She’s won the last two 4A state high school tournaments by 14 and 10 shots, the 2014 CWGA Junior Stroke Play by nine, the 2014 CJGA Tournament of Champions by 12, the 2014 CJGA Junior Series Championship by eight and low-amateur honors in last year’s HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open by 12.

But all those pale in comparison to what the 18-year-old Westminster resident did this week in the 68th CWGA Stroke Play Championship at Pinehurst Country Club in south Denver. Though she missed a 4-foot birdie putt on the final hole that would have given her a 199 total for three days, her 16-under-par 200 was still good for a remarkable 21-shot victory. (Jennifer is pictured above with her dad/caddie, Mike Kupcho.)

“That’s outstanding,” said Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore, a five-time winner of the CWGA Stroke Play who placed 12th on Thursday. “Jennifer is a great player. They definitely set the course up so you could score if you’re hitting the ball well and you putt well. But that’s still outstanding. She played really well. She’s an impressive player.”

Kupcho fired a 5-under-par 67 in Thursday’s final round. And with a 68 and a bogey-free 65 on the previous days, every other competitor was playing for second.

Though CWGA Stroke Play scoring records aren’t complete, Kupcho’s 21-shot victory is certainly one of the largest margins in the history of the event — if not the largest. Double digits certainly has been done before, and there are recollections of spreads of almost 20 strokes in this event, but this week marked a step beyond even that.

On Thursday, 2015 CWGA Junior Stroke Play champion Mary Weinstein of Highlands Ranch finished in second place at 221 after closing with a 78. Former 5A state high school champion Mackenzie Cohen of Inverness Golf Club placed third at 222 after a 74 on Thursday.

“I lost by a big margin, but that’s OK because Jennifer Kupcho, she’s a phenomenal athlete and a great person in general,” said Weinstein, who just broke Kupcho’s record for best girls 15-17 finish by a Coloradan in the Junior World Championships by placing 15th. “So to lose to her shooting under par every day, that’s amazing. I’d rather have her play her best and lose to that instead of having her play bad and lose to that.”

The victory gives Kupcho, who will begin her college career at Wake Forest this fall, a career sweep of the CWGA’s two top individual championships. She won the CWGA Match Play last year en route to CWGA Player of the Year honors.

“It’s real exciting to be playing as well as I am,” said Kupcho, who just last week qualified for her second U.S. Women’s Amateur. “To (win both the Match Play and Stroke Play) by 18 is pretty exciting. To just be one of the best players in Colorado is cool.”

And, of course, Jennifer isn’t the only Kupcho who has won recent state amateur championships in Colorado. Her older brother, Steven. claimed the CGA Stroke Play title in 2012. And they’ve also won their respective state Junior Stroke Plays and been low amateur in the HealthOne Colorado Open and Colorado Women’s Open.

“As a brother and sister we’ve won the juniors and men’s and women’s,” she said. “That’s pretty exciting to be the brother and sister that has done that.”

Steven Kupcho has posted a three-round total of 199 in a tournament before, and that was another feat Jennifer was attempting to match on Thursday. And though she shot her best score ever on Wednesday — the 65, one of the lowest rounds ever posted by a woman at Pinehurst — and made only two bogeys all week, she fell a stroke short in what likely will be her last tournament in Colorado this year.

“My brother’s lowest is 199 over three days, so I was just trying to get to 199,” she said. “My goal was to shoot 66 (Thursday) so I could get that and be able to say ‘I’ve been there, I did that.'”

Kupcho recently put a new set of irons in play, and they paid big dividends as she finished with an eagle and 16 birdies in 54 holes.

“I was just hitting the ball really well,” she said. “I had a lot of tap-in to 3-foot birdie putts throughout the whole tournament, so that was exciting. I’d hit the shot and be like, ‘Oh that was really good.’ That was cool.”

To put Kupcho’s performance into some perspective, the next-lowest three-round scoring total by a CWGA Stroke Play champion in the past seven years is 210. And the average winning score during that period is 218.

Meanwhile, though the gap with Kupcho was huge, Weinstein (left) has likewise put together an outstanding summer. A victory in the CWGA Junior Stroke Play, placing 15th in the Junior Worlds and runner-up in the CWGA Stroke Play isn’t half bad.

“Coming in second in the women’s Stroke Play is really nice because I won the Junior Stroke Play,” said the 17-year-old senior-to-be at Regis Jesuit High School. “People are going to be like, ‘Hey, she might be good.’ I wanted to prove it’s not just the junior tournaments that I can actually play well in. And second place, I’m absolutely fantastic with that.”

