Adams breaks all-time state record

The Saddleback men's golf team had reason for celebration on Monday after Carson Adams won the individual medalist honors at the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) State Tournament at Dragonfly Golf Club in Madera.  Adams had the lowest score-to-par in the history of the state tournament.

Adams shot 68-68 on the par-73 trek in Madera.  His 10-under-par total broke the record of 8-under-par set by Chabot College's Andrew Perez in 2015.  Making the record even more impressive was that Adams started the tournament on Sunday with a double-bogey on the opening hole and managed to shoot 12-under-par on the final 35 holes.  In total, Adams made 13 birdies, one bogey and the double-bogey at the opening hole over the course of two days.

Adams' two-day total of 136 also tied the lowest total in the history of the state tournament.  The aforementioned Andrew Perez also shot 136 on the par-72 Kings River Golf & Country Club in Fresno. 

Adams wasn't alone in making history as teammate Aidan Valdez is now tied for the third lowest score-to-par in state history.  Valdez' -7 total ties both Reedley College's Elias Pettersson (2023) and Long Beach City College's Denny Kim (1999) for the third lowest score-to-par in state tournament history. 

Adams and Valdez were both named to the California All-State Team, which is a distinction handed out to the top six scores at the state finals. 

Adams became the fifth player from Saddleback to either win or share the lowest total at a state tournament.  Bob Jacobsen was the first to tie for medalist honors back in 1989 (Del Rio CC).  Aki Amaya shared the low total in 1994 (Mission Viejo CC).  Kevin Kim was the outright winner in 2005 (The Riverbend GC).  Mike Bench shared the award in 2007 (Merced GC).