Turlock High junior golfer Emma Mendes began play at the Central California Conference Championships on Tuesday with a disadvantage. She didn’t get a chance to practice on the Pheasant Run Golf Course in Chowchilla, where the tournament was held.

Did it matter? Not really.

Mendes, who wasn’t even sure about playing golf this season, became the third Bulldog in four years to be named a medalist after shooting an 89. It helped her team to a 475, enough to give Turlock its seven consecutive league title under coach Mary Krupka.

Krupka said Abby Falke helped Mendes to the individual win by giving Mendes pointers throughout the day.

In the end, three Turlock players besides Mendes scored under 100: Kelsi Valenzuela, 92; Falke, 96; and Zara Lopez, 98. Mendes joins Emily Szabo (2007) and Spencer Heller (2008) to have won the CCC individual title in the past four seasons.

The efforts of this year’s group have given the Bulldogs six consecutive undefeated seasons.

“I don’t want to go into a match knowing that we didn’t do everything we could have done to win the match,” Krupka said.

The veteran coach and her Bulldogs will now play in the Division I South Championship on Oct. 25 at Elkhorn Country Club in Stockton.

Other local talents will join the Turlock squad.

Pitman High’s Annie Fei (105), Karisma Garcia (96) and Cheyenne Horner (107) all qualified for the divisional tournament after having strong performances at the CCC Tournament.

To contact Chhun Sun, e-mail csun@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2041.