Kristin Glesne, a 21-year-old from San Antonio, retained the lead in the 71st Women’s Stroke Play on Thursday by shooting a 2-under-par 70 at Black Bear Golf Club in Parker.

Glesne, a senior-to-be at Iowa (pictured in photo from hawkeyesports.com), will take a three-stroke lead into Friday’s final round. She made four birdies and two bogeys on Thursday to give herself some additional cushion with a 2-under 142 total.

But several Coloradans are in a position to make a run at the title on Friday. That includes Kelsey Webster of Boulder Country Club, who will begin her college golf career at the University of Colorado beginning in the fall. Webster carded five birdies on Thursday and matched Glesne’s tournament-best 70 and stands in second place at 145.

Erin Sargent, a University of Wyoming golfer from Twin Peaks Golf Course, holds third place at 146 after her second consecutive 73. Sargent finished second in this event last year.

Anna Kennedy of Brigham Young University and Colorado Golf Club, who placed fifth in 2018, sits in fourth place at 147 after a second-round 74.

Glesne, Webster and Sargent will tee off for Friday’s final round at 10:20 a.m.

For results from all the flights at the CGA Women’s Stroke Play, CLICK HERE.
 

Glesne, a 21-year-old from San Antonio, made two birdies and two bogeys on Wednesday. (She’s pictured in a photo from hawkeyesports.com.)

Three Coloradans who are also in the midst of their college golf careers share second place at 73. That includes Anna Kennedy from Colorado Golf Club (Brigham Young University), Erin Sargent of Twin Peaks Golf Course (University of Wyoming) and Jaclyn Murray of Bookcliff Country Club (University of Colorado).

Sargent tied for second in this event last year, while Kennedy was fifth and Murray eighth. Murray made four birdies on Wednesday, Kennedy three and Sargent two.

Kelsey Webster of Boulder Country Club, who will play her college golf at CU beginning in the fall, holds fifth place at 75.

Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster, the 2018 women’s NCAA Division I individual champion, has won the Women’s Stroke Play by double digits each of the last three years, but isn’t defending her title this week.

The 54-hole Women’s Stroke Play will continue through Friday. The championship flight will be comprised of the players with the top 12 gross scores after Thursday’s second round.

For scores from all flights of the Women’s Stroke Play, CLICK HERE.

That might be the collective feeling of every player who feels they might have a legitimate chance to win the CGA Women’s Stroke Play Championship … if Jennifer Kupcho isn’t in the field.

After all, the standout from Westminster won the 2015 CWGA Stroke Play (the former name for the CGA Women’s Stroke Play) by a whopping 21 shots, the 2016 championship by 19 shots, and last year’s tournament by “just” 13.

Do the math, and the average margin of victory for Kupcho in this event over the past three years was 17.7 strokes.

But Kupcho won’t be going for her fourth straight CGA Women’s Stroke Play title this week. Coming off winning the women’s NCAA Division I individual title and competing for the U.S. in its rout of Great Britain & Ireland in the Curtis Cup, Kupcho isn’t entered this year. Besides needing a break, she has jury duty this week.

So the list of players with a good chance to win goes from one to quite a few.

Black Bear Golf Club (pictured) in Parker will host the 71st annual CGA Women’s Stroke Play, with the 54-hole event running from Wednesday through Friday (June 20-22).

The championship flight for the event will feature the players with the top 12 scores after two rounds. Additional flights will include a dozen or more competitors each.

Among the college golfers entered who figure to be in the mix for the title are Texan Kennedy Swann (Clemson University), who finished 10th at the ACC Championship in April; Mary Weinstein (University of Denver), who placed second in this event in 2015 and fourth last year; 2016 runner-up Gillian Vance (University of Colorado); teammates Erin Sargent and Megan Knadler (Wyoming), who tied for second last year; Delaney Elliott (Montana State), who’s recorded two top-five finishes in the Stroke Play in the last three years; and Anna Kennedy (Brigham Young University), who’s posted top-10s each of the last two years.

Also among the 57 entrants is Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore, a five-time winner of this event in the 1990s. Moore recently qualified for the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open. Also in the field is Susan Hartwell, who advanced to the round of 32 at last year’s U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur.

For Wednesday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.
 

The fields and seedings were unveiled in an hourlong special on the Golf Channel on Wednesday evening.

