Golf: Landslide victory for Southern California

Richard Dunn

COSTA MESA - Whether it’s the Ryder Cup, the Solheim Cup or the

Girls Junior America’s Cup Team Matches, it’s team first and player

second.

Players stay in the same housing throughout the week of the Girls

Junior America’s Cup, even if a player lives close by, like Angela Won of

Irvine’s University High.

“We had a lot of positive attitudes and great team spirit, which is

unusual because golf is an individual sport,” said Kelly Williams,

captain of the Southern California PGA squad, which captured the 24th

annual America’s Cup at Mesa Verde Country Club, shooting 70-72-74--216

in the final round Thursday with, respectively, Won, Julie McKenna and

Elena Kurokawa.

“I didn’t do anything. I just brought cookies,” added Williams, 22, a

junior golf director in the desert.

Williams stirred the right ingredients as Won carded a 1-under total

to lead Southern California on the final day, reminiscent of last year’s

CIF/SCGA team championship at Montecito Country Club in Santa Barbara,

where Won earned medalist honors and University captured its second

straight CIF team title.

Won made three birdies and, once again, was the medalist, as Southern

California (660) won the event by 18 strokes over Northern California,

which finished only one stroke ahead of third-place Mexico (679).

Mexico, which was the two-time defending champion, struggled in the

first round (234), but recovered nicely to push Northern California for

the runner-up spot.

“Unfortunately we had one bad day,” Mexican captain Lorena Ochoa said.

“On the first day, we were 14 strokes down. That’s too much to overcome.

But I’m very happy with our team’s effort. They finished very strong

(224-221) and played well today. The first day killed us.”

In a manner of consistency, Kurokawa, of Redondo Beach, shot

73-72-74--292 -- scores at the Mesa Verde layout that would place her

among the leaders in all six LPGA Tour events the club has hosted.

Won was the medalist in the first and final rounds, but carded an 80

in the second round, when Southern California 15-year-old Bolee Kim of

West Covina scored with a 77. Only the top three scores are counted each

round.

“I was really mad from (Wednesday),” Won said with a laugh.

McKenna, of Newbury Park, shot 79-71-72--301 for the champions, while

overall medalist honors went to Washington’s Katie Brophy, whose

74-72-70--290 stunned longtime Mesa Verde members, who remember the half

dozen LPGA Tour events the club hosted in the 1980s, in which only one

professional finished under par (Mary Beth Zimmerman in 1986).

“(Brophy) didn’t quite shoot under par, but 74-72-70 is incredible on

this golf course,” one member said.

In the team format of the America’s Cup, which was hosted by the

Southern California PGA for the first time in 20 years, it’s sometimes a

different game, like when players hold back on certain shots to stay

conservative and not risk it.

But for most of the players, the experience of the format will get the

17-and-under girls prepared for the next level.

“I think college (golf) will be fun, because it’s a lot like this

tournament,” Won said. “You play as an individual, but your scores come

together as a team.”

Won, who helped Uni claim a CIF state championship two years ago,

started quickly Thursday as she birdied the par-4 No. 2, sticking her

second shot to within five feet of the flag.

On the par-4 No. 9, Won hit another approach shot to the green and

close to the pin, setting up another birdie.

“My second shots were very good,” said Won, who, after carding a

1-under 35 at the turn, drained a 45-foot birdie putt from the fringe at

the par-4 No. 10.

“That long (birdie) putt made my day,” said Won, whose 1-under 70 tied

Brophy for the final round’s lowest score.

For Southern California, it was the section’s second America’s Cup

title in four years.

And, despite the so-called home-course advantage, none of the Southern

California golfers had played Mesa Verde prior to the event, which

featured 18 four-girl teams from Mexico, Canada and the Western United

States. “I’m elated,” said Williams.

Following the top three teams were Washington (682), San Diego (684),

Sun Country New Mexico (694), Hawaii (701), Arizona (709), Oregon (711),

Colorado (717), British Columbia (718), Idaho (733), Montana (742),

Southern Nevada (742), Utah (740), Alberta (747), Northern Nevada (825)

and Wyoming (857).