Men's golf team picks up two conference wins at Black Gold

Men's golf team picks up two conference wins at Black Gold

The Irvine Valley men's golf team had its best finish so far in Orange Empire Conference play, taking fourth out of six teams in a match hosted by Mt. SAC at the Black Gold Golf Club in Yorba Linda on Wednesday.

Irvine Valley picked up two wins - its first two of the season in conference play with a team score of 394 on the hilly and challenging course.

Cypress won the event, going undefeated against the five other teams with a score of 375.

Orange Coast took second at 377 and Riverside was third at 384.

IVC took fourth and then Saddleback was fifth at 399 and Mt. SAC came in sixth with a team score of 405.

The Lasers had several impressive individual scores.

Freshman Jinhan Park led the Lasers with an even par 72.

"Park is one of the best ball strikers with great touches around the greens," IVC co-coach Ailam Newkirk said. "It's just a matter of time when he can string pars and birdies together."

Park had four birdies, 10 pars and four bogeys to shoot even par.

Freshman Ryan Cooper carded 74 to be the next scorer for the Lasers.

"Cooper is not too far from shooting even par," Newkirk said. "He made two birdies, 13 pars, two bogeys and one double bogey to post his 74."

Sophomore captain Bruce Miranda came in at 79, freshman Anteng Li finished at 82 and freshman Junya Honda rounded out IVC's team scoring at 87.

"I'm very proud of these young men and their dedication to hard work," Newkirk said.

Newkirk is also proud of the way the team has bonded as the season as progressed, as well as continued to work with herself and assistant coach Alan Ochiai on improving ball striking, pitching, chipping and putting skills, along with course management and strategy.

Irvine Valley plays again next Wednesday in a conference match at the Costa Mesa Country Club. The match is hosted by Orange Coast.