Clovis East golfer Bryson DeChambeau ninth at state

Clovis East High’s Bryson DeChambeau was a stroke off the lead through six holes Wednesday of the CIF State Boys Golf Championships at San Gabriel Country Club.

But a deflating blow on the seventh derailed his hopes.

Sitting at 2 under, DeChambeau made a nice chip onto the green of the 443-yard par-4 — the only hole that didn’t yield a birdie — for a chance at par. But his putt lipped out, starting a string of three bogies over six holes that took the SoCal Regional champ out of contention.

“That took the wind out of his sails,” Clovis East coach Gary Giannoni. “He wasn’t the same after that.”

DeChambeau finished tied for ninth — third-best for a section golfer in eight years — at 1-over 72, five strokes behind champion Austin Smotherman of Del Oro-Loomis.

Clovis West’s Brian Waterhouse was 21st with a 4-over 75 as the Golden Eagles were last among six schools in the team competition at 388. Granite Bay won at 19-over 374.

The Eagles were third at the turn but slipped on a front nine that produced 20 more scores of bogey or worse overall than the back nine.

“It was a tough course as evidence by the scores from everyone,” Golden Eagles coach Tom Deel said. “We just didn’t get the job done. But I’m very proud of our kids, they had a great year.”

Russell Takeuchi shot a 77 and James Trevino and Jeff Yamaguchi 78s in Clovis West’s third appearance in the team finals.

Clovis North’s Chad Bell tied for 38th in the 54-man field with a 79.