Delaney Whittet
Sports Editor
The Mira Costa girls golf team is driving toward a state championship.
The varsity girls golf team took on 11 high schools at the Southern Section Team Qualifier on Nov. 5 at Western Hills Golf Course. The Mustangs scored a 388 and placed third behind Palm Desert High School whose scored a 387, and Walnut High School whose scored a 366.
“It was a tough day for all the teams,” Costa golf coach Tom Cox said. “On the positive side, it was a full team effort, and everyone contributed.”
Senior Andrea Lee hit a downhill putt on hole three, allowing her to gain one stroke back. On the seventh hole, she saved par from 30 feet off the green. Lee scored a 74, which was Costa’s best score.
“I wasn’t very satisfied with the way I played because, although I saved a lot of shots, I had a handful of mistakes,” Lee said. “As a team, I’m really proud of the way we performed and came together.”
At her first hole, senior Veronica Chen hit a shot from 185 yards, that landed next to the hole. She finished at 82, Costa’s fourth lowest score. According to Cox, her performance played a large part in the team’s overall win.
“I was really proud of how Veronica played because she helped carry the team,” Cox said.
Hitting the ball out of the bunker and landing it on the green, senior Danielle Richman putted the ball from 40 feet to obtain a par at hole 18. Richman was tied with the other players, and her putt allowed her to beat her opponents and finish the round, 61-81.
“I knew that I needed to beat my opponents to give my team the best chance at moving on,” Richman said.
On her first hole, junior Lexi Nielsen hit a pitch on to the green and then continued to make the putt on to the par four. Nielsen hit a low shot on to the green at the 10 hole allowing her to get a birdie. She ended her round of golf with a 85.
“The course was very difficult and as a team, I think we could have played better,” Nielsen said.
The win allowed the Mustangs to secure a spot at the Southern California Championships at Goose Creek Golf Course yesterday, but the results were unavailable at the time of publication. Making the top three at Goose Creek would allow the team to advance to the California State Championship on Nov 17 at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach.
“We know that Goose Creek is going to be competitive and that we need to have our best focus to advance,” Cox said. “I believe that we can be one of the best teams at the tournament,” Cox said.
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