Earning Optimist International Junior berths on Thursday were, in the boys 16-18 division: U.S. Open Sectional qualifier Daniel Pearson of Longmont (1-under-par 69), John McGinley of Casper, Wyo. (69), Marcus Tait of Littleton (70), Noah Vrencur of Boulder (70), Dillon Stewart of Fort Collins (71) and TJ Shehee of Mead (71).

The boys 16-18 tournament will be held July 30-Aug. 2 in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Nine additional players qualified from the boys 14-15 division: Connor Jones of Westminster (even-par 70), Jack Hughes of Aspen (70), Walker Franklin of Broomfield (71), Jaren Calkins of Lander, Wyo. (71), Dawson Hussong of Montrose (72), Ben Zimmerman of Englewood (73), Ryder Heuston of Louisville (75), Brayden Weiss of Superior (76) and Hardy Johnston of Thermopolis, Wyo. (76).

The boys 14-15 Optimist International tourney is scheduled for July 25-28, also in Palm Beach Gardens.

Another Optimist qualifier — for five other gender/age divisions, will be held Friday at Fitzsimons Golf Course in Aurora.

For complete results, click on the following: BOYS 16-18, BOYS 14-15
 

Hale Irwin is arguably the most well-known golf figure associated with the state of Colorado.

And why not? He attended high school (Boulder HS) and college (University of Colorado) in the state. He won a state high school tournament, an NCAA individual golf title 50 years ago this month, and five CGA state championships in the 1960s. And he was quite a football player to boot, being twice named an All-Big Eight defensive back.

And in a professional golf tour career that’s spanned 49 years, he’s won 20 times on the PGA Tour, including three U.S. Opens. In fact, he remains the oldest person to win a U.S. Open after earning the title at age 45 in 1990. Then after turning 50, he’s won a record 45 times on PGA Tour Champions, 13 more than second-place Bernhard Langer.

On Sunday, Irwin returned to his old stomping grounds to conduct a junior clinic leading up to the AJGA tournament that bears his name. The AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior by Transamerica will be held Tuesday through Thursday at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in Westminster. That’s where about 125 junior golfers and their families asked questions of the World Golf Hall of Famer and he imparted some wisdom — both related to golf and in general.

He also met with the current group that makes up the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program that’s based at CGA-owned CommonGround Golf Course. (Irwin’s son, Steve, serves on the CGA volunteer board of governors and was the CGA Player of the Year in 2004.)

Before Irwin held his clinic, coloradogolf.org had a chance to chat with Colorado golf’s favorite son. Here’s the Q&A from Sunday, the day Irwin was named one of the honorees of the 2018 Memorial Tournament that Jack Nicklaus hosts (Irwin won the Memorial twice and finished second twice in playoffs there). He turned 72 on Saturday.

Q: Compare your junior golf experience to what these kids have had.

HI: It was wildly different. The junior program back when I was a junior was sort of hit and miss. There weren’t very many tournaments — nothing organized like the AJGA or The First Tees, nothing near like that. So I think these kids are enjoying the fruits of a lot of years of people being concerned about their development and how golf can help influence their lives in a very positive way, whether they become professional (golfers) or not. And frankly I hope many of them don’t. But I do think golf will lead them in a direction that is very, very positive. Some of the best people that I’ve ever met have been involved with golf in some way, shape or form through all these years.

Back to your original question: The excitement is no different (than when Irwin was a teenager); the levels of success are vastly different. These kids are probably far better than what we as juniors used to be. You could count on maybe two hands the number of kids that played effective junior golf in the state of Colorado. Now just in that room (at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve on Sunday afternoon), you had 20 kids that are extremely good. The success of these programs is of particular importance to all kids out there that can look to golf as a life-maker.

Q: Is there anything to be said for the way you did it, which was self-taught almost completely?

