For a couple of players who have come ever so close to winning major statewide junior championships in the last year, Sunday was very satisfying.
AJ Ott (left) of Fort Collins, the runner-up in both the CGA Junior Stroke Play and the 5A state high school tournament, claimed victory in the boys division of the CJGA Tournament of Champions at Ballyneal in Holyoke.
“This feels really good, especially after state,” the left-hander said. “It feels good to finish one off after being second a couple of times this summer. So it’s nice.”
And Morgan Sahm of Centennial, second in the CJGA Junior Series Championship and third in the weather-shortened 5A girls state high school meet, prevailed in the girls tournament at Ballyneal.
“I feel really good,” she said. “It was a really hard course for sure — one of the hardest I’ve played — and I thought I played pretty well for how hard it was.”
Ott’s 4-under-par 67 on Sunday was the best round of the tournament — by two strokes — as he rallied from three shots behind to prevail by one over Troy Dangler of Grand Junction.
Sahm (left) didn’t relinquish the lead in the girls event, winning by four over Mary Weinstein of Highlands Ranch.
Ott, a senior at Fort Collins High School who will sign a letter of intent with Colorado State University next month, posted a 1-under-par 141 total for two days. Dangler, a University of Denver recruit, closed with a 70 to check in at 142.
Jackson Solem of Longmont, the 4A state champion, came in third at 146 after a 70 on Sunday.
Defending champion and first-round leader Coby Welch of Highlands tied for fifth at 149 after a final-round 78.
Ott birdied the third hole from 25 feet and eagled the par-5 fourth from a similar distance en route to being 5 under par for the day through 13 holes. He was tied with Dangler through 12, but Ott’s birdie on 13 and Dangler’s bogey there — his only bogey of the day — putt Ott up for good. Ott made a key up-and-down from the native on No. 15, sinking a 15-footer for par to remain ahead.
All told, Ott called the 67 at Ballyneal one of his best rounds.
“It’s definitely up there,” he said. “It’s the type of course you’ve really got to pick your spots and you can get some really unlucky bounces. It was really solid. I shot 4 under on the front and just stayed steady on the back. It was one of my better rounds probably.”
Sahm, a senior at Grandview High School who has verbally committed to play her college golf at the University of Northern Colorado, won the girls competition with an 11-over-par 153 total after carding a 75 on Sunday.
Weinstein, the CWGA Junior Stroke Play champion, made four birdies on Sunday and closed with a 74 for 157 overall. Caroline Jordaan of Cherry Hills Village came in third at 159.
Sahm, who qualified for the U.S. Girls’ Junior this year, didn’t make any birdies on Sunday, but didn’t have anything worse than a bogey for the entire tournament. That’s saying something, considering she hadn’t seen the course before Saturday’s first round.
“I stayed consistent and that helped a lot,” she said. “This (win) is pretty high up on the list (of her golf accomplishments) I would say. I’m really happy about it.”
Still, Sahm and Weinstein were tied after 15 holes Sunday, but Sahm was steadier down the stretch.
CJGA Tournament of Champions
At Par-71 Ballyneal in Holyoke
Boys
AJ Ott, Ft. Collins, Colo. 74-67–141
Troy Dangler, Grand Junction, Colo. 72-70–142
Jackson Solem, Longmont, Colo. 76-70–146
Daniel Pearson, Longmont, Colo. 79-69–148
Coby Welch, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 71-78–149
Isaac Petersilie, Colorado Springs, Colo. 75-74–149
Cole Krantz, Windsor, Colo. 81-71–152
Trevor Olkowski, Grand Junction, Colo. 81-72–153
Timothy Amundson, Littleton, Colo. 77-77–154
Samuel Taylor, Nederland, Colo. 79-76–155
Tyler Zhang, Lone Tree, Colo. 85-71–156
Davis Bryant, Aurora, Colo. 77-83–160
Dillon Stewart, Fort Collins, Colo. 83-77–160
Austin Burgess, Colorado Springs, Colo. 85-78–163
Christopher Raap, Parker, Colo. 85-78–163
Kyle Pearson, Highlands Ranch, Colorado 92-76–168
Subin Lee, Greenwood Village, Colo. 83-86–169
Nick Visocky, Loveland, Colo. 96-90–186
Girls
Morgan Sahm, Centennial, Colo. 78-75–153
Mary Weinstein, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 83-74–157
Caroline Jordaan, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 81-78–159
Delaney Elliott, Superior, Colo. 82-78–160
Delaney Benson, Littleton, Colo. 83-78–161
Amy Chitkoksoong, Aurora, Colo. 86-76–162
Cassie Kneen, Parker, Colo. 83-79–162
Lauren Lehigh, Loveland, Colo. 81-83–164
Tabitha Diehl, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 81-83–164
Erin Sargent, Longmont, Colo. 82-84–166
Kelsey McKenna, Colorado Springs, Colo. 85-81–166
Jaclyn Murray, Grand Junction, Colo. 87-81–168
Sarah Hunt, Parker, Colo. 90-81–171
Andrea Hoos, Thornton, Colo. 88-85–173
If it wasn’t already obvious, the multiple layers of clothing, the knit hats and the warming mittens were dead give-aways on Sunday: This was the end of the tournament season for the CJGA.
