Golfers hoping to secure state championship berth

The Saddleback women's golf team currently sits in fourth place at the CCCAA women's golf southern regional championship and will need to maintain that position in order to qualify for the state championship tournament next week in Morro Bay.

Four teams and six individuals will advance to the state tournament.  The Gauchos (360) currently sit seven strokes behind Irvine Valley (353) for third place while College of the Desert (366) will be trying to catch Saddleback on the second day of the two-day, 36-hole regional event.  Cuyamaca (319) and Santa Barbara City College (326) have built a big cushion over the rest of the pack after the first day.

Saddleback picked up twin 86's from Mekenzie Purcell and Deanna Pagaduan (pictured) on the par-74 layout of the south course at Los Serranos Country Club in Chino Hills and will be trying to improve its score on the par-74 north course on Tuesday.  Ironically, the Gauchos posted a team score of 341 on the Los Serranos north course less than a week ago to capture the team's first Orange Empire Conference title in 10 years.  A repeat performance may be needed for the Gauchos to advance to the state event.

Cuyamaca College was paced by a pair of 2-over-par 76's from Jule Loibl and Melanie Stark while Santa Barbara City College's Carolin Chang was the only player to finish under par as she posted a 1-under-par 73.  Santa Barbara teammate Vanessa Watkins added a 76 as the Vaqueros.  Michaela Klundt of Antelope Valley posted a 1-over-par 75 to currently sit in second place in the individual scoring just two strokes behind Chang.  Lichi Liu of College of the Desert posted a 77.

First Day scoring results