Skip to content
  • Post a Score
  • Club Officials
  • Volunteers
SCGA-Logo-Blue
    • About Us
    • Core Services
    • Board of Directors
    • WHS Hub
    • Volunteers
    • Golf Education
    • Become a Member
    • Renew
    • Start a Club
    • Find a Club
    • Multi-Member Rebate
    • Membership FAQs
    • Championships & Qualifiers
    • Member Outings
    • Team Play
    • Women's Team Play
    • Players League
    • One-Day Series
    • SCGA Junior Golf Foundation
    • Advocacy
    • FORE Her
Join Now
SCGA-Logo-Blue
    • About Us
    • Core Services
    • Board of Directors
    • WHS Hub
    • Volunteers
    • Golf Education
    • Become a Member
    • Renew
    • Start a Club
    • Find a Club
    • Multi-Member Rebate
    • Membership FAQs
    • Championships & Qualifiers
    • Member Outings
    • Team Play
    • Women's Team Play
    • Players League
    • One-Day Series
    • SCGA Junior Golf Foundation
    • Advocacy
    • FORE Her
Join Now
CIF State High School Girls Championship

Freshman Rina Kawasaki Lands Thrilling State Title in Playoff

November 21, 2024

Results
Photos

Rina Kawasaki, a freshman from Palos Verdes High School, displayed the composure and confidence of a seasoned veteran, rising to the occasion with a clutch performance when it mattered most at San Gabriel CC.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Southern California Golf Association (@thescga)

In a two-hole playoff, against the CIF State Girls HS defending champion, Kawasaki rolled in a 15-foot, slightly downhill birdie putt on the 18th green to end it and become California’s newest state champion.

“I had a really similar putt the first time and I made that too so I was just like, ‘do the same thing, aim at the same place,’” said Kawasaki. “It feels great. I worked really hard these few months and I’m really happy to see that all of my work has paid off.”

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Southern California Golf Association (@thescga)

Kawasaki’s round featured 11 pars, five birdies, and two bogeys, highlighted by her steady play on the front nine (34) and precise ball-striking on the back nine (35). Her ability to navigate the challenging par 5s and clutch birdies on the 2nd and 13th holes positioned her for a strong finish.

Starting her round on the tenth hole, Zoe Jiamanukoonkit, representing Torrey Pines, opened with an even-par 36 on the back nine. After a bogey on the 10th, the 2023 state champion found her rhythm with pars and eventually carded a birdie on the 13th to stay in contention.

Kawasaki, with birdies on holes two and eight, held a two-stroke advantage as each of them approached their final nine holes.

“I hit a lot of good drives, far and straight,” Kawasaki said. “I was struggling with my irons a bit, but I was happy to see that they were going straight today.”

Jiamanukoonkit caught fire as soon as she made the turn, converting three consecutive birdies on holes two, three and four to immediately take reign at the top of the leaderboard. Kawasaki joined her with her third birdie of the day on the 13th.

Jiamanukoonkit stayed steady under pressure, parring her final holes to finish at three-under 69 in regulation and eventually force the playoff. Kawasaki, meanwhile, took a more dramatic path to her three-under finish. After the birdie on 13, she stumbled with back-to-back bogeys on 14 and 15, momentarily slipping out of contention. But the freshman showed incredible resilience, bouncing back with clutch birdies on the 16th (par-4) and 17th (par-5) to keep her championship hopes alive.

Each of them parred the first playoff hole. Kawasaki’s tee shot on the second playoff hole (No. 18) landed straight down the middle. Jiamanukoonkit went left into the rough and was forced to thread her second shot around a tree on to a green guarded by bunkers on the left side.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Southern California Golf Association (@thescga)

Her second shot landed in those bunkers, and despite a great shot out, Kawasaki planted her second shot onto the far left side of the green, setting up her 15-foot game winner.

“I was in disbelief. I was like, ‘oh my gosh, it actually went in. I actually won,’” Kawasaki said. “Over the season I think I learned a lot of things that I normally wouldn’t have just playing by myself. I’m really happy to see that my game has gotten better. It’s evolved and overall it’s in a really good spot.”

TEAM COMPETITION

torrey pines

Torrey Pines HS won its first state championship since 2013, highlighted by strong individual performances from Jiamanukoonkit (69) and 2023 SoCal Junior Amateur champion Kate Hu (70), who individually finished second and third place, respectively.

