Boys golf produces the first state champions of the high school athletic year in Colorado, so there’s always something special about it.
And the 2018 state tournaments didn’t disappoint in producing memorable results:
— There was Aspen, a school that uses the nickname “Skiers”, winning its first state team championship in boys high school golf as it prevailed in the 3A tournament at Boulder Country Club.
“We’ve been looking for that banner for a long time,” coach Mary Woulfe said. “We put the banners up in the gym for the state championships, and there’s been a big hole missing for us. We’ve had a lot of really good teams and we’ve had great teams in years Kent Denver has just buried us. It’s been like, ‘Wow, what do we need to do?’ But the guys knew we were on a mission for this.”
— There was senior Dillon Stewart of Fossil Ridge filling a hole on his golf resume by rallying from four shots behind on the final day to win his first state title in his final day of high school golf. That victory at the 5A meet at Colorado Springs Country Club was a fitting culmination to a golf season in which Stewart won individual and team championships at the Junior America’s Cup and notched two victories in AJGA events. And to add to Stewart’s accomplishment, he led Fossil Ridge to its first state team title in boys golf.
“It feels great, especially after what happened last year (finishing second to Davis Bryant, who’s now playing at Colorado State University),” Stewart said. “I give credit to him — he’s a good player — but I’m finally kind of doing what he did in taking second his junior year and winning his senior year. It feels good this time. And we won as a team this year, so it feels even better.”
— There was senior Jackson Klutznick of Kent Denver, once a standout tennis player, who made such a successful transition to high-level golf that he won the 3A individual title Tuesday in Boulder.
Klutznick was once the top-ranked tennis player in the state for boys age 12-14, but something his tennis coach told him caused him to give up that sport and put much more emphasis on golf.
“He told me that when I’m playing tennis, I need to be hating the person on the other side of the net,” Klutznick noted on Tuesday. “I came down to the decision, I didn’t want to do that. That’s not me. I golf, you’re telling (your playing partners) they hit a great shot or an awesome putt. You’re not trying to bring them down. I thought that was a much more positive mindset to be in than trying to hate the person I’m playing against.”
(At left, Klutznick is congratulated by coach Bob Austin.)
— And then there was Montrose sweeping the team and individual championships in the 4A meet at The Club at Flying Horse in Colorado Springs. The Indians won the team title for the second straight year, while junior Micah Stangebye prevailed by five to become the school’s first individual state champion in boys golf.
Here’s a look at how the three boys state tournaments went down on Tuesday:
— 3A AT BOULDER COUNTRY CLUB: On a day that only one player broke par — Billy Howenstein of host Dawson, with a 1-under 69 — Klutznick emerged from the battle of attrition with the individual trophy. The senior shot a 2-over-par 72, giving him a winning total of 1-under 139, good for a three-stroke victory.
“This means a lot,” said Klutznick (left), who finished fourth in the 3A state tournament each of the past two years. “I was going through a time (this past summer) where I really didn’t want to play anymore. I was done. I had too much practice with no results. I had eight or nine tournaments planned and I told my dad I’m not playing in any of them.
“But in the middle of the (high school) season, I realized it’s not so much about where you end up as it is being surrounded by people you want to be there with. These are some of the nicest guys I’ve ever played with in my life. It was unbelievably meaningful
to have my team behind me and so many good people behind me. It really meant a lot.”
Klutznick overcame a double bogey on No. 8 — where he hit a ball out of bounds — to play his final 10 holes in 1 under. He pitched to within a foot of the hole on the par-5 12th to make birdie and go ahead for good, and added another birdie on 16 before three-putting for bogey on 18 where the champion had already been decided.
“I’m so proud of Jackson,” said Bob Austin, who has coached Kent Denver to eight state team titles, though the Sun Devils finished second on Tuesday. “He’s worked as hard as anybody I’ve ever had.
“He’s a tough kid and he hits the shots when he needs to hit the shots. I’m happy to put him up there with the other Kent individual champions (Oliver Jack, Ben Moore, Ethan Freeman twice, Beau Schoolcraft and Kevin Stadler). I’ve been very fortunate to coach a lot of great players at Kent Denver, and his name is among those great players. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Klutznick won just one other individual title this high school season and has no offers to play college golf — at least not yet.
“I was very surprised” to win the state title this week, the 17-year-old from Denver said, noting that this victory stood apart as the biggest thing he’s accomplished in golf.
Junior Walker Franklin of Prospect Ridge was the last major challenger to Klutznick down the stretch on Tuesday. He was even-par for the tournament through 33 holes, but a pulled tee shot and a three-putt from 3 feet on the par-4 16th led to a triple bogey and the end of his title hopes after placing second last year.
“I don’t even know what happened,” he said of the 16th hole. “I just hit a bad tee shot, and a bad shot led into another one. Trying to make a putt, I slammed it by. I just couldn’t control my emotions.
“I’m disappointed. It’s just like a repeat of last year, just not being able to pull through. It just didn’t go my way.”
Franklin finished tied for fourth at 144 with Aspen’s Jack Pevny (left).
Jack Hughes of Aspen ended up taking second place at 142 despite drawing a two-stroke penalty for hitting a wrong ball. Hughes shot an even-par 70 on Tuesday.
Taking third place was the 2017 champion, Davis Long of Peak to Peak, who also carded a second-round 70 to check in at 143.
Peter Grossenbacher of Eaton, who carded a sterling 65 on Monday, struggled to an 82 on Tuesday to share 10th place at 147.
With Aspen (below) putting two individuals in the top four, the Skiers overcame nine-time state champion Kent Denver for the team title. Aspen — with a team comprised of Hughes, Pevny, Dawson Holmes and Dominic Lanese IV — finished with a two-day total of 14-over-par 234, which was nine better than Kent Denver. Holy Family was third at 457.
“Jack Hughes said to me (prior to the season), ‘Mary, our team is going to win a state championship this year,'” Woulfe said. “He’s an exceptional player. He’s always played very aggressively, but there were times today he pulled out an iron because it wasn’t about him, it was about his team. That’s really impressive.
“The big question (about this team) has always been, ‘Are these guys that good?’ And they just proved it today. Kent Denver is incredibly difficult to take down in 3A.”
— 5A AT COLORADO SPRINGS COUNTRY CLUB: Stewart, who will sign a letter of intent this fall to play his college golf at national powerhouse Oklahoma State, showed his stuff on Tuesday by shooting a 5-under-par 66, the best score of the tournament by two strokes.
Stewart trailed by four going into the final round, but rallied by making six birdies and one bogey on Tuesday. And he finished with a flurry, holing a 20-foot birdie from the fringe on No. 17 and getting up and down from a greenside bunker on No. 18, draining a 3-footer for birdie on the final shot of his high school career.
That gave Stewart a two-stroke victory over first-round leader Connor Jones of Mountain Range, who outdueled Stewart for the season-long league title this year.
“There was no doubt in my mind this morning that I could post a good number — and I posted the number I needed to post,” Stewart said. “I knew I had to shoot in the 60s — and not just 69.”
Jones, who was 5 under par for the tournament through 30 holes, held the advantage until well into the back nine. But he played his final six holes in 3 over par, while Stewart birdied his last two.
“The birdie putt I made on 17 was probably the biggest putt I made all week,” Stewart said. “Connor was waiting on the tee box behind us. He saw that from the tee box and was (probably) like, ‘Damn.’ So that was a really good point in the day that kind of shifted things.
“But Connor played really good all year, so I knew it was going to be tough today. Me and him went back and forth in matches all year.”
Stewart finished with a 4-under 138 total at Colorado Springs CC, while Jones checked in at 140 after a closing 72. Ty Findlow of Valor Christian placed third at 144.
Team-wise, Stewart’s Fossil Ridge squad prevailed by five for the school’s first state title in boys golf. It finished at 24-over-par 450, a handful of strokes ahead of Lakewood, six better than Arapahoe, and eight better than Regis Jesuit, which had won seven of the past eight state titles.
