It was a historic outing for the Valencia girls’ golf team at Temecula Creek on Thursday as Eliana Saga and Kara An placed second and third, respectively, at the qualifying tournament for the Southern State Regional Championship.
Saga was the CIF-SS runner-up as she shot 68 (-4) and had a “clean card,” as the junior golfer shot no bogeys for the day.
“Yet again, another outstanding effort by Eliana,” Valencia coach Robert Waters said in an interview with The Signal. “She has played great all season but to play in this setting and have a clean card is very impressive.”
As for An, she shot two bogeys during the competition but had multiple birdies and carded a 69 (-3) along with a third-place finish.
“Kara has improved so much this past year,” Waters said. “She failed to qualify last season as a sophomore, so this is gratifying for her to not only make it through the first round but advance to the third stage.”
With Saga and An placing second and third, both golfers advanced to the regional state qualifier, set to be held at the Los Serranos golf course on Thursday.
The competition will feature the best golfers from the Southern, L.A. City, San Diego, and Central Sections that are affiliated with the California Interscholastic Federation.
Although both Saga and An kept their seasons alive, the team did not advance to the next round as the Vikings placed eighth out of the 14 teams that were competing.
Only the top four teams that participated in Thursday’s qualifying tournament were to advance to the Southern State Regional Championship.
But for individual players, Saga and An are set to give it their all as two of the top 18 players in the qualifier next week with a shot at the State Championships on the line, set to be held at the Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
As for Waters, all that matters is the golf that his team plays, and that they’ll be ready for how competitive the field will be.
“Regardless of the stage, it’s always the same,” he said. “Control the controllable and commit to each and every shot.”
In total, there will be 124 players ranging from Fresno to San Diego competing for the nine spots in the state tournament in the next round, but Waters has full confidence in his players and the fact that they already have familiarity having played at Los Serranos before.
“Heading back to Los Serranos is great, having competed there in the first round,” he said. “The course will be lengthened in this tournament, so it will be another great test for us. The field will be much more competitive as well, so we’re excited to get back out there and compete.”
