College of the Canyons men’s golf claimed its first tournament victory of the season after seeing four players finish top four in the individual standings in a dominant outing at the 2025 Pt. Conception Invitational played at La Purisima Golf Course on Monday, Jan. 27.

Canyons started the day by completing the final two holes of Sunday’s round, which had to be halted due to inclement weather. The Cougars held a six-shot lead after the first 18 holes and quickly got back to business.

COC (780-397/383) ended the day 28 strokes ahead of runner-up, and conference rival, Ventura College (808-406/402). The Pirates made the best of day two, however, picking up five strokes on College of the Desert (810-403/407), placing the Roadrunners in third. Desert had ended the first round in second place.

Freshman Anthony Nilson (153-78/75) was the top man in the clubhouse for Canyons after placing third in the individual standings.

Nilson finished three-over par on Monday, ending the tourney just two shots back of event medalist Chase Foster (151-78/73) of Fresno City College. Cory Rose (152-77/75) was second in the individual standings representing Victor Valley College.

One slot down from Nilson was the Cougars’ trio of Ryan Giardino (154-76/78), Ethan Posthumus (154-78/76) and Jacques Struyf (154-77/77) in a tie with Logan Gonzalez of Ventura College (154-75/79) for fourth place.

Posthumus, a member of COC’s 2024 state championship squad, managed to better his day-one score by two strokes, while Struyf, new to the program this season, fired off two identical rounds of 77. Giardino, also a 2024 state champion, finished at 78 for the final round.

Carson Diaz (165-88/77) was the fifth scorer for Canyons with Robert Scribner (176-92/84) also competing but having his score dropped from the final tally.

The Cougars will begin the Western State Conference portion of their schedule on Monday, Feb. 3 at Oakmont Country Club in the conference event hosted by Glendale College.

Team Scores Day 2

1. Canyons (780-397/383)

2. Ventura (808-406/402)

3. Desert (810-403/407)

4. Delta (821-418/403)

5. Fresno (828-420/408)

6. Modesto (854-439/418)

7. Cuyamaca (855-429/426) 439)

8. Bakersfield (867-454/413)

9. Citrus (874-445/429)

10. Glendale (881-452/429)

11. Victor Valley (883-444/439)

12. Allan Hancock (984-491/493)

13. Taft (994-510/484)

Canyons Individual Scores Day 2

Anthony Nilson (153-78/75-3rd)

Ryan Giardino (154-76/78-T4th)

Ethan Posthumus (154-78/76-T4th)

Jacques Struyf (154-77/77-T4th)

Carson Diaz (165-88/77)

Robert Scribner (176-92/84)

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