Perhaps it’s a very good omen.

The only 8-year-old to win the girls title in the CJGA 10 & Under Junior Series Championship had been Elizabeth Wang of Parker, who accomplished the feat in the tournament’s inaugural year, 2008.

Wang, you may have heard, has had a meteoric career as a junior golfer. Now a Californian, she just last week won the national Junior PGA Championship. And on Wednesday, the now-15-year-old beat All-Pac-12 player Mariah Stackhouse of Stanford to advance to the round of 32 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur. (Wang ended up making the round of 16 before being eliminated.)

But as of this week, Ashleigh Wilson (above) of Highlands Ranch can dream of a similar junior career in golf. Wilson on Wednesday matched Wang’s feat by winning the CJGA 10 & Under Junior Series Championship as an 8-year-old.

When apprised of what Wang has done after winning the 2008 CJGA title, Wilson said, “Seriously? That’s cool.”

Wilson, a third grader-to-be at Skyview Academy in Highlands Ranch, rallied from a three-stroke deficit going into the second nine holes to shoot a 76 overall and post a one-stroke victory Wednesday at the Les Fowler Par-3 Course at Boulder Country Club.

“This is really special because I’m 8 — not 9 or 10” like most of the other competitors, Wilson said.

Boulder’s own Liam Wood (left) prevailed in a three-person playoff to claim the boys crown. Wood, 10, two-putted for par from 10 feet on the first extra hole to overcome Nic Pevny of Aspen and Blake Sullivan of Castle Pines, who both missed the green and made bogey on the 19th hole of the day.

Wood, a fifth grader at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School, shot a 13-over-par 67 for two trips around the Fowler Course, with Pevny and Sullivan matching that number. The left-hander overcame five double bogeys to claim the championship, including one on the last hole of regulation. But he also recorded two “sandys” — both on the front nine.

“I was a little bit nervous (going into the playoff), but I was happy at the same time,” said Wood, who scored his second CJGA victory of the season. Then when he prevailed on the first sudden death hole, “it was really awesome,” he noted.

Like the boys tournament, the girls went right down to the wire as three other players joined Wilson in breaking 80.

Chunya Bead Boonta of Centennial fired a 77 for second place. Timbre Shehee of Mead, daughter of two Colorado PGA professionals, including head professional Terra Shehee at Boulder Country Club, placed third at 78. Defending champion Anna Jordaan of Cherry Hills Village was fourth at 79.

Wilson (left, celebrating making a long putt) said she wanted to know how she stood coming down the stretch — two girls groups had already finished — but her parents told her to focus on her own business.

“I think they wanted me to just do my thing and just not worry about it,” Wilson said after notching her second CJGA win of the year.

Among those in attendance Wednesday was a former Junior Series Champion, Jake Staiano, a Hale Irwin Elite Player who was helping to score at the event. Staiano, who will begin his college golf career at Colorado State next month, departs on Friday for next week’s U.S. Amateur in Olympia Fields, Ill.

The 10 & Under tournament marked the last of three CJGA Junior Series Championships. Last week at The Ranch Country Club, Coby Welch and Mary Weinstein of Highlands Ranch won the titles in the 14-18 age group. And Tuesday, Jordan Jennings of Montrose and Katie Berrian of Castle Rock prevailed in the 11-13 championship.

CJGA 10 & Under Junior Series Championship
At Par-54 Les Fowler Course at Boulder CC

Boys
(x-won sudden-death playoff)
x-Liam Wood, Boulder, Colo. 32-35–67
Blake Sullivan, Castle Pines, Colo. 35-32–67
Nic Pevny, Aspen, Colo. 32-35–67
Yusuke Ogi, Arvada, Colo. 37-33–70
Benjamin Chin Jr., Greenwood, Colo. 34-38–72
Bielly Phasay, Commerce City, Colo. 40-35–75
Eshaan Reddy Paianati, Aurora, Colo. 35-40–75
Camden Braidech 40-37–77
Ryan Woodley, Fort Collins, Colo. 45-35–80
Ian Hunn, Fort Collins, Colo. 42-40–82
Will Balliet, Thornton, Colo. 44-41–85
Grant Taylor, Fort Collins, Colo. 42-44–86
Lucas Peavler, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 48-42–90
Luke Kusserow, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 49-41–90
Scott Thompson, Greeley, Colo. 41-50–91
Dylan Frechette, Denver, Colorado 50-48–98
 
