The CJGA Tournament of Champions draws one of the best junior golf fields of the year in Colorado, both for boys and girls. But in recent golf seasons, it’s probably more remembered for crummy weather than stellar play.
Three years ago, the invitation-only event was canceled altogether due to inclement conditions. In 2010, a full 36 holes were played, but it was cold, drizzly and windy. And last year, the tournament was shortened to 18 holes because of the weather.
And — surprise, surprise — it looks like more of the same is in store this weekend as the 2012 edition of the Tournament of Champions is scheduled for the Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs.
“It’s unbelievable; it really is,” CJGA director of junior competitions Eric Wilkinson noted regarding the Tournament of Champions’ bad luck in the weather department.
The event is scheduled to include two rounds — one Saturday at the West Course and one Sunday at the East — weather-permitting. With cold and rain or snow forecast for Saturday, it’s possible the tournament could be reduced to 18 holes like last year. A determination will be made on Friday. (Friday update: Saturday’s round has been canceled, but tournament organizers are planning for play on Sunday.)
Assuming the event can be played, many of the state’s top junior golfers are scheduled to be on hand. Both of the 2011 champions — Jimmy Makloski (pictured above) of Pueblo Country Club and Claudia Davis (pictured at left) of Glenmoor Country Club — are set to defend their titles.
This year, Makloski has won the CGA Junior Stroke Play, the CJGA Junior Series Championship and the AJGA Junior at Fox Hill. And Davis teamed with Allie Johnston to claim the CWGA Mashie Championship earlier this year.
But that’s just the start.
Also in the boys field are 5A state high school champion Kyler Dunkle of The Club at Pradera, 3A winner Ben Moore, 2010 and ’11 3A champ Ethan Freeman, 2012 CGA Junior Match Play winner Andrew Romano of Colorado Golf Club and U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier Josh Seiple of Castle Pines Golf Club.
On the girls side, Calli Ringsby of Denver Country Club is coming off a sterling summer. She won both the CWGA Junior Stroke Play and Junior Match Play and she competed for America in the USA-China Youth Golf Match in California. Also scheduled to play is Jennifer Kupcho, the CJGA Junior Series Championship winner.
In addition this weekend, the CJGA will hold its Junior Ryder Cup for 11-13 year-olds at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.
Twenty-four boys and girls — 12 each representing Team USA and Team Europe — will compete in nine-hole foursomes and four-ball matches on Saturday, then 18 holes of singles on Sunday. Among those playing is Coby Welch, the CJGA 11-13 Junior Series Champion. (Friday update: Like at the Tournament of Champions, Saturday’s action at the Junior Ryder Cup has been canceled. The plan on Sunday is to play three nine-hole matches: four-ball on the Kids’ Course, and foursomes and singles on the regulation course.)
]]>The CJGA Tournament of Champions draws one of the best junior golf fields of the year in Colorado, both for boys and girls. But in recent golf seasons, it’s probably more remembered for crummy weather than stellar play.
Three years ago, the invitation-only event was canceled altogether due to inclement conditions. In 2010, a full 36 holes were played, but it was cold, drizzly and windy. And last year, the tournament was shortened to 18 holes because of the weather.
And — surprise, surprise — it looks like more of the same is in store this weekend as the 2012 edition of the Tournament of Champions is scheduled for the Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs.
“It’s unbelievable; it really is,” CJGA director of junior competitions Eric Wilkinson noted regarding the Tournament of Champions’ bad luck in the weather department.
The event is scheduled to include two rounds — one Saturday at the West Course and one Sunday at the East — weather-permitting. With cold and rain or snow forecast for Saturday, it’s possible the tournament could be reduced to 18 holes like last year. A determination will be made on Friday. (Friday update: Saturday’s round has been canceled, but tournament organizers are planning for play on Sunday.)
Assuming the event can be played, many of the state’s top junior golfers are scheduled to be on hand. Both of the 2011 champions — Jimmy Makloski (pictured at left) of Pueblo Country Club and Claudia Davis (pictured at top) of Glenmoor Country Club — are set to defend their titles.
This year, Makloski has won the CGA Junior Stroke Play, the CJGA Junior Series Championship and the AJGA Junior at Fox Hill. And Davis teamed with Allie Johnston to claim the CWGA Mashie Championship earlier this year.
But that’s just the start.
