Ford, who on Saturday became just the fourth Coloradan ever to qualify for the DC&P Nationals, is a high school golf teammate of defending 4A state individual champion Luke Trujillo, who went to the Nationals at Augusta in the spring of 2016.

That should give Ford some insights.

The high school freshman overcame the DC&P Regional Qualifying hurdle on Saturday at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla.

With just the winner — out of 10 competitors — in each age/gender division of the Regionals advancing to Nationals on April 1, 2018, Ford won the Boys 14-15 competition. He scored 67 points in the drive portion of the contest, 17 in the chipping and 55 in the putting. That gave him 139 points overall, three more than runner-up Carsen Silliman.

The only other Coloradans who have made it to DC&P Nationals in the first five years of the competition are Trujillo, Arielle Keating and Caitlyn Chin, all of whom went in April of 2016. The Nationals are televised from Augusta by the Golf Channel.

Ford had to survive Local, Sub-Regional and Regional Qualifying to advance. In the Sub-Regional at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora last month, he finished second to Joshua Gallegos of Belen, N.M.

Ford was one of 20 Colorado residents who were competing in the Regionals at Southern Hills. None of the others advanced to Nationals, but here’s how all 20 fared on Saturday, with their scores and placing (Note: The top finisher in each division advances to Nationals. Points are for Drive-Chip-Putt–Total):

Boys 14-15
1. (out of 10 competitors) Kaden Ford of Colorado Springs 67-17-55–139
4. Hunter Khan of Highlands Ranch 42-13-65–120
8. Joshua Stouder of Grand Junction 42-13-36–91

Girls 14-15
3. (out of 10 competitors) Emma Bryant of Aurora 56-17-31–104
4. Alyssa Chin of Greenwood Village 36-26-41–103
5. Sofia Choi of Littleton 36-13-51–100
10. Rachel Penzenstadler of Centennial 34-3-31–68

Boys 12-13
4. (out of 10 competitors)Yusuke Ogi of Arvada 58-5-31–94
5. Wesley Erling of Arvada 18-30-41–89

Girls 12-13
3. (out of 10 competitors) Abigail Aeschleman of Highlands Ranch 47-27-41–115
4. Kaylee Chen of Highlands Ranch 39-17-45–101

Boys 10-11
3. (out of 10 competitors) Kaden Devenport of Windsor 46-3-50–99
7. Matai Naqica of Centennial 19-16-45–80
10. Tucker Jaffe of Vail 0-3-21–24

Girls 10-11
10. (out of 10 competitors) Macy Kleve of Windsor 30-4-17–51

Boys 7-9
2. (out of 10 competitors) Max Riley of Fort Collins 35-7-50–92
8. Ashton Edwards of Boulder 15-12-27–54
9. Collen Todd of Golden 20-3-27–50

Girls 7-9
4. (out of 10 competitors) Adrielle Miller of Highlands Ranch 15-18-36–69
6. Allie Smith of Aurora 8-22-35–65

In all, 40 boys and 40 girls will compete in the Nationals of the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship, which is sponsored by the Masters, the USGA and the PGA of America. The competition is limited to players 7-15.

Each participant in the DCP is awarded points for each skill based on his or her performance, with the points added together for an overall score.
 

For Davis Bryant of Aurora, Wednesday marked the continuation of something major, junior golf-wise, in 2017.

For Arielle Keating of Colorado Springs, it was a fitting end for her junior golf career in the state.

Bryant became the first boy to win two of the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s major championships by cruising to a seven-stroke victory in the Colorado Junior Amateur at Legacy Ridge Golf Course in Westminster.

“It’s awesome,” Bryant said of the accomplishment, which matches what Mary Weinstein of Highlands Ranch did on the girls side in 2016. “Winning the first major was awesome. The thought of trying to win them all was in the back of my mind, but I didn’t really set that goal for myself. If I think like that, I may have a tougher time.”

Meanwhile, Keating prevailed by six strokes for the girls title in her final junior tournament in the state before she moves with her family to Florida on Thursday.

“It’s kind of the icing on the cake to be able to leave Colorado saying I won my last tournament, then head down to Florida where hopefully good, exciting things will happen in golf,” said the 16-year-old, who is bound for Stuart, Fla. “I lived in the same house (in Colorado Springs) for 12 years. It’s really tough moving. I’m going to miss Colorado a lot. Everyone here has been so supportive.

“It’s kind of sad to go, but the competition in Florida is going to be good so I’m excited. I’ll be able to play year-around and really be able to get my game together.”

As with last month’s Colorado Junior PGA Championship, both winners on Wednesday are children of PGA professionals. Bryant is the son of Green Valley Ranch general manager Matt Bryant and Keating is the daughter of former Springs Ranch Golf Club teaching professional Brad Keating. Colorado Junior PGA girls winner Hailey Schalk is the daughter of Colorado National GM Matt Schalk.

