Vaqueros earn spot in regionals
Though it finished third in the Western State Conference Tournament Monday at Marshallia Golf Course in Lompoc, the members of the Glendale Community College men’s golf team sewed up second place overall and locked up a spot in the Southern California Regionals.
While Glendale college Coach Greg Osbourne would have liked to see the Vaqueros place second overall, he wasn’t about to let Monday’s two-round score of 765 put a damper on the accomplishment of qualifying for the postseason for the second season in a row.
“We were trying for the second spot [in the conference tournament], but our scores were a bit too high,” said Osbourne, whose team clinched second place in conference following the conclusion of the first of two 18-hole sessions Monday. “We’ve been improving a lot after getting off to a slow start and we are going to regionals again.
“That’s our goal.”
College of the Canyons, which had already locked up the conference championship entering Monday’s action, finished first with a 732. Ventura took second (761). Allan Hancock was fourth (776), followed by Citrus (783), Santa Barbara (796) and Bakersfield (815). Canyons, Glendale and Ventura will compete in the 36-hole regionals, which will be held Monday at Glendora Country Club. The top two teams from Southern California and Northern California will advance to the state tournament, which will take place May 14 at Santa Maria Country Club.
On Monday, Glendale received a two-round score of 148 from Richie Maloof. Maloof, a St. Francis High graduate, recorded a one-over-par 73 during his first round and came back with a 75. He recorded an eagle in the second round on the par-five 18th hole.
“I was pretty familiar with the course and I just stuck to my game plan,” Maloof said. “I struck the ball well and getting the eagle was a big shot for me.
“It’s the first time that I’ve ever played 36 holes in a one-day tournament. So, I knew I had to keep hitting the ball well.”
Nick Quintanilla finished with a two-round score of 151 for the Vaqueros, who got a 152 from Michael Timpson, 156 from Mathias Dahl and 158 from Clayton Ojeda. Dahl, Timpson and Maloof all received all-conference accolades.
Aaron West of Canyons finished with a 140 to win the individual conference crown. Austin Kaiser of Hancock won the conference championship after shooting a 145.
