Yamaguchi Ties for Fifth at State Golf Finals

Venice High junior Clay Yamaguchi tied for fifth place at the CIF State Golf Championships on Wednesday at Poppy Hills Golf Club in Pebble Beach.

Yamaguchi shot an even-par 72 along with Tanner Hughes of Santa Ana Foothill and Michael Decker of Pebble Beach RL Stevenson. Yamaguchi was placed sixth in a card-off after a back nine total of 35 (Hughes shot 34 over the final nine holes). 

"For Clay to tie for fifth place... this is a great day for Venice High golf," retiring Gondoliers coach Myra Einberg said. 

Yamaguchi opened his round with a double bogey but settled down after that, shooting 13 pars, three birdies and one bogey the rest of the way. His birdies came on the eighth, 14th and 18th holes. 

Yamaguchi had earned the sixth and final state individual qualifying spot with a two-under-par 70 at the Southern California Regional Tournament last Tuesday at Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena. 

Perhaps being in Alexander Schauffele's group spurred Yamaguchi to a lower score. Schauffele of San Diego Scripps Ranch shot a three-under-par 69 to win the state title on the third playoff hole over Foothill's Nicolo Galletti.

Jay Hwang of San Diego Torrey Pines was third at -2 and Austin Smotherman of Loomis Del Oro was fourth at -1. There were 48 golfers in the field.

Torrey Pines won the team title with a score of 366, RL Stevenson was second at 375 and Foothill was third at 381. 

Click here for complete results of Wednesday's state championships.