Also in the boys field are 5A state high school champion Kyler Dunkle of The Club at Pradera, 3A winner Ben Moore, 2010 and ’11 3A champ Ethan Freeman, 2012 CGA Junior Match Play winner Andrew Romano of Colorado Golf Club and U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier Josh Seiple of Castle Pines Golf Club.
On the girls side, Calli Ringsby of Denver Country Club is coming off a sterling summer. She won both the CWGA Junior Stroke Play and Junior Match Play and she competed for America in the USA-China Youth Golf Match in California. Also scheduled to play is Jennifer Kupcho, the CJGA Junior Series Championship winner.
In addition this weekend, the CJGA will hold its Junior Ryder Cup for 11-13 year-olds at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.
Twenty-four boys and girls — 12 each representing Team USA and Team Europe — will compete in nine-hole foursomes and four-ball matches on Saturday, then 18 holes of singles on Sunday. Among those playing is Coby Welch, the CJGA 11-13 Junior Series Champion. (Friday update: Like at the Tournament of Champions, Saturday’s action at the Junior Ryder Cup has been canceled. The plan on Sunday is to play three nine-hole matches: four-ball on the Kids’ Course, and foursomes and singles on the regulation course.)
In the end, no matter how dominant Kent Denver’s golf team was, it couldn’t have it all Tuesday at the boys 3A state high school tournament at Pinehurst Country Club.
Most, but not all.
The Sun Devils set a Colorado high school record by collecting their seventh consecutive boys state golf championship. But there was no way to get around the fact that at least one of the team’s top two players was going to come up short in his attempt to win the individual state title.
As it turned out, senior Ben Moore closed out his high school career with his first individual state championship. But that only happened because he overcame teammate Ethan Freeman, who fell a little short in his bid to become the first Coloradan to claim three individual boys state high school titles.
“It’s bittersweet,” Freeman said. “I’m happy for Ben and I’m happy for the team, but I’d obviously like to come away with a win. But if there’s one kid I’m fine (with beating me), it’s Ben. He deserved it.”
As for possible “what-ifs” that might pass through Freeman’s mind, he doesn’t want to dwell on them.
“Coulda, shoulda, woulda,” he said. “Four team titles, two individual titles, top four (individually at state) all four years — I’ll take that.”
And Moore certainly did his part to claim the 3A individual championship, making birdies on three of the last four holes Tuesday to overtake Freeman.
The University of Colorado-bound Freeman led Moore by three strokes as he walked to the 12th tee, but he three-putted Nos. 13, 15 and 16 while Moore made his late charge to capture the title.
Moore (pictured at left), who will play college golf at NCAA Division III Emory University in Atlanta, shot an even-par 70 for the second straight day to finish with a 140 total. Freeman carded a second-round 73 to end up three behind. Faith Christian’s Jack Cummings placed third (75-72–147) for his second straight top-10 showing in the 3A tournament.
“It feels good to beat Ethan because he’s arguably the best player here,” said Moore, who finished fourth last year as Freeman won title No. 2. “I was really looking forward to playing against him today and seeing what happened. I was really excited with the way I played and the way it turned out.
“I think it was fun. Both of us probably enjoyed it; I know I certainly did. It just feels good to win.”
Certainly both players agree that it was special to lead Kent to its seventh straight team title, which breaks the record previously shared by Kent and ThunderRidge (2001-06 in 5A). The Sun Devils have won every 3A state title held in Colorado (2008-2012), along with 4A championships in 2006 and 2007. Bob Austin has coached all those teams, having taken over as head coach in 2006.
“I’m glad I just helped my team win another one and get in the record books,” Freeman said.
This year, Kent claimed the state title by 27 strokes over Holy Family. The Sun Devils finished with a 25-over-par 445 total. (Team members pictured at top are, from left, Moore, Josh Repine, Austin, Freeman and Will Fehr.)
This marked the fourth year under Austin that Kent has won both the team and individual championships. Beau Schoolcraft claimed the individual title in 2007, when teammate Matt Schovee placed second..
“To win seven is just a dream come true,” said Austin, whose Kent Denver teams have never done anything but claim state titles in his seven seasons as head coach. “I’m very blessed. When I started, in my wildest imagination I could never have imagined this. Each and every one is special and each and every one is different.”
With Kent Denver’s team title all but locked up, the only suspense coming down the stretch Tuesday was whether Moore or Freeman would prevail individually.
