BUCKINGHAM — From rain, fog and wind a week ago on the Mendocino County coast to sunny skies and the temperature in the 80s, the golfers of the Coastal Mountain Conference North definitely preferred the latter weather conditions Tuesday at Buckingham Golf and Country Club.
Host Clear Lake won the day, posting the low team score of 374 (combined rounds of its four lowest scorers) to beat out Fort Bragg (385), Willits (495) and Mendocino (539). Clear Lake and Fort Bragg are tied at 5-1 in the North standings through the first two matches of the season.
Medalist honors for the second week in a row went to Clear Lake senior Nathan Lopez, who fired a 7-over-par 81 on the par-74 Buckingham layout, a round that included four birdies.
“Warm weather brings out the best play,” Clear Lake head coach Ted Mattila said of both Lopez and Peyton Ewing, who shot a career-best 84 that featured two birdies.
“The course was set up very well,” Mattila said. “Mark (Wotherspoon, Buckingham’s PGA pro) and his crew did a good job, it was very playable.”
Miles Mattina, who finished with 92, also had a pair of birdies for Clear Lake. Brooke Hinchcliff rounded out the team scoring with 117. Also for the Cardinals, Sophie Dugger and Keara Alonso finished with 120 and 122, respectively.
While the Cardinals’ play was much improved from its season opener a week ago at Little River, Mattila said his squad hasn’t reached its peak just yet.
“There’s still a little meat on the bone to lower our scores,” Mattila said.
Clear Lake hits the road next Tuesday to play Brooktrails near Willits.