— 4A AT THE CLUB AT FLYING HORSE IN COLORADO SPRINGS: The big prizes went to Montrose on Tuesday at Flying Horse.
Stangebye, who led by four going into the final round, wasn’t seriously challenge as he was steady as a rock in a 1-under-par 71 day. The junior finished with four birdies and three bogeys on Tuesday, giving him a 4-under 140 total for the tournament.
Stangebye’s two rounds — 69-71 — were the best two of the week at Flying Horse.
Mac Konrad of Pondersa took second place at 145 after closing with a 72, while TJ Sheehee of Mead was third at 147 after a second-round 73.
With Montrose putting four players in the top 25 individually, the Indians successfully defended their 4A team title. This time, they finished at 19-over-par 451, six strokes better than runner-up Steamboat Springs. Palmer Ridge (468) placed third.
Here are the top team and individual finishers at the three tournament:
CLASS 5A AT COLORADO SPRINGS CC
Team
1. Fossil Ridge 229-221–450
2. Lakewood 223-232–455
3. Arapahoe 229-227–456
4. Regis Jesuit 231-227–458
5. Valor Christian 236-223–459
Individual
1. Dillon Stewart, Fossil Ridge 72-66–138
2. Connor Jones, Mountain Range 68-72–140
3. Ty Findlow, Valor Christian 74-70–144
4. Ryan Liao, Lakewood 71-74–145
5. Brandon Bervig, Liberty 72-74–146
6. Tarek Salem, Highland Ranch 73-75–148
T7. Jonas Graham, Chaparral 77-73–150
T7. Bo Wardynski, Regis Jesuit 77-73–150
T7. Ryder Heuston, Fairview 76-74–150
T10. Chris Kennedy, Smoky Hill 77-74–151
T10. Carson Kerr, Grand Junction 76-75–151
T10. Caleb Busta, Arapahoe 75-76–151
T10. Riley Rottschaefer, Arapahoe 76-75–151
CLASS 4A AT THE CLUB AT FLYING HORSE IN COLORADO SPRINGS
Team
1. Montrose 221-230–451
2. Steamboat Springs 229-228–457
3. Palmer Ridge 234-234–468
4. Ponderosa 241-236–477
5. Mullen 239-240–479
Individual
1. Micah Stangebye, Montrose 69-71–140
2. Mac Konrad, Ponderosa 73-72–145
3. TJ Shehee, Mead 74-73–147
T4. Jack Rotermund, Steamboat Springs 73-76–149
T4. Traejan Andrews, Northridge 73-76–149
6. Hunter Swanson, Northfield 77-74–151
T7. Mario Dino, Mullen 79-73–152
T7. Jake Chesler, Frederick 78-74–152
T7. Kellen Kudrna, Mead 74-78–152
T10. Oliver Rotermund, Steamboat Springs 77-76–153
T10. Drew Laake, Palmer Ridge 79-74–153
T10. Ethan Whidden, Durango 76-77–153
CLASS 3A AT BOULDER COUNTRY CLUB
Team
1. Aspen 214-220–434
2. Kent Denver 215-228–443
3. Holy Family 225-232–457
4. Eaton 235-237–472
5. The Classical Academy 242-234–476
Individual
1. Jackson Klutznick, Kent Denver 67-72–139
2. Jack Hughes, Aspen 72-70–142
3. Davis Long, Peak to Peak 73-70–143
T4. Jack Pevny, Aspen 68-76–144
T4. Walker Franklin, Prospect Ridge 71-73–144
T6. Jacob Mason, Holy Family 74-71–145
T6. Billy Howenstein, Dawson 76-69–145
T8. Jeffrey Zhou, Kent Denver 75-71–146
T8. Liam O’Halloran, The Classical Academy 72-74–146
T10. Carlo Pine, Telluride 70-77–147
T10. Westin Pals, Lutheran 75-72–147
T10. Peter Grossenbacher, Eaton 65-82–147
They called it the “Bryant Slam” when Davis Bryant and younger sister Emma jointly won all four Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado majors in 2017. So do you call it the “Sibling Sweep” when the pair wins both the boys and girls 5A state high school titles in the same school year?
Almost eight months after Davis Bryant claimed the 5A boys crown as a senior at Eaglecrest, Emma held up her end by capturing the 5A girls title as an Eaglecrest freshman on Tuesday at Boulder Country Club. It’s the first time two players with the same surname have won the boys and girls state individual prep championships in one school year.
“After he won state we were like, ‘Oh that would be so cool if Emma won state too. That’s never happened before.'” Emma Bryant recalled the family thinking. “I was like, ‘It could happen. I don’t know. I guess you’ve got to see where the cards fall.’ Getting the Bryant Slam was so cool, but us both winning state … He got an excellence medal at school. I probably will too. And thinking who won state this season, it’ll be, ‘Oh, Emma and Davis Bryant, they both won state.’ That’s so cool. I’m not exactly walking in his footsteps; I’m kind of building my own path a little bit. But I’m going back to his path a tad bit.”
(Emma and Davis Bryant are pictured above, while Emma celebrates with Eaglecrest teammates below.)
In helping keep the 5A high school titles all in the family, Emma Bryant became just the second freshman since 2002 to win an individual state high school title in Colorado girls golf. Holy Family’s Hailey Schalk did the honors as a freshman last season and repeated as 3A champion on Tuesday (see below, along with the 4A tournament details).
Bryant came into Tuesday’s final round three strokes out of the lead. But the 2017 Colorado Junior Match Play champion used a stellar front nine of 5-under-par 31 to shoot the first subpar round of her life on Tuesday — a 2-under 70. That led to a seven-stroke victory margin with a 1-under 143 total.
“I honestly didn’t feel like she could pull it off for two days and play as well as she did,” said Davis Bryant, the JGAC Boys Player of the Year in 2017 who followed his sister throughout Tuesday’s round. “She proved me wrong, and I’m happy she did.
“It’s like the Bryant Slam again. It’s so cool because we have a golfing family. Everybody in our family is involved with the game of golf and in the golfing community (dad Matt is PGA general manager at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club and mom Julie is the executive director of The First Tee at GVR). Everyone around us supports golf and wants the best for us. For what I was able to do last season, then Emma winning the Colorado Junior Match Play and really proving herself these last two days and taking it to another level, I’m so excited and proud. It feels awesome.”
In winning on Tuesday, Emma Bryant overcame home-club favorite Kelsey Webster of Fairview, a senior who will play her college golf at the University of Colorado beginning in the fall. Webster was 1 under par for the tournament through eight holes on Tuesday, but the par-4 ninth at her home club potentially ruined a fairytale ending to her high school career.
Webster (left) hit her second shot thin and over the green on the ninth, which features a putting surface that slopes heavily from back to front. The senior putted from the back fringe and off the front of the green and ended up taking five putts (two from off the green) to get down from 70 feet behind the hole, giving her a triple-bogey 7. And when Bryant birdied No. 9 with a big-breaking 25-footer, there was a four-stroke swing on the hole and the freshman went to the back nine with a six-stroke lead.
“Obviously it was a super disappointing day. I let my emotions get the best of me I think,” said Webster, the 5A Central Regional champion. “I couldn’t get the ball in the hole (on No. 9). I kind of played hockey. I was super duper bummed after that hole. Everybody has those holes; it’s just unfortunate that I had that hole at that time.
“I didn’t feel a ton of pressure (from playing on her home course in her final state tournament). I just wanted it really badly. That’s where my disappointment comes from. I know that I’m loved either way. It was just pressure on myself because I wanted it so bad.”
With first-round leader Katie Berrian of Regis Jesuit faltering early in the round — she was 4 over par through five holes Tuesday — Webster turned out to be the last challenger for Bryant. But the ninth hole turned things sour, and she ended up shooting a 9-over 81 and tying for third place at 8-over 152 overall. Also at that figure were Berrian, Leigha Devine of Fossil Ridge, Payton Canon of Cherry Creek and Meghan Vogt of Broomfield.