For quite a while, it looked like Freeman (pictured at left) would get his individual three-peat. After Moore three-putted No. 10 for bogey and Freeman birdied 11 a group ahead, the defending champ was up by three shots.
But Moore made a pivotal shot on No. 11 that helped turn the tide. With a tree on the left side of the fairway about six feet in front of him and slightly to the right, Moore had very little room for error with his approach shot to an elevated green.
If he pulled the shot, he could go out of bounds or at least end up with an awkward third. But he struck the ball perfectly, leaving him with a 20-foot birdie putt which he sunk.
“That was big,” he admitted. “I made bogey on 10 and wasn’t too happy with the way I was playing. I knew I was two or three down and I needed to make something happen. I was really happy with that approach shot.”
But Freeman still led by one while on the 15th green. With a ticklish downhill birdie putt, he ran the ball by the cup about 3 1/2 feet, then missed the come-backer. Playing in the group behind, Moore grabbed the lead with a sterling wedge shot and a 3-foot birdie putt.
On the next hole, No. 16, there was another two-shot swing with Moore making birdie and Freeman a bogey. After Freeman three-putted from 10 feet, Moore hit the green of the par-5 in two and two-putted for his birdie.
“I knew those were birdie holes and I needed to make at least one birdie, and I’m glad I made two,” Moore said.
As for Freeman, he said he put too much pressure on his putter by going long with his approach shots.
“You can’t hit it past the pin here; you’re just dead if you do,” he noted. “Almost every hole I hit it past the pin and had downhill putts.”
The four-shot swing in two holes put Moore three ahead, and the margin would get no smaller than two the rest of the way.
“As happy as I am for Ben — shooting 70-70 on this golf course is all-world — Ethan could have become the first player to ever win three,” Austin said. “He handled (finishing second) with class and dignity. He still finished second at state and he’s played on four teams that won state championships. And he finished top four (at state) all four years. I told him afterward, ‘You’ve had one of the great high school careers in (Colorado) history and I’m really proud of you.’
“It was real exciting and really fun to watch. I was rooting for both of them. I’m really happy for Ben. He just kept his emotions in check and his head in it. He never made a big mistake.”
Dunkle’s Birdie on 18 Gives Him 5A State Title: Junior Kyler Dunkle of Douglas County, who shot a 66 to qualify for the state tournament, continued his strong play by winning the 5A state title at The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden.
Dunkle birdied the 18th hole to edge Eric Chen of Legacy and Spencer Painton of Regis Jesuit by one stroke.
Dunkle shot a 1-under-par 70 to finish at 3-over 145. Chen likewise posted a 70 on Tuesday, while Painton birdied the final hole for a 71. First-round leader Donny Kinnaman of Grand Junction closed with a 75 to end up in fourth place at 147.
Regis claimed its third straight 5A team title, finishing at 20-over-par 446, eight strokes ahead of Ralston Valley.
Allenback Keeps Foot on Gas to Win 4A Championship: Senior Jacob Allenback of Pueblo Centennial went wire-to-wire in winning the 4A state championship at The Links at Cobble Creek in Montrose.
Allenback fired a 1-under-par 71 Tuesday to finish at 5-under-par 139. In 36 holes, he recorded just three scores of bogey or worse: one double bogey and two bogeys.
Josh McLaughlin of Thompson Valley placed second, two behind Allenback, after a 69 on Tuesday. Glenn Workman of Pueblo West ended up third at 142 after his second straight 71. Jack Adolfson of Silver Creek, last year’s runner-up, placed fourth at 1-under 143 after a closing 68.
Pueblo South and 2010 and ’11 state champion Valor Christian tied for the low team score with 11-over-par 443s. South then prevailed on the second hole of a playoff to earn its first boys state golf title since 1978.
Bob Austin seems to have the Midas Touch when it comes to Colorado high school golf.
As a player, Austin competed on two Cherry Creek teams that won state championships, in 1970 and ’71. And the year he took over as head coach of the Kent Denver boys program (2006), the Sun Devils started their current state title win streak, which sits at six and likely will reach seven on Tuesday.
“I have lived the dream,” Austin (pictured with senior Josh Repine) said after Monday’s first round of the 3A state tournament at Pinehurst Country Club. “I played on two teams that won state championships. And this is my seventh year as a coach and we’ve won (state) the first six. I’ve just been really fortunate to have really good players.”