HI: There wasn’t anything available when I was a kid. There were some teachers around, but not like we have today. The equipment availability … The golf course availability just wasn’t there. How could I, in Boulder, go down to Cherry Hills, for instance, and ever play? I couldn’t. You bring up a good point. Sometimes it’s best to go out and learn the hard way. The school of hard knocks is really a good school to graduate from. But at the same time, I’m not saying this (the way it’s done now) is wrong, but I think there’s a good blend. These kids are challenged, as they should be. It’s just a different world in which we live. I don’t know if one’s right and one’s wrong, but I have a hard time not encouraging these kids to learn on their own. I think it’s very important that they learn who they are and what they can do at an early age so they’ll know what to do later on in life.

Q: This month 50 years ago you won the NCAA title (while a CU golfer). Twenty-five years ago, you went into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Aside from people like me asking you questions about it, do you ever sit back and take stock of your career?

HI: On occasion, I suppose, simply because I probably use it more to prove a point to somebody else. I’m not trying to prove a point to me. Actually, I’m not trying to prove a point, I’m trying to show a point — to show what you can do coming from let’s say the background from which I came, which was not all golf-oriented. You know the history. Am I proud of that? Absolutely. You mentioned the NCAA. I was just talking to a couple of guys up at Muirfield Village (where the Memorial was concluding on Sunday) a few days ago about that. Yeah, I’m very proud of that. I’m very proud that it kind of put Colorado golf on the map, so to speak. I don’t look at it as boastful. I look at it to learn from it. Use that (so) maybe these kids can learn from an example that you don’t have to live in Florida, you don’t have to live in Arizona, you don’t have to live in California to have golf and be successful at it. It can come from anywhere. While I’m proud of those points, I don’t dwell on them because I’d rather use those as a discussion point to leapfrog others ahead in their successes.

Q: The golfer that won the CoBank Colorado Senior Open the other day was Jeff Gallagher. Unsolicited, he said, ‘Boy, I’ve made it through about 20 years on various tours.’ But he brought up Tom Watson and you, and he marveled at the longevity you’ve had (as tour players). What’s been the key to that, other than maybe good genes?

HI: I don’t really know. My parents (Hale Sr. and Mame Irwin) were of that great generation. They had great qualities instilled in them through the hard times. They went through two world wars, the Great Depression. They grew up in Oklahoma; they had the Dust Bowl. They didn’t have anything. They taught me the value of having something. What I think I was able to carry forward was that discipline to take on the task and see it through. One of the things my dad taught me long ago was, ‘Don’t start something you can’t finish.’ As I look back on his life, that’s exactly what he did: He finished things off regardless of how monumental the task may be. I think that was one of the things that got me through football (at CU). Was that something I should have done? It was the only thing that was in front of me. Did I want to play? Well, I enjoyed it. I had great friends and I still love those teammates with whom I played. But I looked at it more as, ‘That’s how I worked my way through school to play the ultimate game, which became golf.’ But I learned a lot along the way. The tasks are not easy to be successful. That level of success is not given to everybody. You have to kind of earn it. Sometimes the hard way is the best way to do it.

Q: Given what Bernhard Langer has done in the last few weeks (two wins in senior majors, giving him 32 total Champions victories, which leaves him 13 behind Irwin), do you think he has a shot at your Champions career victory record?

HI: The way he’s going, he’ll do it this year (laugh). Bernhard is playing very well; there’s no doubt about it. If he does, he does. There’s nothing I can do about it except play better myself. The best golf I played in my life was when I was 52 and 53 years old so you can have success later in life, and Bernhard is playing very, very well right now. I have a hard time answering that question. Others say, ‘No, I don’t think it’s possible.’ I don’t think he’s going to win enough tournaments this year, and then next year he’ll be 61 (in August, 2018). All I can say is, there comes a time where your performance level does start deteriorating relatively rapidly. Not that he’s there yet. I think he’s still got a couple more years in front of him, but there are some really good players out there and their games will start kicking in. He seems to be peaking right now at the best possible opportunity. But we need somebody to step up and give him that challenge. But every time that happens, he rises to the challenge. I would applaud (him breaking the record) because I know hard it is to get there. If he were to do it, I’d be the first man to shake his hand.

