Yang wins CIF golf title at Torrey Pines
Bishop’s School junior defeats Torrey Pines rival by two strokes to claim the individual crown.
By Giulia Marshall ·
Jennifer Yang of Bishop’s School captured the CIF San Diego Section Girls Golf Championship on Wednesday afternoon. The junior shot a 4-under-par 68 at Torrey Pines North to finish the event at 8-under par. She beat Torrey Pines High School junior Sydney Kroc by two strokes to take the individual title.
Yang secured the first-round lead on Monday at Pala Mesa Resort Golf Course. Instead of resting, she drove to the Fairmont Grand Del Mar to practice until it got dark. Her coach, Will Peters, noted that she is a constant worker who has been hitting driving range balls since she was ten years old.
The field consisted of 116 golfers. Only three players finished the tournament under par. Yang won, while Amanda Peng of Rancho Bernardo and Emma Wang of Bishop’s School tied for second at 1-under. Wang had finished second in the tournament last year as a freshman.
Yang and Kroc teed off at 8:51 a.m. with Yang leading by two shots. Nine other players started within six strokes of the lead, but the race narrowed quickly. Yang made three straight birdies from the fifth through seventh holes. Kroc matched birdies at six and seven to stay within three strokes. A bogey by Kroc at No. 8 stretched the lead to four strokes.
By the 16th hole, Kroc had cut the deficit to two strokes. Kroc said she thought she had a chance at any moment but tried not to fixate on it to avoid added pressure. On the uphill 308-yard par-4 16th, Yang hit an 8-iron to eight feet. She drained the putt to secure the win with a view of the Pacific Ocean.
Yang credited accurate tee shots and short putts for her victory. Her birdie putts on Wednesday measured 4, 12, 6, 3, and 8 feet. Peters described her as calm under pressure and smart about shot selection. Yang said winning was pretty cool.
In the team competition, Bishop’s School repeated as Division 2 champions. They finished at 23-over, 131 strokes ahead of Our Lady of Peace. Torrey Pines won its seventh straight Division 1 title at 25-over, 53 strokes ahead of Canyon Crest Academy. Both schools will advance to the Southern California championships next Thursday at Los Serranos Golf Course in Chino Hills. Twelve individual golfers also qualified for that regional event.