Keating (left), who finished sixth in her age division at the 2016 Drive Chip & Putt national finals at Augusta National, shot a 6-over-par 78 on Wednesday, finishing with a birdie to post a 16-over 232 total. Keating has verbally committed to play her college golf at Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton beginning in 2018. The team is coached by 1985 U.S. Women’s Open champion Kathy (Baker) Guadagnino.

“It meant a lot having my college coaches here and being able to play pretty well,” said Keating, who played her Colorado high school golf at Rampart, where she finished sixth at the 5A state tournament.

Julia Baroth of Denver, who will play at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs starting this fall, placed second at 238 after an 82 on Wednesday. And Caroline Jordaan of Denver, winner of the North American Junior Amateur in January, finished third at 240 after also closing with an 82.

Baroth was still within striking distance — trailing by four — until she had some major issues under a tree on the par-4 13th hole, whiffing twice before getting up an down for a double bogey.

“It was a tough course,” said Baroth, a 17-year-old graduate of Denver East. “I did what I could. It didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to, but I’m really, really happy for Arielle and how she played. I wish I could have played better, but I’m proud of how I came out. I left a lot of shots on the course, but I did my best and it paid off.”

Bryant (left), an Eaglecrest High School senior-to-be who will play collegiately at Colorado State, won the Colorado Junior PGA by two last month at Eisenhower Golf Club. And on Wednesday, the 17-year-old made it 2-for-2 in JGAC majors this year by backing up the career-best-tying 65 he shot Tuesday with a 2-under-par 70 in Wednesday’s final round. That gave the two-time U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier an 8-under-par 208 total for three days.

Unfortunately, any talk of a potential Colorado junior grand slam will end before it picks up steam as Bryant will not compete in the third major of 2017, the Colorado Junior Match Play, because it conflicts with the national Junior PGA Championship he’s playing in starting July 31 near St. Louis.

“It sucks (there’s a conflict),” Bryant said. “It would be awesome if I could play in every tournament and take advantage of every opportunity that is out there. But I’m going to the Junior PGA because of what I did (at the Colorado Junior PGA), and that set up what I did here. I’m a little frustrated that I won’t be able to try to go three in a row, but two in a row is pretty good.”

Bryant racked up 11 birdies and just two bogeys over the final two rounds at Legacy Ridge, and won going away. He hit 45 greens in regulation — out of 54 — for the week.

“Just two bogeys in the last 36 holes in this tournament is awesome,” said Bryant, who has carded two rounds of 65 this JGAC season. “The only way people are going to catch you is if they’re making a bunch of birdies.

“The way that I’m hitting the ball right now is awesome. If you hit at least 14 greens in regulation, you’re going to have tons of chances for birdies. And if you hit good putts, they’re going to fall in.”

Barrett Jones (left) of Eagle fired a bogey-free 4-under-par 68 on Wednesday to earn runner-up honors at 1-under 215. 

“Davis is a sensational player,” said Jones, a senior-to-be at Eagle Valley High School who finished seventh in the 4A state tournament last year. “There’s no stopping him when he is playing well. When I’m playing well, I think I can compete with him. But I need to put together three good rounds like he did. I had one round (76 Tuesday) that was not as good.”

First-round leader Cole Krantz, a University of Colorado signee, placed third at 216 after carding a final-round 76. Krantz’s 18th-hole birdie was his first of the day.

For Colorado Junior Amateur scores, click on the following: BOYS, GIRLS.

Bryant, who won the Colorado Junior PGA Championship last month, shot a bogey-free 7-under-par 65 at Legacy Ridge Golf Course in Westminster to grab a two-stroke lead with one round remaining in the Colorado Junior Amateur. The score was the best of the tournament by four strokes.

In the girls tournament, Arielle Keating of Colorado Springs, who placed fourth in the Colorado Junior PGA, took over the lead by firing a 2-over-par 74 on Tuesday.

Bryant (pictured), a two-time U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier, made seven birdies in Tuesday’s round, giving him a 6-under 138 total. The 17-year-old, who has verbally committed to play his college golf at Colorado State University beginning in 2018, birdied all four of the par-5s in round 2.

First-round leader Cole Krantz of Windsor will go into Wednesday’s final round in second place, two behind Bryant. The University of Colorado signee made four birdies, one bogey and a double bogey in a round of 71 on Tuesday.

Two state high school champions, Kyle Pearson of Highlands Ranch (5A) and Oliver Jack of Denver (3A), share third place at 143. Pearson carded a second-round 71 and Jack a 73.

In the girls competition, Keating was 3 under par through 13 holes for Tuesday’s round, but she played the last five in 5 over, taking a triple bogey on No. 17.

Still, the 16-year-old went ahead by two strokes with a 10-over-par 154 total. Julia Baroth of Denver sits in second place at 156 after posting a second-round 75 that included three birdies.

