Torrey Pines captures state record sixth girls golf title, Palos Verdes freshman Rina Kawasaki prevails in playoff

SAN GABRIEL – Among a number of emotions that Zoe Jiamanukoonkit experienced Wednesday at the CIF State Girls Golf Championships, the most significant sentiment for the Torrey Pines High junior was gratitude.

Rina Kawasaki also dealt with several mixed feelings in her debut at the state final, but the most powerful response for the Palos Verdes High freshman was redemption.

After having an opportunity to win the individual state title with a birdie on the par-4, 368-yard 18th hole during her regulation round, Kawasaki managed to make par, creating a sudden-death playoff against reigning champion Jiamanukoonkit after both athletes shot 3-under 69 at San Gabriel Country Club.

Post-event interviews

With a record sixth state team title already secure for Torrey Pines, Jiamanukoonkit was looking to capture back-to-back individual crowns, but after both athletes recorded par-4 on the 282-yard first hole, Kawasaki got a second chance on the 18th and sank a 20-foot birdie putt to win the championship.

Rina Kawasaki of Palos Verdes | Erik Boal photo

Kawasaki became the first Palos Verdes golfer, regardless of gender, to win a state individual title.

She also became the first freshman to capture the girls golf individual state championship since Zoe Campos of West Ranch in 2017.

Jiamanukoonkit and Kawasaki competed in the first playoff to decide the girls golf state crown since Leigh Chien of Irvine University prevailed against Ashley Yun of Walnut on the first extra hole in 2021 at Poppy Hills Golf Course.

It marked the first two-hole sudden-death playoff at the girls golf state final since Sarah Cho of Torrey Pines outlasted Cha Cha Willhoite from Palm Desert at Poppy Hills in 2011.

Zoe Jiamanukoonkit, left, of Torrey Pines and Rina Kawasaki of Palos Verdes | Erik Boal photo

Jiamanukoonkit, who was looking to become the first repeat girls golf state champion since Torrance’s Jenny Shin in 2008-09, contributed to Torrey Pines achieving a score of 375 to edge two-time winner Santa Margarita at 378.

Orange Lutheran took third at 382, Stevenson secured fourth at 392, San Jose Valley Christian finished fifth at 395 and 2021 state champion Granite Bay placed sixth at 412.

Santa Margarita and Torrey Pines both carded team scores of 366 last year at Poppy Hills, but the Eagles emerged victorious on a sixth-golfer tiebreaker to secure back-to-back titles.

Santa Margarita was attempting to become the first girls golf program to three-peat since Torrey Pines won four consecutive championships from 2010-13.

The Falcons, who also received a 2-under 70 from sophomore Kate Hu, won a state title in its third different decade.

Torrey Pines captured the program’s first state crown in 2004 and still boasts the longest championship streak of any golf program in California prep history, regardless of gender, with its remarkable run of four in a row.

Torrey Pines girls golf | Erik Boal photo

Santa Margarita shot 362 to produce a 10-stroke victory Nov. 14 against Orange Lutheran to win the Southern California Regional title at Los Serranos Golf Club in Chino Hills, in addition to prevailing by a 14-stroke advantage against third-place Torrey Pines.

Sehee Sim shot 75, Alice Koontz carded a 79, with Tyanna Jacot and Zoe Salinas both recording 82s in support of Jiamanukoonkit and Hu for Torrey Pines.

Jiamanukoonkit had four birdies and a bogey, with Hu recording four birdies and two bogeys for the Falcons.

Donina Zhou, a sophomore, posted a 1-under 71 – including three birdies and two bogeys – to finish fourth for Santa Margarita. Zhou elevated from a tie for sixth place in last year’s state championship debut at Poppy Hills.

Samantha Daniels, the CIF-Southern Section individual champion Nov. 7 with an 8-under 64 at Temecula Creek Golf Course, shot 75 on Wednesday and Emily Song – winner of the Southern California regional title with a 7-under 67 – carded a 76 at San Gabriel Country Club, along with Angelina Tao, for the Eagles, who also received an 80 from Annika Raja.

Santa Margarita girls golf | Erik Boal photo

Kawasaki, who tied for ninth at the Southern California Regional with a 2-under 72, had five birdies and two bogeys during her round Wednesday, with the sixth and most significant birdie of the day coming after a drive in the middle of the fairway on the second playoff hole, followed by a well-placed iron shot that landed above the pin in the center of the green.

Jiamanukoonkit had her drive on the second extra hole land left of the fairway and navigated her next shot around a tree that landed in the left bunker in front of the green. Despite a strong sand wedge that placed her inside 10 feet on her third shot, Jiamanukoonkit could only watch as Kawasaki captured the state title in dramatic fashion by rolling her putt just inside the left edge of the hole.

Three athletes tied for fifth Wednesday at par-71, including last year’s state runner-up Anna Song of Palisades, as well as Petra Yee of Pleasant Grove and Alexis Faieta from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.