McMurray closes season with pair of 39-stroke rounds

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

A high school golf match normally involves six golfers from each school. The highest score is discarded and the scores of the other five players are added to obtain the team score. If a team does not have five players, that team forfeits the match, although the individuals on that team are allowed to play.

Bonsall High School only had two golfers this year, so the Legionnaires forfeited all 14 of their dual matches. Bonsall coach Kyle Straeter thus focused on improvement as the team’s goal for 2022.

“The ultimate season goal is to make sure that the boys had a learning experience, had a great time,” Straeter said.

One goal which is yet to be achieved is how sophomore William McMurray fares at the CIF meet, which will take place May 16 and May 18 at the Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad. “We’re still working, and hopefully we’ll do well there,” Straeter said.

Bonsall’s other 2022 player is senior Mason Jopes. “They both made great progress from the beginning of the year,” Straeter said.

“Will was able to match up with the number one from the other schools,” Straeter said. “He made progress and was able to shoot in the 30s consistently at the end of the season.”

The dual meets utilized nine-hole rounds.

“Mason continued to make progress,” Straeter said.

An April 6 meet against Orange Glen at The Oaks Course in Escondido included a score of 48 from Jopes. “He was able to break into the 40s,” Straeter said.

Jopes also gave guidance to McMurray. “He was able to provide strong senior leadership throughout the year,” Straeter said.

Bonsall traveled to the Rancho Bernardo Inn for an April 19 match against Maranatha Christian. McMurray completed his nine holes in 39 strokes.

Dual meet competition for Bonsall concluded April 26 with Orange Glen hosting a quad match at The Oaks Course which also included Army-Navy Academy and Horizon Prep. McMurray also had a score of 39 in that meet. “He ended the year with back-to-back 39s,” Straeter said.

An Army-Navy golfer had the low score of the match with 38, and a Horizon Prep golfer took 38 shots, so McMurray was third overall in that four-school match. “He’s able to keep up with the best players in the area,” Straeter said.

Jopes had a score of 50 in the final regular-season match. “The boys played well,” Straeter said.