After firing a 5-over 77 in the opening round of the CCCAA State Golf Championship, Pirate freshman Matthew Thomas came on strong in the afternoon round, carding a 1-over 73 for an overall score of 150, good for a tie for 24th place in the 60-player field at Kings River Country Club in Kingsburg.
Playing on the 6,667-yard, par-72 course, Thomas went out in the morning at 3-over par. He paired a couple of birdies with two bogeys on the back nine until he put up a double-bogey six on No. 17. He came in with a 5-over 77 in his morning round, good for a tie for 27th in the 60-player field.
In the afternoon, Thomas started on hole No. 10, getting off to a fast start with a birdie on the opening hole. He played level par over the next five holes before giving back a stroke at No. 16. He closed his first nine with a birdie on the par-4 18th to make the turn at +4. He continued his strong play with red numbers on Nos. 1 and 3, both par 5's to come back to 2-over. However, a bogey and a double at 5 and 6 pushed him back to 5-over and a bogey on his finishing hole set his score at +6.
College of the Canyons won the team championship with a score of 733 followed by Reedley at 741. Santa Barbara came in fifth with a 760.