CWGA Stroke Play Championship
At Par-72 Pinehurst CC in Denver

Championship Flight 

Jennifer Kupcho, CommonGround WGC 68-65-67–200

Mary Weinstein, CWGA Junior Club 69-74-78–221

Mackenzie L Cohen, Inverness Lga 71-77-74–222

Delaney Elliott, CommonGround WGA 74-72-77–223

Adara Pauluhn, Indian Peaks WGA 73-80-73–226

Sara Swaney, Perry Park CC Wga 78-72-76–226

Taylor Dorans, Eagle Trace Lga 77-71-78–226

Samantha Barker, Perry Park CC Wga 74-73-79–226

Sarah Hankins, Thorncreek Wga 76-75-76–227

Mikayla Tatman, Twin Peaks Lga 76-75-76–227

Kathleen Kershisnik, Columbine CC Lga 78-75-75–228

Janet Moore, Cherry Hills CC Wga 76-75-77–228

Jaylee Tait, Raccoon Creek WGA 77-76-76–229

Kate Granahan, Broken Tee Englewood Wga 76-75-79–230

Megan McCambridge, Boulder CC Wga 78-77-83–238

First Flight 

Kelsey Petersen, Mariana Butte Wga 81-78-74–233

Alleman Zech, Indian Wells Golf Resort 79-82-78–239

Jordan Sunset, Boulder CC Wga 79-81-80–240

Klara Felicita Castillo, Kennedy Lga 81-78-81–240

Madison McCambridge, Boulder CC Wga 78-83-81–242

Sofia Vigil, Park Hill Golf Club 82-79-82–243

Emily Woodard, Cheyenne CC 79-82-82–243

Delaney Benson, CommonGround WGA 78-82-84–244

Jacquelin Biggs, South Suburban Family Sports 81-83-83–247

Danielle Price, Heritage at Westmoor Wga 84-86-80–250

Allie Johnston, Red Hawk Ridge Wga 80-80-WD–WD

Second Flight 

Holly Schaefer, Columbine CC Lga 74-75-78–227

Joanna Ringsby, Denver CC Lga 77-75-80–232

Kathy Malpass, Hiwan Wga 80-74-81–235

Jill Gaschler, Willis Case Wga 76-75-84–235

Jenni Chun, Lone Tree Lga 78-83-76–237

Hannah More, Pinehurst CC WGA 83-76-79–238

Courtney Ewing, CWGA Junior Club 83-81-77–241

Nina Dulacki, Broken Tee Wgl 80-82-79–241

Ashlyn Kirschner, West Woods Wgc 88-74-79–241

Meghan Christensen, Cordillera WGA 87-76-79–242

Dr. Andrea Grilli, The Club at Rolling Hills Wga 87-83-82–252

Third Flight 

Megan Vernon, Applewood Wga 78-82-77–237

Carly Gallant, Boulder CC Wga 88-78-85–251

Susan Schell, Arrowhead Wga 80-85-86–251

Katty Rothberg, Cherry Creek CC Wga 84-82-91–257

Kelli Poppenhagen, Meadow Hills Wga 90-80-88–258

Emma Mellman, Cherry Creek CC Wga 83-88-88–259

Sheila Schroeder, Broken Tee Englewood Wga 86-87-87–260

Jennifer Hocking, Cherokee Ridge Lga 87-86-89–262

Patty Smogor, Saddle Rock Wga 85-93-87–265

Kathleen Johnson, Ranch CC Lga 87-97-92–276

Mary Doyen, Foothills Wga 78-DQ

Fourth Flight 

Mariko Coplin, Fox Hollow Lgc 87-84-86–257

Marie Schriefer, South Suburban Wga 87-88-86–261

Cindy Speer, Raccoon Creek Wga 89-86-89–264

Kimalee Hull, Broken Tee Englewood Wga 90-85-89–264

Jenny Tempas, Columbine CC Lga 85-91-90–266

Janine Lowe, South Suburban Wga 93-89-85–267

Maggie Brindley, Pinehurst CC Wga 82-95-90–267

Kay Geitner, South Suburban Wga 90-87-91–268

Alison O’Connor, Collindale Wga 87-93-88–268

Diane Duschatko, South Suburban Wga 90-92-90–272

Andrea Berry, Indian Peaks Wga 93-91-91–275

Vicki Porter, Foothills Wga 91-87-97–275

Pat O’Connor, Collindale Wga 92-92-92–276

Claudia Gallegos, South Suburban Wga 89-93-95–277

Juliet Miner, Bear Dance Wga 92-93-93–278

Andrea Dikeou, Castle Pines Wga 91-95-97–283

Fifth Flight 

Holly Schuetz, Meadow Hills Wga 93-92-90–275

Debbie Childs, South Suburban Wga 92-94-90–276

Jennie Jones, South Suburban Wga 94-95-88–277

Linda Powell, Broken Tee Englewood Wga 98-91-90–279

Lyndon Lieb, Broken Tee Englewood Wga 90-94-96–280

Linda Loveland, Broken Tee Englewood Wga 96-91-95–282

Becky Finger, Riverdale Wga 89-97-96–282

Karen Baron, Inverness Hotel & GC 99-93-96–288

Donna Edelen, Riverdale Wga 98-105-89–292

Karen Lesko, Executive Women’s Ga-Denver 94-104-98–296

Kris Woodruff, Sonnenalp Wga 109-96-97–302

Kathy Mansueto, Broken Tee Wgl 100-101-101–302

Pat Jackson, Links Lga 99-103-101–303

Susie Goldberg, Overland Park Wgc 104-104-97–305

Cindy Ortega, Foothills Wga 113-102-100–315