Morgan Ryan of Grandview finished second on Tuesday as a 73 put her at 6-over 150. Defending champion Amy Chitkoksoong of Grandview placed eighth at 153.
After making birdie on her first three holes on Tuesday and converting five overall on her front nine, Bryant suffered a couple of double bogeys on the back side before closing with a 10-foot birdie.
“After nine I was like, ‘I’m 5 under with nine holes to play. I can’t screw up that much, right?,'” Bryant said.
Whatever the case, the fact that her first sub-par round came in the final day at state en route to victory, it was a pretty special outcome.
“It feels so good to shoot under par,” said the 15-year-old, who picked up her fifth individual victory of the season on Tuesday. “I love it so much. I really wanted to shoot in the 60s today. Some of those holes really screwed me up (on the back nine) but I’m so happy to shoot under par.”
With some golf-related guidance over the years from her parents and Davis — with her brother particularly helping her out with the mental side of the game — the work paid dividends on Tuesday.
“Everything I’ve tried to help her with, it feels so good,” Davis said. “Days like today, everything we talked about and practiced, all the long nights of putting and chipping and a bunch of different competitions, it feels so good. It’s a great way to start a high school career, and hopefully she can continue to play as well as she did here.”
Meanwhile, Cherry Creek (left) claimed the 5A team title on Tuesday, notching victory No. 11 to the Bruins’ record total. But this was Creek’s first championship since 2013.
Cherry Creek finished with a two-day total of 46-over-par 478, two better than Grandview.
Schalk (3A) Still Undefeated in High School Ranks: Holy Family sophomore Hailey Schalk remained unbeaten in her two seasons of high school tournaments and kept alive her chances for an unprecented four Colorado girls state high school golf titles by repeating as 3A individual champion at Elmwood Golf Course in Pueblo.
Schalk, the 2017 GJAC Girls Player of the Year, came from behind on Tuesday to capture the crown. She shot a bogey-free 4-under-par 67 on Tuesday and finished at 6-under 136. She played the last 24 holes of the tournament in 8 under par.
Schalk became the eighth player to win at least two Colorado girls state high school titles, joining Lynn Ann Moretto (3), Ashley Tait (3), Jennifer Kupcho (2), Becca Huffer (2), Kelly Jacques (2), Jennifer McCormick (2) and Emily Wood (2).
First-round leader Caroline Jordaan, a junior from Colorado Academy, finished second, six strokes back of Schalk, after a second-round 74. It was Jordaan’s third straight top-three finish at state (second in 4A, third in 3A and second in 3A.
Last year’s runner-up, sophomore Charlotte Hillary of Kent Denver, placed third on Tuesday after a second-round 72 left her at 147.
Colorado Academy (62-over-par 488) claimed the 3A team title by seven over Kent Denver. It was CA’s fifth girls golf state title since 2007, and third straight.
18th Hole Pivotal in Choi’s 4A Victory: The 4A state tournament at the Country Club of Colorado proved to be a battle of attrition, with local player Maxine Choi of Cheyenne Mountain winning by one stroke at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs.
Choi posted rounds of 78-80 for a 16-over-par 158 total and finished a stroke ahead of defending champion Lauren Lehigh of Loveland. Choi’s 8-foot birdie on the final hole on Tuesday — combined with Lehigh’s bogey there — proved the difference. Lehigh struggled down the stretch, playing her final six holes in 7 over par in shooting 81.
Jessica Zapf of Windsor and Lauren Murphy of Glenwood Springs tied for third at 164.
Windsor captured the 4A team title by six over Glenwood Springs, while Loveland was another two back in third place. It was the Wizards’ first girls golf state team title in school history.
For scores from the three girls state tournaments, CLICK HERE.
There’s only one way to cap off an undefeated season, and Davis Bryant found out exactly how.
The Eaglecrest senior, who won every regular-season high school tournament in which he competed this season, then shared the regional title, fittingly finished things off with a victory in his final high school golf meet.
Bryant rallied from one behind going into Tuesday’s final round of the 5A tournament, pulling away on the back nine at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora for a two-stroke victory.
“I’ve been waiting for this for so long, it hasn’t quite sunk in yet,” said Bryant, the 5A runner-up last year. “I’m so excited and so happy that I could finally get the job done.
“This is probably the best (win) of my career because you’re playing against the best kids in the state and all different age levels.”
Also winning state titles on Tuesday were Darren Edwards of Thompson Valley in Class 4A at Raccoon Creek Golf Course in Littleton, and a second Davis, Davis Long of Peak to Peak, in the 3A tournament at Indian Peaks Golf Course, where Tuesday marked the only championship round after the course was saturated by rain on Monday. For more on those tournaments, see below.
At the 5A meet, Bryant parred the first 10 holes of Tuesday’s second round before making back-to-back birdies on 11 and 12 and parring his last six holes for a bogey-free 2-under-par 69. The future Colorado State University golfer finished at 3-under 139, two better than Fossil Ridge junior Dillon Stewart and three ahead of Grand Junction junior Canon Olkowski. Stewart and Olkowski both closed with 72s on Tuesday.
The three players in the final group — Bryant, Olkowski and first-round leader Stewart — were tied overall after the front nine on Tuesday. But after Olkowski eagled No. 11 from 4 feet and Bryant and Stewart two-putted there for birdie, Bryant made a move with a 25-foot uphill birdie putt on No. 12 that had to travel over a large hump before falling in (pictured above).
“Once I made the birdie putt on 12, that was huge,” he said. “That gave me a little momentum.”
The birdie pushed Bryant into a share of the lead with Stewart (left), the player he beat to win the Colorado Junior PGA title this year. But Stewart three-putted for bogey on No. 13 to fall out of the lead, missed a 7-foot birdie attempt at No. 14, then bogeyed 15 and 16.
Meanwhile, Olkowski had a wild ride in the middle of the round — going birdie, bogey, eagle, bogey, birdie in consecutive holes starting at No. 9 — before likewise losing ground to Bryant late on the back nine.
As for Bryant, he was grinding out six straight pars down the stretch, including with a 7-footer on No. 15 and long two-putts on 14 and 17.
“Once I had a little lead, I wanted to make them to have to chase me with birdies, and I wanted to make as many pars as I could,” he said.
For Bryant, the win adds another chapter to an impressive 2017 season. He’s won both of the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado majors in which he’s competed and he’s finished ninth individually at the Junior America’s Cup, 14th at the national Junior PGA and made it to the round of 64 at the U.S. Junior Amateur.
“I’d probably compare it to Jordan Spieth’s 2015 season (in which the PGA Tour player won the first two major championships before placing fourth in the British Open and second in the PGA Championship) a little bit,” Bryant said. “I’ve played so consistently since the beginning of April. The lowest (tournament round) I shot was 65 and the highest was 77. That feels pretty good. I started out strong (with a 65 at Todd Creek in May) and I finished strong.”
On Tuesday, he relied on his experience from the 2016 state tournament and the national events in which he’s competed this year.
“I learned from the experience last year against Kyle (Pearson of Highlands Ranch) and was able to make some of the par putts and grind it out a little better than I did last year,” Bryant said. “It was an awesome last two days.
“I think the summertime helped too — playing in those hard (national and international) tournaments with hard fields. And playing harder golf courses helped as well. Your mistakes are magnified when you play at those golf courses, so if you’re able to miss in the right spots, you give yourself shots at par. All the past experience, I was able to use and put together today. It feels really, really good to get the job done.”
Stewart, one of Bryant’s teammates on the Colorado Junior America’s Cup team this year, certainly wanted the title on Tuesday, but takes some consolation in the fact that he’ll get another crack at it next year.
“It’s obviously disappointing to take second,” he said. “I didn’t really play my best. Davis finished with a 69 today — that’s solid golf that he played and that’s pretty impressive to do that coming from behind.
