BEAUMONT — So close, yet so far.
Linfield Christian junior Luke Bohmer has been so close to winning the Ambassador League boys golf championship, recording runner-up finishes in back-to-back years.
In Wednesday’s final round, he was locked in a battle with teammate Ben Kim for the title. And this one came down to the final green, where Bohmer prevailed by a shot after carding consecutive rounds of 74.
Bohmer is the second Linfield Christian player to win at Tukwet Canyon, joining Daniel Guerra, who won in 2021.
“We were definitely challenged by firm greens and tough pins following that EPSON Tour event, but it was still a scorable setup.” Bohmer said. “To finally break through after back-to-back runner-up finishes feels so good.”
Wednesday’s final round started with Bohmer and Kim tied for the lead, but that quickly changed as Bohmer bogeyed the opening hole. At the 147-yard, par-three second hole, Bohmer got that shot back, hitting his tee shot to 2 1/2 feet for an easy birdie and taking a lead after Kim’s bogey.
The teammates were tied after Bohmer got up and down for birdie on the ninth hole. Woodcrest Christian’s Shante Zhou was two shots back after his birdie on No. 9, and Arrowhead Christian Academy’s Reuben Kok was three shots behind after making a 10-foot putt for birdie at the par-three eighth.
“I don’t know if you’ll find a more exciting high school golf championship race than what this season of Ambassador League golf has brought us,” Linfield Christian coach Jonathan Filestra said.
Kok then birdied the par-five 11th hole and closed to within two shots of the co-leaders before a double bogey at No. 12 ended his chances of winning.
Trailing by one shot on the drivable par-four 13th hole, Bohmer hit a fairway wood to 30 feet and two-putted for birdie to match Kim at four-over-par for the tournament.
Sparks flew on the par-three 15th, as Bohmer hit his tee shot to six feet and made the putt, briefly taking a one shot lead. Kim then holed a greenside bunker shot to match Bohmer, using a slope just past the hole to bring his ball back from 10 feet by to register his first birdie of the day.
Both players had short irons into a back pin at the 18th hole. Bohmer stuck his second shot from 125 yards and two-putted from 10 feet away for par, while Kim failed to get up and down from a greenside collection area.
“I’ve been waiting for a performance like this from Ben for the last two years and he answered the bell this week,” retiring Linfield Christian coach Mark Moore said. “I’ve also always been impressed with Luke’s competitiveness out there.”
Joining Bohmer and Kim at Monday’s CIF Southern Section Central Region qualifier at Bear Valley Country Club in Victorville will be Zhou, Kok, Derek Okubo of United Christian Academy, and Caden Rossi from Arrowhead Christian.
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Courtesy : https://www.pressenterprise.com/2024/05/01/linfield-christians-luke-bohmer-captures-ambassador-league-boys-golf-title/