While playing for Arapahoe High School, she lost in a playoff at this year’s 5A state meet and previously placed third twice in that same tournament. She also finished second in the CWGA Junior Stroke Play in both 2012 and ’14.

The Centennial resident did win the last two CJGA Tournament of Champions, and last year she scored a big victory in Texas at the Kathy Whitworth Invitational junior tournament.

But on Wednesday, in her final in-state tournament before departing for the University of Oklahoma in the middle of next month, Wood put her name on the trophy for one of the most prestigious women’s amateur events in Colorado.

The 18-year-old rallied from a stroke behind going into Wednesday’s final round and claimed the title in the 67th CWGA Stroke Play Championship at Valley Country Club in her hometown of Centennial. It was the first CWGA championship for Wood.

“It’s great,” she said. “This summer has been very up and down. I wanted to do something big. I wanted to do something for myself to build some confidence going into college. Now I feel prepared. A lot of hard work has paid off. I’m just really happy right now.”

Indeed, with Wood planning to head to Oklahoma on Aug. 12 to start her college golf career, she notched one of her top accomplishments in the sport.

“This is high up there. This is the state Am. It’s a pretty big accomplishment,” she said. “You didn’t have your typical Jennifer Kupcho or Calli Ringsby or Somin Lee (in the field), but it was still stiff competition out there. I’m still proud of myself. It is the state Am. I played my heart out and it was a good tournament.”

Wood, a member of the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program at CommonGround Golf Course for the last two years, came into the final round one stroke behind leader Mikayla Tatman, who plays golf for Colorado State University. But Wood shot an even-par 72 on Wednesday — the best score of the day in the championship flight — to overtake Tatman. Wood finished with a 3-over-par 219 total for three days.

Tatman (left) missed four putts inside of 8 feet in the final seven holes, leaving her a stroke back after a closing 74. University of Colorado golfer Allie Zech placed third at 222. Janet Moore of Cherry Hills Village, a five-time Stroke Play champion, led outright after a birdie on the first hole, but struggled to a 79 on Wednesday and shared fourth place at 226 with Samantha Stancato of Patty Jewett Golf Course.

Tatman, the runner-up in the 2011 CWGA Junior Match Play, pulled even with Wood thanks to a 4-foot birdie putt on No. 11 and a bogey by Wood. But after being 18 feet from the cup on No. 12, on the fringe, the CSU golfer took four to get down, three-putting from 5 feet. That put her behind for good.

“I’m really proud of myself for putting myself in this situation,” the 21-year-old Tatman said. “Hannah played great today and I just couldn’t hang with her. It’s disappointing but I’m just happy to be where I’m at.

“The putter let me down a little bit today. But you’ve got to find a way to get it around even if your putter is not hot.”

Wood gave herself the cushion she needed by going birdie-par-birdie on Nos. 14-16. The par-4 14th was a key juncture as Tatman got up and down from a bunker, making a 25-foot par putt. But Wood followed that up by draining a 20-foot birdie.

Tatman pulled within one again with a 4-foot birdie on No. 15, where Wood just missed an 8-footer. Wood made up for that by holing a 6-foot birdie on No. 16, but gave the stroke back with a bogey on 17 after being under a tree with her tee shot.

That left Wood one ahead going into the par-3 18th. After Tatman recorded a routine par, Wood ran her 20-foot birdie attempt 3 feet past, but calmly made the par putt for the victory.

Wood credited her brother/caddie, Emerson (left, behind Hannah), for making sure she was in a good frame of mind during the final round.