——————————————————————————————-

Three More Coloradans Qualify for Hale Irwin Colorado Junior: Prior to Irwin’s clinic on Sunday, a qualifying tournament was held for the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior by Transamerica, and 10 juniors were added to the field, including three Coloradans.

Qualifying on Sunday were six boys: Ryan Liao of Littleton (71), Darren Edwards of Loveland (73), Hayes Haydon of Austin, Texas (73), Justin Hopkins of Danville, Calif. (74), Isaak Ramsey of Peoria, Ill. (74), Charlie Hillis of Lincoln, Neb. (74), Bridger Tenney of Evergreen (75) and Matthew Adams of Los Altos, Calif. (75).

Two girls also qualified: Noelle Song of Stevenson Ranch, Calif. (75) and Trussy Li of China and Diamond Bar, Calif. (76).

After a Junior-Am Fundraising Tournament and practice rounds on Monday, the 54-hole tournament will begin Tuesday for boys and girls competitors age 12-19.

Among the top Colorado boys in the field are three NCAA Division I letter-of intent-signees: Griffin Barela of Lakewood (University of Wisconsin), Trevor Olkowski of Grand Junction (University of Colorado) and Daniel Pearson of Longmont (University of Nebraska), though Pearson will be competing in 36-hole U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying on Monday. Also in the boys field are 2016 3A state champion Oliver Jack of Denver, 4A winner Luke Trujillo of Colorado Springs, 5A champ Kyle Pearson (5A) and Davis Bryant of Aurora, a 2015 U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier and 2016 Colorado Junior America’s Cup team member.

On the girls side, two recent winners of state high school titles are entered: Hailey Schalk of Erie (3A) and Lauren Lehigh of Loveland (4A). Also planning to compete is Charlotte Hillary of Cherry Hills Village, winner of the 2016 JGAC Junior Tour Championship.

In all, 96 players will be in the field.

For more information on the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior by Transamerica, CLICK HERE.

Three-time U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin, who lent his name to the event, will conduct a by-invitation-only clinic and Q&A for junior golfers and their families on Sunday afternoon (June 4) on the eve of the event, which runs Tuesday through Thursday.

Irwin, a graduate of Boulder High School and the University of Colorado, has won 20 times on the PGA Tour and a record 45 times on PGA Tour Champions. Before going pro, he won a state high school individual title, five CGA championships and the 1967 NCAA title while at CU.

Irwin’s clinic (he’s pictured during the 2015 AJGA event) will take place after Sunday’s qualifying tournament. On Monday, there will be a Junior-Am Fundraising Tournament and practice rounds, and the 54-hole tournament will begin Tuesday for boys and girls competitors age 12-19.

Among the top Colorado boys in the field are three NCAA Division I letter of intent signees: Griffin Barela of Lakewood (University of Wisconsin), Trevor Olkowski of Grand Junction (University of Colorado) and Daniel Pearson of Longmont (University of Nebraska), though Pearson recently learned he’ll be competing in 36-hole U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying on Monday. Also in the boys field are 2016 3A state champion Oliver Jack of Denver, 4A winner Luke Trujillo of Colorado Springs, 5A champ Kyle Pearson (5A) and Davis Bryant of Aurora, a 2015 U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier and 2016 Colorado Junior America’s Cup team member.

On the girls side, two recent winners of state high school titles are entered: Hailey Schalk of Erie (3A) and Lauren Lehigh of Loveland (4A). Also expected to compete are Charlotte Hillary of Cherry Hills Village, winner of the 2016 JGAC Junior Tour Championship.

In all, 96 players — from 18 states and five countries — will be in the field.

For more information on the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior by Transamerica, CLICK HERE.
 

When the first Colorado-based U.S. Open Local Qualifier for 2017 was held May 8 at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in Westminster, three players shot 73, which ended up being a tie for seventh place.

With the top five finishers advancing to the second and final stage of U.S. Open Qualifying — the 36-hole Sectionals, set for June 5 at 10 sites in the U.S. — and two alternates being needed, Daniel Pearson was one of three players who should have played off for the second alternate spot. But the Longmont resident who recently graduated from Fairview High School in Boulder was the only one of the three who stuck around to the end after a day that featured two lightning delays totaling more than 2 1/2 hours.