The University of Colorado will be seeded seventh out of 18 teams at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. And the University of Denver is the No. 13 seed at Seminole Golf Course in Tallahassee, Fla.

It’s the 17th consecutive season advancing to NCAA Regionals for DU, which this year made it as an at-large pick after placing second in the Summit League Championships in the wake of winning the previous 14 straight conference titles.

Meanwhile, CU made the NCAA Regionals for the fifth straight year and for the eighth time in the last 10 seasons. Five Pac-12 teams will compete in San Francisco, including top-seeded UCLA.

There will be four Women’s NCAA D-I Regional tournaments, and the top six team finishers — and three individuals not on those teams — from each will advance to the NCAA National Championships, set for May 18-23 in Stillwater, Okla. CU last played in the national finals in 2012, while DU last made it in 2009. The Buffs missed advancing to finals by one stroke each of the last two years.

Also headed for Regionals are CSU teammates Katrina Prendergast and Ellen Secor — both of whom will compete as individuals at University of Texas Golf Club in Austin, Texas. Coloradans playing for out-of-state team qualifiers include Wake Forest junior Jennifer Kupcho, the 2018 U.S. Curtis Cupper who will seek her second straight individual Regional title in Tallahassee, Fla.; Oklahoma senior Hannah Wood, who will be in Austin; and BYU sophomore Anna Kennedy, who will join Wood, Prendergast and Secor in Austin. Oregon State, coached by Colorado native and former DU player Dawn Shockley, is the 14th seed at the Madison, Wis., Regional.

In all, 72 teams and 24 individuals make up the Women’s NCAA DI Regional fields.
 

Two other college golfers from Colorado, Anna Kennedy (Brigham Young University) and Jaylee Tait (Montana State) will meet in the other semi after two victories each on Tuesday. Kennedy was the 15th seed out of the 16 players who made the championship flight.

Kupcho, the U.S. Women’s Open qualifier from Wake Forest who shot 65 to earn medalist honors on Monday, scored 3-and-2 wins over both Taylor Dorans and Calli Ringsby on Tuesday. Vance, a former state high school champion who now plays for the University of Colorado, prevailed in a 19-hole quarterfinal over Kylee Sullivan to advance. (Kupcho and Vance are pictured together last week, with Kupcho at right.)

Tait prevailed 1 up in the quarters over former 5A state champ Mackenzie Cohen, while Kennedy posted a 7-and-5 win over Calli Gallacher.

In the quarterfinals of the senior championship flight, each of the top three seeds — all Colorado Golf Hall of Famers — won on Tuesday, including defending champion Lynn Zmistowski. Also advancing to Wednesday’s senior semifinals were top-seeded Kim Eaton, a two-time senior champ; 2007 senior winner Christie Austin, and 2014 senior champ Deb Hughes, the fifth seed.

Eaton will face Hughes and Zmistowski will take on Austin in the semis.

The title matches in the championship flight, the senior championship flight and the three handicap flights are all scheduled for Thursday. To see all the brackets, CLICK HERE.

Next spring, for the first time since 2001, Colorado girls high school golf will add a classification, going from two to three. A 3A state tournament will be added to the existing ones for 5A and 4A.

Girls golf in the state had just one classification from 1990 through 2000, after which separate 5A and 4A meets were held.

Over the first quarter-century of sanctioned girls high school golf in Colorado, six players have won two or more state titles: Ashley Tait of Mullen (3), Lynn Ann Moretto of Cherry Creek (3), Becca Huffer of Littleton (2), Jennifer McCormick of Columbine (2), Kelly Jacques of Skyline (2) and Emily Wood of Salida (2).

Which brings us to this year. Senior Jennifer Kupcho (above) of Jefferson Academy is a big favorite to become multi-champion No. 7. Seeing that she won last year’s 4A state tournament by 14 strokes — one of the largest margins in state history — someone would have to pull off a major upset to beat her when next week’s 4A meet takes place at River Valley Ranch Golf Club in Carbondale.

Kupcho has been a significant force in Colorado women’s/girls golf for several years, but particularly in the last year. The Wake Forest signee became the youngest CWGA Player of the Year of the new millennium (17) in 2014. Last year, she won three CWGA championships, a couple of major CJGA titles and the state high school crown. She also qualified for two USGA national championships and finished second in the HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open.