First-round leader Caroline Jordaan of Denver, winner of the North American Junior Amateur in January, is third at 158 after a second consecutive 79. Jordaan also made three birdies on Tuesday.

The girls leaders will tee off for Wednesday’s final round at 9:36 a.m., while the top boys will start at 9:45.

For scores, click on the following: BOYS, GIRLS.

The historic Cherry Hills Country Club will host the Junior Tour Championship for both boys and girls Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 8-9). The by-invitation-only-event will feature 40 boys and 20 girls.

Kyle Pearson of Highlands Ranch, who won the 5A state high school individual title last week, and 4A champion Luke Trujillo of Colorado Springs are scheduled to compete in the boys tournament, along with 2015 4A state high school winner Jackson Solem of Longmont.

Also entered are Griffin Barela of Lakewood (winner of a previous major this year, the Junior Match Play); Davis Bryant of Aurora (5A runner-up this year); Cole Krantz of Windsor (third place in 4A, one shot out of the playoff between Trujillo and Solem); and Trevor Olkowski of Grand Junction (a 2016 U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier along with Barela).

In the girls tournament at Cherry Hills, entrants include the runners-up in both the 5A (Amy Chitkoksoong of Aurora) and 4A (Caroline Jordaan of Cherry Hills Village) girls state high school meets, along with Arielle Keating of Colorado Springs, who finished sixth in the girls 14-15 division at the Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals at Augusta National in the spring.

Some of the top junior performers from this past summer aren’t in the fields as they’re now playing college golf, including AJ Ott of Fort Collins (Colorado State) and Mary Weinstein of Highlands Ranch (Regis University).

The JGAC will hold its 2016 awards banquet at Cherry Hills almost immediately following Sunday’s final round.

For Saturday’s pairings, CLICK HERE.

Also taking place this weekend will be an event featuring many of the top 13-and-under players in the state — the Junior Ryder Cup at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora. Scheduled are nine-hole four-ball and foursomes matches on Saturday and 18-hole singles on Sunday.

For Saturday’s Junior Ryder Cup pairings, CLICK HERE.

Players who won two matches each on Tuesday advanced to the semifinals at The Ridge at Castle Pines North.

Still in the hunt for the boys title are AJ Ott (left) of Fort Collins, who’s attempting to win his second junior major of the year; U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier Griffin Barela of Lakewood; David Leede of Greenwood Village; and Jack Castiglia of Lakewood. Ott will face Leede and Barela will meet Lakewood High School teammate Castiglia in Wednesday morning’s semifinals for the right to advance to the afternoon’s title match.

Castiglia edged Colorado Junior Amateur winner Braden Bentley of Colorado Springs 1 up in the round of 16 before topping Ryan Zetwick of Castle Rock 2 up in the quarters.

In the girls tournament, the semifinalists are Arielle Keating of Colorado Springs, who defeated top-seeded Caroline Jordaan 2 up in Tuesday’s quarterfinals; No. 2 seed Hailey Schalk of Erie, who scored a 9-and-7 win in the quarters; Sarah Hwang of Monument; and Lauren Lehigh of Loveland. In the semis, Keating will meet Hwang and Schalk will square off with Lehigh.

Amy Chitkoksoong of Aurora, winner of last year’s CWGA Junior Match Play, was ousted 3 and 2 in the round of 16 by Emma Bryant of Aurora before Hwang defeated Bryant 2 and 1 in the quarterfinals.

In both the boys and girls events, the winners of Wednesday’s morning’s semifinals will meet in the afternoon for the championship.

To see the brackets for each tournament, click on the following: BOYS, GIRLS.

Though this was the third national finals of the DCP, it was the first year a Coloradan qualified. In all, 80 golfers — 40 boys and 40 girls from across the U.S. and Canada — competed on Sunday at Augusta. The event was broken up into four age groups each for boys and girls, age 7-15.

Luke Trujillo, 15, of Colorado Springs finished sixth out of 10 players overall in the boys 14-15 age group with 15.5 points, 7.5 fewer than champion Michael Thorbjornsen of Wellesley, Mass. Trujillo ended up third in putting — thanks to draining his second putt — sixth in chipping, and tied for seventh in the drive. The Golf Channel showed one of Trujillo’s drives and both of his chips and putts on Sunday, including the one that he holed to close his day.

Arielle Keating, 15, of Colorado Springs finished sixth in the girls 14-15 division with 16.5 points, 10 behind champion Alyssa Montgomery of Knoxville, Tenn. Keating tied for third in the chip (her second chip finished a foot from the cup), and placed fifth in the putt and eighth in the drive. Golf Channel showed her stroke one of her putts on Sunday.