With rain, strong wind and temperatures in the 40s, the only thing that was missing was snow flurries.
Coby Welch (left) of Highlands Ranch and Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster overcame the nasty weather conditions as well as all of their opponents on Sunday to win the CJGA Tournament of Champions at the Omni Interlocken Golf Club in Broomfield.
Welch and Kupcho both shot 2-over-par 74s in the final round to prevail in their respective divisions.
“It was a struggle having all of the elements,” Kupcho said. “… It was hard to get used to all the different stuff that was going on.”
Kupcho (left), a senior at Jefferson Academy who will sign next month with Wake Forest, ran away with the girls title, prevailing by a dozen shots over friend Gillian Vance of Lakewood, with Morgan Sahm of Centennial another three strokes back. Kupcho posted a two-day total of 2-over 146.
Welch, a junior at Valor Christian, rallied from three down beginning the final day to record a two-shot victory over Valor teammate Jake Staiano of Cherry Hills Village, who advanced to match play in the U.S. Junior Amateur this year. Jackson Solem of Longmont was another two back. Welch finished with a 3-over 147 total for the tournament.
“It was rough and usually I don’t play too good when it’s cold and rainy, but today was different,” Welch said. “I just stayed patient. I knew the rain would go away eventually. I needed the rain to go away. I didn’t mind the cold too much.”
It marked the third time in major Colorado junior events this year that Valor players have finished 1-2. Twice in those situations, Welch placed second — at both the CGA Junior Stroke Play and the CJGA Junior Series Championship.
That made Sunday all the sweeter, with Welch (left) calling the victory one of the top golf accomplishments of his young career.
“This means a lot,” he said. “All of us that are here have won a tournament so I know that I’m good enough to beat the best.”
Despite the difficult conditions, Welch played the final 11 holes in 1 under par on Sunday after carding double bogeys on Nos. 5 and 7. And he got up and down for par on each of the last three holes, sinking putts of 6, 10 and 8 feet.
“On the finishing holes when I knew I needed to make some putts, I made some clutch par putts,” the 16-year-old said.
Meanwhile, Kupcho picked up yet another victory in an outstanding 2014 season. She’s also won the CWGA Match Play and Junior Stroke Play, the 4A state high school meet and the CJGA Junior Series Championship. The 17-year-old also placed second in the HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open.
On Sunday, she birdied three of the first six holes and finished the day with four birdies 
and six bogeys. And that was despite having her share of putting problems.
“To continue winning and to win this is nice because I hadn’t won it yet,” Kupcho (left) said of the Tournament of Champions. “Hannah Wood has won it (the last two years), so it’s kind of nice to be like, ‘Yeah I won that too.'”
A 12-shot victory was certainly a nice way to cap off the 2014 Colorado season for Kupcho, who only has one tournament remaining this year — the prestigious Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship Dec. 28-30.
Between now and then, Kupcho will take her official recruiting visit to Wake Forest before signing her letter of intent with the Demon Deacons.
CJGA Tournament of Champions
At Par-72 Omni Interlocken GC in Broomfield
BOYS
Coby Welch, Highlands Ranch, CO 73-74–147
Jake Staiano, Cherry Hills Village, CO 74-75–149
Jackson Solem, Longmont, CO 72-79–151
Ji Woo Jang, Aurora, CO 70-83–153
Tyler Zhang, Lone Tree, CO 77-77–154
Cole Krantz, Windsor, CO 72-83–155
Pierce Aichinger, Englewood, CO 76-81–157
Aj Ott, Ft. Collins, CO 80-79–159
Brett Krantz, Windsor, CO 76-84–160
Davis Bryant, Denver, CO 81-85–166
Grant Olinger, Westminster, CO 73-NC–NC
Trevor Olkowski, Grand Junction, CO 81-WD
GIRLS
Jennifer Kupcho, Westminster, CO 72-74–146
Gillian Vance, Lakewood, CO 78-80–158
Morgan Sahm, Centennial, CO 78-83–161
Sydney Gillespie, Highlands Ranch, CO 77-87–164
Mary Weinstein, Highlands Ranch, CO 85-82–167
Jaclyn Murray, Grand Junction, CO 86-90–176
Kacey Godwin, Denver, CO 93-100–193
Lauren Murphy, Carbondale, CO 79-WD
It was certainly a notable way to wrap up the CJGA tournament season for 2013.