Second alternates in USGA qualifying tournaments rarely end up getting the call to actually advance, but in this case, Pearson did.

After Golden’s Chris Thayer, who shot 71, withdrew from Sectionals, first alternate Jon Lindstrom of Broomfield got called up. Then this week, Lindstrom found out that some work-related issues would preclude him from competing in Sectionals, so Pearson (pictured) was the next man up.

The University of Nebraska golf signee will be one of at least 16 Colorado residents who will compete in Sectionals on June 5, with the top finishers at those 10 tournaments realizing a dream of qualifying for the U.S. Open, which this year is set for June 15-18 at Erin Hills in Erin, Wis.

Other Coloradans who have punched their tickets to Sectionals include Jason Preeo of Highlands Ranch, Parker Edens of Greeley, Hunter Paugh of Fort Collins, David Oraee of Greeley, Zahkai Brown of Golden, Josh Seiple of Castle Rock, Jake Staiano of Englewood, Pat Grady of Denver, Rich Lash of Denver, Jackson Solem of Longmont, Jacob Lestishen of Lone Tree, Ross Macdonald of Castle Pines, Andy Connell of Denver, PGA Tour player Shane Bertsch of Parker and Greg Condon of Monte Vista.

Pearson, runner-up in last year’s Colorado Junior Amateur, will be the second 2016 Colorado Junior America’s Cup player to make Sectionals, joining fellow Longmont resident Solem.

So the moral of the story may be, there is hope for second alternates in USGA qualifying tournaments after all. And, as a corollary, sticking around for second-alternate playoffs may be worthwhile.
 

Included are at least eight Coloradans who will play NCAA Division I golf. Among them are 2015 4A state high school champion Jackson Solem of Longmont (headed to the University of Denver), 2016 JGAC Junior Tour Championship winner Trevor Olkowski of Grand Junction (University of Colorado), 2015 Colorado Junior PGA Championship winner Cole Krantz of Windsor (also CU), 2016 Colorado Junior Match Play champ Griffin Barela of Lakewood (University of Wisconsin), Daniel Pearson of Fairview High School, who placed fourth in the 5A state meet (University of Nebraska) and Glen-Michael Mihavetz of Montrose (Monmouth).

And on the women’s golf side, Jordan Remley of Lakewood, a fifth-place finisher in the 2016 5A state tournament, is headed to the University of Wyoming. Amelia Lee of Castle Rock has committed to Creighton.

(Updated Nov. 11) Here are some of the Class of 2017 players from Colorado who have signed, or are expected to sign, letters of intent this fall:

Boys
Griffin Barela of Lakewood (Lakewood HS) — Wisconsin
Jacob Hoekert of Woodland Park (Colorado Springs Christian School) — Taylor University in Updland, Ind.
Cole Krantz of Windsor (Windsor HS) — Colorado
Glen-Michael Mihavetz of Montrose (Montrose HS) ““ Monmouth University in West Long Branch, N.J.
Trevor Olkowski of Grand Junction (Grand Junction HS) — Colorado
Owen Pasvogel (Discovery Canyon HS) — Northern Colorado
Daniel Pearson of Longmont (Fairview HS) — Nebraska
Jackson Solem of Longmont (attends Longmont Christian HS, played for Silver Creek HS) — Denver
JT Snowden (Rock Canyon HS) — Cal Lutheran
Tyler Zhang of Lone Tree (Regis Jesuit HS) — Regis University
Zach Zurcher (Valor Christian HS) — Faulkner University in Montgomery, Ala.

