As she stood over a 60-foot eagle putt on the Torrey Pines North No. 17 green, Torrey Pines High School senior Zoe Jiamanukoonkit knew she was in the hunt for the CIF San Diego Section individual title.

In a tournament with no leaderboards, Jiamanukoonkit didn’t know if she led. Didn’t know how close she was to the lead. But this much she did know.

“I can make that putt,” she said, “because I’ve done it before.”

And so on a sun-splashed Wednesday afternoon, the senior pulled back her blade and rapped her TaylorMade Tp5x. The ball rolled slightly downhill, rolled some more, took a slight bend to the left and didn’t come to a halt until it kerplunked into the bottom of the hole.

“Wow,” Jiamanukoonkit thought, “it’s in.”

Her mind paused for a moment, then another thought rushed forward: “Oh, it’s an eagle.”

That rolling, twisting, 60-footer proved to be the difference as Jiamanukonkit won the 2025 section title by one stroke over a plucky, dogged freshman from Bishop’s, Emma Wang.

Coupled with an opening-round 71 at Balboa Golf Course, Jiamanukoonkit fired a 2-under 70 at Torrey Pines to finish at 3 under. Wang shot matching 71s to finish 2 under. Out of a field of 80 golfers they were the only ones under par for the two-day tournament.

The section title was Jiamanukoonkit’s second, bookending the championship she won as a sophomore.

“Honestly,” said Jiamanukoonit, “I need to process this.”

Bound for Cal, Jiamnukoonit is the most accomplished San Diego Section golfer. She won a state title as a sophomore, then finished second at state last year in a playoff.

Chris Drake is in his 18th season as Torrey Pines’ coach. He ranks Jiamanukoonit tied with Falcons great Sandy Choi as his best player ever

Jiamanukoonkit came into Wednesday’s round two strokes behind Carlsbad sophomore Sabrina Sun, last year’s section champion. Five front-nine bogeys undid Sun, who finished third at 1 over after a 76.

Jiamanukoonit wasn’t satisfied with her putting Monday at Balboa, so on Tuesday she worked for 45 minutes on the green. It paid off.

No. 17 plays 472 yards from the white tees, but on Wednesday, it was moved up to only 407 yards. Jiamanukoonkit’s drive just missed the fairway, leaving her in short rough. From 187 yards out, she hit a low 4 hybrid that bounced in the fairway and kept bouncing until it rolled up on the green.

Then came the putt.

Jiamanukoonkit needed to tap into all her resources because Wang was wonderful. She started the day with bogeys on three of her first four holes and carded six bogeys in all. She finished with seven birdies, including three in the last four holes. Her birdie putts measured 12, 15, 18, 18, 30, 6 and 6 feet.

“It was kind of a roller coaster,” said Wang. After her rough start, Wang told herself, “There’s nothing left to lose.”

The team format features six individual golfers with the low five scores counting. Torrey Pines won its sixth straight Division 1 team title at 16 over. Rancho Bernardo was second at 52 over.

Bishop’s made up 10 strokes on Cathedral Catholic to win Division 2 at 89 over. Cathedral was second at 110 over.

Torrey Pines and Rancho Bernardo advance to the SoCal Regional Championship on Nov. 13 at Los Serranos Golf Course North in Chino Hills. In addition, the 12 top individual golfers not on Torrey Pines or Rancho Bernardo advance.

Those 12 golfers are Wang, Sun, Apple Cui (Westview), Jennifer Yang (Bishop’s), Lydia Chang (Del Norte), Maggie Hu (Bishop’s), Ruby Ligotti (San Dieguito Academy), Catherine Shi (San Marcos), Madisyn Paras (Mater Dei Catholic), Zadie Posternack (Patrick Henry), Camily Yoon (Canyon Crest Academy) and Nikki Gao (Tri City Christian).