— Spencer Painton almost drove the first green at Cherry Hills Country Club — a la Arnold Palmer in the 1960 U.S. Open — and made a 2-foot birdie there in a sudden-death playoff Sunday to win the CJGA Tournament of Champions.
— Hannah Wood (pictured at left), a caddie at Cherry Hills for the last several years, finally got to play the historic course over the weekend, with the result being a victory in the girls division of the T of C.
— In the boys playoff, Painton had to overcome a fellow senior on the four-time state champion Regis Jesuit golf team, Jake Kelley. Kelley, like Painton, qualified for the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur. And, earlier in the week, Painton won the 5A state high school individual title, while Kelley tied for second.
— And Wood became just the second player in history to win the CJGA Tournament of Champions in back-to-back years, joining Lynette Duran (1999 and 2000). Somin Lee won the event twice in a row (2008 and 2010), but there was a year in between when the tourney was canceled due to weather.
All in all, it wasn’t a bad way to put an exclamation mark on 2013. Certainly Painton (pictured at left) and Wood think so.
“It feels awesome, especially to come off of 5A and win this prestigious Colorado trophy,” said the 17-year-old Painton, who plays out of Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. “I was in a state today where I didn’t care if I won or lost. I’m just very pleased with the way I’ve been playing recently.”
Added Wood: “I didn’t really realize (that she won two Tournament of Champions in a row) until just now. But back-to-back is pretty cool. It feels great. That’s fun.”
As for Painton and his sudden-death victory, he hit a driver on the 340-yard first hole — the same one where Palmer drove the green in the final round en route to winning the 1960 U.S. Open. Painton’s ball finished past pin-high just off the green.
He pitched his second shot to 2 feet and sank the birdie putt, while Kelley hit an overhanging tree limb with his approach shot and finished with bogey.
“Off the tee I knew (Spencer) was going to hit the green, so I tried to swing out of my shoes,” noted Kelley (pictured at left with Painton). “I missed it right, but I didn’t even see the tree (limb that his second shot hit). I was focusing on the distance.”
As for finishing twice in state tournaments for the second time in a week, Kelley said, “At least I’m losing to a good player; that’s always positive. I’m hoping to win soon, but I’m OK with this.”
Ironically, Painton had tried to drive the first green in his first two times playing the hole, but the result was a double bogey and a bogey.
“That was a nice shot — to hit a nice drive and make birdie — after what I had done the first two times I played it,” said Painton, who will play his college golf at the University of Kansas. “I knew that was the right play but I just had a couple of poor swings. I also knew Jake was going to pull driver and go for it so I just figured, ‘Why not?'”
Painton made six birdies — including one on the final hole — on Sunday in a 3-under-par 69 to post an even-par 144 total for two days. Kelley, who plays out of Pinehurst Country Club, went birdie-birdie-eagle to finish his round of 68 on Sunday and force a playoff.
Grant Rogers, Josh Seiple and Jacob Allenback tied for third place at 147.
Wood (pictured at left and below) shot the only sub-par round of the girls tournament — a 1-under-par 72 on Sunday — to win by six strokes. Wood, a member of the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program at CommonGround Golf Course, played her last 11 holes in 3 under par to pull away.
Wood, a 17-year-old senior at Arapahoe High School, finished with an even-par 146 total for two days. Jennifer Kupcho of CommonGround, who played in four USGA national events this year, placed second at 152 after closing with a 75. Calli Ringsby of Denver Country Club ended up third at 156 after her second consecutive 78.
It was another nice notch in the belt this year for Wood, who previously won the prestigious Kathy Whitworth Invitational in Texas and who competed in three USGA championships this year.
Even though Wood hadn’t played Cherry Hills before the weekend, she was certainly familiar with the course, having caddied there in summers throughout her high school years.
“When I’m caddying it feels like I’m the player,” said Wood, who plans to sign a national letter of intent with the University of Oklahoma. “I’ve been all over the course. The members hit it left and right. I’ve been everywhere you can think of. I just imagine myself hitting their shot, what I would do. It was kind of a nice advantage I had for this tournament.”
If nothing else, that manifested itself on the greens as Wood didn’t have a three-putt in two days at Cherry Hills.
And Wood hopes to parlay her good play in the Tournament of Champions into a solid showing Oct. 11-14 at the AJGA Ping Invitational in Stillwater, Okla. Only about 30 of the top junior girls players were invited to the tournament.
