Golf:

Orange Coast College men’s golf coach Sean Collins thought his team had enough talent to reach the state championships. The Pirates aren’t there yet, but they are peaking as the season heads toward the Orange Empire Conference tournament, Collins said.

And the people doling out rankings notice.

The Pirates are third in Southern California, which include 23 teams from the OEC, Western States and Foothill conferences, in rankings posted on calccgolf.com, a web site for Southern California community college golf.

Coast (11-5 against OEC opponents) claimed a 369-370 victory against host Palomar in a three-team match that included Cuyamaca (409) on April 21 at Twin Oaks Golf Course in San Marcos.

The win helped Coast pull into a four-way tie for first in the nine-team OEC with Cypress (ranked fourth in Southern California), Riverside, and Santiago Canyon.

OCC sophomore Joe Doody, one of two returners, shot even-par 72 to lead Coast while teammate Benny Santa Maria, a transfer from Santiago Canyon, shot 73.

Sejun Yoon and Scott Wyers each shot 69 for Palomar, so Coast needed a rally and received 74s from both Josh Hurst and Kord Tagley, with a 76 from freshman Ryan Knapp (Estancia High), to help in the victory.

“It goes back to a team effort,” Collins said.

Knapp ranks ninth in scoring average (74.6) in Southern California, while Santa Maria is 12th with a 75.1 average.

Collins said Doody is playing the best now and said both Doody and Tagley have improved from last year, when Coast placed sixth in the Southern California regional.

“[Doody] works hard and he doesn’t snivel and cry,” Collins said. “It’s about him against the course.”

To return to the regional, the Pirates must advance from the OEC tournament, which begins at 7 a.m. Monday at Los Serranos Country Club.

The regional is May 10 at the Southern California Golf Assn. Golf Course in Murrieta.

The state championships will be at Oak Valley Golf Course in Beaumont on May 17.

 UC Irvine senior John Chin earned his third consecutive Big West Conference Golfer of the Month award.

Five of his nine rounds in April were in the 60s. He finished third of 89 golfers at the ASU Thunderbird Invitational April 2-3, including a second round score of seven-under 64.

Chin placed third of 102 competitors at the U.S. Intercollegiate April 11 through 13 and fourth of 78 players at the Western Intercollegiate April 17-18.

The two-time Big West Golfer of the Year is ranked No. 1 in the Golfstat Cup this week. He has a 69.84 average and nine top-10 finishes in 11 tournaments, including eight finishes in the top six.

Chin has been selected to the eight-player United States team for the Palmer Cup at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Portrush, Northern Ireland, June 24 through 26.

 Steve Rhorer parred the first playoff hole to claim the overall gross title in Mesa Verde Country Club’s senior club championship April 17 and 18.

Rhorer (73-76) and Tom McGreevy (72-77) each shot 149 for two rounds on the par-71 layout before going to the par-five first hole for the playoff. McGreevy won the 50-59 age flight gross title while Jeff Short (74-72 – 146) took net (handicaps taken into account) honors in the flight.

Jim Doody, whose son Joe is on the OCC men’s golf team, was the overall net winner (72-73 – 145).

Winners for the 60-69, 70-79 and 80-89 age flights are listed with gross followed by net.

60-69 flight: Dave Tanchuk (78-78 – 156); John Lukin (70-76 – 146).

70-79 flight: Pete Daley (83-75 – 158); Dick Read (72-76 – 148).

80-89 flight: Dave Schweitzer (85-91 – 176); Henry Aihara (77-75 – 152).