Kelly Moran had never shot 70 or better until this week, but the golfer from Boulder Country Club picked an opportune time to venture into uncharted territory.
The 17-year-old Fairview High School graduate fired that 2-under-par 70 on Wednesday — the same day that two of her pursuers in the CWGA Junior Stroke Play did likewise.
The result was that her best was just good enough for the state title at Saddleback Golf Club in Firestone.
“I really like going out where it’s close or I’m in contention,” said Moran, who will play college golf at NCAA Division I William & Mary in Virginia beginning in the fall. “I’ve been playing really well, but I kept having one thing off in my game. But it all came together today.”
Actually, Moran did end up with a two-stroke margin in her wire-to-wire victory in the Junior Stroke Play. She birdied her 16th hole from 3 feet on Wednesday to give her a little cushion, but it was always close.
Moran finished with a 2-over-par 218 total, two stokes better than Jaylee Tait of Raccon Creek Golf Course, who matched Moran’s 70. Likewise firing 70 was third-place finisher Sarah Hankins of Thorncreek Golf Club, who checked in at 222.
“This means a lot,” said Moran, who placed third in this tournament a year ago. “It’s a good way to close out (her junior golf career in the state, though she still has a tournament or two left). I knew I had to win one of them.
“This is probably my biggest win with the field they had here. Maybe it’s tied with the (high school) regional I won as a junior.”
On Wednesday, Moran posted three birdies — all from inside of 5 feet — and one bogey in her career-best round. But if there was one area of her game that didn’t cooperate on the final day, it was her putter.
“I kept having short birdie putts and they wouldn’t drop,” she said. “It was frustrating. I was hitting it close. If I putted good, I could have gone lower, but I’m not complaining.
“I was proud of how I handled the mental part of my game today.”
Moran wasn’t the only CWGA Junior Stroke Play winner from Fairview High School. Former teammate Megan McCambridge won the First Flight on Wednesday after carding rounds of 79-84-73 for a 236 total.
CWGA Junior Stroke Play Championship
At Par-72 Saddleback Golf Club in Firestone
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
Kelly Moran, Boulder, Colo. 74-74-70–218
Jaylee Tait, Littleton, Colo. 75-75-70–220
Sarah Hankins, Thornton, Colo. 75-77-70–222
Gillian Vance, Lakewood, Colo. 74-75-79–228
Samantha Barker, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 77-73-78–228
Sydney Gillespie, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 74-78-78–230
Kylee Sullivan, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80-73-82–235
Mary Weinstein, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 74-82-79–235
Sydney Merchant, Morrison, Colo. 80-78-79–237
FIRST FLIGHT
Megan McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 79-84-73–236
Joanna Kempton, Littleton, Colo. 79-83-77–239
Madison Tenney, Evergreen, Colo. 83-78-79–240
Andrea Ballou, Larkspur, Colo. 82-82-78–242
Dani Urman, Greenwood Village , Colo. 79-81-83–243
Delaney Benson, Littleton, Colo. 80-84-79–243
Jennifer Hankins, Thornton, Colo. 77-85-81–243
Adara Pauluhn, Longmont, Colo. 80-84-80–244
Hannah More, Littleton, Colo. 83-79-84–246
SECOND FLIGHT
Morgan Sahm, Centennial, Colo. 86-73-76–235
Jenni Chun, Lone Tree, Colo. 87-80-78–245
Margot Leibold, Englewood, Colo. 88-81-80–249
Jacquelin Biggs, Englewood, Colo. 88-77-86–251
Ashlyn Kirschner, Arvada, Colo. 88-79-85–252
Delaney Elliott, Superior, Colo. 88-86-79–253
Heather Kroll-Schoonover, Arvada, Colo. 86-90-84–260
Mariah Ehrman, Westminster, Colo. 87-89-90–266
Julia Kim, Aurora, Colo. 87-90-91–268
THIRD FLIGHT
Katherine Kemp, Colorado Springs, Colo. 91-78-80–249
Morgan Stacks, Thornton, Colo. 91-80-87–258
Emilee Strausburg, Lakewood, Colo. 90-88-86–264
Courtney Ewing, Pueblo West, Colo. 94-87-87–268
Natasha Brandy McClain, Castle Pines, Colo. 92-88-89–269
Madison McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 93-92-93–278
Andrea Hoos, Thornton, Colo. 94-98-88–280
Duval Sutherland, Parker, Colo. 95-104-99–298
Julia Baroth, Denver, Colo. 105-101-101–307