CJGA Tournament of Champions
At Cherry Hills CC in Cherry Hills Village
* — indicates won playoff
BOYS
*Spencer Painton, Green Valley Ranch Golf Club 75-69–144
Jake Kelley, Pinehurst CC 76-68–144
Grant Rogers, Omni Interlocken GC 77-70–147
Jacob Allenback, Elmwood GC 75-72–147
Joshua Seiple, Castle Pines GC 75-72–147
Glenn Workman, Desert Hawk GC 76-72–148
Chris Korte, Lone Tree GC 78-71–149
Jake Staiano, Glenmoor CC 78-71–149
Ross Macdonald, CC at Castle Pines 77-75–152
Aj Ott, Ptarmigan CC 77-76–153
Kyler Dunkle, The Club at Pradera 82-72–154
Donny Kinnaman, Lincoln Park GC 77-78–155
Isaac Petersilie, Colorado Springs CC 81-74–155
Erik Young, Commonground GC 79-77–156
Tristan Rohrbaugh, Ironbridge Golf Club 79-79–158
Justin Allenback, Elmwood GC 83-77–160
Sam Marley, South Suburban Golf Course 80-80–160
Taylor Rodriguez, Elmwood GC 83-78–161
Gregory Shelton, Raccoon Creek GC 83-84–167
Grant McGinty, Family Sports GC 85-83–168
GIRLS
Hannah Wood, South Suburban Family Sports 74-72–146
Jennifer Kupcho, Commonground GC 77-75–152
Calli Ringsby, Denver CC Lga 78-78–156
Morgan Sahm, Saddle Rock GC 85-82–167
Sydney Gillespie, Highlands Ranch GC 89-80–169
Kelsey McKenna, Patty Jewett GC 85-86–171
Sarah Hankins, Thorncreek GC Wga 85-86–171
Delaney Benson, South Suburban Family Sports 83-91–174
Holly Schaefer, Columbine CC Lga 86-WD
It was certainly a notable way to wrap up the CJGA tournament season for 2013.
— Spencer Painton almost drove the first green at Cherry Hills Country Club — a la Arnold Palmer in the 1960 U.S. Open — and made a 2-foot birdie there in a sudden-death playoff Sunday to win the CJGA Tournament of Champions.
— Hannah Wood, a caddie at Cherry Hills for the last several years, finally got to play the historic course over the weekend, with the result being a victory in the girls division of the T of C.
— In the boys playoff, Painton (pictured above) had to overcome a fellow senior on the four-time state champion Regis Jesuit golf team, Jake Kelley. Kelley, like Painton, qualified for the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur. And, earlier in the week, Painton won the 5A state high school individual title, while Kelley tied for second.
— And Wood (pictured at left) became just the second player in history to win the CJGA Tournament of Champions in back-to-back years, joining Lynette Duran (1999 and 2000). Somin Lee won the event twice in a row (2008 and 2010), but there was a year in between when the tourney was canceled due to weather.
All in all, it wasn’t a bad way to put an exclamation mark on 2013. Certainly Painton and Wood think so.
“It feels awesome, especially to come off of 5A and win this prestigious Colorado trophy,” said the 17-year-old Painton, who plays out of Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. “I was in a state today where I didn’t care if I won or lost. I’m just very pleased with the way I’ve been playing recently.”
Added Wood: “I didn’t really realize (that she won two Tournament of Champions in a row) until just now. But back-to-back is pretty cool. It feels great. That’s fun.”
As for Painton and his sudden-death victory, he hit a driver on the 340-yard first hole — the same one where Palmer drove the green in the final round en route to winning the 1960 U.S. Open. Painton’s ball finished past pin-high just off the green.
He pitched his second shot to 2 feet and sank the birdie putt, while Kelley hit an overhanging tree limb with his approach shot and finished with bogey.
“Off the tee I knew (Spencer) was going to hit the green, so I tried to swing out of my shoes,” noted Kelley (pictured at left with Painton). “I missed it right, but I didn’t even see the tree (limb that his second shot hit). I was focusing on the distance.”
As for finishing twice in state tournaments for the second time in a week, Kelley said, “At least I’m losing to a good player; that’s always positive. I’m hoping to win soon, but I’m OK with this.”
Ironically, Painton had tried to drive the first green in his first two times playing the hole, but the result was a double bogey and a bogey.
“That was a nice shot — to hit a nice drive and make birdie — after what I had done the first two times I played it,” said Painton, who will play his college golf at the University of Kansas. “I knew that was the right play but I just had a couple of poor swings. I also knew Jake was going to pull driver and go for it so I just figured, ‘Why not?'”
Painton made six birdies — including one on the final hole — on Sunday in a 3-under-par 69 to post an even-par 144 total for two days. Kelley, who plays out of Pinehurst Country Club, went birdie-birdie-eagle to finish his round of 68 on Sunday and force a playoff.
Grant Rogers, Josh Seiple and Jacob Allenback tied for third place at 147.
Wood (pictured at left and below) shot the only sub-par round of the girls tournament — a 1-under-par 72 on Sunday — to win by six strokes. Wood, a member of the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program at CommonGround Golf Course, played her last 11 holes in 3 under par to pull away.
