Presentation's Mariko Tumangan has played golf on one of the game's grandest stages — competing in the U.S. Women's Open in July at the age of 15.
The junior tapped into that experience Tuesday and shot the best round of her life, winning her second consecutive Central Coast Section title with a sizzling 10-under-par 62 on Rancho Cañada's East Course, setting CCS and course records along the way.
Tumangan, 16, blew away the field by seven strokes with a round that included back-to-back eagles, six birdies and no bogeys on the 5,278-yard layout.
"I was still kind of nervous on the first tee," said Tumangan, who qualified for the NorCal tournament Monday at Almaden Country Club, her home course. "I won it last year, and I felt like I had to live up to that and win it again."
Tumangan shattered the previous CCS record of 67, shot by Stevenson's Mina Harigae on the same course in 2006. The lowest CCS round in boys competition is 65, shot by three players since 1972.
After starting her round with three pars, Tumangan heated up with birdies on hole Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 8. She made the turn at 4-under 30.
"All my drives were in the fairway, and that helped me with my approaches. I had good shots in to every hole," said Tumangan, who won the NCGA Junior Tour Championship on Sunday with a bogey-less 66 in the final round at Fresno's Belmont Country Club.
On the short 277-yard, par-4 11th hole, Tumangan blasted her drive to the fringe of the green and drained a 35-foot eagle putt. The next hole was a 422-yard, par 5. Tumangan ripped a drive down the center and was left with a 155-yard approach. She hit a 7-iron to within nine feet and made the putt for her second eagle in a row.
"I was sticking every iron and making every putt; when you're playing like that, your confidence level increases so much," Tumangan said. "I had the mentality that I was going to make every putt I stepped over."
Setting a CCS record meant a lot to Tumangan, because the tournament's list of former champions includes LPGA standout Christina Kim, Harigae and Stanford's Sydney Burlison.
"Of course, those are all players I look up to," Tumangan said. "It's great to know that I can compete and shoot as low as them."
St. Ignatius won the team title, with Presentation finishing second. Salinas took third and Santa Catalina fourth.
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