Kim wraps up OCC career as state runner-up!

NAPA -- It was a stellar finish for Orange Coast College sophomore golfer Myoung Kim, who competed at the California Community College Athletic Association State Men's Golf Championships on Monday and finished second overall with a two-round score of 1-over-par, 145 (72-73) at the Silverado Resort.

It was the best individual finish for a state golf championship for the Pirate since 2014, when Mark Reyes finished fourth overall at Victoria Country Club and just the second runner-up finish for the Pirates in recent history (David Pelekoudas, 2013). It was also the closest an OCC golfer has come to winning a state title since Pirate Hall of Famer Michael Reehl won the championship back in 1970.

After a bogey on the second hole of the morning round at the North Course, Kim responded with birdies on three of the next six holes and made the turn at 1-under-par. He finished the back nine at 1-over and carded an even-round score of 72, which had him tied for the lead after 18 holes with College of the Canyons' Lavigne Jules, Reedley College's Tommy O'Rourke and Mt. San Antonio's Han Lee.

In the afternoon round, Kim had two bogeys and a birdie over the front nine for a 37 and balanced out two bogeys with two birdies to finish 1-over for the round (73) and 1-over for the day (145).

Kim was edged out by Canyons' Nobuhiko Wakaari, who overcame a rough opening nine holes (40) with 10 birdies and just three birdies over his next 18-hole stretch. He finished his two rounds with a 2-under-par score of 142 (73-69).

OCC's second state qualifier, Tyler Thurmond had a tough opening nine holes and a tough final nine holes and finished 32nd overall with a 12-over-par, 156 (79-77). In spite the rough 36 holes, Thurmond wrapped up a stellar sophomore year at OCC after earning a trip to Napa with his strong 73-70 performance at the Southern California Regionals.