The Colorado Junior Amateur Championship went from individual players having healthy leads in both the boys and girls division, to packed leaderboards on each side, with numerous golfers having legitimate chances at the title in the second Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado major of 2018.
In the boys tournament, Jake Welch of Highlands Ranch shot a 4-under-par 68 at Todd Creek Golf Club in Thornton to take a one-stroke lead into Wednesday’s final round. But eight players are either one or two shots out of the lead, and another four are four back.
Welch finished with six birdies and a double bogey in round 2 to check in at 4-under 140 overall.
Five players share second place at 141, including first-round leader TJ Shehee of Mead (75 on Tuesday), Walker Franklin of Broomfield (70), Jack Hughes of Aspen (71), Ryan Liao of Littleton (72) and Connor Jones of Westminster (69).
Among those at 142 is Dillon Stewart of Fort Collins, winner of the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior last month, who carded a second-round 68.
In the girls competition, three players share the lead at 8-over-par 152 — Meghan Vogt of Broomfield, Marie Jordaan of Lakewood and Josie Baker of Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Vogt, who qualified last month for the U.S. Girls’ Junior, shot a second-round 75, while Jordaan had a 76 and Baker a 77.
First-round leader Katie Berrian of Castle Rock holds fourth place at 154 after posting an 82 on Tuesday. Emma Bryant of Aurora, the 5A girls state high school champion, is another stroke back after a second-round 78.
For the scores from the Colorado Junior Amateur, click BOYS, GIRLS.