“He was keeping me relaxed and kept making me laugh the entire round,” Wood said. “It was so much fun.”

But Tatman (below) figured she had a shot at the title right up until the very end.

“I thought I had a chance all the way up until the 18th hole,” she said. “I’m proud of myself this whole week for hanging in there. This is the best golf I’ve ever played. I’m really playing good golf, and I thought I had it, but I came up a shot short.”

Coincidentally, both Wood and Tatman competed in last week’s U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship in Dupont, Wash.

But after a busy summer of tournaments, Wood plans to take it easy for the next three weeks before heading off to college.

“I’m going to enjoy some summer,” she said. “I’m going to enjoy my summer now — a little late.”

For scores from the championship and first through fifth flights, CLICK HERE.

But after rebuilding her swing, then struggling to get back to peak form, a big payoff came on Friday.

The former University of Denver golfer joined an elite group of players who have won the CWGA Stroke Play Championship three times. For Martin, victory No. 3 came Friday at The Ranch Country Club in Westminster, where she pulled away on the back nine of the final round to prevail by an impressive eight shots.

“Three years ago I decided to rebuild my swing when I came to DU (from Colorado State), and it’s been like an uphill battle for three years,” Martin said. “I’ve been so sick and I’ve wanted to quit so many times, but I didn’t. It’s finally all paying off.”

The CWGA Stroke Play has now been contested 66 times and only six other golfers have won the title on at least three occasions: Carol Flenniken (eight), Janet Moore (five), Kim Eaton (four), and Sally Hardwick, Joan Birkland and Nicki Cutler (three each).

At 23 years old, Martin (pictured above and at left) became part of that group on Friday, having previously won the CWGA Stroke Play in 2009 and ’10.

After being tied with 2013 CWGA Junior Stroke Play champ Kelly Moran of Boulder Country Club after 10 holes of Friday’s final round, Martin put the pedal to the metal to pull away. The golfer from Bookcliff Country Club in Grand Junction made three straight birdies — all from inside of 10 feet — starting on No. 11 en route to shooting a 1-over-par 72. That gave Martin a 7-over-par 220 total at The Ranch, where the greens put even the best golfers to the test.

Moran, who will play college golf at William & Mary in Virginia beginning in the fall, closed with a 78 to share second place at 228. Also at that figure was 2012 champion Somin Lee of CommonGround Golf Course, who carded a 74 on Friday.

Colorado State University golfer Christina Spinzig of Hiwan Golf Club posted a final-round 77 for a 229 total, good for fourth place.

As for Martin, she coincidentally won at The Ranch, where her DU coach, Lindsay Hulwick, claimed the 2005 CWGA Stroke Play championship. Hulwick and DU assistant coach Erik Billinger were among those following Martin on Friday. Also on hand were several of Melissa’s family members who made long trips early Friday morning to watch: her mom and dad came in from Grand Junction and her aunt and uncle from Fort Morgan.

“That was really special,” said Martin, who graduated from DU earlier this month.

With Martin tentatively planning to turn pro later this year — possibly in time for the HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open in September — and compete in LPGA Tour qualifying, this state amateur stroke play may be her last.

Winning “is really special because I don’t know if I’ll get to play in this tournament next year,” she said.

For a while on Friday, it didn’t look like any sure thing that Martin would emerge victorious. Though none of her opponents ever took the outright lead, Moran (pictured at left) did tie it up in the middle of the final round.

The 17-year-old parred every hole on the front nine Friday to catch Martin, who started the day two ahead of Moran. And the two remained tied after matching bogeys on No. 10.

But Moran ended up shooting a 6-over-par 42 on the back nine and she made two double bogeys along the way. Her crisp iron shots from earlier in the round often fell short of the green on the back nine.

“Toward the end my irons really let me down a lot and I had some shorter putts that I missed that really hurt,” Moran said. “It was kind of snowballing a little bit.”

Holes 11, 12 and 13 basically decided the tournament as Martin holed birdie putts of 8, 4 and 6 feet while Moran went par-bogey-double bogey. That added up to a six-stroke swing in three holes.

“She’s an incredible player,” Moran said of Martin. “She’s really solid. If she makes a mistake, she fixes it right away. She’s one of the most solid players I’ve ever played with. It was definitely an honor to play with her given her credentials. She played a really great round and it was hard to compete with.”

But Martin (pictured at left) was frustrated in the middle of her round, especially with going 3 over par in four holes starting on No. 7.

“There were a series of bad shots or bad decisions and that bummed me out,” she said. “And Kelly was playing super solid. She was scrambling really well. I had to kind of ride (that out) and get back on the wave, and the approach shot on 11 is where I got back on it.