Girls
Ashleigh Wilson, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 40-36–76
Chunya Bead Boonta, Centennial, Colo. 39-38–77
Timbre Shehee, Mead, Colorado 37-41–78
Anna Jordaan, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 41-38–79
Jasmine Kahler, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 43-40–83
Caitlyn Chin, Greenwood, Colo. 48-43–91
Reece Bandemer, Loveland, Colo. 54-56–110
Isabella Meraz, Thornton, Colo. 70-72–142
 

There was good-natured roughhousing among some of the boys, plenty of laughing and giggling by both the girls and boys, and pretty good golf along the way too.

Such is the nature of the CJGA 10 & Under Junior Series Championship. While there’s certainly a competitive tournament going on, there was no lack of youthful playfulness Wednesday at the Fowler Par-3 Course at Boulder Country Club.

“These tournaments are fun, and I play with all my friends,” noted 9-year-old Anna Jordaan from Cherry Hills Country Club.

Among some of the highlights of the day:

— In addition to sharing some laughs with some of her young golf buddies, Jordaan (left) won the girls 10 & Under Junior Series title two years after older sister Marie claimed the same championship.

Asked what Marie’s reaction might be to Anna duplicating her feat, the younger Jordaan said, “I’m moving up and she would probably get mad. She’ll probably think (she still has bragging rights because) she won it first.”

Jordaan posted the victory Wednesday — her fourth of the CJGA season — by shooting a 76. Sofia Choi of Highlands Ranch Golf Club took second place at 78, while Katelyn Lehigh of the Olde Course at Loveland finished third at 84.

— After playing with Brayden Bozak the last two years as Bozak won back-to-back 10 & Under Junior Series titles, Traejan Andrews (left) of Boomerang Golf Links prevailed by five strokes in the boys competition Wednesday.

“I’ve always wanted to win this event,” said the 10-year-old Andrews, who notched his third win of the year on the CJGA circuit. “I played with Brayden Bozak the two years before this and he won both times, so I’m really happy I won this year. I’m just really proud of myself.”

And, for the record, the Windsor resident finished a stroke lower than Bozak’s totals each of the last two years.

Andrews claimed the boys championship by shooting a 7-over-par 61 at the Fowler Course. Gage Messingham of The Heritage at Westmoor and Jake Chesler of the CJGA Club tied for second at 66.

— One of the most successful players ever in the Junior Series Championship, three-time 14-18 winner Somin Lee, returned to the event, albeit as an interested observer. Lee had planned to caddie for Andrew Jang, who takes lessons from Lee’s dad, but when she learned that wasn’t allowed, she became a rapt spectator. In case you’re wondering, Jang (left, with Lee) shot 70 and finished seventh in the boys tournament.

Lee, a two-time CWGA Player of the Year, will soon depart for her senior season as a golfer at Pepperdine University.

Wednesday’s tournament marked the third and final CJGA Junior Series Championship of 2014. On Tuesday, Ross Macdonald of the Country Club at Castle Pines and Jennifer Kupcho of CommonGround Golf Course won the 14-18 championships. And last week, Jack Castiglia of Fossil Trace Golf Club and Amy Chitkoksoong of Murphy Creek Golf Course claimed the 11-13 titles.
 

CJGA 10 & Under Junior Series Championship
At Par-54 Fowler Par-3 Course at Boulder CC

BOYS
Traejan Andrews, Boomerang GL – 31-30–61
Gage Messingham, Heritage at Westmoor – 33-33–66
Jake Chesler, Cjga Club – 33-33–66
Maxwell Lange, Rolling Hills CC – 34-33–67
Alex Chitkoksoong, CommonGround GC – 33-35–68
Luke Olkowski, Bookcliff CC – 33-36–69
Andrew Jang, Family Sports GC – 34-36–70
Trey Kirschner, West Woods – 37-33–70
Camden Braidech, Lone Tree Golf Club – 34-37–71
Liam Wood, Cjga Club – 36-35–71
Mason Macias, Family Sports GC – 35-39–74
Jack Rottschafer, South Suburban GC – 34-42–76
Yusuke Ogi, Fox Hollow – 38-40–78
Bielly Phasay, Riverdale GC – 39-40–79
Greg Woodley, Cjga Club – 40-39–79
Trey Grube, Meridian GC – 42-41–83
Elijah Knudsen, Fox Hill CC – 44-40–84
Benjamin Chin, Meridian GC – 43-44–87
Zane Aiken, Cjga Club – 44-47–91