“But putting myself in that position … and I still have one more year, so if I’m in this position again I can learn from what I did this year and move forward.”
In the 5A team race, Regis Jesuit (left) won for the third straight season, for the seventh time in the last eight years, and for the ninth time overall, tying the record for Colorado boys golf, set last year by Kent Denver.
This year’s Regis players included Cal McCoy, Cameron Kirke, Drew Anderson and Walker Fuller, with all but Fuller being seniors. McCoy has verbally committed to the University of Denver golf team.
“It’s a joy,” Regis coach Craig Rogers said. “I’m really happy, but especially this year because the senior class was about as good as I’ve ever seen. I think they felt a little extra pressure to make sure they didn’t have a letdown their senior year. So I’m a little more relieved because I knew we had the talent, but it’s golf and you never know what’s going to happen and there’s some great teams out here. So to see them complete the journey was really nice.”
With a 16-over-par 442 total, Regis finished seven strokes ahead of Cherry Creek and eight in front of third-place Grand Junction and Arapahoe.
Class 4A at Raccoon Creek: Thompson Valley senior Darren Edwards pulled away in the final round for a three-stroke victory in the individual competition. Edwards shot back-to-back rounds of 73 for a 2-over-par 146 total.
Edwards, who finished fourth at state last year, was 2 over for his first eight holes on Tuesday, but then birdied three of his next four to take control. He finished with three birdies and four bogeys in the final round.
Despite bogeying his final two holes, Barrett Jones of Eagle Valley posted the best score of the tournament, a 1-under-par 71, to tie for second place at 5-over 149. He made four birdies on Tuesday.
Also at 149 was Bridger Tenney of Evergreen, who birdied three of his final eight holes to shoot 74 on Tuesday.
Defending champion Luke Trujillo of Discovery Canyon finished 16th at 159.
In the team competition, 2016 runner-up Montrose won its second state title, besting Evergreen by six and Valor Christian by nine. The Indians, also champions in 2003, posted a two-day total of 34-over-par 466.
Class 3A at Indian Peaks: With the 3A meet being more of a sprint as an 18-hole tournament, Peak to Peak claimed both the individual and team titles.
Individually, sophomore Davis Long edged defending champion Oliver Jack of Kent Denver and Walker Franklin of Prospect Ridge. Long birdied the 16th and 18th holes — the latter from 15 feet — to shoot 3-under-par 69. He finished the day with six birdies and three bogeys.
Jack, who eagled the par-4 seventh hole after driving the green, was 4 under par through 11 holes, but double bogeyed No. 12 and played his final six holes in even. Franklin bogeyed his final hole — marking his only bogey of the day — for a 70.
But Long’s work for the day wasn’t yet done. He and his Peak to Peak teammates tied defending 3A state champion Kent Denver for top team honors at 1-over-par 217, then went to a playoff to decide a champion. Peak to Peak prevailed, winning its second state title in three years, this one at the Pumas’ home course. Kent Denver had been seeking an unprecedented 10th boys state golf championship.
Class 5A Top Finishers
At Par-71 CommonGround GC in Aurora
TEAM
Regis Jesuit 217-225–442
Cherry Creek 221-228–449
Arapahoe 228-222–450
Grand Junction 226-224–450
Denver East 229-228–457
INDIVIDUAL
Davis Bryant, Eaglecrest 70-69–139
Dillon Stewart, Fossil Ridge 69-72–141
Canon Olkowski, Grand Junction 70-72–142
Cal McCoy, Regis Jesuit 70-74–144
Tommy Parker, Arapahoe, 72-72–144
Connor Jones Mountain Range 72-74–146
Freddie Gluck, Boulder 73-73–146
Sam Blackwood, Heritage 71-75–146
Ryder Heuston, Fairview 72-74–146
Supawich (Beam) Boonta, Cherokee Trail 74-72–146
For complete 5A results, CLICK HERE.
Class 4A Top Finishers
At Par-72 Raccoon Creek GC in Littleton
TEAM
Montrose 233-233–466
Evergreen 238-234–472
Valor Christian 234-241–475
Palmer Ridge 240-238–478
Thompson Valley 249-237–486
INDIVIDUAL
Darren Edwards, Thompson Valley 73-73–146
Barrett Jones, Eagle Valley 78-71–149
Bridger Tenney, Evergreen 75-74–149
Micah Stangebye, Montrose 76-76–152
Jacob Smith, Rifle 77-75–152
Tyler Severin, Roosevelt 73-79–152
Jake Welch, Valor Christian 73-80–153
Jordan Jennings, Montrose 75-78–153
Wes Weber, Mountain View 77-77–154
Nathan Dwyer, Thompson Valley 79-75–154
For complete 4A results, CLICK HERE.
Class 3A Top Finishers
At Par-72 Indian Peaks GC in Lafayette
Note: Day 1 was rained out. Tournament was reduced to 18 holes.
TEAM
Peak to Peak 217 (won playoff)
Kent Denver 217
Aspen 224
Eaton 234
Colorado Academy 236
INDIVIDUAL
Davis Long, Peak to Peak 69
Oliver Jack, Kent Denver 70
Walker Franklin, Prospect Ridge 70
Thomas Messner, Coloradao Academy 73
Ian Thorpe, Peak to Peak 73
Dominic Lanese IV, Aspen 73
Peter Grossenbacher, Eaton 73
Jackson Klutznick, Kent Denver 73
Dawson Holmes, Aspen 73
Cris Rudosky, Montezuma Cortez 73
Billy Howenstein, Dawson 73
For complete 3A results, CLICK HERE.
Perhaps the cold, windy, raw first day at the 5A boys state high school tournament brought out the best in the best.
But for whatever reason, the three golfers who represented Colorado on the Junior America’s Cup team this year — and are in still in high school — find themselves at the top of the leaderboard after Monday’s first round of the 36-hole tournament at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.
With temperatures in the 40s all day — and the wind making it feel even colder — junior Dillon Stewart (left) of Fossil Ridge took the lead with a 2-under-par 69. And right on his heels going into Tuesday’s final round are Junior America’s Cup teammates Davis Bryant of Eaglecrest and Cal McCoy of Regis Jesuit, along with Canon Olkowski of Grand Junction.
Those were the only players who broke par in challenging weather conditions at CommonGround as Bryant, McCoy and Olkowski posted 1-under 70s.
In the other state tournaments, day 1 of the 3A meet at Indian Peaks Golf Course in Lafayette was canceled due to rain, with the tournament being reduced to an 18-hole event, set for Tuesday. And at the 4A tourney at Raccoon Creek Golf Course in Littleton, three players share the lead at 1-over-par 73: Jake Welch of Valor Christian, Darren Edwards of Thompson Valley and Tyler Severin of Roosevelt. For more details on the 4A meet, see below.
At the 5A tournament, with stocking caps and several layers of clothing being commonplace for the players — and heavy jackets and mittens for many spectators — breaking par was no small feat.
“It wasn’t fun, but it was fun, obviously,” Stewart said after grabbing the 18-hole lead. “(The conditions) really tested your mental game. The ball isn’t going very far because it’s so cold. Conditions are hard, it’s windy. It’s not fun, but it really brings the best player out of everybody.
“I’m really proud of myself (for shooting 69). My goal was to be the leader after day 1, and I accomplished that. Hopefully it will continue tomorrow.”
Stewart has had a strong 2017 to date. He led the Rocky Mountain Open — competing against many pros as well as amateurs — after the first day. He finished 35th in the national Boys Junior PGA Championship, 52nd in the IMG Academy Junior Worlds, and was runner-up to Bryant at the Colorado Junior PGA. And Stewart, Bryant, McCoy and current University of Denver golfer Jackson Solem teamed up to finish fourth out of 18 teams in the Junior America’s Cup. During the high school season, Stewart has won four times.
On Monday at CommonGround, the junior finished with four birides and two bogeys on the day to grab the lead.