“I just really wanted to make good shots and make good putts because … I haven’t done it for so long. And once it finally comes together, you just want to keep doing it. Obviously I wanted to win, but I didn’t really think about that. I just thought about trying to get the ball into the hole.”

While Martin won the championship flight on Friday, four-time champ Eaton claimed the title in the first flight as a final-round 74 gave her a 231 total.

CWGA Stroke Play Championship
At Par-71 Ranch CC in Westminster

GROSS SCORES

Championship Flight
Melissa Martin, Grand Junction, Colo. 76-72-72–220
Kelly Moran, Boulder, Colo. 72-78-78–228
Somin Lee, Centennial, Colo. 76-78-74–228
Christina Spinzig, Evergreen, Colo. 74-78-77–229
Kayla Riede, Olivehurst, Calif. 81-73-76–230
Mikayla Tatman, Longmont, Colo. 77-77-78–232
Hannah Wood, Centennial, Colo. 72-77-84–233
Taylor Dorans, Erie, Colo. 74-81-78–233
Paige Crawford, Colorado Springs, Colo. 79-77-78–234
Calli Ringsby, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 77-78-83–238
Dani Urman, Greenwood Village , Colo. 79-77-88–244
Deb Hughes, Denver, Colo. 78-78-90–246

First Flight
Kim Eaton, Tempe, Ariz. 75-82-74–231
Amy Hodgkinson, Longmont, Colo. 78-82-75–235
Emily Wood, Salida, Colo. 77-83-76–236
Kathleen Kershisnik, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 81-79-76–236
Nicole Hulbert, Arvada, Colo. 78-79-79–236
Mackenzie Thayer, Garden City, Kan. 81-77-79–237
Shannon Lubar, Littleton, Colo. 79-82-78–239
Shannon Lutynski, Castle Rock, Colo. 81-77-82–240
Lara Pocs, Wesminster, Colo. 88-82-74–244
Holly Schaefer, Greenwood Village, Colo. 85-82-79–246
Michaela Marie Breit, Greeley, Colo. 85-81-80–246
Callie Hodgkinson, Longmont, Colo. 82-83-84–249
Claudia Davis, Greenwood VIllage, Colo. 81-85-WD–WD

Second Flight
Megan McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 80-76-73–229
Laurie Steenrod, Aurora, Colo. 78-76-77–231
Sara Swaney, Larkspur, Colo. 77-78-80–235
Emily Woodard, Cheyenne, Wyo. 79-76-81–236
Kathy Malpass, Evergreen, Colo. 84-77-77–238
Jennifer Hocking, Colorado Springs, Colo. 84-79-77–240
Joanna Ringsby, Denver, Colo. 86-79-79–244
Andrea Ballou, Larkspur, Colo. 84-82-80–246
Mary Doyen, Denver, Colo. 88-84-77–249
Katty Rothberg, Denver, Colo. 81-86-85–252
Holly Schmitt, Centennial, Colo. 81-84-88–253
Ruth Van Zee, Denver, Colo. 83-85-85–253
Nina Dulacki, Denver, Colo. 88-85-82–255
Jane Ford, Thornton, Colo. 92-88-88–268

Third Flight
Rachel Cavalier, Lafayette, Colo. 82-86-84–252
Kelli Poppenhagen, Aurora, Colo. 86-81-87–254
Audrey Bopp, Ft.Collins, Colo. 83-88-89–260
Pam Cortez, Louisville, Colo. 89-83-88–260
Virginia Love, Mesa, Ariz. 85-83-96–264
Sheila Schroeder, Englewood, Colo. 84-88-93–265
Jill Kirkpatrick, Denver, Colo. 89-91-86–266
Bobby Jackson, Denver, Colo. 86-95-93–274
Jan Milne, Fort Collins, Colo. 88-89-97–274
Karen Honnessy, Minturn, Colo. 94-94-90–278
Melody Ulen, Lakewood, Colo. 86-94-98–278
Vicki Porter, Denver, Colo. 92-89-97–278
Jenny Tempas, Littleton, Colo. 100-WD

Fourth Flight
Pat O’Connor, Fort Collins, Colo. 87-86-90–263
Mary Smith, Arvada, Colo. 96-92-82–270
Cindy Speer, Parker, Colo. 88-93-90–271
Jennie Jones, Englewood, Colo. 94-89-97–280
Juna Orr, Denver, Colo. 93-98-90–281
Lyndon Lieb, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 101-89-92–282
Madison McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 91-98-93–282
Claudia Gallegos, Lone Tree, Colo. 92-95-96–283
Pat Kuntz, Tempe, Ariz. 93-88-102–283
Geri Reinardy, Denver, Colo. 102-97-94–293
Norma Bisdorf, Denver, Colo. 99-98-100–297

