Hillsdale’s Formosa repeats as PAL golf champ

Hillsdale closed out the team title as well by virtue of a four-shot victory on Day One, becoming the program’s first team to advance to the Central Coast Section championships in over a decade. Seniors Cruz Barcklay, Tommy Kane and Owen Nobrega were strong on the back nine, with Barcklay and Kane coming up clutch over a six-hole stretch.

Kane sank a 22-foot birdie putt on 14, cueing it up with a precise 5-iron drive. His 3-foot bogey putt on 18 clinched the PAL team title.

Nobrega carded third overall for Hillsdale with a score of 171, fueled by a 3-over 39 on the back nine on Day One.

Ganesh and Zhang finished deadlocked for second place on Day Two after playing even for two sudden death playoff holes before the round was called due to daylight. Ganesh nearly faltered on the first playoff hole when his approach shot fell short of the green, and rolled back along the incline to force him to chip on. Ganesh faced a 20-foot putt to save par, and delivered, with Zhang tapping in to force a second playoff hole.

Zhang found himself at a disadvantage on the second hole as he faded short of the green. After Ganesh fired an approach shot 20 feet from the cup, Zhang arced a flop shot over the bunker that settled three feet from the cup. Both missed birdie putts but saved par, when play was called.

Hillsdale will roster Formosa, Ganesh, Nobrega, Barcklay, Kane and senior David Siu at the CCS championships.

Carlmont locked up second place in the team standings, earning the PAL’s second bid to the CCS championships. Carlmont senior Alister Jackson took fourth overall with a 152, while his freshman teammate Veer Bahl shot 158 to place eighth, and Keegan Marlatt shot 159 for a ninth-place podium finish. Luke Chainey, 160, 12th place; Clark Smith, 166, 18th; and Benjamin Brown, 170, 23rd, rounded out the card for the Scots.

Also earning podium spots were: Terra Nova sophomore Leo Buhagiar, fifth, 155; Woodside’s Jack Albanese, sixth, 156; Menlo-Atherton sophomore Graham Martin, seventh, 157; and Burlingame senior Zach Newman, 10th, 159.

Buhagiar, Albanese and Newman all qualified for CCS championship play, along with the Burlingame duo Ethan Cyb and Ian Lai.

CCS opens at Laguna Seca Golf Ranch in Monterey with the qualifying tournament Tuesday. The championship round is scheduled for Tuesday, May 13.

Nueva’s Lee claims WBAL title

With three golfers going to sudden death, Nueva School senior James Lee put the Mavericks on the map by outlasting Harker freshman Justin Hu through three playoff holes to win the individual title at the West Bay Athletic League Boys’ Golf Championship at Coyote Creek Golf Club in Morgan Hill.

Lee becomes the first golfer in Nueva history to advance to the CCS championships.

Lee, Hu and Crystal senior Edan Cui were locked in a three-way tie atop the leaderboard with 69 points apiece at the end of 18 regulation holes. Lee’s wedge shot on the first playoff hole kept him in it, with Cui getting eliminated. On the third playoff hole, Lee sank a 10-foot putt to win it.

Rounding out the WBAL top six individually is Sacred Heart Prep senior Logan Mills, fourth, 71; Crystal senior Henry Chen, fifth, 72; and SHP junior Eduardo Tapper, sixth, 72.

Nueva and Crystal qualify for the CCS championships as teams. Hu, Mills and Tapper earn automatic individual bids to CCS. Design Tech’s Gavin Loo and Christopher Tam, Menlo School’s William Edwards and William Beasley, Harker’s Jaden Fu, and the King’s Academy’s Caleb Hughley all received at-large bids to CCS championship out of the WBAL.

Serra’s Heath claims WCAL title

Serra sophomore Kyler Heath topped the podium Monday at the Ed Ravenscroft West Catholic Athletic League Boys’ Golf Tournament at the Eagle Ridge Golf Course in Gilroy.

Heath shot a 66 to outduel Riordan senior Alden Thai, who placed second with a 67.

Serra earned an automatic team bid for the CCS championships by virtue of its second-place finish in the team element. St. Francis took the WCAL team title with a score of 372. Serra finished at 378. Serra sophomore Blake Baldi placed sixth with a 73.

Sacred Heart Cathedral’s Ryan Butler and Dante Cress each earned at-large individual bid for CCS out of the WCAL.