Caitlyn Chin, 8, of suburban Denver finished 10th in the girls 7-9 division with five points, leaving her 19 points back of champion Emerson Blair of West Point, Miss. Chin placed eighth in the drive, and 10th in both the chip and the putt. Golf Channel showed both of Chin’s putts on Sunday.

(The Coloradans — from left, Trujillo, Chin and Keating — are pictured above.)

After competing in the Drive, Chip and Putt on Sunday, Trujillo, Keating and Chin — and their families — will have a chance to watch a Masters practice round Monday at Augusta National.

Among those on hand for Sunday’s DCP national finals were Masters champions Bubba Watson, Adam Scott, Nick Faldo, Ben Crenshaw and Mark O’Meara, other PGA Tour players Jason Day, Keegan Bradley and Matt Kuchar, new USGA president Diana Murphy, PGA of America president Derek Sprague, Augusta National chairman Billy Payne, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and U.S. Amateur and NCAA champion Bryson DeChambeau. On Saturday on the eve of the event, the DCP finalists rubbed elbows with entertainers Justin Timberlake and Niall Horan, and PGA Tour player Justin Rose.

“This is special,” Watson said Sunday on Golf Channel. “It jerks at my heart a lot, watching this. There are other things these kids are learning (besides displaying their skills). They’re learning etiquette, dedication, and the drive (necessary to achieve at a high level).”

Only six states were better represented in the DCP national finals this spring than Colorado — California (8 finalists), Texas (7), Ohio (5), and New York, Illinois and Michigan (4 each).

The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship is a joint initiative of the Masters, the USGA and the PGA of America designed to help grow the game.

Each competitor is scored based on the longest of two drives (provided it’s inbounds), and the cumulative proximity to the hole of two chips and of two putts from different distances. The driving and chipping were held at Augusta National’s tournament practice area, with the putting set for ANGC’s 18th green. Golfers competed within eight groups based on gender and age, with the kids with the highest combined scores in driving, chipping and putting winning the overall titles.

All 80 of the finalists who vied at Augusta National on Sunday qualified by virtue of advancing through local, sub-regional and regional competitions.

Trujillo, Keating and Chin all took the same sub-regional and regional paths to the finals, advancing at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora and Torrey Pines Golf Club in La Jolla, Calif., respectively. Each won his or her divisions at the regionals at Torrey Pines.

For all the results of Sunday’s Drive, Chip and Putt national finals, CLICK HERE.

Registration for the 2016-17 Drive, Chip and Putt Championship is open. The website can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.  

No Coloradans qualified for the national finals of the DC&P event held at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia in the first two years of the competition, culminating in 2014 and ’15. But there’s no such issue this time around.

In fact, three junior golfers from Colorado will be among the 80 competitors — 40 boys and 40 girls from across the U.S. and Canada — who will be vying in the third annual Drive, Chip and Putt finals, set for Sunday (April 3) at Augusta National on the eve of Masters week.

That makes Colorado one of the most well-represented states in this year’s finals. In fact, only six states have more finalists this spring — California (8), Texas (7), Ohio (5), and New York, Illinois and Michigan (4 each).

The Drive, Chip and Putt Championship, for youngsters age 7-15, is a joint initiative of the Masters, the USGA and the PGA of America designed to help grow the game.

Each competitor is scored based on the longest of two drives (provided it’s inbounds), and the cumulative proximity to the hole of two chips and of two putts. The driving and chipping will be held at Augusta National’s tournament practice area, with the putting set for ANGC’s 18th green. Golfers vie within eight groups based on gender and age, with the kids with the highest combined scores in driving, chipping and putting winning the overall titles.

All 80 of the finalists who will vie at Augusta National on Sunday qualified by virtue of advancing through local, sub-regional and regional competitions.

The Coloradans who made the finals are Luke Trujillo of Colorado Springs (boys 14-15 age group), fellow Colorado Springs resident Arielle Keating (girls 14-15) and Caitlyn Chin of suburban Denver (girls 7-9). Trujillo and Keating are children of PGA professionals John Trujillo of Eisenhower Golf Club and Brad Keating of Springs Ranch Golf Club, respectively.

Trujillo, Keating and Chin all took the same sub-regional and regional paths to the finals, advancing at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora and Torrey Pines Golf Club in La Jolla, Calif., respectively. Each won his or her division at the regionals at Torrey Pines.

Trujillo, who owns a 0.8 handicap index, remembers watching last year’s DC&P finals on TV.

“I saw all these kids doing what they love to do and having a lot of fun and I wanted to have the chance to be in that moment,” he told drivechipandputt.com.

Trujillo plays out of the Golf Club at Flying Horse, while Keating is from the Country Club of Colorado and Chin hails from Meridian Golf Club.

Golf Channel will be devoting five hours of TV coverage to the Drive, Chip and Putt finals on Sunday, with an hour-long “pre-game” (6-7 a.m. MT) followed by four hours of live action (7-11 a.m.).