Carson golfers win 2nd consecutive Sierra tourney

Thanks to sub-90 rounds by Elayna Shine, Whitney Nash and Lindsay Burroughs, Carson High's girls golf team won its second straight Sierra League tournament Tuesday at Empire Ranch.

Shine matched her career low with an 84, while Nash followed with an 85 and Burroughs recorded a high-school best of 89 as Carson finished with a 349 to beat Bishop Manogue (355) and Galena (387). Megan Justice shot a career-best 91 as Carson's fourth and final scorer. Ali Vondrak had a non-scoring 95 and Heather Evans a non-scoring 101.

"That's a good score," Carson coach Terry Gingell said. "I'm very pleased. The girls are playing well and improving which is what I like to see. I still see some room for improvement."

Shine has shot three straight sub-90 rounds dating back to last year's zone tournament when she shot a career-best 84. She has 87 and 84 in her first two tournaments this year.

"I was happy with my front nine, but not the back nine," said Shine, who shot a 2-over-par 38 on the Blue course and a 10-over-par 46 on the White course. "I tried to battle back on the back. I've got to keep getting better.

"My chip shots weren't getting close enough to have an easy two-putt. That's why my scores got worse (on the back). My goal is to break 90, but I also want to go lower each week."

Shine opened with a bogey at No. 1 on the Blue course, but then reeled off five straight pars before a three-putt bogey at No. 7. She parred the last two holes on the front to finish at 38.

After a bogey on No. 10 (No. 1 White), Shine birdied the par-5 430-yard 11th. With the wind at her back, Shine blasted a 5-wood that bounced in front of the green and rolled just off the back. She chipped on and drained a short putt. She ran into trouble on No. 12, taking a triple-bogey 7. However, she righted the ship and recorded one par and five bogeys over her last six holes.

Nash had four pars and five bogeys on the front nine (Blue course). She parred the par-4 10th (No. 1 White) and bogeyed the next two holes. Disaster struck on the par-3 141-yard 13th when she took a quadruple-bogey 7. She did bounce back nicely with a par on her 14th hole and a birdie on her 15th, the 440-yard par-5. Unlike last week when she let a couple of tough holes affect her, Nash remained poised down the stretch.

"I played well except that one hole," Nash said. "I tried to swing out of my shoes because I've never reached the green on that one. I tried to muscle it. Then I tried to baby the ball up to the green."

Burroughs had two pars and a birdie on her front nine en route to a 42. She added one par on her 16th hole on the back nine.

Carson's three scores in the 80s offset two 78s from Manogue's Elise Levy and Maggie Jones.

Medalist honors for the second straight week went to Douglas sensation Bethany Wurster, who carded a 1-under-par 71. Wurster had three birdies on the back nine, including two in a row, on 15 and 16.

Wurster's only regret is that she didn't get an eagle, though she came close a couple of times.

"I had a bet with my dad that if I got an eagle he would pay me $100 and if I didn't get one I owed him $20," Wurster said. "I blame the wind."

It gusted the entire afternoon. Wurster said it affected her at times at the tee box and on the green. It made some holes play easier and some holes play tougher.

For instance on the 430-yard par-5 11th, Wurster's drive went 320 yards, leaving just a wedge to the green. She ended up with a birdie, one of three on the back side.

The next Sierra League tournament is set 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at Wolf Run Golf Club.