As good a year as Stewart has had in 2017, Bryant (left) has been even more impressive. The Colorado State University-bound golfer has won both of the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado majors in which he’s competed and he’s finished ninth individually at the Junior America’s Cup, 14th at the national Junior PGA and made it to the round of 64 at the U.S. Junior Amateur.
On Monday, Bryant had it to 3 under par through 11 holes, but bogeyed the next two and played the last five in even par.
“It could have been better, but it also could have gotten away from me and been a 75 very easily,” the senior said. “You can definitely shoot yourself out of it but you can’t win it on the first day. I was just trying to make some birdies and make a lot of pars and see how it went after 18 holes.”
Bryant, the 5A runner-up at state last year, has not been beaten in a high school tournament this season, winning six titles outright and tying for a victory in regionals.
“I’ll be disappointed if I don’t win (state), obviously,” he said. “That’s been my goal since I finished second to Kyle (Pearson of Highlands Ranch) last year. But if you’re thinking about that too much, you’re not going to play well, so I just take it one shot at a time and try to be as positive as possible.”
McCoy (left), a senior who will play his college golf at DU, was paired with Stewart on Monday and played his front nine in 3-under 33, but bogeyed 15 and 18 on the way in. McCoy, who finished sixth at state last year, ended up with three birdies and two bogeys on Monday.
Olkowski, a future University of Colorado golfer and the younger brother of current Buff Trevor Olkowski, finished strong to shoot his 70. He was 2 over par through 14 holes, but birdied three of his last four.
In the 5A team race, Regis Jesuit shot a 4-over-par 217 total and grabbed a four-stroke lead over Cherry Creek. Regis is seeking its seventh state title in the last eight years. Fossil Ridge is in third place at 222.
4A at Racoon Creek: Welch, younger brother of 2015 4A runner-up Coby Welch, shares the individual leader with Edwards and Severin after day 1. Welch was 1 under par through 16 holes, but triple bogeyed the par-3 17th and birdied 18 to finish at 73. He ended the day with four birdies, two bogeys and the triple.
Edwards, who placed fourth at state last year, birdied his final hole on Monday to shoot 73 and posted two birdies, one bogey and a double bogey. Severin, sixth at state in 2016, carded two birdies and three bogeys.
Defending individual state champion Luke Trujillo of Discovery Canyon shares fourth place at 75 with Roger Nakagawa of Thomas Jefferson, Jordan Jennings of Montrose and Bridger Tenney of Evergreen.
In the team competition, Montrose, the state runner-up last year, recorded a 17-over-par 233 total and holds a one-stroke lead over perennial power Valor Christian. Evergreen is in third place, five back of Montrose.
Class 5A Leaders
At Par-71 CommonGround GC in Aurora
TEAM
Regis Jesuit 217
Cherry Creek 221
Fossil Ridge 222
ThunderRidge 224
Fairview 226
Grand Junction 226
INDIVIDUAL
Dillon Stewart, Fossil Ridge 69
Davis Bryant, Eaglecrest 70
Cal McCoy, Regis Jesuit 70
Canon Olkowski, Grand Junction 70
Carter Kovarik, Cherry Creek 71
Sam Blackwood, Heritage 71
Evan Kalac, ThunderRidge 71
Brandon Bervig, Liberty 71
Cameron Kirke, Regis Jesuit 71
Tommy Parker, Arapahoe, 72
Connor Jones Mountain Range 72
Ryder Heuston, Fairview 72
For complete 5A results, CLICK HERE.
Class 4A Leaders
At Par-72 Raccoon Creek GC in Littleton
TEAM
Montrose 233
Valor Christian 234
Evergreen 238
Palmer Ridge 240
Mullen 242
INDIVIDUAL
Tyler Severin, Roosevelt 73
Darren Edwards, Thompson Valley 73
Jake Welch, Valor Christian 73
Jordan Jennings, Montrose 75
Roger Nakagawa, Thomas Jefferson 75
Bridger Tenney, Evergreen 75
Luke Trujillo, Discovery Canyon 75
Micah Stangebye, Montrose 76
Jacob Smith, Rifle 77
Wes Weber, Mountain View 77
For complete 4A results, CLICK HERE.
Holy Family’s Hailey Schalk has attracted plenty of attention in the world of junior golf for a while now, even though she’s just 15 years old.
She was promising enough to receive college golf scholarship offers early in her eighth-grade school year. Even though she won’t graduate from high school until 2020, she’s ranked No. 235 among the world’s female junior golfers by Junior Golf Scoreboard.
And this week, she showed again what the buzz is all about by becoming the first freshman in 15 years to win a Colorado girls state high school individual title. Schalk prevailed by seven strokes Tuesday in the inaugural 3A state tournament at The Broadlands in Broomfield.
“You have four years of high school, so to start off with a win is really cool,” she said. “This is big. And to have my best round ever (a 6-under-par 65 on Monday) set the bar higher. Winning this is pretty cool.” (Schalk is pictured celebrating Tuesday’s win as a very happy father Matt looks on.)
Schalk, who won the girls championship in the Colorado Junior Match Play last summer, backed up her career-best 65 on Monday with a 3-over-par 74 on Tuesday, giving her a 3-under 139 total.
The last freshman girl to win an individual state high school title was Mullen’s Ashley Tait, who claimed the first of her record-tying three prep state championships in 2002. Coincidentally, Tait was at The Broadlands this week as an assistant coach for her high school alma mater.
Not only had no freshman won a girls state title in 15 years, from 2007-16 it was all juniors and seniors.
Tuesday was just a continuation of what has been an extraordinary freshman season in which Schalk (left) won every high school tournament in which she competed.
“I’m super impressed she shot the type of scores and played the way she did,” said Matt Schalk, Hailey’s dad and the Holy Family coach, as well as being the PGA general manager at Colorado National Golf Club, which hosted the 4A state tournament. “She works so hard, so for me I was happy to see her get something out of working as hard as she does. In my opinion 3A is the most competitive (Colorado girls high school classification) out there. So for her to come out here and shoot that score and separate herself was really impressive.”
At state, Schalk’s winning margin was one of the largest in state history, but nowhere near a record. Jennifer Kupcho, who just finished second individually in the Women’s NCAA Finals for Wake Forest, won her two 4A state titles, in 2014 and ’15, by 14 and 10 shots, respectively.
On Tuesday, Schalk was on track to go where very few girls competitors in Colorado have gone before at state. She was 8 under par through 26 holes before giving five back to par in her final 10 holes in windy conditions.
Schalk finished seven shots ahead of runner-up Charlotte Hillary of Kent Denver, winner of the JGAC Junior Tour Championship last fall. Hillary made a 15-foot birdie on her final hole to close with a 72 on Tuesday.
Teammates Caroline Jordaan (75 Tuesday) and Cassie Kneen (76) shared third place at 147, leading Colorado Academy to its fourth state title since 2007. And, of course, CA will go down as the first 3A girls state high school golf team champion in Colorado.
“There’s only one time to be first,” noted Beth Folsom, who has coached Colorado Academy to all four of its state titles. “That will be something we can always look back on.”
With CA shooting its best team score of the season in round 1 — a 2-over-par 215 — it ended up finishing 28 strokes ahead of runner-up Holy Family. The Colorado Academy seniors went third, second and first twice at state in their high school careers.
“It’s always fun” winning state, Folsom said. “It was a goal obviously from the beginning of the year because they had won last year (in 4A).”
Colorado Academy ended up putting all four of its players in the top 10 individually, with Caroline Jordaan and Kneen tying for third, Marie Jordaan placing seventh and Trinity Goderstad 10th. (The team is pictured with its championship trophy.)
But no one could keep up with Schalk, who was playing less than a mile from her high school. She made 10 birdies in 36 holes, including eight on Monday, when she started the tournament with five conscutive birdies. A change in putters on the eve of the state meet worked wonders.
“Everything kind of came together for her (on Monday),” Matt Schalk said. “She’s been striking the ball great. And we decided to (switch putters) on Sunday night and it all worked. If she can get her putter working, she’s really such a good ball-striker, she’ll shoot some good numbers.”