Fifth Flight
Barbara White, Thornton, Colo. 101-109-88–298
Cheryl Ellen, Broomfield, Colo. 108-99-101–308
Patricia Moore, Broomfield, Colo. 107-104-100–311
Kay Boyle, Northglenn, Colo. 114-104-104–322
Rose Rismanchi, Aurora, Colo. 111-108-111–330
Donna Jones, Erie, Colo. 116-114-112–342
Erlinda Shearer, Denver, Colo. 102-129-117–348
Cogie Elzea, Thornton, Colo. 117-WD



NET SCORES



First Flight
Emily Wood, Salida, Colo. 73-79-72–224
Amy Hodgkinson, Longmont, Colo. 76-80-73–229
Nicole Hulbert, Arvada, Colo. 76-77-77–230
Lara Pocs, Wesminster, Colo. 84-78-70–232
Kim Eaton, Tempe, Ariz. 76-83-75–234
Shannon Lutynski, Castle Rock, Colo. 79-75-80–234
Michaela Marie Breit, Greeley, Colo. 81-77-77–235
Kathleen Kershisnik, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 81-79-76–236
Holly Schaefer, Greenwood Village, Colo. 82-79-76–237
Callie Hodgkinson, Longmont, Colo. 78-79-81–238
Mackenzie Thayer, Garden City, Kan. 82-78-80–240
Shannon Lubar, Littleton, Colo. 81-84-80–245
Claudia Davis, Greenwood VIllage, Colo. 83-87-WD–WD

Second Flight
Jennifer Hocking, Colorado Springs, Colo. 75-70-68–213
Laurie Steenrod, Aurora, Colo. 73-71-72–216
Megan McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 76-72-69–217
Kathy Malpass, Evergreen, Colo. 78-71-71–220
Sara Swaney, Larkspur, Colo. 72-73-75–220
Emily Woodard, Cheyenne, Wyo. 74-71-76–221
Joanna Ringsby, Denver, Colo. 79-72-72–223
Andrea Ballou, Larkspur, Colo. 77-75-73–225
Holly Schmitt, Centennial, Colo. 72-75-79–226
Katty Rothberg, Denver, Colo. 73-78-77–228
Nina Dulacki, Denver, Colo. 79-76-73–228
Mary Doyen, Denver, Colo. 82-78-71–231
Ruth Van Zee, Denver, Colo. 77-79-79–235
Jane Ford, Thornton, Colo. 83-79-79–241

Third Flight
Kelli Poppenhagen, Aurora, Colo. 72-67-73–212
Rachel Cavalier, Lafayette, Colo. 72-76-74–222
Audrey Bopp, Ft.Collins, Colo. 71-76-77–224
Pam Cortez, Louisville, Colo. 78-72-77–227
Bobby Jackson, Denver, Colo. 71-80-78–229
Jan Milne, Fort Collins, Colo. 73-74-82–229
Sheila Schroeder, Englewood, Colo. 73-77-82–232
Virginia Love, Mesa, Ariz. 75-73-86–234
Jill Kirkpatrick, Denver, Colo. 79-81-76–236
Vicki Porter, Denver, Colo. 78-75-83–236
Karen Honnessy, Minturn, Colo. 83-83-79–245
Melody Ulen, Lakewood, Colo. 75-83-87–245
Jenny Tempas, Littleton, Colo. 86-WD

Fourth Flight
Pat O’Connor, Fort Collins, Colo. 71-70-74–215
Mary Smith, Arvada, Colo. 79-75-65–219
Cindy Speer, Parker, Colo. 71-76-73–220
Madison McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 71-78-73–222
Claudia Gallegos, Lone Tree, Colo. 74-77-78–229
Juna Orr, Denver, Colo. 76-81-73–230
Lyndon Lieb, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 84-72-75–231
Jennie Jones, Englewood, Colo. 78-73-81–232
Pat Kuntz, Tempe, Ariz. 76-71-85–232
Norma Bisdorf, Denver, Colo. 80-79-81–240
Geri Reinardy, Denver, Colo. 86-81-78–245

Fifth Flight
Barbara White, Thornton, Colo. 76-84-63–223
Cheryl Ellen, Broomfield, Colo. 80-71-72–223
Rose Rismanchi, Aurora, Colo. 76-73-75–224
Kay Boyle, Northglenn, Colo. 82-72-71–225
Patricia Moore, Broomfield, Colo. 82-79-74–235
Donna Jones, Erie, Colo. 86-84-81–251
Erlinda Shearer, Denver, Colo. 73-100-87–260
Cogie Elzea, Thornton, Colo. 93-WD

On Wednesday, just before arriving at the green on the final hole of the 65th CWGA Stroke Play Championship, Kim Eaton gave Somin Lee a hug and shared a few words.

