By Nicole Alvarez

By Nicole Alvarez

With four rookies and only two returners, Riverside Community College’s Golf team is on its way to qualify for regionals.

The Tigers are currently 5-5 and standing in fifth place, but to qualify for regionals they will have to move into fourth. Riverside is half way through the season, and the putting players are still struggling.

“We have to average 28 puts, but some of our players are at 35 puts,” said coach Dennis Kahn.

The Tigers play with six players but only count five. This makes it ideal to shoot for the low 370s to pick up a victory.

“If the players are having a bad day, they won’t shoot these numbers,” said Kahn.

RCC had a good match March 21 hosting Palomar and Irvine Valley. Shooting some of the lowest rounds of the season helped the Tigers prevail. This left RCC in a position where they had to beat Irvine Valley the second time around (March 30) to have a shot for the conference final.

While competing away at Palomar College March 28, Riverside had four players shoot in the 70s, but it wasn’t enough as Palomar beat the Tigers by 21 strokes, 366 to 387.

Freshman Kris Patton is said to be the Tigers No.1 player, but struggled against Palomar coming in 11 over par (83). Cody Schumacher led Riverside with 73.

Sophomore returner Ethan Swift and Patton each shot 75s as the Tigers slipped by Irvine Valley, 386 to 391, in a conference match at Oak Creek on March 31. Freshman Jason Fair and Schumacher added 77s in helping Riverside to the victory.

“We are off to a slow start again this season with a young team,” said Kahn. “But I feel that we are playing better, especially at home.”