Jesse Yap, Victoria Morgan win World Stars titles
Jesse Yap
(Cal Poly Athletics Photo)
BEAUMONT, CA (December 30, 2016) -- Cal Poly junior Jesse Yap bogeyed the final hole of the World Stars of Amateur Golf Championship but he was still able to hold on and win by one shot over teammate Justin De Los Santos. During Friday's final round Yap shook free of a 36-hole tie for the lead by shooting a final round 2-under 70 at the Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon Champions Course.
Yap, 1-over for the week, rolled in what proved to be the winning birdies on the 16th and 17th holes as he created just enough separation late in the day. The second-team All-Big West Conference performer from a year ago did all he could to try and pull away throughout the round by carding seven birdies but he gave away strokes with five bogeys.
De Los Santos, a senior at Cal Poly, fired the round of the tournament with a 5-under 67 to come in at 2-over and one shot out of a potential playoff. De Los Santos made his charge late with a bogey-free 5-under 31 closing nine that included birdies on Nos. 17 and 18.
First round leader Clay Feagler (+3) of Pepperdine and 36-hole co-leader Sam Choi (+3) shared third while Seongmin Park (+11) was fifth.
WOMEN'S DIVISION
Maybe the most amazing thing about Victoria Morgan's runaway victory in the Women's Division is the fact that she increased her lead each day. After the first round she led by eight shots, then by 11 after two days before winning by a 14 shots. And believe it or not, the advantage could have been even greater had it not been for a late round slip up. 
Morgan, a redshirt senior at USC, didn't give her opponents a moment of hope in the final round as she closed with a 4-under 68 to post 2-over. Clearly disappointed with her 6-over 78 on Thursday, Morgan exploded out of the gates Friday with a seven birdie, no bogey front nine that saw her turn in 29. The only holes that Morgan parred on the frontside were the third and sixth.
Morgan did let up down the stretch with three back nine bogeys but the damage had more than been done.
Yifei Wang was the runner-up and Oregon's Amy Matsuoka was third.