Girls
Julia Baroth of Denver (Denver East HS) — University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
Alexis Chan (Rock Canyon HS) — Carleton College (Minn)
Tabitha Diehl (Mountain Vista HS) — Rhodes College
Amelia Lee of Castle Rock (Rock Canyon HS) — Creighton
Hannah More of Littleton (Mullen HS) — Colorado Mesa
Jordan Remley of Lakewood (Ralston Valley HS) — Wyoming
Kellsey Sample of Monument (Palmer Ridge HS) — CSU Pueblo

Also
JGAC member Easton Paxton of Riverton, Wyo. — North Carolina State

Out-of-State Players Signing with Colorado Colleges (Updated May 25, 2017)

Boys
Air Force Academy
Kyle Spencer of Mount Pleasant, S.C.

Colorado State University
Jack Ainscough of Hartlepool, England
Andrew Lafferty of Alpharetta, Ga.
Cullen Plousha of Carlsbad, Calif.
Parathakorn Suyasri of Chonburi, Thailand

University of Colorado
Daniel O’Loughlin of Nottingham, England (sophomore-to-be transferring from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La.)

University of Denver
John Sand of Hoquiam, Wash.

University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
Isaac Spillum of Paradise Valley, Ariz.

Girls
University of Colorado
Alisha Lau of British Columbia, Canada
Katie Stribling of Tustin, Calif.

Colorado State University
Haley Greb of Pendleton, Ore.

University of Denver
Anni Heck of Eagen, Minn.
Caroline Klemp, Lansing, Kan.

Looking ahead to future years, 3A state high school champion Oliver Jack from Kent Denver has verbally committed to attend CU beginning in 2018. And Eaglecrest junior Davis Bryant, runner-up in the 5A state high school tournament this fall, has said he’ll play at Colorado State starting in 2018. Bryant qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur in 2015.

If other Colorado junior golfers have signed to play college golf beginning in 2017, please email us at golfjournal@coloradogolf.org
 

This fall, the 5A state tournament is set for Bookcliff Country Club in Grand Junction and the 4A is at River Valley Ranch Golf Club in Carbondale. The 3A state meet, meanwhile, will be hosted by Saddle Rock Golf Course in Aurora.

Also unusual this year is that there will be three former individual champions that will be seeking their second state high school title. Jackson Solem (pictured) of Silver Creek (4A) and Sam Taylor of Peak to Peak (3A) won individual state crowns last year, and Yale Kim of the Dawson School (3A) prevailed in 2014 before finishing sixth a year ago.
     
Meanwhile, the two schools that are tied for the most boys state high school team titles in Colorado, Cherry Creek and Kent Denver, both qualified a team this year and have the opportunity to notch championship No. 9 — Creek in 5A and Kent in 3A. Kent, in fact, will be one of the favorites in the 3A tournament after having placed second last year.

Here’s a quick look at each of the state tournaments:

5A at Bookcliff: Regis Jesuit has had a remarkable run in recent years, having won five state team titles in the past six years. But last season, the Raiders won by just a stroke over runners-up Coronado and Lakewood. And Regis finished third in this year’s regional state qualifying tournament, behind Fairview and Lakewood.
   
Fairview’s Daniel Pearson, who has committed to play his college golf at the University of Nebraska, had the best score in a 2016 regional state qualifying tourney, a 6-under-par 66 at Broadlands.
   
Here are the top 10 finishers from state last year who will be in the field at Bookcliff: Trevor Olkowski of Grand Junction (third in 2015); Tyler Zhang of Regis, Josh Caridi of Fossil Ridge and 2016 Colorado Junior Match Play champion Griffin Barela of Lakewood (tied for fifth). Barela is headed to the University of Wisconsin for his college golf.

4A at River Valley Ranch: Solem, a future University of Denver golfer, will attempt to become the first back-to-back winner of the 4A individual title since Cheyenne Mountain’s Tom Glissmeyer in 2003 and ’04 (Valor Christian’s Wyndham Clark won two 4A titles, but not consecutively.)
   
Solem, who won a regional title en route to his state crown last year, shot a 5-under-par 67 at Boomerang in claiming a 2016 regional championship.
   
Five top-10 finishers from 2015 return for this year: Solem (first in ’15); Cole Krantz of Windsor (third); Mathew Casias of Pueblo South (fifth); and Glen-Michael Mihavetz of Montrose and Lenny Urbas of Evergreen (tied for seventh).
   