Wood, a 17-year-old senior at Arapahoe High School, finished with an even-par 146 total for two days. Jennifer Kupcho of CommonGround, who played in four USGA national events this year, placed second at 152 after closing with a 75. Calli Ringsby of Denver Country Club ended up third at 156 after her second consecutive 78.
It was another nice notch in the belt this year for Wood, who previously won the prestigious Kathy Whitworth Invitational in Texas and who competed in three USGA championships this year.
Even though Wood hadn’t played Cherry Hills before the weekend, she was certainly familiar with the course, having caddied there in summers throughout her high school years.
“When I’m caddying it feels like I’m the player,” said Wood, who plans to sign a national letter of intent with the University of Oklahoma. “I’ve been all over the course. The members hit it left and right. I’ve been everywhere you can think of. I just imagine myself hitting their shot, what I would do. It was kind of a nice advantage I had for this tournament.”
If nothing else, that manifested itself on the greens as Wood didn’t have a three-putt in two days at Cherry Hills.
And Wood hopes to parlay her good play in the Tournament of Champions into a solid showing Oct. 11-14 at the AJGA Ping Invitational in Stillwater, Okla. Only about 30 of the top junior girls players were invited to the tournament.
CJGA Tournament of Champions
At Cherry Hills CC in Cherry Hills Village
* — indicates won playoff
BOYS
*Spencer Painton, Green Valley Ranch Golf Club 75-69–144
Jake Kelley, Pinehurst CC 76-68–144
Grant Rogers, Omni Interlocken GC 77-70–147
Jacob Allenback, Elmwood GC 75-72–147
Joshua Seiple, Castle Pines GC 75-72–147
Glenn Workman, Desert Hawk GC 76-72–148
Chris Korte, Lone Tree GC 78-71–149
Jake Staiano, Glenmoor CC 78-71–149
Ross Macdonald, CC at Castle Pines 77-75–152
Aj Ott, Ptarmigan CC 77-76–153
Kyler Dunkle, The Club at Pradera 82-72–154
Donny Kinnaman, Lincoln Park GC 77-78–155
Isaac Petersilie, Colorado Springs CC 81-74–155
Erik Young, Commonground GC 79-77–156
Tristan Rohrbaugh, Ironbridge Golf Club 79-79–158
Justin Allenback, Elmwood GC 83-77–160
Sam Marley, South Suburban Golf Course 80-80–160
Taylor Rodriguez, Elmwood GC 83-78–161
Gregory Shelton, Raccoon Creek GC 83-84–167
Grant McGinty, Family Sports GC 85-83–168
GIRLS
Hannah Wood, South Suburban Family Sports 74-72–146
Jennifer Kupcho, Commonground GC 77-75–152
Calli Ringsby, Denver CC Lga 78-78–156
Morgan Sahm, Saddle Rock GC 85-82–167
Sydney Gillespie, Highlands Ranch GC 89-80–169
Kelsey McKenna, Patty Jewett GC 85-86–171
Sarah Hankins, Thorncreek GC Wga 85-86–171
Delaney Benson, South Suburban Family Sports 83-91–174
Holly Schaefer, Columbine CC Lga 86-WD
But this year’s Colorado tournament schedule isn’t just a one-hit wonder.
Here are some of the other highlights and/or notable golf tournaments the state will host in 2013:
— On May 29, the West Course at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs will be one of just 20 sites nationally where Sectional qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Open will be held. Competitors will vie over 36 holes for spots in the 2013 Women’s Open, set for Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., June 27-30.
Last year, the Broadmoor qualifier produced two U.S. Open contestants from Colorado: Becca Huffer and Kelly Jacques (pictured).
— The Broadmoor’s West Course also will host U.S. Senior Open Sectional qualifying. The 18-hole test on June 17 will be one of 34 conducted across the country for the Senior Open, which is scheduled for Omaha Country Club July 11-14.
And though Colorado lost its U.S. Open Sectional qualifier several years ago, three Local qualifying tournaments are set in the state: May 6 at Desert Hawk in Pueblo West and May 13 at Heritage at Westmoor in Westminster and Collindale in Fort Collins.
— Some of the best female junior golfers from the U.S. and Europe will compete against one another in a Solheim Cup-related event in Colorado. The seventh Ping Junior Solheim Cup will be held Aug. 12-14 at Inverness Golf Club in Englewood.
Each team will include 12 players, age 12-18, with the contestants being finalized in July.
World Golf Hall of Famer Kathy Whitworth will captain the U.S. Junior Solheim Cup team, while Scotland’s Janice Moodie will lead the European squad.
— The PGA Junior Series, which features strong national and local fields for both boys and girls, will return to Eisenhower Golf Club at the Air Force Academy June 25-27.
