OXNARD >> Nothing exemplifies the Walnut High School girls golf season as much as Monday’s CIF Southern Section Northern Division individual tournament.
It was a matter of bookends. Senior Alison Chang and freshman Abigail Wiranatha both shot 3-under-par 69s to finish tied for second place at the River Ridge Golf Club. Andrea Lee of Mira Costa won with a 4-under-par 68.
“I’m very excited to shoot a 69 and qualify,” Chang said. “It’s my final year and our goal is to make it all the way to state and go out with a bang.”
It was Wiranatha’s best score of her high school career; she shot a 69 at an Industry Hills junior tournament earlier this year before entering high school.
“I was pretty frustrated because I started off a with a double bogey, but my cousin gave me a tip to not go beyond my expectations and to just get pars,” the freshman said.
San Marino freshman Ada Wong had an up-and-down day to finish in a five-way tie for fourth with an even-par-72.
“It was nice to have my team with me,” Wong said of her day, in which nearly every teammate participated.
In all, four Walnut and three San Marino players advanced to the second round of the individual tournament. A total of nine players from the San Gabriel Valley advanced.
Hacienda League champion Katherine Muzi of Walnut shot a 74, Pacific League champion Annie Kong of Arcadia and La Salle’s Brianna Steger shot 75, Walnut’s Anabelle Chang had a 76 and San Marino’s Bella Seito and Vivian Sun both shot 77.
The top 36 players advanced to the CIF-SS Finals on Nov. 5 at Western Hills Country Club in Chino Hills. Eight players had to play for four playoff spots after shooting 6-over-par 78.
Many of the same players will also be competing in the CIF-SS team competition on Monday at four sites. It’s possible that players can advance to Western Hills through both team and individual competition.
Alison Chang, who has committed to play at Princeton next year, finished with strong back-nine play. She bogeyed only one hole, the fourth hole, which was her second. Wiranatha started on the ninth hole and had a double bogey at 12. But she finished with five birdies the rest of the way.
“It’s showing they’re paying attention,” Walnut coach Cecil Wood said of the play of his younger golfers. “I’m really proud of how they’ve all done, but we still have a long way to go.”
It was an emotional day for La Salle’s Steger, who had three bogeys and no pars en route to her 75.
“I was not able to come to this round before and I’m trying to do everything for my grandfather.”
Her grandfather, who once caddied for Babe Zaharias, died a few days ago.
“I was thinking I played my best and that’s all that matters,” she said.
Walnut will play in the team tournament on Monday at Jurupa Hills and San Marino travels to Ojai.
San Marino’s Pei-Yang Chen and Walnut’s Precious Saelee both missed the playoff by one shot. Also failing to qualify: Gabbi Lewis of Arcadia, Trussy Li of San Marino and Maddie Lang of La Canada (80s), Cameron McCray of San Marino (82), Sharon Chen of Bishop Amat (85), Caitlyn Yamashita of South Pasadena (86), Andrea Li of Westridge (95), Bethany Chen of South Pasadena (98), Yaneli Guajardo of Alhambra (99), Janae Moreno of Charter Oak (102), Lolly Diehl of Mayfield (104), Natalie Guerra of Charter Oak (105), Ingrid Yu of Mayfield (108) and Briana Rojo of West Covina (114).
Southern Division
Diamond Bar freshman Keilie Vongsaga shot a 3-under-par 68 to win the Southern title at Dad Miller Golf Course in Anaheim. The Palomares League champion had four birdies and a bogey.
Three teammates also advanced. Crystal Wang shot a 1-under-par 71 and Josephine Chang and Jane Park both had 75s.
The cut was 76.