And just this week, she teamed up with Gillian Vance of Dakota Ridge — who will compete in the 5A state meet at the Olde Course in Loveland — to advance to the round of 32 at the inaugural U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship in Oregon.

As for Kupcho’s high school career, it wouldn’t have taken much for her to be going for her fourth state title when she tees it up in Carbondale. She finished third in the state meet in 2012 as a freshman, ending up a stroke out of a playoff. And in 2013, she placed second, two behind champion Kala Keltz of Montrose.

As it is, a win next week would give Kupcho one of the best high school careers in state history, with two victories, a second and a third.

Meanwhile, Kylee Sullivan has enjoyed a different kind of success at the 4A state meet. She’s led Cheyenne Mountain to state team championships each of the last two years while finishing fifth individually in 2014 and sixth in 2013.

Other players that are likely to be on the leaderboard in Carbondale are Emilee Strausburg of D’Evelyn (third in 2014), Courtney Ewing of Pueblo West (fourth last year), Erin Sargent of Silver Creek (sixth in 5A last year and a 2014 U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifier along with Kupcho, Vance and Jaclyn Murray), and 4A Western Regional champion Kiselya Plewe of Dolores (sixth in 2014).
 

5A State Tournament at Olde Course: The 5A state meet at the Olde Course in Loveland figures to be a very competitive affair as a half-dozen top-10 finishers from 2014 are back.

Vance, who has signed with the University of Colorado, has posted top-15 finishes each of the last two years and went to the U.S. Girls’ Junior in 2014. Morgan Sahm of Grandview, the 5A Central Regional champion, has been in the top 10 each of the past two seasons and she qualified for the 2012 U.S. Women’s Amateur Publinks as a 14-year-old. Sydney Gillespie of Regis Jesuit, another 2015 regional champ, is going for four straight top-10s at state (including in 4A as a freshman). Brigham Young University signee Anna Kennedy of Legend, the Southern Regional winner, placed third at state last year, making her the highest returnee. And Murray from Regis, a 2014 U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifier, might also make some noise.

Defending team champion Regis will go for its fourth state team title in six years as it won in Class 4A in 2010 and ’12.

Monday Tee Times for State Tournaments: 5A, 4A.

Regional Champions: Here are the team and individual champions from the recent 5A and 4A regional state-qualifying tournaments:

5A Southern Regional (held at Heritage Eagle Bend) — Team: Cherry Creek; Individual: Anna Kennedy, Legend.

5A Western (Fox Hollow) — Team: Legacy; Individual: Andrea Hoos, Legacy.

5A Northern (Heather Ridge) — Team: Regis Jesuit; Individual: Sydney Gillespie, Regis.

5A Central (CommonGround) — Team: Grandview; Individual: Morgan Sahm, Grandview.

4A Colorado Springs (CC of Colorado) — Team: Cheyenne Mountain; Individual: Kylee Sullivan, Cheyenne Mountain.

4A Metro-West (Raccoon Creek) — Team: Colorado Academy; Individual: Jennifer Kupcho, Jefferson Academy.

4A Northern (Boomerang) — Team: Northridge; Individual: Adara Pauluhn, Niwot.

4A Southern (Hollydot) — Team: Pueblo West; Individual: Brooke Lucero, Rye.

4A Western (Cobble Creek) — Team: Montrose; Individual: Kiselya Plewe, Dolores.
 

A group of about 220 gathered on Sunday at Pinehurst Country Club to celebrate a rather remarkable year in Colorado golf.

Among those in attendance at the Colorado Golf Awards Brunch were seven Colorado Golf Hall of Famers — along with another person who will be inducted next year — and an eclectic group of award winners ranging from young kids to retirees.

Among the honorees were:

— Jennifer Kupcho of CommonGround Golf Course, who was named the CWGA Player of the Year two years after her brother, Steven, received the CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year award. At 17, Kupcho is the youngest CWGA POY since 1999. And for good measure, she earned the CWGA Junior Player of the Year honor for the third straight year. That matches a record and thus Kupcho becomes the first winner of the CWGA Player of the Year and Junior POY in the same season.

— Michael Harrington of Kissing Camels at Garden of the Gods Club became, at age 42, the second-oldest CGA Player of the Year since the award was first given out in 1978, with only Rick DeWitt (age 50 in 2006) being older. Like Kupcho, Harrington also won another major award on Sunday as the CGA’s Mid-Amateur Player of the Year.