Chitkoksoong Prevails in Playoff in 5A: Sophomore Amy Chitkoksoong (left) of Grandview, like Schalk a member of the 2016 CWGA Girls Junior America’s Cup team, won the 5A individual title after beating Highlands Ranch’s Jenna Chun on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff.
Both players tied at 10-over-par 154 on the formidable Club at Rolling Hills course in Golden. Chun vaulted up the leaderboard by shooting the best score of the tournament by three strokes, following up an 83 with a 1-under-par 71. Chitkoksoong, the 2015 Colorado Junior Match Play champion, posted a second-round 76, then overcame Chun in the playoff with a bogey on the third extra hole.
The left-hander has now finished second and first in her two state high school tournaments.
First-round leader Amelia Lee of Rock Canyon, who will play her college golf at Creighton, placed third at 155 after an 80 on Tuesday.
Ralston Valley rallied to claim its first state team title in girls golf, thanks largely to a 13-over-par 229 on Tuesday. Rock Canyon was nine back to take second.
Lehigh Overcomes Loveland Teammate for 4A Title: Sophomore Lauren Lehigh fended off Loveland teammate Aili Bundy and Glenwood Springs’ Lauren Murphy to earn the 4A individual championship at Colorado National Golf Club in Erie.
Lehigh, the first-round leader, posted an 8-over-par 152 total after a 79 on Tuesday. Bundy, with whom Lehigh qualified for the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball (though they didn’t end up playing in the national tournament), finished one back following a 75. Also at 153 was Murphy, who closed with a 78.
With Lehigh and Bundy going 1-2 individually, it’s not surprising that Loveland ran away with the state team title — the school’s first in girls golf. The Indians finished at 26-over-par 475, 27 better than runner-up Windsor.
For scores from the state tournaments, click on the following: 5A, 4A, 3A.
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Most notably, for the first time, Colorado will hold three state tourneys for girls golf, with the 3A classification being added to the existing 5A and 4A. From 1990 through 2000, there was just one girls state meet, then from 2001 through ’16 there were two.
In addition, for the second straight year, no former individual state high school champions are in the fields for the state tourneys. That’s saying something considering that from 2007 through ’15, there had always been at least one former champ competing. Both of last year’s state winners, Mary Weinstein (5A) and Erin Sargent (4A) are now playing college golf, at Regis University and Wyoming, respectively.
And this year, one of the top players in any of the three state tournament fields is a freshman. Hailey Schalk of Holy Family will be competing in the 3A meet at The Broadlands Golf Course, which happens to be less than a mile from her high school. At age 14 last year, Schalk won the girls division of one of the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado majors, the Colorado Junior Match Play. To get into next week’s 3A state tournament, she won the 3A Region 3 title with a score of 70 at Highland Meadows Golf Course. She’s ranked No. 245 in the world among female junior players, according to Junior Golf Scoreboard.
All three 36-hole girls state tournaments will take place Monday and Tuesday (May 22-23). The 5A meet is set for The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden, the 4A at Colorado National Golf Club in Erie (where Schalk’s dad, Matt, is the PGA general manager; he’s also Holy Family’s coach), and the 3A at The Broadlands.
Each field will feature about 84 players, with both team and individual competition on tap. Schools with three or four golfers who qualified for state will play as a team, with their best three scores counting each day toward the team total.
Here are previews of each state tournament:
— 5A at Rolling Hills: Two top-five finishers from the 2016 state tournament will be back, runner-up Amy Chitkoksoong of Grandview, the 2015 Colorado Junior Match Play girls champion, and University of Wyoming-bound Jordan Remley of Ralston Valley, who placed fifth at state in 2016.
Other likely contenders include Jaclyn Murray of Regis Jesuit, the 5A Central Regional co-champion who is looking for her third top-10 showing at state, and fellow 2016 top-10 finishers Julia Baroth of Denver East and Leigha Devine of Fossil Ridge. Alexis Chan of Rock Canyon placed third in 2015 and 13th last year.
Kelsey Webster of Fairview, the 5A Northern Regional champion, should also be in the mix. The junior, the JGAC’s most improved girls player in 2016, recently won an AJGA tournament in Wisconsin.
Grandview will defend its 5A team title, with 2014 and ’15 champ Regis Jesuit also a contender to add another victory.
— 4A at Colorado National: Several of the top returning finishers from the 2016 4A tournament are now competing in the 3A ranks, but a couple of golfers who placed in the top 10 last year are back in the same classification. Sydney Prey of Golden tied for seventh at state in 2016, while Kellsey Sample of Palmer Ridge was 10th.
Loveland teammates Lauren Lehigh and Aili Bundy figure to be contenders. Lehigh finished ninth in 5A state last year and Bundy claimed the 2017 4A Region 4 title with a 74 at Murphy Creek. The lowest regional-winning score in 4A came from Pine Creek’s Elly Carlson, who carded a 71 at the Country Club of Colorado.
Colorado Academy, the team champion in 4A in 2016, is now in the 3A ranks, but runner-up Cheyenne Mountain remains in 4A. Loveland, the 4A Region 4 champion who competed in 5A last year, could be tough to beat.
— 3A at The Broadlands: Even though this classification is made up of the smallest schools, it boasts plenty of high-quality players. Besides Holy Family’s Hailey Schalk, there’s 2016 JGAC Junior Tour Championship winner Charlotte Hillary of Kent Denver, last year’s 4A runner-up Caroline Jordaan of Colorado Academy and three other 4A top-10 finishers last year: Rifle teammates Elly Walters and Masi Smith, and Kent Denver’s Marin Halvorsen.
Schalk, Jordaan and Smith won 2017 regional titles. But Sarah Hwang of St. Mary’s set the standard in the regional tournaments — regardless of classification — with her 4-under-par 68 at Spring Valley Golf Club.
Colorado Academy, the 4A state champ last year, Holy Family and Kent Denver all should be in the mix for the 3A team title, along with Rifle.
For Monday tee times for the state tournaments, CLICK HERE.
Here are the team and individual champions from the recent regional state-qualifying tournaments:
5A Central Regional May 8 at (Denver) City Park GC — Team: Cherry Creek +15; Individual: Jaclyn Murray, Regis, and Amisha Singh, Smoky Hill, 72.
5A Northern Regional May 8 at Aurora Hills GC — Team: Fossil Ridge +31; Individual: Kelsey Webster, Fairview, 73.
5A Western Regional May 8 at Fox Hollow GC — Team: Ralston Valley +25; Individual: Jordan Remley, Ralston Valley, 74.
5A Southern Regional May 8 at Meadow Hills GC — Team: Grandview +37; Individual: Jenna Chun, Highlands Ranch, 76.
4A Region 1 May 8 at CC of Colorado — Team: Pine Creek +47; Individual: Elly Carlson, Pine Creek, 71.
4A Region 2 May 9 at Eisenhower GC Silver Course — Team: Palmer Ridge +73; Individual: Isabell Deak, Air Academy 78.
4A Region 3 May 11 at Indian Tree GC — Team: Windsor +39; Individual: Jessica Zapf, Windsor, 77.
4A Region 4 May 5 at Murphy Creek GC — Team: Loveland +19; Individual: Aili Bundy, Loveland, 74.
3A Region 1 May 9 at Hollydot — Team: Pueblo County +65; Individual: Jole Carrica, Swink, 86.
3A Region 2 May 8 at Spring Valley GC — Team: Kent Denver +23; Individual: Sarah Hwang, St. Mary’s, 68.
3A Region 3 May 8 at Highlands Meadows GC — Team: Holy Family +17; Individual: Hailey Schalk, Holy Family, 70.
3A Region 4 May 8 at Battlement Mesa GC — Team: Colorado Academy +26; Individual: Caroline Jordaan, Colorado Academy, and Masi Smith, Rifle, 79.
