Last week, the Woodland Christian golf team competed in and won the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI championship at Elkhorn Golf Club in Stockton.

During the championships on Monday, May 6, the boys braved severe weather conditions, including winds of up to 40 mph throughout their round on a challenging and narrow golf course. Freshman Tyler Kalfsbeek led the Cardinals with a score of 77, which included 5 birdies.

“Tyler is the most experienced player on our team, and his experience really showed on Monday,” Cardinals head coach Tuan Nguyen said. “He placed 5th overall as an individual in the tournament.”

Fellow freshman Luke Nguyen fought hard through the day despite incurring 9 penalty strokes through his first 12 holes of competition. He was able to make 5 consecutive pars, which included making a 20-foot putt on his last hole to help the Cardinals secure the victory.

Owen Rainwater got off to a really good start to solidify the Cardinals’ position at the halfway point of the tournament. Despite a few errant tee shots that resulted in penalty strokes, Rainwater was able to stay composed and post a good score for the team.

Seniors Ben Broward, Zander Giminez, and Tanner Thomas were able to anchor the bottom of the lineup for the Cardinals with scores of 86, 94, and 99, respectively.

The Cardinals were able to finish the season undefeated and will play in the Masters tournament, which will be held at The Reserve at Spanos Park on Monday, May 12. Results on the day were not yet available before print.

“We will be competing against the top high school teams and individuals in the Sac Joaquin section across all division levels,” Nguyen said. “Golf is unique in that respect, after Sections, the competition is no longer divided by school size, so only the definitive best teams and individuals will advance.

“It has been an honor to coach this group of boys. We had 13 golfers on the team this year, and each of them contributed to the team in different ways. Dominic Banks, Aidan McMillan, Carter Lang, Chad Morley, Teddy Williams, Sebastian Torres and Ritchie Standiford deserve just as much recognition for their roles on the team as the players who represented WCS at the Section tournament.”