“I take a look at the people who are on this Player of the Year award — the Steve Joneses (twice), the Derek Tolans and the Kevin Stadlers — and I’m honored that my name is going to be etched on the same trophy,” Harrington said.

— Christie Austin of Cherry Hills Country Club received the CWGA Senior Player of the Year honor roughly six months before she’ll be inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame along with PGA life member Ron Vlosich.

“I hope you appreciate the great game that we all play,” Austin said on Sunday. “I didn’t start golf until I was 26. It has brought me incredible joy, dear friendships and life-changing experiences that I never could have even imagined.”

— Organizers of the BMW Championship, held in September at Cherry Hills, earned special recognition after the record-setting and award-winning PGA Tour playoff event they put on.

— The CWGA’s Most Improved Junior Player of the Year, Anna Kennedy of Denver Country Club, lowered her USGA Handicap Index from 7.4 to 0.7 in less than six months, thus earning a spot on the roster for the Brigham Young University women’s golf team next year. Kennedy was among a half-dozen players honored on Sunday who will play NCAA Division I golf starting next year. That includes Kupcho (Wake Forest) and CGA Junior Player of the Year Ross Macdonald (University of Colorado).


Here’s a rundown of the various awards that were given out on Sunday:

CWGA Player of the Year — Jennifer Kupcho (left) of CommonGround Golf Course. Kupcho, a senior at Jefferson Academy who recently signed to play college golf at Wake Forest, had a year to remember, particularly considering she accomplished what she did as a 17-year-old.

 A member of the Hale Irwin Elite Player program at CommonGround, Kupcho won three CWGA championships, a couple of major CJGA titles and a state high school crown. She also qualified for two USGA national championships and finished second in the HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open.



Here are some of the specifics:



Kupcho not only won numerous tournaments, but she posted huge margins of victory. She prevailed in the 4A state high school meet by 14; the CWGA Junior Stroke Play by nine, the CJGA Tournament of Champions by 12; the CJGA Junior Series Championship by eight; the 99th CWGA Match Play by 6 and 5 in the final, and she took low-amateur honors in the Colorado Women’s Open by 12.


“Winning three CWGA championships this year (was memorable), especially the 99th Match Play,” Kupcho said on Sunday. “To have my name on that trophy with women’s names all the way back to 1916 is pretty awesome.”


Kupcho also posted a victory in the CWGA Chapman (with Jaclyn Murray) and qualified for the 2014 U.S. Girls’ Junior and the 2015 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball (with Gillian Vance). At the U.S. Girls’ Junior, Kupcho finished eighth in the stroke-play portion of the event before falling in the round of 64 of match play.



Kupcho’s runner-up showing in the Colorado Women’s Open marked the best finish by an amateur in that event since 2008. She also placed eighth in the Girls Junior America’s Cup and 29th in the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships, marking the best finish ever by a Coloradan in the girls 15-17 girls age division.

CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year — Michael Harrington (left) of Kissing Camels at Garden of the Gods Club. Harrington’s most eye-catching feat of this year was advancing to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Mid-Amateur. It was his best showing in nine USGA championship appearances. Harrington lost in the quarterfinals to Tom Werkmeister of Kentwood, Mich., who won the 2013 Michigan Open title as an amateur and subsequently was elected into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame. By making it to the final eight, Harrington will be exempt into next year’s national Mid-Am.



Harrington also qualified for his third U.S. Amateur since 2009. And at age 42, he was the top Colorado finisher in the championship, at 134th place.



The Colorado Springs resident also won another CGA championship, capturing the title in the Mid-Amateur Match Play Invitational. He placed fifth in the CGA Mid-Amateur and represented Colorado at the Pacific Coast Amateur.

CWGA Senior Player of the Year — Christie Austin (left) of Cherry Hills Country Club. Austin also captured this honor in 2007, when she was a senior “rookie”. This time ended a five-year run of winning this award by Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton, who “retired” from CWGA championships at the end of the 2013 season. Austin will join Eaton in the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame on May 31 after recently being voted in.



The former USGA Executive Committee member won two CWGA championships and qualified for two USGA national tournaments.



Austin won the CWGA Senior Stroke Play for the second time, this one in a playoff with Lynn Larson. And she placed second in the senior division of the CWGA Match Play, losing 1 down to champion Deb Hughes. In a team event, Austin and Tori Glenn earned the trophy in the CWGA Brassie.