Last year’s PGA Junior Series event at Eisenhower Golf Club was canceled at the last minute due to the Waldo Canyon Fire that burned near Colorado Springs.
— The Colorado Cup matches, where some of the best CGA/CWGA amateurs face their counterparts from the Colorado PGA, will be played on just one day this year after traditionally being a two-day affair. The 2013 Cup matches are set for June 5 at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.
— In hopes of improving the field for both events, the typical dates of the HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open and the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open have been flopped this year. The seniors will compete May 29-31, with the women set for Sept. 4-6, and Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver again will host both tournaments.
The HealthOne Colorado Open will remain in its usual date slot, with the tournament scheduled for July 25-28 at GVR.
— As for the state’s top amateur championships, here’s the lineup: the CGA Match Play, first held in 1901, July 8-12 at Bear Creek Golf Club; the CGA Stroke Play, which dates back to 1937, Aug. 8-11 at Pinehurst Country Club; the CWGA Stroke Play, originally held in 1948, June 26-28 at the Ranch Country Club; and the CWGA Match Play, first contested in 1916, July 15-17 at the Club at Rolling Hills.
— Neither the boys nor girls Junior America’s Cup will be held in Colorado this year, but four of the state’s best boys players will have quite a treat this summer.
A year after the Colorado Girls’ Junior America’s Cup team got to compete in Maui, it’s the boys’ turn this time to head to Hawaii. The squad representing the CGA will play in the event July 30-Aug. 1. The girls, meanwhile, will be in Albuquerque this year, on the same dates.
— For the first time in recent years, the Colorado PGA Professional Championship — the highlight of the Colorado PGA tournament schedule — will be contested on the Western Slope. This summer’s tournament is set for Sept. 9-11 at the Fazio Course at Red Sky Golf Club in Wolcott.
— The Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational, which combines a college tournament with a high school all-star event, is set for Sept. 23-24 at Erie’s Colorado National Golf Club. The University of Colorado will host the tournament, which includes a separate competition — the CJGA Collegiate High School Invitational — featuring about 10 of the best boys players in the state.
— Top CJGA players will have the pleasure of competing at Cherry Hills Country Club — home of the PGA Tour’s 2014 BMW Championship — for the CJGA Tournament of Champions Oct. 5-6. A couple of months earlier, the CJGA 14-18 Junior Series Championship will go out of the norm in being held at two sites: Colorado Springs Country Club Aug. 5 and the Country Club of Colorado Aug. 6.
]]>The city of Pueblo and Arapahoe High School are getting this CJGA Tournament of Champions thing down pat.
The last two years the event has been held, Pueblo-area residents have won the boys division of the invitation-only tourney, while Arapahoe golfers have captured the girls titles.
On a chilly Sunday at the Broadmoor Golf Club’s East Course in Colorado Springs, Glenn Workman of Pueblo West followed the example Pueblo’s Jimmy Makloski set last year by earning the Tournament of Champions trophy. And Hannah Wood of Centennial gained the girls crown a year after Arapahoe teammate Claudia Davis did likewise.
On Sunday, the two 16-year-olds won by significant margins in the event that for the second straight year was shortened from 36 to 18 holes because of sub-par weather.
Workman, the third-place finisher in the 4A state high school tournament on Tuesday, shot a 2-under-par 70 Sunday to claim the title by three. And Wood, who placed third in the girls 5A tournament in May, carded a 1-over-par 73 to post a five-stroke victory.
“After Jimmy won it last year, I saw how successful he was and how awesome it was to win that,” Workman said. “So it just feels great.”
Indeed, Makloski parlayed his 2011 season-ending Tournament of Champions victory into 2012 wins in the CGA Junior Stroke Play, the CJGA Junior Series Championship and the AJGA Junior at Fox Hill.
Workman (pictured at left), a junior at Pueblo West who calls Desert Hawk his home course, played the Broadmoor for the first time on Sunday. But on a layout that typically requires some local knowledge to be successful, he made four birdies and would have broken 70 if not for a three-putt bogey on No. 18.
“I’m pleased,” said Workman, who called Sunday his biggest victory. “I putted my brain off (needing less than 30 putts for the round). I just kept it together and played a good round of golf.”
Jack Cummings of Omni Interlocken Golf Club took second on Sunday with a 73. Two-time 3A state high school champion Ethan Freeman of Glenmoor Country Club and Dylan Wonnacott of The Fox Hill Club shared third place at 74.
With all that Makloski has done in 2012, and with fellow Pueblo golfers winning the 4A state high school title (Jacob Allenback) and the Tournament of Champions (Workman) early this fall, it’s been quite a run for junior players from Pueblo.
“I think we take golf more seriously now because we’ve got good facilities down in Pueblo,” Workman said. “And the people are great, the pros are great. They all help us out. Everyone is just fantastic down there.
