College of the Canyons men's golf swings program first, takes third straight WSC victory

SOLVANG — College of the Canyons extended its conference win streak to three while recording an even-par team score of 360 for the second week in a row, achieving a first in the men's golf program's storied history.

Canyons (86-6) topped he field by 33 strokes ahead of event host and runner-up Santa Barbara City College (393) and Citrus College (395) in third. Glendale College and Bakersfield College both finished at 397 with Glendale awarded fourth place in a card-off tiebreaker.

The back-to-back round of 360 — which equate to an even-par, five-player team score on the par 72 course — is a first for the Cougars golf program that boasts 10 3C2A state championships (1993, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022).

On Monday, it was Hugo Boyer and Hannes Yngve sharing medalist honors with identical four-under-par rounds of 72. Boyer has now earned medalist honors twice this season while the honor was a first for Yngve.

Boyer currently ranks third in the Western State Conference (WSC) individual season standings. 

Ethan Posthumus shot a round of 71 to tie for third in Monday's field but also continues to lead the season-standings by a three-stroke margin.

Owen Crockett's round of 75 placed him in tie for fifth place and Paul Grimonpon finished the day at 78 to claim a share of 14th place. Alexis Benchelef placed 24th with a round of 81 but had his score scratched.

COC has now won five of the first six WSC events, having finished second on a card-off at the 3C2A Southern California Preview on March 11. That event also served as a neutral course WSC event.

Canyons will play in three more conference tournaments before the 36-hole WSC Championships on April 29 at Knollwood Country Club.

Up next, the Cougars will tee off at San Dimas Country Club on Monday, April 15 in the conference event hosted by Citrus College. Two days later, on April 17, COC will host its home tourney at Rancho Vista Golf Course in Palmdale.

TEAM SCORES 
1. Canyons (360) 2. SBCC (393) 3. Citrus (395) 4. Glendale (397) 5. Bakersfield (397) 6. Ventura (405) 7. Antelope Valley (416) 8. Allan Hancock (436)

CANYONS INDIVIDUAL SCORES
Hugo Boyer (68 – T-medalist); Hannes Yngve (68 – T-medalist); Ethan Posthumus (71 – 3rd); Owen Crockett (75 – T5th); Paul Grimonpon (78 – T14th); Alexis Benchelef (81 – T24th)

Field Individual Top 30
68 — Hugo Boyer (COC); Hannes Yngve (COC)
71 — Ethan Posthumus (COC)
74 — V. Rodriguez (SBCC)
75 — Owen Crockett (COC); H. Norman (GCC); B. Radar (BC); J. Riley (AHC)
76 — K. Chadha (CIT)
77 — E. Means (SBCC); I. Amano (GCC); O. Romero (BC); L. Gonzalez (VC)
78 — Paul Grimonpon (COC); J. Aaron (SBCC); N. Gutierrez (GCC); D. Darwin (VC); T. Klundt (AVC)
79 — L. Herrerera (CIT); A. Morales (CIT); G. Harrer (BC); D. DeGeorge (AVC)
80 — C. Ruiz (CIT)
81 — Alexis Benchelef (COC); D. Hishishu (CIT); C. McGeary (GCC); I. Chapital (VC)
82 — M. Gentry (SBCC); T. Lohrer (SBCC); A, Mount (CIT)

(Jesse Munoz, College of the Canyons Athletics)