In qualifiers, Austin landed spots in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, advancing to match play in the latter.

CGA Senior Player of the Year — Kent Moore (left) of Cherry Hills Country Club. It’s been eight years since Moore last won this award, as a senior “rookie”, but an impressive season as a 58-year-old made him a two-time honoree in this category (he also was named the CGA’s Les Fowler Player of the Year in 1989).



The Colorado Golf Hall of Famer won the CGA Senior Stroke Play by six shots, matching the largest margin in the event since 2007. With that victory, he’s accomplished the remarkable feat of winning CGA championships in five consecutive decades. He captured the Junior Match Play in 1973, the Stroke Play in ’86, the Match Play in ’89, the Mid-Amateur in ’95, the Senior Match Play in ’06 and the Senior Stroke Play in ’14.



Moore earned low-amateur honors in the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open for the second time (he first managed the feat in 2006). This time, Moore placed sixth overall in the Senior Open.

CGA Mid-Amateur Player of the Year — Michael Harrington of Kissing Camels at Garden of the Gods Club. Harrington captured this award for the second time in the last six seasons. See the CGA Player of the Year entry for Harrington above.

CGA Junior Player of the Year — Ross Macdonald (left) of the Country Club at Castle Pines. Macdonald, a member of the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program, won the CGA Junior Stroke Play for the second straight year, becoming the first competitor since Scott Petersen in the 1980s to capture consecutive Junior Stroke titles.
 


The Valor Christian senior, who has signed to play college golf at the University of Colorado, also won the CJGA Junior Series Championship this year. And he placed third in the 2014 4A state high school tournament.

CWGA Junior Player of the Year — Jennifer Kupcho of CommonGround Golf Course. Kupcho becomes just the second player to win this award for three consecutive years, joining Becca Huffer (2005-07). See the CWGA Player of the Year entry for Kupcho above.
 

CGA Jim Topliff On-Course Official of the Year — Cope and Judy Bradford (left) of Colorado National Golf Club. This marks the first time a joint award in this category has been given out.

Program Partner of the Year — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado.

CWGA Volunteer Award — Karla Harding (left) of Collindale Golf Course.

CJGA Junior All-Stars (pictured at bottom) — Christian Agelopoulos, Pierce Aichinger, Traejan Andrews, Katie Berrian, Chunya Bead Boonta, Jack Castiglia, Jake Chesler, Alex Chitkoksoong, Amy Chitkoksoong, Sofia Choi, Andrew Jang, Jordan Jennings, Anna Jordaan, Caroline Jordaan, Marie Jordaan, Christopher Kennedy, Cade Kilkenny, Elijah Knudsen, Jennifer Kupcho, Maxwell Lange, Katelyn Lehigh, Lauren Lehigh, Ross Macdonald, Gage Messingham, Sarah Murphy, Jaclyn Murray, Brittlynn O’Dell, Canon Olkowski, AJ Ott, Morgan Sahm, Amisha Singh, Jackson Solem, Gillian Vance, Mary Weinstein, Coby Welch, Jake Welch, Ashleigh Wilson, Liam Wood.

CJGA Academic All-Stars (honorees must carry at least 3.0 grade-point average) — Christian Agelopoulos, Drew Anderson, Dietrich Berning, Katie Berrian, Aili Bundy, Cole Bundy, Caden Campbell, Jack Castiglia, Cole Chalmers, Sofia Choi, Mariah Ehrman, Delaney Elliott, Ty Findlow, Carly Gallant, Daniel Gallant, Sydney Gillespie, Freddie Gluck III, Kacey Godwin, TJ Hicks, Mark Hillary, Nicholas Hughes, Jordan Jennings, Clara Jeon, Jake Johnson, Max Johnson, Trey Jones, Caroline Jordaan, Marie Jordaan, Anna Jordaan, Cade Kilkenny, Brett Krants, Cole Krantz, Jennifer Kupcho, David Leede, Lauren Lehigh, Katelyn Lehigh, Nick Leibold, Charles Markel, Madison McCambridge, Trevor McCord, Peyton Mogavero, Hannah More, Tyler Mulligan, Lauren Murphy, Roger Nakagawa, Brittlynn O’Dell, Trevor Olkowski, Andrew Reppe, McKenna Reppe, Ashlee Sample, Ryan Sangchompuphen, Erin Sargent, Hailey Schalk, Tim Scherman, Gary Schlatter Jr., TJ Shehee, Parker Skiles, Jackson Solem, Jake Staiano, Amisha Singh, Emilee Strausburg, Sam Taylor, Brady Wilson, Ryan Zetwick, Ben Zimmerman.

Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster struck a blow for the young.

Michael Harrington of Colorado Springs struck one for the not-quite-so young.

When the CWGA and CGA hold their Colorado Golf Awards Brunch on Nov. 23 at Pinehurst Country Club, Kupcho and Harrington will go where no one before them has gone.

Kupcho (left) will be the first golfer to be named both the CWGA Player of the Year and Junior Player of the Year in the same season. And Harrington will pull off a similar feat, becoming the first golfer to earn both the CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year award and the Mid-Amateur Player of the Year honor in a single season.

Moreover, at 17 years old, Kupcho will be the youngest CWGA Player of the Year in the new millennium. Former Fort Collins High School golfer Nancy Abiecunas was slightly younger when she gained the honor in 1999.

In the same vein, the 42-year-old Harrington will be the oldest CGA Player of the Year since 2006, when a 50-year-old, Rick DeWitt, earned the award. In fact, Harrington is believed to be the second-oldest CGA Player of the Year since the award was first given out in 1978. Typically, college-age golfers have landed the CGA Player of the Year honor.

Below is the rundown of the various player of the year awards that will be given out on Nov. 23:

CWGA Player of the Year — Jennifer Kupcho of CommonGround Golf Course. Kupcho, a senior at Jefferson Academy who will play in college at Wake Forest, had a year to remember, particularly considering she accomplished what she did as a 17-year-old.

A member of the Hale Irwin Elite Player program at CommonGround, Kupcho won three CWGA championships, a couple of major CJGA titles and a state high school crown. She also qualified for two USGA national championships and finished second in the HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open.

Here are some of the specifics:

Kupcho not only won numerous tournaments, but she posted huge margins of victory. She prevailed in the 4A state high school meet by 14; the CWGA Junior Stroke Play by nine, the CJGA Tournament of Champions by 12; the CJGA Junior Series Championship by eight; the 99th CWGA Match Play by 6 and 5 in the final, and took low-amateur honors in the Colorado Women’s Open by 12.

Kupcho also posted victories in the CWGA Chapman (with Jaclyn Murray) and qualified for the 2014 U.S. Girls’ Junior and the 2015 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball (with Gillian Vance). At the U.S. Girls’ Junior, Kupcho finished eighth in the stroke-play portion of the event before falling in the round of 64 of match play.

Kupcho’s runner-up showing in the Colorado Women’s Open marked the best finish by an amateur in that event since 2008. She also placed eighth in the Girls Junior America’s Cup and 29th in the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships, marking the best finish ever by a Coloradan in the girls 15-17 girls age division.

CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year — Michael Harrington (left) of Garden of the Gods Club. Harrington’s most eye-catching feat of this year was advancing to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Mid-Amateur. It was his best showing in nine USGA championship appearances. Harrington lost in the quarterfinals to Tom Werkmeister of Kentwood, Mich., who won the 2013 Michigan Open title as an amateur and subsequently was elected into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame. By making it to the final eight, Harrington will be exempt into next year’s national Mid-Am.

Harrington also qualified for his third U.S. Amateur since 2009. And at age 42, he was the top Colorado finisher in the championship, at 134th place.

The Colorado Springs resident also won another CGA championship, capturing the title in the Mid-Amateur Match Play Invitational. He also placed fifth in the CGA Mid-Amateur and represented Colorado at the Pacific Coast Amateur.

CWGA Senior Player of the Year — Christie Austin (left) of Cherry Hills Country Club. Austin also captured this honor in 2007, when she was a senior “rookie”. This time ended a five-year run of winning this award by Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton, who “retired” from CWGA championships at the end of the 2013 season. Austin will join Eaton in the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame on May 31 after recently being voted in.

The former USGA Executive Committee member won two CWGA championships and qualified for two USGA national tournaments.

Austin won the CWGA Senior Stroke Play for the second time, this one in a playoff with Lynn Larson. And she placed second in the senior division of the CWGA Match Play, losing 1 down to champion Deb Hughes. In a team event, Austin and Tori Glenn earned the trophy in the CWGA Brassie.

