Vaqs grab 2nd spot

With their chance at taking a practice round washed out Sunday because of rain, the members of the Glendale Community College women’s golf team used the drier weather conditions Monday to their advantage.

So much that the Vaqueros are on the cusp of advancing to the California Community College Athletic Assn. Women’s Golf Championship for the first time in the program’s history.

Glendale college received a two-under-par 70 from Pattraporn Silawanna and carded a team score of 309 for second place Monday in the first round of the Southern California Regionals at Twin Oaks Golf Course in San Marcos.

“It rained all day Sunday, so we couldn’t get a practice round in, but our players responded to the pressure of the regionals very well,” said Glendale Coach Greg Osbourne, whose team trails Palomar College by three strokes entering today’s final round at 8 a.m. at the same site. “And then we get a great effort from Pattraporn, who played fantastic and leads the field.”

The top two teams and top 12 individuals will advance to the state tournament, which will be held Nov. 14-15 at Kings Country Club in Hanford.

Silawanna, who holds a two-stroke lead over Palomar’s Meghan Hardin, said her short game played a role in jumping to the top of the leader board.

“I did well because I got a lot of my shots on the greens and then close to the holes,” said Silawanna, who finished her round with four birdies, 13 pars and one double-bogey and is fresh off being named the conference’s player of the year after winning the conference’s individual championship.

Irvine Valley, the defending state champion, shot 317 on Monday, followed by College of the Canyons (321), Mount San Jacinto College (332) and Saddleback Community College (372).

Glendale, which captured the Western State Conference championship for the first time this season, received a 78 from Thanawan Sriratchaya, a 79 from Hannah Lee and an 82 from Vicanda Ma on Monday.

Osbourne said the Vaqueros will look to lower their scores today.

“They couldn’t have played any worse [Monday], so we will look for the rest of them to improve by four or five strokes,” said Osbourne, who was tabbed the conference’s coach of the year. “If we can do that, then we will go to state.

“Going to state is our main goal. This kind of pressure is what it’s all about. We want to take it by the horns instead of losing.”