Busse transports Santiago Canyon into tie for first

Santiago Canyon College sophomore Byron Busse fired a 2-under par round of 70 on the Victoria Club course in Riverside on Monday to lead the Hawks to a team score of 366 and back into a share of the conference lead with just one match remaining before the conference championship event.

Busse (pictured) shared medalist honors with Riverside's Wes Hatton as both golfers are chasing after Riverside's Chad Hambright for conference player of the year honors.  Santiago Canyon's Tanner Dice, who is also in the hunt for player of the year honors, carded a 73 for the Hawks along with Austrin Trcka while teammates Cory Canon and Ryan Mendoza each posted 75's to give Santiago Canyon a team score of 366.  Riverside finished second, three strokes back at 369, as Robby Melton posted a 74 and Hambright, Eric Cross, and Cody Medlin each finished at 75.

Orange Coast placed third with a team score of 376 as Zach Eddy finished at even-par 72 and Nick Zapotoczny was one back at 73 with Myles Valentine (74) and Bryson Bentley (75) also among the leaders.  James Kim of Cypress posted a 72 to help the Chargers post a team score of 385 while Saddleback (393) finished fifth, led by Nick Prudhomme's 76.  Irvine Valley (401) rounded out the competition as River Robertson posted a 74.

Riverside captured the 2014 state title on this same Victoria Club course with rounds of 368 and 366 last May with Hatton, Hambright, and Cross all a member of that championship team.  Although winning this year's conference title will be a fight between Riverside and Santiago Canyon, it isn't a prerequisite for post-season success.  The Tigers finished third in the conference last season and second at the regional event before taking the state title.

Santiago Canyon and Riverside each have 35 victories this season with just the conference match at Oak Creek on April 15 and the 36-hole conference championship at Los Serranos on April 27 remaining on the regular-season schedule.  Orange Coast is in third place with 23 wins while Saddleback and Cypress share fourth place with 11 wins and Irvine Valley has five wins.