But Dunkle, who has long called Parker and The Club at Pradera home, certainly went out on a high note.

In the same week the family home was sold, the 21-year-old claimed the CGA Amateur title on Sunday at Pinehurst Country Club in south Denver. And within the last five weeks, despite battling back problems, he’s also qualified in Fort Collins for the U.S. Amateur and finished ninth and earned low-amateur honors in the CoBank Colorado Open in Denver.

That’s what you call a run of good play.

“This feels great,” Dunkle said of winning the CGA Amateur. “It means a lot. It’s one of the bigger tournaments in Colorado that I had yet to make a run in. It’s fun. To have my name on the trophy with a lot of other really good players (including Hale Irwin, Steve Jones, Brandt Jobe, Bob Byman and Wyndham Clark), that will be a cool thing.

“Growing up in Colorado, this is the tournament that a lot of people want to win. This is where all the best players in the state play. So this definitely ranks up there near the top (of my golf accomplishments). I got to play with a bunch of really good players this week and it was really fun.”

Dunkle, who will soon be going into his final year on the University of Utah golf team, played nearly mistake-free golf on Sunday at the CGA Amateur, making just one bogey in shooting a 3-under-par 67. His 14-under 266 total for the week was good for a two-stroke victory.

“Really there wasn’t anything special about the (final) round,” Dunkle said. “It was just kind of keep plugging along and a couple of putts fell here and there. I wasn’t trying to force anything. I just stuck to my game plan. My dad(/caddie) and I talked about it every tee shot and hit driver as much as we could. We just went and found it and hit it from there.

“I had the same strategy the whole week. I was hitting driver as much as I could, trying to get as close to the green as I could (on par-4s and 5s). The thing that feels best (in my game) right now is my driver. The driver has always been a weapon because I hit the ball pretty far. Lately, I’ve been hitting it pretty straight and haven’t been getting into too much trouble. On a course like this that helped a lot because I was able to get pretty close to a lot of greens.”

It’s the third CGA championship for Dunkle, who has also won a CGA Western Chapter title and a CGA Parent/Child with dad Jason, who caddied for Kyler all this week at Pinehurst. Dunkle was also the CGA’s Les Fowler Player of the Year in 2016. (Kyler is pictured at top, and with Jason while walking off the 18th green on Sunday.)

University of Northern Colorado golfer Coby Welch, from The Links Golf Course, led by two after three rounds, and pulled even on Sunday with Dunkle with a 6-foot birdie putt on No. 15, where he very nearly holed out his approach shot.

But the par-5 16th proved pivotal. Welch’s tee shot ended up just in the right fairway bunker, but he had to stand outside of the sand, making for a somewhat-awkward approach from about 210 yards. He pulled the shot left of the green, then left his pitch short of the putting surface. His subsequent chip ran 15 feet by the hole, and when he missed that putt, he carded a bogey.

The long-hitting Dunkle, meanwhile, hit his second shot on the green, 40 feet past the flag, and two putted for birdie, accounting for a two-shot swing.

“I just got a little unlucky break (on 16),” said Welch (left). “The ball was 6 inches in the bunker right in front of the lip. I hit a decent shot out of there, then I got around the green and my short game got to me again. That’s been the case lately.

“I knew I could get that up and down (for birdie on 16). I’ve gotten (shots like that) up and down a thousand times. I didn’t have a great lie, but I hit two really bad chips. This tournament, I scored well, but my short game wasn’t very good.”

On 17, Dunkle’s tee shot finished well left of the green on the par-3, but he nestled his pitch down a slope to within two feet for par. He called that “one of the bigger moments for me.” And he made a routine par on 18 for the victory.

Welch, a former CGA Boys Junior Player of the Year, had made just one bogey combined on Friday and Saturday. But he had four on Sunday to go with three birdies, one of which was an improbable, big-breaking 60-footer on No. 10. He ended up shooting a 1-over-par 71 and finishing runner-up at 268.

“I didn’t play well. I didn’t clutch up when I needed to,” said Welch, who like Dunkle will play in the U.S. Amateur this month. “It’s unfortunate, but I just didn’t have my best today. I felt fine. To be honest I wasn’t even nervous. But I didn’t perform.

“You always want to finish first, but I’m glad Kyler won. He’s a good kid. If it wasn’t me, I’m glad it was him.”

Griffin Barela (left) of Bear Creek Golf Club made a run to get in contention, one stroke out of the lead with three holes left. But the University of Wisconsin golfer bogeyed the last three to shoot 69 and share third place at 271.

“Going into the day my goal was to try to get to 14 (under) to try to have a chance,” said Barela, who won a college tournament in April and finished 15th last Sunday at the CoBank Colorado Open. “I knew I was one back (after 15). Obviously I didn’t want to finish that way, but I’m happy with how I played this week. I wanted to give myself a chance to win, and I did that. Unfortunately it didn’t work out, but it happens.”

