Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now
Santa Margarita’s girls golf team is headed back to the CIF State championship after winning a record fourth consecutive CIF-SCGA Southern California Regional title.
The Eagles surged in the final seven holes Thursday to claim the regional crown at Los Serranos Golf Club in Chino Hills.
Santa Margarita shot a 9-under-par 361 to outdistance Rancho Bernardo by three shots to qualify for the state finals on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach.
The Eagles were tied with Orange Lutheran for third place through 11 holes but stormed to the finish.
Santa Margarita set a CIF SoCal Regional record for most consecutive titles.
All five of the Eagles’ scoring players shot par or better.
Emily Song led the way by carding a 4-under-par 70 to tie for seventh and help pace Orange County individuals.
Song, a junior who recently committed to Yale, had six birdies and two bogeys as she played as the reigning SoCal individual champion.
Santa Margarita’s lineup also receiving strong play from Dartmouth committed senior Angelina Tao (72) and sophomores Madelyn Cheng (72), Annika Raja (73) and Nora Qu (74).
Rising star Asterisk Talley of the Central Section’s Chowchilla won the individual title with a bogey-free round of 9-under-65 to set the course record on Los Serranos’ North Course.
The junior, who is committed to Stanford and ranked No. 2 by the American Junior Golf Association, carded five birdies and two eagles.
Rancho Bernardo (364) and reigning state champion Torrey Pines (368) also qualified for state.
Orange Lutheran placed fourth with a 2-over-par score of 372. Northwood (394) finished sixth.
Sage Hill sophomore Audrey Zhao shot a 4-under-par 70 to tie for seventh with Song among others and qualify for state.
Orange Lutheran’s Jude Lee, the Trinity League individual champion, shot a 1-under-par 73 to tie for 20th. The senior signed with Stanford earlier this week.