Pirates head to state finals after regional runner-up

CHINO -- The Orange Coast College women's golf team has earned a trip to the big dance after a solid runner-up performance at the Southern California Regional Finals on Sunday and Monday at Los Serranos Golf Club.

The Pirates finished two days of golf with a team score of 338 on Sunday and 332 on Monday for a combined team score of 670 for the the second-place spot in the regional, behind regional champion, Mt. San Antonio (309-308-617). With that performance, they will compete in the 2024 3C2A Women's Golf State Finals this coming Sunday and Monday at Monarch Dunes Golf Club in Nimpmo. The finals will kick off each morning at 7:30 a.m.

Moorpark (343-337-680), Cuyamaca (351-346-697) and Santa Barbara (364-342-706) also earned team spots in the State Finals from Southern California. 

It's the first team trip to the State Finals for Coast since 2021, when the Pirates finished fourth overall. It's just the second time for the OCC women's golf program to qualify for state as a team since 1999 and the Pirates are gunning for the program's first-ever state women's golf championship in school history.

It was a bit of an up-and-down two days for all of the OCC golfers throughout the 36-hole regional as they took on an elite field and a 5,683-yard, par-74 course.

Jeannie Tahvildari was the low golfer for the two-day event for OCC. After shooting an 85 on Sunday, Tahvildari bounced back and shot a 5-over-par, 79 on Monday for a two-round total of 164.

Moe Pyae Sone Khin struggled with the greens on Sunday and carded an 87, but, like Tahvildari, showed her competitive side on Monday and shot a 5-over-par, 79 for a 166.

Delylah Collins was the Round 1 low shooter for the Pirates with a 79 and finished the regional with a two-round score of 168, followed by Sophia Tipton (93-85-178), Lillian Thurston (87-94-181) and Taylor Tuxford (100-93-193).  Tipton managed to end her regional with a bang on Monday, draining a 30-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole for her 85, her second-lowest round of golf for the season.

"I felt our second round of play on Monday, our girls did a much better job of reading greens and lag putting," OCC head coach Sean Collins said. "Our tee-to-green action has been strong all year and with a better approach at reading greens and a bit of luck, anything can happen at the State Finals."

As for the state finals, Monarch Dunes Golf Club will be a strong test for all of the golfers. Known for plenty of blind shots over plenty of up-and-down terrain, the course. the pending early-morning start times and chilly temps in the 40s should bring every state qualifying team into the race for the top spot.