“She was like, ‘Oh you played really good today and you gave too hard of a time to your elder,'” the 20-year-old Lee relayed about the brief conversation with the 53-year-old Eaton. “I was like, ‘I really wanted the trophy, so you weren’t the elder for me on the golf course.'”

Indeed, while Lee playfully calls Eaton “the legend”, the younger golfer didn’t ease up in the least on her “elder” — or anyone else in the field at Columbine Country Club. Lee’s nine-stroke margin of victory is evidence of that.

But it wasn’t just how much the Pepperdine University golfer won by that was impressive. It was what she accomplished in the process. By prevailing in the Stroke Play, Lee became just the second player in history to win the CWGA Junior Stroke Play, Junior Match Play, Stroke Play and Match Play.

Lee joined Wendy Werley as the only golfers to capture all four of those titles during their careers. Werley won the Junior Stroke Play in 1984 and ’85, the Junior Match Play in ’84, and the Stroke Play and Match Play in both 1988 and ’89.

Lee (pictured above and at left) has claimed all four championship titles in the last four years, having won the Junior Stroke Play in 2009, the Junior Match in 2008 and ’09, the Match Play last year, and the Stroke Play on Wednesday.

“It’s really special to have all the different kinds of trophies at my house,” said Lee, a Denver resident. “My mom really wanted this one since we had never gotten it. I really wanted her to be happy and I wanted myself to be happy. And I wanted to start school with more confidence in golf, so it was all good.”

After going into Wednesday’s final round with a two-stroke lead over Eaton, Lee closed with a 2-under-par 71 to finish with an even-par 219 total. Lee, the 2011 CWGA Player of the Year, primarily fended off Eaton, the Player of the Year in 2004, ’07, ’09 and ’10. Eaton closed with a 78 on Wednesday.

Paige Crawford of Colorado Springs (79 Wednesday) and Melissa Martin of Grand Junction (80) tied for third place at 231.

“This is the first (Stroke Play) she’s won and she certainly deserved it,” Eaton said of Lee. “I think Somin has kind of always looked up to me and so it was kind of fun playing with her today because I’ve never gotten to play with her before. She’s a good little player and she has a good demeanor.”

Lee was still only two of Eaton (pictured at left) ahead after six holes on Wednesday, but she birdied the par-3 seventh while Eaton bogeyed, and the lead never got smaller than four strokes the rest of the way. Back-to-back birdies by Lee on 7 and 8, and on 13 and 14 helped put the margin out of reach.

It was a nice bit of redemption for Lee, who lost to Allie Johnston in the final of the CWGA Match Play last month after being 2 up with five holes left. Lee also fell one stroke shy of low-amateur honors in the HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open in June.

“It was kind of rough for me,” she said. “My family expects me to play well in every tournament. But I’m a person and golf is not a perfect game. I really wanted to win all of them, but I’m really happy with my result today.”

As for Eaton, while she wasn’t happy with bogeying three of her final five holes Wednesday, she knows that placing second in the CWGA Stroke Play as a 53-year-old isn’t bad.

“I’m happy with the way I played,” said Eaton, a four-time winner of the Stroke Play. “Anytime I can be runner-up with all these kids … I played with a 15-year-old yesterday. I could be her grandmother almost. So I’m happy I played as well as I did.”

CWGA Stroke Play Championship
At Columbine CC in Littleton

CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
Somin Lee, Denver, Colo. – 72-76-71–219
Kim Eaton, Greeley, Colo. – 77-73-78–228
Paige Crawford, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 78-74-79–231
Melissa Martin, Grand Junction, Colo. – 74-77-80–231
Shannon Lubar, Littleton, Colo. – 78-75-79–232
Janet Moore, Greenwood Village, Colo. – 81-77-77–235
Jessie Joachim, Hudson, Colo. – 79-76-80–235
Paige Spiranac, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 76-80-81–237
Jennifer Kupcho, Westminster, Colo. – 76-80-81–237
Jennifer Kempton, Littleton, Colo. – 81-76-81–238
Sydney Merchant, Morrison, Colo. – 83-76-81–240
Gillian Vance, Lakewood, Colo. – 81-78-82–241
Mikayla Tatman, Longmont, Colo. – 81-78-83–242
Jacqueline Sherman, Grand Junction, Colo. – 78-81-87–246