“It’s pretty amazing,” said longtime Falcons Head Coach, Chris Drake. “There’s so many talented golfers in California, especially here in Southern California. It’s an accomplishment to make it this far, to even be here and play against all these other girls and programs.”

The Falcons played spoiler to Santa Margarita’s charge at a third consecutive state title after coming within one stroke of dethroning the perennial powerhouse at last year’s state competition.

“It’s really what we wanted to do since they beat us last year by one stroke – we tied on the sixth player – so we were excited to get another opportunity and the girls saved their best for last,” said Drake.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Southern California Golf Association (@thescga)

And it may only be the beginning for Drake and his team, who graduate just one senior and possess several underclassmen ready to leave their mark next season.

“They get along very well,” Drake said. “It’s a really positive and supportive group. As a teacher of some of them, they’re in the van doing homework and talking about school. They’re a happy bunch and it’s really nice being around that.”

CIF State High School Girls Championship News

Freshman Rina Kawasaki Lands Thrilling State Title in Playoff

SoCal Sweep at CIF Girls State HS Championship

SoCal Sweep at CIF Girls State HS Championship

Past Champions

Year Winner Site
2024 Rina Kawasaki, Palos Verdes (Individual), Torrey Pines HS (Team) San Gabriel CC
2023 Zoe Jiamanukoonkit, Torrey Pines (Individual), Santa Margarita HS (Team) Poppy Hills GC
2022 Angela Liu, Santa Margarita (Individual) Santa Margarita H.S. (Team) San Gabriel CC
2021 Leigh Chien, University (Individual) Granite Bay H.S. (Team) Poppy Hills GC
2019 Caroline Canales, Calabasas (Individual) Palo Alto High School (Team) Poppy Hills GC
2018 Brianna Navarrosa, Mater Dei (Individual) Victoria Club
2018 Troy High School (Team)
2017 Zoe Campos, West Ranch (Individual) Poppy Hills GC
2017 University High School (Team)
2016 Beth Lillie, Troy (Individual) Red Hill CC
2016 Walnut High School (Team)
2015 Alyaa Abdulghany, Corona del Mar (Individual) Poppy Hills GC
2015 Mira Costa High (Team)
2014 Sabrina Iqbal, Pioneer (Individual) Red Hill CC
2014 Diamond Bar High School (Team)
2013 Andrea Lee, Mira Costa (Individual) Quail Lodge GC
2013 Torrey Pines High School (Team)
2012 Elizabeth Bernabe, Canyon (Individual) Red Hill CC
2012 Torrey Pines High School (Team)
2011 Sarah Cho, Torrey Pines (Individual) Poppy Hills GC
2011 Torrey Pines High School (Team)
2010 Grace Na, Alameda (Individual) Red Hill CC
2010 Torrey Pines High School (Team)
2009 Jenny Shin, Torrance (Individual) Poppy Hills GC
2009 Torrance High School (Team)
2008 Jenny Shin, Torrance (Individual) Red Hill CC
2008 Torrance High School (Team)
2007 Lee Lopez, La Serna (Individual) Poppy Hills GC
2007 Torrance High School (Team)
2006 Lizette Salas, Azusa (Individual) Red Hill CC
2006 Poway High School (Team)
2005 Jane Rah, Torrance (Individual) PGA of Southern California GC (Legends)
2005 Torrance High School (Team)
2004 Joanne Lee, Carlmont (Individual) Red Hill CC
2004 Torrey Pines High School (Team)
  • Quick Links
    • Post a Score
    • Handicap Index Lookup
    • Course Handicap Calculator
    • Event Policies
    • Player of the Year
    • Contact Us
    • Careers
  • Resources
    • SCGA Volunteer Portal
    • Club Admin Hub
    • Club Official Digest
    • Educational Webinars
    • Find a Course
    • Team California
    • Advertise with Us
  • Rules of Golf
    • USGA Rules Hub
    • Quizzes
    • Rules Workshops
    • Rules 101
    • Rules Videos
    • Amateur Status
  • World Handicap System
    • WHS Hub
    • Rules of Handicapping
    • Course Rating
    • Handicap Certification
    • Handicap FAQs
  • Content
    • SCGA Blog
    • SCGA TV
    • Fore Magazine
    • Fore Her
SCGA Logo
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn

© 2025, Southern California Golf Association