80s with the wind blowing. It made for a tough day. It’s a tough course to deal with when the weather is good.”
Chia tied with Diana Kim of Torrance, Katie Rice of Oxnard and Lompoc Cabrillo’s Morgan Salm. The cut was 80.
Lilia Vu of Fountain Valley fired a 70 to earn medalist honors. Mira Costa’s Megan Kim placed second with a 71.
Other area players who participated were Katie Rosenberg of South Pasadena and San Marino’s Tiffany Gu. Rosenberg tied for 87th with Long Beach Poly’s Kristel Estoque with a 92. Gu carded a 97 to finish 91st.