“It’s more of a family atmosphere in Pueblo.”
Whatever the case, Workman certainly has made an impression with his play recently.
“It seems like I’ve been in the hunt and never really came through with it,” he said. “This year I think I’ve changed a little bit because I’ve finally come out of that mold and started playing the game I know how to play. And I stopped thinking about all the big guns that come out here from up north and I just kind of believe in myself.”
In the girls competition on Sunday, Wood (pictured at left) carded four birdies in her round of 73. The junior at Arapahoe, who finished second to Calli Ringsby in the CWGA Junior Stroke Play, was five shots better than Ringsby on Sunday. Ringsby, who swept the CWGA Junior Stroke Play and Junior Match Play titles this year, managed two birdies in her round of 78.
“I was so worried about this tournament because school is so stressful,” said Wood, a U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship qualifier this year. “It felt kind of good to play a decent round of golf in the middle of the fall. And to beat Calli is pretty cool because she’s really good. So it feels great.”
Wood was taking the tournament seriously enough that even with the weather being so poor on Saturday, she still went out to hit balls.
“It was 32 degrees and the wind chill was about 28,” she said. “I was at (South Suburban) Family Sports under the heat hitting balls because I wasn’t too sure about my swing. I’m glad it worked out today.”
Sydney Merchant of Red Rocks Country Club finished third on Sunday with an 81. Defending champion Davis, Woods’ Arapahoe teammate, tied for seventh place at 86.
(Pictured at top is competitor Morgan Sahm hitting a shot near a buck Sunday at the Broadmoor.)
CJGA Tournament of Champions
At Par-72 Broadmoor GC-East Course in Colorado Springs
BOYS
Glenn Workman, Desert Hawk Golf Course 35-35–70
Jack Cummings, Omni Interlocken Resort GC 36-37–73
Dylan Wonnacott, The Fox Hill Club, 39-35–74
Ethan Freeman, Glenmoor CC 37-37–74
Chris Korte, The Links Golf Club 40-35–75
Joshua Seiple, Castle Pines Golf Club 39-36–75
Colin Prater, Broadmoor GC 39-38–77
Ross Macdonald, Ridge at Castle Pines North 42-35–77
Benjamin Moore, Glenmoor CC 41-37–78
Jimmy Makloski, Pueblo CC 37-42–79
Andrew Romano, Colorado Golf Club 42-37–79
Spencer Painton, Green Valley Ranch Golf Club 37-42–79
Randy Urso, CommonGround GC 38-42–80
Quade Mitchell, Highlands Ranch Golf Club 41-40–81
Dylan Mitchell, Lakewood Country Club 39-42–81
Jake Staiano, Glenmoor Country Club 40-41–81
Hunter Lee, Highlands Ranch Golf Club 42-40–82
Kyler Dunkle, The Club at Pradera 42-40–82
AJ Ott, Ptarmigan CC 42-42–84
GIRLS
Hannah Wood, South Suburban Family Sports 37-36–73
Calli Ringsby, Denver CC Lga 39-39–78
Sydney Merchant, Red Rocks CC Lga 42-39–81
Taylor Dorans, Eagle Trace Lga 41-41–82
Jennifer Kupcho, Commonground Golf Course 46-37–83
Morgan Sahm, Saddle Rock Golf Course 43-41–84
Alexandria Trask, Colorado National Wga 42-44–86
Claudia Davis, Glenmoor CC Wga 41-45–86
Sarah Hankins, Thorncreek Wga 43-44–87
Jordan Sunset, Boulder CC Wga 42-45–87
Sydney Gillespie, Valley CC Wga 45-43–88
Jennifer Kempton, Lone Tree Lga 47-44–91
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.)
Jimmy Makloski had never played Cherry Hills Country Club before Sunday, so he was reveling in perhaps the best round of golf in his life.
Claudia Davis, meanwhile, was eager to leave the premises. After all, she had tickets to the Foo Fighters concert at the Pepsi Center Sunday night.
In both cases, though, the 16-year-olds did what they set out to do at Cherry Hills, which is to say win. Makloski (pictured at left) and Davis recorded arguably the biggest victories of their young golf careers Sunday in winning the CJGA Tournament of Champions, which brings together many of this year’s top junior performers in the state.
Makloski, from Pueblo Country Club, shot a 5-under-par 67 in his first round ever at the storied course to take the boys division by four strokes.
Davis, from Glenmoor Country Club, claimed the girls title by winning a two-hole playoff against Shinwoo Lee of Kennedy Golf Course.
The invitation-only tournament was originally scheduled for 36 holes, but it was shortened to one round due to poor weather on Saturday. But that didn’t put a damper on the season-ending event, especially not for the champions.
“This (victory) means a lot,” said Makloski, a junior at Pueblo South High School. “It’s a big honor, and to shoot a score like that at a hard course like this, it’s really good for me.”