Let it not be said that Monday’s first rounds of the three boys state high school golf tournaments lacked for pizzazz.
Let’s count the ways they filled the bill:
— Luke Trujillo of Discovery Canyon had perhaps the best start in the history of Colorado boys state high school tournaments as he played his first five holes in 6 under par at the 4A state meet at River Valley Ranch Golf Club in Carbondale. He shot a 6-under-par 30 on his first nine holes and was 8 under after making eagle on his 11th hole. But he finished double bogey-bogey to settle for a 5-under-par 67, which was still good for a three-stroke lead.
— At the 5A tournament at Bookcliff Country Club in Grand Junction, three players — Nick Caldwell of Rock Canyon, Davis Bryant of Eaglecrest and Kyle Pearson of Highlands Ranch — shot 66 or better. Caldwell fired a 6-under-par 65 to lead the way.
— In the 3A tournament at Saddle Rock Golf Course in Aurora, senior Yale Kim of the Dawson School put himself in position to become just the fifth two-time Colorado boys state high school champion since 1995. Kim, who won as a sophomore in 2014, shares second place, one out of the lead, after round 1. For the record, the other two-time champs over the last 21 years are Tom Glissmeyer of Cheyenne Mountain (2003 and ’04), Steve Ziegler of Legacy (2005 and ’06), Wyndham Clark of Valor Christian (2009 and ’11), and Ethan Freeman of Kent Denver (2010 and ’11). Jackson Solem of Silver Creek, who trails by four strokes in 4A, also has a chance to repeat as champion.
“I’m really excited,” said Kim (left), who’s been seventh and sixth in his other two trips to state. “I already have one (state win) in my bag. I’m just trying to play the best golf I can. I’m still going for the No. 1 spot.”
Notably, Kim is in contention for a state title despite not winning a tournament so far this high school season.
“I was busy for the whole summer, visiting my family in Korea, and my swing wasn’t that great.,” he said. “But I got my game together in time for state.”
— Also at the 3A tournament, Oliver Jack of Kent Denver birdied four of the last six holes to close out his round, including draining a 30-footer on No. 18, to grab the lead with an even-par 72. The junior finished with six birdies on the day.
Here are brief roundups on each of the state high school tournaments:
5A at Bookcliff: Caldwell, Bryant and Pearson separated themselves from the field in Monday’s opening round.
In his 65, Caldwell eagled the 553-yard 12th hole and added five birdies, while making just one bogey.
Bryant, a U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier last year, likewise made just one bogey on Monday, while he notched a half-dozen birdies in his round of 66. Starting on No. 14 (his fifth hole), he ran off four in a row, part of an eight-hole stretch which he played in 6 under par.
Pearson also carded six birdies an a bogey on Monday.
The only other player under par in round 1 was Tommy Packer of Arapahoe, who posted a 1-under-70, leaving him five out of the lead.
Regis Jesuit, winner of five of the last six 5A state team titles, leads after round 1 at 7-over-par 220. But four schools are within seven strokes heading into the final round: Rock Canyon (222), Fossil Ridge (225), Highlands Ranch (225) and Lakewood (227).
4A at River Valley Ranch: After his impressive round, Trujillo (67) was the only player to finish with a score in the 60s on Monday.
But five other players posted subpar totals on Monday: 2015 Colorado Junior PGA champion Cole Krantz of Windsor (70), Reice Hendricks of Air Academy (71), Owen Pasvogel of Discovery Canyon (71), Micah Stangebye of Montrose (71) and defending champion Solem of Silver Creek (71).
Discovery Canyon, with a stellar 4-under-par 212 total, holds a healthy 13-stroke lead over second place Montrose. Evergreen (231) is third, while three-time defending champ Valor Christian (232) is fourth.
3A at Saddle Rock: Jack, who tied for second place at state last year as a sophomore, was 4 over par through 12 holes on Monday. Then his round turned on a dime as he went birdie, par, birdie, par, birdie, birdie.
“I was struggling a little with my putting, but I finally got some to drop,” he said. “That was a nice confidence booster.
“I knew they had to drop at some point because I was getting close. I was waiting for the first one to go, then I knew (more would follow).”
Kim, who was 3 under par through 10 holes before going bogey-double bogey on 11 and 12, sits a stroke behind Jack along with Ivan Richmond of Estes Park and Jacob Mason of Jefferson Academy. Richmond tied Jack for second place at state last year.
Host Kent Denver, winner of a record-tying eight state team titles in boys golf, shares the team lead with Peak to Peak at 9-over-par 225. Aspen is third at 234.
For scores from the tournaments, click on the following: 5A, 4A, 3A.
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The 2015 CHSAA 5A boys state high school tournament probably belongs in the “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” category.
Any one of these things would be improbable on its own, yet all of them occurred on Tuesday at Fort Collins Country Club:
— The host school, Fort Collins HS, which had just two players in the field, saw those two competitors finish 1-2, with Hunter Paugh (left) claiming the title and fellow senior AJ Ott placing second.
— Both of the top two finishers are left-handers.
— The individual champion, Paugh, won at his home course.
— Paugh led after the first round of the 5A state meet each of the last two years, but instead of shooting a second-round 77 and finishing third as he did in 2014, he closed the deal with an even-par 71 on Tuesday for the victory.
— Though Fort Collins HS has featured six state team champions over the nearly-70 years of boys state high school championships, it had never had an individual winner until Paugh broke the ice on Tuesday.
— With just a few groups left on the course, three schools (Regis Jesuit, defending champion Coronado and Lakewood) were tied for the lead in the team competition. Regis ended up prevailing by one over co-runners-up Coronado and Lakewood, with Fort Collins-based Fossil Ridge just four out of the top spot.
— In the last seven years, Regis has won five state team championships and finished second the other two years.
Suffice it to say it was a stellar ending to an eventful boys high school season. And the 5A was just one of the three state tournaments that concluded on Tuesday. For details about the 4A and 3A state meets, see below.
Paugh couldn’t keep the lead that he held after 18 holes last year, but this time around, no one ever caught him, though a couple of opponents crept within one shortly after he hit it into the water and made a double-bogey 7 on the seventh hole. He was solid as a rock thereafter, making two birdies and nine pars to fend off all challengers.
It was an ideal way to close out Paugh’s high school golf career — with a victory at state in his hometown and on his home course.
“This is just how my dream was — just exactly,” he said. “I can’t picture it any better, with all my family and friends around to support me after winning the state title. It’s amazing.”
Paugh, who has verbally committed to play college golf at the University of South Dakota, posted a 4-under-par 138 total, good for a three-stroke victory. Ott, his teammate, had gotten within one before placing second at 141 after closing with a 70.
Grand Junction junior Trevor Olkowski and Regis Jesuit senior Andrew McCormick (above) tied for third at 143, with Olkowski carding a day 2-best 69 and McCormick a 72.
Ott (left), a Colorado State University recruit who earlier this year finished third in the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior and second in a playoff at the CGA Junior Stroke Play, notched his fourth top-10 at state. But a victory eluded him.
“It’s very disappointing,” he said. “I definitely wasn’t even close to my best. It’s just one of those days. It’s unfortunate it had to happen today.
“It bothers me, yeah, but it’s just one tournament. But then again, this year and last year especially I felt like I was really confident going in (to state).”
As for Paugh, he was unflappable following his double bogey on the seventh hole. After seeing his lead dwindle to one, he drained birdie putts of 10 feet on No. 11 and 6 feet on No. 12, and had a cushion of at least two the rest of the way.
“Last year gave me good experience going into today,” Paugh said. “Last year I went in (to the last day in) the same position. I knew what I needed to do today. No. 7 wasn’t a good hole but I knew I needed to let it go because you can’t do anything about it. I didn’t want to let it affect me. From there on I was just really comfortable.
“Winning state is big for anybody, but it’s huge after last year having a chance at it and I didn’t get it done. This year at my home course, being expected to play well, I filled those expectations. Having the state title is amazing. And it’s cool (for Fort Collins players) to be 1 and 2 at state this year.”