In qualifiers, Austin landed spots in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, advancing to match play in the latter.

CGA Senior Player of the Year — Kent Moore (left) of Cherry Hills Country Club. It’s been eight years since Moore last won this award, as a senior “rookie”, but an impressive season as a 58-year-old made him a two-time honoree in this category (he also was named the CGA’s Les Fowler Player of the Year in 1989).

The Colorado Golf Hall of Famer won the CGA Senior Stroke Play by six shots, matching the largest margin in the event since 2007. With that victory, he’s accomplished the remarkable feat of winning CGA championships in five consecutive decades. He captured the Junior Match Play in 1973, the Stroke Play in ’86, the Match Play in ’89, the Mid-Amateur in ’95, the Senior Match Play in ’06 and the Senior Stroke Play in ’14.

Moore earned low-amateur honors in the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open for the second time (he first managed the feat in 2006). This time, Moore placed sixth overall in the Senior Open.

CGA Mid-Amateur Player of the Year — Michael Harrington of Garden of the Gods Club. Harrington captures this award for the second time in the last six seasons. See the CGA Player of the Year entry for Harrington above.

CWGA Junior Player of the Year — Jennifer Kupcho of CommonGround Golf Course. Kupcho becomes just the second player to win this award for three consecutive years, joining Becca Huffer (2005-07). See the CWGA Player of the Year entry for Kupcho above.

CGA Junior Player of the Year — Ross Macdonald (left) of the Country Club at Castle Pines. Macdonald, a member of the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program, won the CGA Junior Stroke Play for the second straight year, becoming the first competitor since Scott Petersen in the 1980s to capture consecutive Junior Stroke titles.

The Valor Christian senior, who has committed to play college golf at the University of Colorado, also won the CJGA Junior Series Championship this year. And he placed third in the 2014 4A state high school tournament.

CWGA Most Improved Junior of the Year — Anna Kennedy of Denver Country Club. Kennedy’s USGA handicap index dropped from 7.4 at the beginning of the season to 0.7 as of the Nov. 1 revision.

While the CGA and CWGA will hold their awards brunch on Nov. 23, the Colorado PGA’s Awards Gala is set for Friday at Colorado Golf Club. Here’s an earlier rundown on the award winners: CLICK HERE. 

Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster struck a blow for the young.

Michael Harrington (left) of Colorado Springs struck one for the not-quite-so young.

When the CGA and CWGA hold their Colorado Golf Awards Brunch on Nov. 23 at Pinehurst Country Club, Kupcho and Harrington will go where no one before them has gone.

Kupcho will be the first golfer to be named both the CWGA Player of the Year and Junior Player of the Year in the same season. And Harrington will pull off a similar feat, becoming the first golfer to earn both the CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year award and the Mid-Amateur Player of the Year honor in a single season.

Moreover, at 17 years old, Kupcho will be the youngest CWGA Player of the Year in the new millennium. Former Fort Collins High School golfer Nancy Abiecunas was slightly younger when she gained the honor in 1999.

In the same vein, the 42-year-old Harrington will be the oldest CGA Player of the Year since 2006, when a 50-year-old, Rick DeWitt, earned the award. In fact, Harrington is believed to be the second-oldest CGA Player of the Year since the award was first given out in 1978. Typically, college-age golfers have landed the CGA Player of the Year honor.

Below is the rundown of the various player of the year awards that will be given out on Nov. 23:

CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year — Michael Harrington of Garden of the Gods Club. Harrington’s most eye-catching feat of this year was advancing to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Mid-Amateur. It was his best showing in nine USGA championship appearances. Harrington lost in the quarterfinals to Tom Werkmeister of Kentwood, Mich., who won the 2013 Michigan Open title as an amateur and subsequently was elected into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame. By making it to the final eight, Harrington will be exempt into next year’s national Mid-Am.

Harrington also qualified for his third U.S. Amateur since 2009. And at age 42, he was the top Colorado finisher in the championship, at 134th place.

The Colorado Springs resident also won another CGA championship, capturing the title in the Mid-Amateur Match Play Invitational. He also placed fifth in the CGA Mid-Amateur and represented Colorado at the Pacific Coast Amateur.