Meanwhile, Valor Christian will try to win its fourth straight 4A state team title — and sixth since 2009. Silver Creek, winner of nine consecutive regional championships, may make a run at the top spot this time.

3A at Saddle Rock: An amazing nine of the top 11 finishers from last year will be back for next week’s tournament. That includes former champs Taylor and Kim.
   
Here the rundown: Taylor (first in 2015); Oliver Jack of Kent Denver and Ivan Richmond of Estes Park (tied for second); Billy Howenstein of Dawson School (fifth); Kim and Holden Kleager of Basalt (tied for sixth); Brayden Lambrecht of Sterling, Ian Thorpe of Peak to Peak and Nishant Datta of Peak to Peak (tied for eighth).
   
Taylor also will be hoping for a repeat in the team competition as Peak to Peak claimed the title last year.
 

Here are the team and individual champions from the recent regional state qualifying tournaments:

— 5A Southern (at South Suburban GC) — Team: Arapahoe 222; Individual: Ethan Alexander, Monarch, 71.

— 5A Central (at City Park GC) — Team: Highlands Ranch 217; Individual: Kyle Pearson, Highlands Ranch, 68.

— 5A Northern (at Saddle Rock GC) — Team: Fossil Ridge 221; Individual: Bradley Scalia, Cherokee Trail, 71.

— 5A Western (at Broadlands) — Team: (tie) Fairview and Lakewood 218; Individual: Daniel Pearson, Fairview.

— 4A Region 4 (at Adobe Creek GC) — Team: Montrose 223; Individual: Micah Stangebye, Montrose, 69.

— 4A Region 1 (at Elmwood GC) — Team: Discovery Canyon 219; Individual (tie) Luke Trujillo, Discovery Canyon, 71; Drew Egan, Pueblo County, 71; and Owen Pasvogel, Discovery Canyon, 71.

— 4A Region 2 (at Broken Tee GC) — Team: Valor Christian 221; Individual: Jake Welch, Valor Christian, 70.

— 4A Region 3 (at Boomerang GL) — Team: Silver Creek 217; Individual: Jackson Solem, Silver Creek, 67.

— 3A Region 3 (at Northeastern 18) — Team Sterling 227; Individual: Brayden Lambrecht, Sterling, 72.

— 3A Region 4 (at Devil’s Thumb) — Team: Aspen 233; Individual: Holden Kleager, Basalt, 73.

— 3A Region 1 (at Hollydot) — Team: Alamosa 239; Individual: Hayden Wehe, Alamosa, 69.

— 3A Region 2 (at CommonGround GC) — Team: Kent Denver 216; Individual: Oliver Jack, Denver East, 71.

Here are the pairings for Monday’s first rounds of state: 5A, 4A, 3A

The squad representing the CGA tied for sixth Thursday out of 18 teams in the JAC, which features representatives from the western U.S., Canada and Mexico. A year ago, the Coloradans matched their best showing ever by placing third.

With its top three individual scores counting toward the team total, Colorado posted a 7-over-par 223 total on Thursday at Guadalajara Country Club in Mexico. That left the CGA squad at 6-over 654 overall, tied with Hawaii for the sixth spot. The four Colorado players went eagle, birdie, birdie, birdie on the final hole Thursday.

Washington (639) claimed the team title by one over San Diego.

Individually, Cole Krantz of Windsor led the Coloradans, making birdies on his last three holes and finishing 17th at 1-over-par 217. Davis Bryant of Aurora (218) closed with a birdie and was 21st, while Jackson Solem of Longmont (220) did likewise and was 30th. Daniel Pearson of Longmont (224) made eagle on the 18th Thurday and placed 45th. (Bryant is pictured above hitting a bunker shot under the watchful eyes of captain Dustin Jensen from the CGA.)

Here are the round-by-round scores for the Coloradans:

6. Colorado 218-213-223–654
17. Cole Krantz of Windsor 73-71-73–217
21. Davis Bryant of Aurora 72-71-75–218
30. Jackson Solem of Longmont 74-71-75–220
45. Daniel Pearson of Longmont 73-74-77–224

For all the scores from the JAC, CLICK HERE.
 

