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Santa Margarita’s girls golf team is again the best in California.
Junior Donina Zhou shot a 3-under-par 68 and sophomore Nora Qu carded a 1-under-70 as the Eagles ran away with a third CIF State championship in four seasons Wednesday at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach.
Santa Margarita finished with an even-par score of 355 to outdistance reigning state champion Torrey Pines (363) by eight strokes.
The Eagles claimed state crowns in 2022 and 2023 at San Gabriel Country Club and Poppy Hills, respectively.
“Each championship has been very special,” Santa Margarita coach Jill Hegna said after the finals Wednesday. “This season, the team chemistry was again exceptional. The girls were always bringing out the best in each other, always making it about the team and not themselves.”
“With that mentality and their exceptional golf skills, it was the perfect recipe for success,” the coach added.
Zhou finished in a group of golfers one stroke behind individual state champion Victoria Cui of Crystal Springs Uplands in San Mateo County.
Zhou, who is committed to Princeton, posted four birdies and one bogey.
She and Qu were among only 10 golfers in the field of 54 to shoot under par.
Santa Margarita also received an even-par 71 from junior Emily Song and 73s from senior Angelina Tao and sophomore Annika Raja.
Sophomore Madelyn Cheng, the Eagles’ sixth player, was close to the pack with a 75.
Sage Hill’s Audrey Zhao, the county’s other competitor at state, also shot a 75.
SoCal regional champion Asterisk Talley of Chowchilla carded a 73.
Santa Margarita’s postseason included capturing CIF-SS Division 1 and SoCal regional titles.