CWGA Player of the Year — Jennifer Kupcho (left) of CommonGround Golf Course. Kupcho, a senior at Jefferson Academy who will play in college at Wake Forest, had a year to remember, particularly considering she accomplished what she did as a 17-year-old.

A member of the Hale Irwin Elite Player program at CommonGround, Kupcho won three CWGA championships, a couple of major CJGA titles and a state high school crown. She also qualified for two USGA national championships and finished second in the HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open.

Here are some of the specifics:

Kupcho not only won numerous tournaments, but she posted huge margins of victory. She prevailed in the 4A state high school meet by 14; the CWGA Junior Stroke Play by nine, the CJGA Tournament of Champions by 12; the CJGA Junior Series Championship by eight; the 99th CWGA Match Play by 6 and 5 in the final, and took low-amateur honors in the Colorado Women’s Open by 12.

Kupcho also posted victories in the CWGA Chapman (with Jaclyn Murray) and qualified for the 2014 U.S. Girls’ Junior and the 2015 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball (with Gillian Vance). At the U.S. Girls’ Junior, Kupcho finished eighth in the stroke-play portion of the event before falling in the round of 64 of match play.

Kupcho’s runner-up showing in the Colorado Women’s Open marked the best finish by an amateur in that event since 2008. She also placed eighth in the Girls Junior America’s Cup and 29th in the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships, marking the best finish ever by a Coloradan in the girls 15-17 girls age division.

CGA Senior Player of the Year — Kent Moore (left) of Cherry Hills Country Club. It’s been eight years since Moore last won this award, as a senior “rookie”, but an impressive season as a 58-year-old made him a two-time honoree in this category (he also was named the CGA’s Les Fowler Player of the Year in 1989).

The Colorado Golf Hall of Famer won the CGA Senior Stroke Play by six shots, matching the largest margin in the event since 2007. With that victory, he’s accomplished the remarkable feat of winning CGA championships in five consecutive decades. He captured the Junior Match Play in 1973, the Stroke Play in ’86, the Match Play in ’89, the Mid-Amateur in ’95, the Senior Match Play in ’06 and the Senior Stroke Play in ’14.

Moore earned low-amateur honors in the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open for the second time (he first managed the feat in 2006). This time, Moore placed sixth overall in the Senior Open.

CWGA Senior Player of the Year — Christie Austin (left) of Cherry Hills Country Club. Austin also captured this honor in 2007, when she was a senior “rookie”. This time ended a five-year run of winning this award by Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton, who “retired” from CWGA championships at the end of the 2013 season. Austin will join Eaton in the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame on May 31 after recently being voted in.

The former USGA Executive Committee member won two CWGA championships and qualified for two USGA national tournaments.

Austin won the CWGA Senior Stroke Play for the second time, this one in a playoff with Lynn Larson. And she placed second in the senior division of the CWGA Match Play, losing 1 down to champion Deb Hughes. In a team event, Austin and Tori Glenn earned the trophy in the CWGA Brassie.

In qualifiers, Austin landed spots in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, advancing to match play in the latter.

CGA Mid-Amateur Player of the Year — Michael Harrington of Garden of the Gods Club. Harrington captures this award for the second time in the last six seasons. See the CGA Player of the Year entry for Harrington above.

CGA Junior Player of the Year — Ross Macdonald (left) of the Country Club at Castle Pines. Macdonald, a member of the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program, won the CGA Junior Stroke Play for the second straight year, becoming the first competitor since Scott Petersen in the 1980s to capture consecutive Junior Stroke titles.

The Valor Christian senior, who has committed to play college golf at the University of Colorado, also won the CJGA Junior Series Championship this year. And he placed third in the 2014 4A state high school tournament.

CWGA Junior Player of the Year — Jennifer Kupcho of CommonGround Golf Course. Kupcho becomes just the second player to win this award for three consecutive years, joining Becca Huffer (2005-07). See the CWGA Player of the Year entry for Kupcho above.

CWGA Most Improved Junior of the Year — Anna Kennedy of Denver Country Club. Kennedy’s USGA handicap index dropped from 7.4 at the beginning of the season to 0.7 as of the Nov. 1 revision.

While the CGA and CWGA will hold their awards brunch on Nov. 23, the Colorado PGA’s Awards Gala is set for Friday at Colorado Golf Club. Here’s an earlier rundown on the award winners: CLICK HERE.