Irvine Valley freshman golfer Nate Noblitt extended his season by qualifying for the Southern California Regionals at the Orange Empire Conference finals on Monday at Los Serranos in Chino Hills.
IVC Coach Ben Burnett said it has been a rollercoaster ride of a season for Noblitt.
"He's had to withdraw twice during competition rounds in matches this year," Burnett said. "The last withdrawal, he hit three balls into the lake on the third hole at Oak Creek and then had to declared himself disqualified when he ran out of golf balls during play of the ninth hole.
"But when he is good, he can be very good."
Noblitt showed that at Monday's conference finals. The first 18 holes were played on the par 74 south course.
"Nate chose not to hit any warm up shots and opened with a double bogey on the par 5 first hole," Burnett said. "But Nate completed his opening round with seven birdies, seven pars, three bogeys and one double bogey to post a round of 2 under par 74."
Noblitt then played the par 72 north course. He bogeyed the last two holes to finish with a score of 3 over 75.
That round included two birdies, 11 pars and five bogeys.
His 1 over par total earned him, by one stroke, entry into next Monday's So. Cal. Regionals at the StoneRidge Country Club near Poway.
Irvine Valley sophomore Jed Meng was close to qualifying for regionals.
Meng used one eagle, 12 pars and five bogeys to shoot a 3 over par round of 77 on the south course.
His north course afternoon round included two birdies, 11 pars, four bogeys and one double bogey for a 4 over par round of 76.
Freshman Jeff Lacambra scored 83 on the south course and 78 on the north course. Sophomore Josh Whitesides shot 82 and 86 and sophomore Tim Abelita scored 88 and 93 for Irvine Valley.