And given how Kent Denver performed on Monday, it’s set up very nicely to win both the team and individual titles for the fourth time under Austin.
Going into Tuesday’s final round, the all-senior Sun Devil squad leads the team race by a whopping 19 strokes. And Kent’s Ben Moore (pictured at left) and two-time defending state champion Ethan Freeman fired even-par 70s to share the top spot individually, and no one else in the field shot lower than 74.
Clearly it’s gotten to the point that about the only one who can compete with Kent Denver at the boys state high school golf tournament is, well … Kent Denver.
The Sun Devils are on the verge of making history on two fronts on Tuesday. They can win their seventh consecutive state title, which would break the Colorado record currently shared by Kent and ThunderRidge (2001-06 in 5A). And if Freeman prevails individually, he’d become the first player in Colorado history to win three boys individual state high school championships.
The only problem is that for Freeman to win, Moore will fall short, or vice-versa.
“I have mixed feelings about the battle tomorrow,” Austin said. “I wish they both could win. If one of them wins in the end, I’m going to be so happy, but it’s going to be bittersweet too. They’re both great players and great seniors.”
Although it’s unlikely both Freeman and Moore will falter to the point that someone else would come out on top, three other players are within five strokes of the lead. Dylan Jirsa of Estes Park and Robby Bowles of Vail Christian share third place at 74, while Faith Christian’s Jack Cummings, a top-10 finisher last year, stands in fifth place at 75.
Team-wise, with a 7-over-par 217 total, Kent Denver is 19 ahead of second-place Estes Park.
“To be honest, coming in we just wanted to win the team title for seven in a row,” Moore said. “I was rooting for everybody on the team and it was good to see (Freeman) played well; I expected him to and he did. Tomorrow we’re going to both just try to play our best, try to win the team title and see what happens individually.”
Freeman (pictured at left), who has committed to the University of Colorado, admits he’ll probably feel the pressure of the historic situation “a little bit early” in Tuesday’s final round. “But I’m just going to try to go out there and play my own game. I’m going to try not to let that (pressure) get to me.”
That’s where Austin’s coaching may help.
“At state, there’s parents, there’s officials, there’s the press, there’s all this stuff going on, but you’ve really got to just block that out and focus on the task at hand,” Austin said. “I thought we did great with that today. We’ve got one more day and we’re going to come out tomorrow and play as well as we can, and if we’re fortunate to win, it’ll be a great honor.”
Moore and Freeman say Austin acts as a calming influence on the course, which could come in handy.
“He’s is a great coach,” Moore said. “He really cares about the team a lot and he does anything he can to help us out. He’s just a good guy to have around. We like to see him around the course. It makes you a little bit calmer. He just brings a lot of positive energy and makes the team feel good about how we’re playing.”
Allenback Fires 68 to Go Up by 3 in 4A State: Fellow Pueblo-based golfer Jimmy Makloski came in as the favorite, but Pueblo Centennial’s Jacob Allenback took a three-stroke lead after Monday’s first round of the 4A state tournament at The Links at Cobble Creek in Montrose.
Allenback shot a 4-under-par 68 and made just one bogey on Monday.
Andrew Rademacher-Howe of Silver Creek, Dylan Mitchell of Summit and Glenn Workman of Pueblo West also broke par and share second place at 71.
Makloski, the CGA Junior Stroke Play champion, opened with a 75 and is tied for 13th place.
Valor Christian, the 2009 and 2010 state champion, claimed a one-stroke lead over Pueblo South in the team competition. Valor fired a 3-over-par 219. Defending champion Silver Creek stands in third at 226.
Kinnaman Takes Two-Stroke Lead in 5A: Grand Junction’s Donny Kinnaman shot a 1-over-par 72 and grabbed a two-stroke lead in the 5A state tournament The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden.
Kinnaman birdied two of his last four holes and carded three birdies and four bogeys overall in Monday’s first round.
Two players from Ralston Valley, Jack Pedersen and Neil Tillman, share second place at 74. Douglas County’s Kyler Dunkle, who shot a 66 at regionals to qualify for state, is among six golfers tied for fourth at 75.
Ralston Valley shot a 12-over-par 225 to build a two-stroke lead over two-time defending champion Regis Jesuit in the team competition.
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