FIRST FLIGHT
Kasha Scott, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. – 79-83-76–238
Shannon Lutynski, Castle Rock, Colo. – 81-81-77–239
Taylor Buck, Littleton, Colo. – 83-78-82–243
Christina Spinzig, Evergreen, Colo. – 79-89-76–244
Cindy Pallatino, Scottsdale, Ariz. – 81-80-83–244
Kathleen Kershisnik, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 81-82-82–245
Megan McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. – 83-81-81–245
Sue Davis, La Quinta, Calif. – 83-83-81–247
Jill Gaschler, Denver, Colo. – 82-87-81–250
Mary Doyen, Denver, Colo. – 90-83-81–254
Lara Pocs, Wesminster, Colo. – 92-81-84–257
Laurie Steenrod, Aurora, Colo. – 84-87-87–258

SECOND FLIGHT
Emily Wood, Salida, Colo. – 76-75-75–226
Holly Schaefer, Greenwood Village, Colo. – 73-79-76–228
Libby Avery, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 81-78-79–238
Sandra Young, Monument, Colo. – 80-82-82–244
Jessi McVay, Denver, Colo. – 84-82-81–247
Morgan Sahm, Centennial, Colo. – 85-84-83–252
Kathy Malpass, Evergreen, Colo. – 81-83-88–252
Ruth Van Zee, Denver, Colo. – 84-82-87–253
Andrea Ballou, Larkspur, Colo. – 86-80-88–254
Nancy Ziereis, Centennial, Colo. – 80-87-89–256
Emily Woodard, Cheyenne, Wyo. – 86-82-89–257
Katherine Kemp, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 92-82-84–258
Katty Rothberg, Denver, Colo. – 94-84-83–261
Linda Raunig, Denver, Colo. – 87-90-85–262
Jill Schrader, Littleton, Colo. – 89-88-85–262
Meg Christensen, Houston, Texas – 84-89-89–262
Nina Dulacki, Denver, Colo. – 88-92-84–264
Vickie Brown, Aurora, Colo. – 91-90-86–267
Joanna Ringsby, Denver, Colo. – 91-90-88–269

THIRD FLIGHT
Justine Kemp, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 81-77-76–234
Jennifer Hocking, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 86-82-91–259
Rachel Cavalier, Lafayette, Colo. – 85-86-88–259
Susan Schell, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 86-96-83–265
Joanna Kempton, Littleton, Colo. – 90-95-86–271
Chris Jansen, Denver, Colo. – 94-88-94–276
Kimalee Hull, Denver, Colo. – 96-92-90–278
Jenny Tempas, Littleton, Colo. – 90-90-101–281
Marilyn Heustis, Denver, Colo. – 92-100-93–285
Patty Smogor, Centennial, Colo. – 89-104-94–287
Lyndon Lieb, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 96-99-103–298

FOURTH FLIGHT
Marie Schriefer, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 84-88-89–261
Janine Lowe, Littleton, Colo. – 81-101-90–272
Kay Geitner, Centennial, Colo. – 95-90-90–275
Bobby Jackson, Denver, Colo. – 93-91-93–277
Theresa Lange, Aurora, Colo. – 94-91-94–279
Vicki Porter, Denver, Colo. – 95-90-95–280
Claudia Gallegos, Lone Tree, Colo. – 102-92-93–287
Nondis Lowther, Rifle, Colo. – 94-98-96–288
Pat O’Connor, Fort Collins, Colo. – 91-105-94–290
Cindy Speer, Littleton, Colo. – 93-93-105–291
Frankie Hood, Keystone, Colo. – 92-100-103–295
Paula Maes, Castle Rock, Colo. – 102-100-98–300
Angie Pak, Englewood, Colo. – 100-99-103–302
Juliet Miner, Castle Rock, Colo. – 102-104-105–311

FIFTH FLIGHT
Norma Bisdorf, Denver, Colo. – 91-91-97–279
Sally Beswick, Littleton, Colo. – 96-99-100–295
Cindy Ortega, Conifer, Colo. – 95-102-98–295
Nancy Loftus, Englewood, Colo. – 94-98-107–299
Cindy Christiano, Franktown, Colo. – 96-96-108–300
Barbara White, Thornton, Colo. – 112-97-103–312
Susie Goldberg, Denver, Colo. – 109-96-112–317
Kathy Mansueto, Denver, Colo. – 107-108-107–322