Bourke Comes in Fifth to Lead Hancock Men's Golf to Runner-up Finish at WSC Finals and Spot in SoCal Regionals

Elliot Bourke finished fifth overall in the individual standings to help the Allan Hancock College men's golf team finish second overall during the Western State Conference Finals at Crystalaire Country Club in Llano. With their second-place finish during the 36-hole finals, the Hancock team earned an automatic berth to next Monday's Southern California Regionals at Bakersfield Country Club. It will be Hancock's first team appearance at a regional since 2011.

Bourke carded a 3-over 75 in the first round and a 1-over 73 in the second round. Bourke recorded the lowest score of the second round in the entire field. Overall, he fired a 148, four shots behind first-place medalist Joey Herrera of Ventura, who carded a 144. Two golfers from Canyons and a student-athlete from Glendale tied for second overall with a total score of 146.

Hancock freshman Jett Rugg, a Nipomo High School graduate, fired 77s in both rounds for a total score of 154. Derrick Neiman carded a 79 and a 75 to tie Rugg with a total score of 154. Sophomore Adam Burrola fired a 76 and 79 for a total score of 155 for the Bulldogs. Bryan Tran finished with a total score of 165 behind rounds of 84 and 81.

College of the Canyons won its ninth straight conference title with a total score of 737. Canyons shot a 362 in the first round and 375 in the second. Hancock finished second with a total score of 776 by virtue of a 391 in the first 18 holes and a 385 in the final 18. Ventura finished third with 786 total strokes to clinch a spot in regionals. Santa Barbara finished fourth with 793 and qualified for regionals, followed by Glendale in fifth with 798 strokes and Bakersfield rounded out the top six with a total score of 809. Antelope Valley finished seventh with 852, Citrus came in eighth with 931 and Victor Valley placed ninth.

The Southern California Regionals will take place on Monday, March 7, at the Bakersfield Country Club. The top four teams and the best six individuals not on those four teams will advance to the 2018 CCCAA State Championships at Sandpiper Golf Course in Santa Barbara.