J
unior golf at El Niguel
has really taken off to
the point where we
are hearing, seeing and reading about
our kids on a weekly basis. The success
they are experiencing on and off the golf
course is what truly makes our junior
golfers so special and unique.
For instance, Krystina Walsh, pictured at right with
her friend and sister, were invited on February 22 by
Chris Harrison – host of the hit TV show "The Bache-
lor" – to be part of the studio audience for "The Women
Tell All" episode. Krystina got to meet Chris after the
show when Chris yelled out, "Where is my golfer from
Laguna Niguel?" Krystina and her mom, Tina Wilson,
reported that it was an amazing experience.
The very next weekend, Krystina finished second at
the SCPGA Players Junior Tour at Westlake Golf Club,
shooting a 72, just one shot off the lead.
On February 23, Luke Powell and Matthew Davis
were asked to caddie for the El Niguel Men's Saturday
Team Play squad. Because of all the rain, many golf
courses were closed or limited to walking. Saturday
Team Play Captain Tom Maruscsak called me a couple
of days before the match to get my opinion about some
of our juniors caddying for Men's Team Play. Without
hesitation, I suggested and reached out to a number of
our juniors. Luke and Matthew fit the requirements and
their schedules were available to help out. This is an ex-
ample of our juniors rising to the occasion.
Additionally, on March 4, Dana Hills High School's
varsity boys golf team won for the fourth time in the last
five years at the Wolverine two-person scramble tourna-
ment at Aliso Viejo Country Club. The team shot a 189
(21-under par) in a field of 13 teams. The squad con-
sisted of Jason Bannister/Jackson Philbin (62), Gavin
Whitehead/Connor Beveridge (62), Dylan Walsh/
Quentin Hill (65), and Corbin Hill/Dresden Thomas
(65), with the ENCC juniors highlighted in bold.
Another junior who has turned into a successful
player is Kyle An, a freshman at Aliso Niguel H.S. An
qualified to play on the Toyota Tour Cup – which fea-
tures the best golfers in Southern California – at the age
of 13, and on March 7, he broke a school record by shoot-
ing a 5-under-par 30 at Aliso Viejo Country Club, lead-
ing the Wolverines to victory against host Dana Hills.
8
❘
THE DIVOT
❘
MARCH 2019
●
JUNIOR GOLF
GROWING
THE GAME
■ YOUNG GOLFERS LEADING
THE WAY AT EL NIGUEL
BY WADE WILSON, PGA
Clockwise
from
top:
The
Dana
Hills
golf
team;
Krystina
Walsh
(far
right);
Kyle
An;
Matthew
Davis;
and
Luke
Powell.