The Coloradans jumped from ninth to fifth in the 18-team JAC standings thanks to a 3-under-par 213 round on Wednesday. With a 1-under 431 total, they’re five strokes behind leader San Diego and just one of a three-way tie for second place with one round remaining at Guadalajara Country Club in Mexico.

A CGA team has never finished better than third in its 31 previous appearances in the Junior America’s Cup, which features squads from the western U.S., Canada and Mexico. Each day, the three best scores from each team count toward its total.

In Wednesday’s case, that meant Colorado counted three scores of 1-under-par 71 — shot by Davis Bryant of Aurora, Jackson Solem of Longmont and Cole Krantz of Windsor. Bryant and Solem were on the Colorado team that placed third at last year’s JAC.

With the help of an eagle on Wednesday, Bryant leads the Coloradans individually this year as he stands at 1-under-par 143 and shares seventh place. Krantz, who birdied three of his last four holes, is a stroke back at 144 (11th place), while Solem stands at 145 (19th place) after concluding with a birdie. Rounding out the CGA team is Daniel Pearson of Longmont, who is 32nd at 147 after a 74 on Wednesday.

Ryan Maine of Washington leads the individual competition by three with a 7-under-par 137 total after carding a 67 on Wednesday.

Here are the round-by-round scores for the Coloradans:

5. Colorado 218-213–431
7. Davis Bryant of Aurora 72-71–143
11. Cole Krantz of Windsor 73-71–144
19. Jackson Solem of Longmont 74-71–145
32. Daniel Pearson of Longmont 73-74–147

For all the scores from the JAC, CLICK HERE.
   

The four-player squad representing the CGA recorded a 2-over-par 218 total, leaving the Coloradans ninth in the 18-team field from the western U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Colorado has played well in the JAC in recent years, placing in the top four three times since 2011, including finishing third last year.

With two rounds remaining this week, Southern California leads the way at 4-under 212, good for a three-stroke advantage. The top three scores for each squad count toward the team total.

Davis Bryant of Aurora, who along with Jackson Solem of Longmont is competing in his second straight JAC, fired an even-par 72 to lead the way for the Colorado contingent. After playing the par-3s in 3 under par, he shares 14th place overall.

Daniel Pearson of Longmont and Cole Krantz of Windsor shot 73s (21st place), while Solem carded a 74 (33rd place). Krantz closed with an eagle on Tuesday.

(The Colorado squad is pictured, from left: Bryant, Pearson, Solem and Krantz.)

Five players recorded 69s on Tuesday to share the individual lead.

The competition continues through Thursday.

For all the scores from the JAC, CLICK HERE.
 

The 54-hole championship will run Wednesday through Friday (July 13-15).

As with last month’s Colorado Junior Amateur, a boys and girls championship will be held simultaneously at the same site.

Mary Weinstein of Highlands Ranch will attempt to win her second JGAC major of the year, while Cole Krantz of Windsor will be defending his boys title in the Junior PGA Championship.

Among the other 58 boys competing are AJ Ott of Fort Collins, runner-up in both the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior and the national PGA Junior Series event at the Air Force Academy; 2015 CGA Junior Player of the Year Coby Welch of Highlands Ranch; 4A state high school champion Jackson Solem of Longmont; and Davis Bryant of Aurora and Daniel Pearson of Longmont, like Solem and Krantz members of the 2016 CGA Junior America’s Cup team.

Weinstein, the 2015 CWGA Junior Player of the Year and winner of the 5A state high school title and the Colorado Junior Amateur this year, will be joined in the 29-player girls field by 4A state high school champion and 2015 U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifier Erin Sargent of Longmont; 2015 CWGA Junior Match Play champ Amy Chitkoksoong of Aurora; and Jaclyn Murray of Grand Junction, like Chitkoksoong a member of the CWGA Girls Junior America’s Cup team.

For Junior PGA Championship tee times, click on the following: BOYS, GIRLS