Makloski made six birdies and one bogey as he cruised to a relatively easy victory over CGA Junior Stroke Play champion and University of Northern Colorado golfer Steven Kupcho and Cole Nygren, runner-up in the 3A state high school tournament earlier this month.
Ethan Freeman, who outdueled Nygren to win his second consecutive 3A state high school title, and University of Colorado-Colorado Springs golfer Zach Tripp tied for fourth place at 73.
Makloski has shot one lower round in a tournament, but Sunday’s score ranks at the top of his personal list because it came at Cherry Hills, which will host the 2012 U.S. Amateur and the 2014 BMW Championship on the PGA Tour.
“This is not an easy course so it was definitely a really good round,” said Makloski, who qualified for the 2010 U.S. Junior Amateur and played on Colorado’s successful Junior America’s Cup team this summer.
And the fact that he shot the 67 despite having not played the course before was especially impressive.
“It sort of seems to help me when I don’t see the course (beforehand),” he said. “I play smarter, think more and don’t do dumb stuff. Today, I got a bunch of good up-and-downs, and mostly it was that I putted better than I have all year. That’s been holding me back.”
As for Davis (pictured at left and below), she was worried about missing her Foo Fighters concert, particularly after early-morning frost caused all the day’s tee times to be delayed. Davis didn’t finish her round until evening, and then it turned out that she was in a playoff for the girls title.
Davis and Lee matched 76s, then squared off in a sudden-death matchup that lasted until sunset. After both golfers saved pars with 6-foot putts on the first extra hole (No. 10), Davis two-putted for par and the victory on the par-5 11th as Lee carded a double bogey after blading her fourth shot out of a greenside bunker.
“I was thinking about (the concert during the playoff), but it kind of took some of the pressure off so it was a good thing,” said Davis, a junior at Arapahoe High School. “I was nervous, but I just persevered, I guess.”
Davis has been on a roll in recent months, having won four consecutive junior tournaments around the state. And the Tournament of Champions might very well have been the best of the bunch.
“I’d rank it pretty high,” the Greenwood Village resident said. “It had a good field, so I’m proud of my accomplishment today.”
Three players joined Davis and Lee in breaking 80 on Sunday: Calli Ringsby of Castle Pines Golf Club (78), Allie Johnston of Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course (79) and Katy Dyachkova of South Suburban Golf Course (79).
CJGA Tournament of Champions
At Par-72 Cherry Hills CC in Cherry Hills Village
BOYS 14-18
Jimmy Makloski, Pueblo Country Club 33-34–67
Cole Nygren, Colorado National Golf Club 35-36–71
Steven Kupcho, Omni Interlocken 36-35–71
Ethan Freeman, Glenmoor Country Club 38-35–73
Zach Tripp, Foothills Golf Course 35-38–73
Austin Nonte, Springs Ranch Golf Club 34-40–74
Benjamin Moore, Glenmoor Country Club 39-36–75
Blake Basham, Lone Tree Mens Golf Club 38-37–75
Ryan Burke, Twin Peaks Golf Course 39-37–76
Connor Klein, Lone Tree Mens Golf Club 36-41–77
Dylan Wonnacott, The Fox Hill Club 36-41–77
Ross Macdonald, Ridge at Castle Pines North 38-39–77
Colin Prater, Broadmoor Golf Club 37-41–78
Kevin Wohlfarth, Green Valley Ranch Golf Club 37-41–78
Gustav Lundquist, The Club at Pradera 38-41–79
Hayden Nicholaides, South Suburban Family Sports 37-42–79
Matthew Goddard, Ptarmigan Country Club 40-39–79
Spencer Painton, Green Valley Ranch Golf Club 42-39–81
Kyler Dunkle, The Club at Pradera 41-42–83
Trevor McKune, Pinehurst Country Club 42-43–85
GIRLS 14-18
x-won playoff
x-Claudia Davis, Glenmoor CC Wga 39-37–76
Shinwoo Lee, Kennedy Lga 36-40–76
Calli Ringsby, Castle Pines Wga 35-43–78
Allie Johnston, Red Hawk Ridge Wga 36-43–79
Katy Dyachkova, South Suburban Wga 38-41–79
Seungha Choi, Commonground Golf Course 39-41–80
Dani Urman, Meridian Golf Club 41-41–82
Taylor Dorans, Eagle Trace Lga 40-42–82
Jennifer Kempton, Lone Tree Lga 42-42–84
Shannon Lubar, Meadows Wga 41-43–84
Kathleen Kershisnik, Columbine CC Lga 39-46–85
Jamie Griffin, Murphy Creek Wga 41-49–90
Alexandra Briggs, Hyland Hills Wga 45-53–98
Michelle Romano, Colorado Golf Club Wga 46-54–100