With Paugh holding a comfortable lead going up the final hole, the team title remained in doubt until the very end. But Regis, which won four straight 5A state championships from 2010-13, got birdies from McCormick at No. 16 and a 7-footer from junior Tyler Zhang at No. 18 to give the Raiders (left) a one-stroke victory.
“He hit one of the best drives I can imagine,” Regis coach Craig Rogers said of Zhang’s shot on 18. “He was about 95 yards out and hit it to about 7 feet. That was the difference at the end.”
Then McCormick sank a 4-foot slider on No. 17 and two-putted for par on 18 to keep Coronado and Lakewood at bay.
“Stepping up on the last tee box, all the people watching, hitting it down the middle of the fairway, then hitting it in the middle of the green, then hitting it about 2 inches …,” Rogers said of McCormick on 18. “For any kid to have that kind of poise, it’s just beautiful to watch. He’s a guy who loves the competition.”
Regis finished with a 15-over-par 441 total, while Coronado and Lakewood came in at 442 and Fossil Ridge at 445.
Solem Feels Right at Home in Claiming 4A Title: Paugh wasn’t the only golfer to win a state high school title in his hometown and on his home course on Tuesday. Junior Jackson Solem, who plays for Silver Creek High School in Longmont, earned the 4A championship at The Fox Hill Club.
Solem (left) shot a 1-under-par 69 on Tuesday to prevail by one over Valor Christian senior Coby Welch, who likewise carded a 69.
Solem, the 4A Northern Regional champion who earlier this year finished third in the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior, made two birdies and one bogey on Tuesday. He finished at 1-under 139 overall to become the first individual state champion to represent Silver Creek.
Welch, winner of the CJGA 14-18 Junior Series Championship this year, was one ahead of Solem after 14 holes on Tuesday. But a double bogey on No. 15 proved costly as the University of Northern Colorado recruit lost the lead for good.
Windsor’s Cole Krantz, winner of the 2015 Colorado PGA Junior Championship, tied for third at 142 with first-round leader Philip Lee of Valor Christian.
Speaking of Valor, it won its third consecutive 4A state title — and fifth since 2009. This time, it was 28 strokes better than runner-up Silver Creek and another three better than third-place Evergreen.
Peak to Peak Pulls off Sweep of 3A Titles: Peak to Peak, which had never had a team or individual state champion in golf, rectified that situation on both fronts on Tuesday.
The Pumas (left) prevailed by nine for the team title at Eagle Ranch Golf Course in Eagle, and junior Sam Taylor ran away with the individual championship.
Taylor shot a 3-under-par 69 — the only sub-par round of the tournament — to finish at 3-under 141, good for a nine-stroke winning margin.
Taylor birdied five of his first seven holes on Tuesday before giving back a couple of strokes on the back nine.
Three players tied for second at 150: Oliver Jack of Kent Denver (75 Tuesday), Will Hazen of Aspen (72) and Ivan Richmond of Estes Park (74).
Defending champion Yale Kim of the Dawson School tied for sixth at 155.
Team-wise, Peak to Peak carded a 21-over-par 453 total. That was nine better than runner-up Kent Denver and 27 better than third-place Aspen.
SCORING: For scores from the state tournaments, click on the following: 3A, 4A, 5A
]]>Hunter Paugh and AJ Ott will play their final round of high school golf on Tuesday, and the opportunity couldn’t be more ideal. The two Fort Collins High School seniors, both left-handers, not only are on the top of the leaderboard in the 5A state tournament, but they’re doing it in their hometown of Fort Collins. In fact, Paugh is closing out his prep career at the course where he and his family are members, Fort Collins Country Club.
Paugh (left), who finished third individually at last year’s state tournament, used his home-course advantage to shoot the lowest score of his life, a 4-under-par 67, in Monday’s first round of the 5A meet.
“It was a great day,” said Paugh, who has verbally committed to play college golf at the University of South Dakota. “I’ve been looking forward to this since last year, when I finished third. It’s my home course. It was a great day for golf. It was fun to hit the ball well and to play well.”
His teammate, Ott, played his back nine in 3 under par Monday to share second place, four behind Paugh. While he, like Paugh, is facing a little additional pressure this week while competing at home, he’s embracing the opportunity.
“It’s fun,” said Ott, who is likely to record his fourth top-10 finish at state on Tuesday. “I think it’s good for the town and good for our school.”
Ott (left) is one of four players who shot 71 and share second place four back of Paugh. Also at even-par are Griffin Barela of Lakewood, Austin Hardman of Mountain Vista and Regis Jesuit’s Andrew McCormick, the runner-up in the 2015 CGA Junior Match Play.
Paugh closed his round with three consecutive birdies — from 15, 8 and 2 feet — to give him five for the day, while carding one bogey.
“I knew it was there. I just had to do what I did, I guess,” said Paugh, winner of a Rocky Mountain Junior Golf Tour event shis summer. “There’s been some pressure because it’s my home course. I’m expected to play well. But I really didn’t let that get to me. I’m just going out to have some fun. It’s my last high school tournament, so enjoy it.”
As for Ott, it’s certainly no surprise to find him near the top of the leaderboard. This year, he finished third in the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior, second in a playoff at the CGA Junior Stroke Play, 13th at the Big “I” National Championship and 16th at the Junior America’s Cup. He’s verbally committed to Colorado State University.
On Monday, Ott had a rough start, double-bogeying the fourth hole en route to a 3-over-par 38 on the front nine. But he birdied 10, 11, 12 and 18 on the back — offset by a bogey on 17 — to fire a 33 on his incoming half.
“I just had to stay patient because I don’t think anybody is going to make a ton of putts out here,” he said. “I got off to a bad start, but I made a few coming in on the back side, which felt good. I think some of my experience in big tournaments this summer has helped me.”
Though two teammates will be among those who will battle it out for the 5A individual title on Tuesday, they’re accustomed to competing against one another.
“We’ve always competed since we were little since we’ve been in the same schools,” Paugh said. “It’s really been him and I all four years (at Fort Collins HS) and it’s always been a little rivalry. It’s always been fun, and it will be fun tomorrow.”
With Fort Collins not having the third player at state needed to compete as a team, the team competition is very tight after round 1. Lakewood and Regis Jesuit are tied for the lead at 6-over-par 219, with Fort Collins-based Fossil Ridge (221) and defending champion Coronado (223) within four of the top spot, and Mountain Vista (226) and Heritage (227) also well within striking distance.
Valor’s Lee Closes Strong to Fire 67 at 4A Tournament: Two Valor Christian teammates were the two players who broke par Monday in the 4A state tournament at the Fox Hill Club in Longmont.
Philip Lee shot a 3-under-par 67, while teammate Tim Amundson fired a 69.
Windsor’s Cole Krantz, the 2015 Colorado PGA Junior Championship winner, and Silver Creek’s Jackson Solem, who’s playing in his hometown of Longmont, matched rounds of 70.
Another Valor player, 2015 U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier Coby Welch, posted a 71.
Lee made six birdies on Monday, including on four of his last six holes.
Valor, winner of the last two 4A state team titles, holds an 18-stroke lead over Evergreen after shooting a 3-under-par 207 in round 1.
Peak to Peak’s Taylor, Datta Set Standard at 3A Meet: Sam Taylor and Nishant Datta, teammates at Peak to Peak, shot even-par 72s to share the lead after the first round of the 3A state tournament at Eagle Ranch Golf Course in Eagle.
The next-best players going into Tuesday’s final round are Kent Denver’s Oliver Jack and Basalt’s Linc Kleager, who carded 75s.
Defending champion Yale Kim of Dawson opened with a 79.
After posting a 6-over-par 222 total, Peak to Peak holds a 10-stroke advantage over Kent Denver in the team competition.
SCORING: For scores from the state tournaments, click on the following: 3A, 4A, 5A
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