Sophomore Max Emberson of Oaks Christian has ended the school year as the No. 1 high school golfer in California.
Emberson, the Southern Section champion, won the state individual championship Wednesday at San Gabriel Country Club with a five-under-par 66. He had four birdies on the back nine — including back-to-back on Nos. 15 and 16 — to pull ahead of Steven Lai of Stevenson from the Central Coast. Emberson’s only bogey was on the par-four 17th.
“He doesn’t really have any weaknesses,” said Oaks Christian coach John Geiberger, who was head coach at Pepperdine for 17 years. “He’s got great fundamentals, super steady, has a great mind and stays in the present. He doesn’t connect one day to the next. His quote is, ‘Let’s go play some golf.’”
Kai Hirayama of Temple City pulled within one stroke of Emberson after a birdie at No. 15 and finished in second place with a 67.
Torrey Pines won the team championship over De La Salle. Oaks Christian was third.
