The San Benito Lady ‘Balers will send a veteran and a rookie to
the Central Coast Section Finals on Monday, but don’t think the
pressure is any different.
The San Benito Lady ‘Balers will send a veteran and a rookie to the Central Coast Section Finals on Monday, but don’t think the pressure is any different.
Senior Marissa Gutierrez will compete for the third time at the section tournament, which will be held at the Rancho Canada Golf Club in Carmel Monday morning.
“I still feel the pressure, definitely,” Gutierrez said. “There’s a lot more pressure this year because I’d like to advance to Nor-Cal.”
Gutierrez will be joined by her teammate, senior Katie O’Brien, who qualified for CCS for the first time. The two made the cut of 97 after Monday’s Tri-County Athletic League Finals at the Salinas Golf and Country Club. Gutierrez shot an 86 while O’Brien shot a 94.
“I’m pretty nervous because it’s my first time going to CCS,” O’Brien said. “But I’m really happy to be going. It was my main goal just to go to CCS.”
The duo will battle the best of the best from the section, all with the hopes of making yet another cut, this time for the CIF Nor-Cal Girls Individual Championships.
Although no official qualifying scores will be known until after the CCS, coach Chris Branon said carding an 80 or lower would realistically push you through to Nor-Cal.
“There’s only so many spots allocated for individuals, but you just don’t what the number is,” Branon said.
At this point in the season, though, there’s not a whole lot that can be changed. Branon said he’ll go over golf management with Gutierrez and O’Brien, including what they can score, what they should score and club selection.
Other than that, this late in the season, the two golfers will be relying upon what got them there in the first place, and, of course, a little luck.
“Now, it’s play,” Branon said. “There’s not many changes we’re making.”
Gutierrez, who has played the course five times before, said the par-72 East Course is slightly more difficult than the Ridgemark Golf and Country Club, with more trees and faster greens.
“It’s straightforward but there are more obstacles,” she said, adding that the course can become more mental, especially with the approach.
Gutierrez shot an 89 at last year’s CCS, which also took place at Rancho Canada. She said she wants to shoot in the 70s this time around, and hopefully punch her ticket to Nor-Cal, a feat she has not accomplished yet.
“I didn’t feel too much pressure going into TCAL. I just had to be confident going in, and not put too much pressure on myself,” Gutierrez said. “The pressure switched back on now, just because it’s my last chance to make it to Nor-Cal and make a good impression to some of the schools that are scouting me.”
As for her teammate O’Brien, Gutierrez said needs to not think about her shots and play her game.
O’Brien said she’s aiming to score in the high 80s, and although she’s never played at Rancho Canada, she did walk it at last year’s CCS.
“It’s pretty intimidating because everyone that’s going to CCS is pretty good,” she said. “I’m going to be playing with a lot better players, but I think it’ll be a good thing because I’ll try to play up to their level and push myself.”
O’Brien’s main goal for this season was simply to crack into the CCS finals. She’s done that, and now she’ll join Gutierrez at making a run to Nor-Cal.
“I think both should do very well,” Branon said. “You’re going to have bad shots out there. It’s just about letting them go.”
As is golf, with a little luck, anything can happen.