GIRLS
Anna Jordaan, Cherry Hills CC – 37-39–76
Sofia Choi, Highlands Ranch GC – 41-37–78
Katelyn Lehigh, Olde Course at Loveland – 44-40–84
Ashleigh Wilson, Highlands Ranch GC – 44-42–86
Chunya Bead Boonta, Commond Ground GC – 45-44–89
Sarah Murphy, Cjga Club – 45-45–90
Joie Chun, Lonetree GC – 52-60–112
 

Brayden Bozak of Red Rocks Country Club and Marie Jordaan of Cherry Hills Country Club won their respective divisions Wednesday in the CJGA’s 10 & Under Junior Series Championship at Boulder Country Club’s Les Fowler Par-3 Course.

And for the second straight year, the tournament included a hole-in-one, this time by Hailey Schalk of Colorado National Golf Club, who aced the 85-yard third hole.

Bozak (pictured above), 8, shot an 8-over-par 62 to win the boys title by two strokes over Christian Agelopoulos of South Suburban Family Sports Golf Course.

In the girls division, the 10-year-old Jordaan (pictured at left) carded a 14-over-par 68 to edge Schalk by one shot.    
 
The Junior Series Championship for 14-18 year-olds took place last week, with Jimmy Makloski of Pueblo Country Club and Jennifer Kupcho of CommonGround Golf Course claiming the titles. Coby Welch of The Links Golf Course and Zarena Brown of Lake Arbor Golf Club won the 11-13 championships on Tuesday.

CJGA 10 & Under Junior Series Championship


At Par-54 Les Fowler Course at Boulder CC

BOYS
Brayden Bozak, Red Rocks Country Club – 29-33–62
Christian Agelopoulos, Family Sports Golf Course – 33-31–64
John Marble, Raccoon Creek  – 35-30–65
Jeffrey Zhou, Highlands Ranch Golf Club – 33-34–67
Ryan Sangchompuphen, CommonGround Golf Course – 36-32–68
Maxwell Lange, Rolling Hills Country Club – 35-34–69
Brady Wilson, West Woods Golf Club – 35-35–70
Ryan Liao, Family Sports – 33-38–71
Zaden Gomez, Indian Tree Golf Course – 36-35–71
Toby Salinas, Desert Hawk GC – 41-32–73
Trey Jones, Gleneagle Golf Club – 36-37–73
Suchit Sharma, Thorncreek Golf Course – 38-38–76
Jack Whitehead, Southglenn Country Club – 33-44–77
Riley Rottschafer, South Suburban – 34-43–77
Medhaj Shrestha, Applewood Golf Course – 40-38–78
William Kandel, Denver Country Club – 39-39–78
Traejan Andrews, Boomerang – 37-43–80
Jack Rottschafer, South Suburban – 37-47–84
Owen Mackin, Castle Pines Country Club  – 45-40–85
Clay L Cutter, Meridian GC – 43-45–88

GIRLS
Marie Jordaan, Cherry Hills Country Club – 35-33–68
Hailey Schalk, Colorado National Golf Club – 36-33–69
Katie Berrian, The CC at Castle Pines – 38-32–70
Taylor Tucker, The Meadows – 36-36–72
Brittlynn Jade O’Dell, Bookcliff CC Wga – 36-37–73
Lauren Tucker, The Meadows – 42-31–73
Emma Bryant, Green Valley Ranch Golf Club – 41-41–82
Sasha Parker, Aurora Hills Golf Course – 45-39–84
Sanika N Kulkarni, South Suburban  – 41-44–85
Lindsey Benson, Valley CC Wga – 46-43–89