MURRIETA -- Cole Neal will be facing the toughest challenge of his high school golf career. But that doesn't mean he's planning to change anything. "I just try to focus on what I'm doing,'' the Lemoore High player said. "You can't really control what everybody else does.'' Neal will compete at the CIF/SCGA Southern California Regional championships Thursday at Southern California Golf Association Golf Course. He qualified for the tournament as an individual by placing seventh in the Central Section tournament.

The junior will be one of 124 golfers competing in an 18-hole competition. At stake will be a berth to the state tournament.

"I'm excited,'' said Neal, the first Lemoore golfer to compete at the Southern California tournament since Kevin Tarango in 2000. "I'm ready to play.''

"I just want to play as well as I can,'' he said.

The top three teams and top six individuals not already on a qualifying team will advance to the state tourney, which is scheduled for June 3 at the Santa Maria Country Club.

Neal, who owned the lowest individual scoring average in West Yosemite League competition, ad-vanced through area and section competition to reach the Southern California tourney. He shot a 2-over-par 74 in the section meet at Riverbend Golf Club.

While Neal said that he wishes he could "go back and change a couple things'' about his season, he's happy overall.

Keith Neal, Cole's father and coach, said golfers will likely need to shoot par or better to advance on Thursday.

"It's a big venue,'' he said. "Technically, every person has a chance to advance.''

"A lot depends on who has a good day,'' Keith Neal said. "There were a lot of good golfers left behind in the Central Section.''

Cole took up golf at age 5 -- something he did while following his dad around on the links -- and has been playing daily for years.

But he's never been on the SCGA course -- something he was planning to do the first time with a practice round today.

In addition to individual competition, 10 teams will vie for spots in the state tourney. Clovis West and Buchanan are representing the Central Section and will compete against Brea Olinda, El Camino Real, Granada Hills, Harvard-Westlake, La Costa Canyon, Santa Barbara, Sunny Hills and Torrey Pines.

Neal was one of four local golfers who competed at the section meet, along with Hanford's J.D. Brewer (78), Steven Green (86) and Jake Audrain (90).

(May 28, 2008)