The girls golf season ended on Nov. 19, after the Cardinal team (20-0) placed second at the California Interscholastic Federation State Tournament, falling to Santa Margarita High School by eight strokes at Poppy Hills Golf Course.
Earlier in the season, the Cardinal team placed third at the CIF Regional Championship. For the sixth year in a row, they won the CIF San Diego Section Division, with Zoe Jiamanukoonkit (12) bringing back the San Diego Section Division individual title.
The Gold team finished the season 19-2 while the junior varsity team ended 10-0.
“The season was very long, but super fun [with] an amazing group of players,” Chris Drake, golf program head coach, as well as College Preparation and Advanced Placement United States History teacher, said. “All three squads played extraordinarily during the season. Our JV was undefeated, our Cardinal Squad was undefeated and ranked number one or two in the country the entire season, and our Gold Squad’s only losses were to the Cardinal Squad. So, an amazingly successful golf season on the course.”
Throughout the season, the teams championed a mindset: “to win,” according to Cardinal players Jiamanukoonkit and Kate Hu (11). Between frozen yogurt runs after every match and team dinners, the girls each had their own season highlights.
For Hu, “eating dinner with the team” before the state tournament, the van ride “going up to [Northern] California” and “winning the peninsula tournament against all the top Southern California teams” in September were some of her season highlights.
On the other hand, Jiamanukoonkit’s season highlight was an eagle putt at the San Diego Section Division tournament.
“At first I wasn’t expecting much, but when I set up to the ball, I thought to myself, ‘I can make any putt,’” Jiamanukoonkit said. “I was confident, so I somehow just made it.”
Looking back, Drake’s favorite moments were watching the seniors “finish up their high school careers at Poppy Hills at Pebble Beach at the state tournament,” especially since they “work so hard for so long.”
From her sophomore to senior year on the Cardinal team, Jiamanukoonkit’s fondest memories center around winning the state individual title in 2023.
“That season was the first time I [was] really in a team for this individual sport,” Jiamanukoonkit said. “It opened a new perspective on golf for me, and being on a team felt really good and it boosted my confidence.”
Next year, the team hopes to bring back another CIF State Championship.
“Our goal is always the same,” Drake said. “To win a state championship.”
Reflecting on her junior golf career, Hu noted that she was “really proud of how hard our team worked this year.”
“Everyone gave it their all, stayed committed and played really well,” Hu said.
