Eagles Go Low, Impress

With two Southern Section and three CIF-SGGA titles in the last 10 years, Santa Margarita is an established power in boys’ golf.

Now the Eagle girls’ team appears ready to join the elite ranks after a school-record performance last week.

Madison Butler and Kathy Suarez each shot one-under-par 34 at Santa Ana Country Club to lead Santa Margarita to a 192-225 victory over Santa Ana Mater Dei, setting a school scoring record.

“We’ve come out strong,” Coach Amy Abts Connelly said. “This is the best Santa Margarita team we’ve had. We have a lot of depth.”

The Eagles returned four players from a team that finished seventh in the Southern Section championships. Suarez, a sophomore transfer from Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley, helped shore up the roster.

Suarez and Butler are averaging less than 40, and the entire starting lineup averages better than 45.

“The girls are fired up to win this year,” Abts Connelly said. “We’ve been watching the scores and I think we have what it takes to get there.”

Record Round

When Goleta Dos Pueblos shot 187 last Tuesday to eclipse its own unofficial Southern Section girls’ scoring record, the Chargers proved they are capable of a better score.

Dos Pueblos competed without a player shooting par or better at par-35 Glen Annie Golf Club. Nicole Dishman and Sara Ovadia each shot 36, Amber Clifford shot 37, Victoria Alimonda shot 38 and Sarah Fox had a 40.

The score broke the 188 Dos Pueblos shot at the same course last year. The section does not keep official scoring records for girls’ golf, but no other team has shot a better five-player score on a regulation nine-hole course since the scoring format started three years ago. The 187 by Dos Pueblos was 12 over par.

Streak Over

Sophomore Angela Park of Torrance shot two-over 38 last Wednesday at Los Verdes Golf Club to end a string of five consecutive rounds under par. She averaged two-under 34 during the stretch.