On Oct. 23 and 24, the CHS girls varsity golf team won the champion title in the league finals to qualify for the CIF San Diego Section championships.
With a combined score of 779 for 36 holes, Carlsbad managed to edge out last year’s champion, Ranch Bernardo. Playing the first 18 holes on Tuesday at the Camp Pendleton Golf Course, the team was excited to finish first after the final 18 holes at San Marcos Country Club on Thursday.
For senior Amanda Kahn, the team’s win over Rancho Bernardo was as rewarding as receiving the title of league champions.
“[My most exciting memory] would definitely be beating Rancho Bernardo,” Kahn said. “They beat us by two strokes last year, but we beat them at this tournament.”
With the constant hours of driving and putting, it’s no wonder that the Lancers came out on top last week. Always on the green, whether in a dual match with another school or practicing their strokes, the players undoubtedly deserve this win.
In fact, sophomore Shannon Oh managed to win the individual league champion title for the second year, hitting an overall 1-below par.
“It felt great that our hard work paid off,” Oh said. “Now at Regionals, we would face our main competitors–Torrey Pines.”
As CIF Regionals creeps around the corner, the team prepares to face the other qualifying teams, including the defending state champions, Torrey Pines. The practicing never ends as every member focuses on accurately eyeing the flag.
“Golf is more of an internal competition with yourself,” Kahn said. “The team’s more for support–not letting [your teammates] get down on themselves.”
This year, the team has two new, but talented, players: freshman Alli Williams and sophomore Lauren Kirkwood. The team believes that these two additions only strengthen the team’s chances of winning at Regionals.
“It is really exciting to join a team where everyone is good,” Kirkwood said. “As a team, we’re a lot better than the others even though there were some top individual competitors there.”
With the Southern California Regional Championships in Coronado on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1, the girls golf team sets its mind on becoming one of the top two teams to qualify for the next level, State Championships.
“This week, we want to make it out of Regionals,” Kirkwood said. “It would be the first time where CHS reaches state and I think we have a good chance.”
