Pirates punch ticket to state!

VENTURA -- The Orange Coast College men's golf team is picking the best time to play its best golf as the Pirates earned a fourth-place slot at Monday's Southern California Regional playoffs, earning themselves a trip to this weekend's 3C2A Men's Golf State Championships.

After finishing fifth at last week's Orange Empire Conference Championships, the Pirates picked up their game and earned a fourth-place, 36-hole, team score of 603 (304-299), joining College of the Desert (290-297-587), College of the Canyons (294-294-588), Ventura (299-298-597) and fifth-place Victor Valley (308-297-605) as the five Southern California teams to take part at Monday's State Championship, which will take place at La Quinta's SilverRock Resort, beginning on Sunday at 8 a.m. Day 2 of the State Championship will be on Monday, also at 8 a.m.

"This course is very long, well bunkered and water everywhere," OCC head coach Sean Collins said. "It's probably best if you've played the course five or six times, but we haven't played it yet at all. Hopefully we can get that opportunity on Saturday before the finals."

In the opening round of the two-round Regional Final, Yuto Tsukui came out strong, shooting a 1-over-par, 73 to lead all OCC golfers. He finished Round 1 strong, birdieing the 17th hole before following up with an eagle on the 18th, one of three OCC players to eagle the final hole on Round 1. Giovanni Fontana was close behind Tsukui, carding an opening-round 74, while Nate Beckner and Brenden Barker each shot 76s for OCC's team total of 299. Close behind the OCC foursome were Pirate teammates, Nico Flemer and Nic Borelli, who each shot identical scores of 79.

In the afternoon session, Borelli shaved six shots off of his morning round and came back strong with a team-best, 1-over, 73, followed by Barker (76), Tsukui (76) and Flemer (79), with Fontana (80) and Beckner (83) close behind with solid scores as well.

"We have a young team that doesn't mind mixing it up a bit," Collins said. "They have no fear and they are peaking at the right time. We will bring our long ball and a lot of confidence. Some luck will be needed, but we are in and ready to go."

Coast's team return to the 3C2A Men's Golf State Championship is the second such appearance in a row and it's just the third state finals appearance since 2018. In 2013, Coast came close to the title, finishing second overall. It's Coast's sixth trip to the state finals since 2010.

This year's state finals will take place in La Quinta at the SilverRock Resort and with the temperatures expected to exceed 100 degrees for both days, priority on hydration and staying cool might be just as important as green-readings and landing spots for drives. 

"It may be 107 degrees out there ... just another cool day in the desert," Collins said.