At that 271 figure with Barela were Tyler Zhang of Lone Tree Golf Club (bogey-free final-round 66) and former Colorado State University golfer Dominic Kieffer (67 despite bogeying the last two).

Former University of Denver golfer Chris Korte of Littleton, competing in his final amateur event, encountered considerable tree trouble on Sunday, leading to a triple bogey and two doubles in his final 10 holes. Despite five birdies, he shot 74 and shared sixth place at 273 with Michael Tait of Raccoon Creek Golf Course (final-round 70).

Sunday’s win adds to Dunkle’s list of notable victories in Colorado, which also includes earning the title at the 2017 Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational college tournament and the 2012 5A state high school meet. Dunkle started his college career at CSU before transferring to Utah.
He’ll live in Salt Lake City for the time being, but plans to continue to play tournaments in Colorado in the future, ideally if plans pan out to turn pro late next spring.

But for now, he’s concentrating on making a run at the U.S. Am, which begins on Aug. 13. And why not, considering the way he’s been performing on the golf course lately?

“I’m definitely in a groove. I’ve been playing really good since the beginning of June,” Dunkle said.
For scores from the CGA Amateur, CLICK HERE.

This year, a severe Wedneday night storm led to flooding and a one-day postponement of the start of the championship — and to the event joining ’80 and ’81 as a 54-hole affair.

Which means this week’s Open will be a little more like a middle-distance run than the usual marathon.

With just three rounds, players can ill-afford a bad day and still hope to be in the hunt for the $100,000 first prize at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver.

With that in mind, plenty of players got off to quick starts on Friday, while a couple of the most prominent names in the field went backward.

While Christopher Petefish of Cumming, Ga., and Patrick Stolpe of Scottsdale, Ariz., took the lead with 8-under-par 64s under lift, clean and place rules on Friday, two past champions in the field who have won PGA Tour events struggled on day 1.

Two-time Tour winner Jonathan Kaye, a former University of Colorado golfer and a part-time Boulder resident who won his second Colorado Open last year, opened with a 4-over-par 76.

And 2002 Colorado Open champion Kevin Stadler, winner of the 2014 Phoenix Open on the PGA Tour, posted a 78. Stadler, a part-time Denver resident, shot a 6-over 42 on his first nine, the back at GVR.

Meanwhile, one PGA Tour veteran who is in contention is Shane Bertsch of Parker, the 1998 Colorado Open champion. The 48-year-old shot a 65 on Friday and shares third place with Timothy O’Neal of Savannah, Ga.

Other Coloradans in the top six include two amateurs — 2016 CGA Player of the Year Kyler Dunkle of Parker and Griffin Barela of Lakewood. Dunkle played his last 10 holes in 6 under par and shot 66. Barela carded a 67.

Four-time PGA Tour winner Notah Begay opened with a 69.

Play will continue through Sunday, with a cut to the low 60 players and ties after Saturday’s second round.

For scores from the CoBank Colorado Open, CLICK HERE.

Parker Klitzke of Sioux Falls, S.D., who recently wrapped up his golf career at Augustana University, shot a 9-under-par 62, despite bogeying his final hole, to earn medalist honors out of the field of 87. He made eight consecutive birdies, starting on No. 9, and 10 for the day, to post a course-record-tying score for the combined tees which competitors played on Thursday.

The Colorado Open, set for July 26-29 at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver, will feature a purse of $250,000, with $100,000 going to the winner.

The Coloradans who advanced to the Open include Ross McLean of Boulder (67), Derek Fribbs of Thornton (68), amateur Cal McCoy of Highlands Ranch (68), Josh Gardella of Lone Tree (68), amateur Josh McLaughlin of Loveland (68) and amateur Griffin Barela of Lakewood (69). Barela and Joe Parkinson of Alpine, Utah, birdied the 10th hole to prevail in a nine-for-two playoff.

Fribbs, a former University of Colorado golfer and the 2013 CGA Player of the Year, competed in U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying last month.

Also earning spots in the Colorado Open were former CU golfer Josh Creel of Cheyenne (68) and former Colorado State University player Colton Yates (68).

The remaining qualifying tournaments for the Colorado Open are scheduled for July 17 at Eagle Ranch in Eagle, and July 19 and 23 at Legacy Ridge in Westminster.

Here are the Colorado Open qualifiers from Highlands Ranch GC:

1. Parker Klitzke, Sioux Falls, SD 62
2. Samuel Love, Trussville, Ala. 64
T3. Ross McLean, Boulder 67
T3. Michael Whitehead, Houston 67
T5. Josh Gardella, Lone Tree 68
T5. Derek Fribbs of Thornton 68
T5. Cal McCoy (amateur), Highlands Ranch 68
T5. Josh McLaughlin (amateur), Loveland 68
T5. Colton Yates, Scottsdale, Ariz. 68
T5. Josh Creel, Cheyenne, Wyo. 68
T5. Hans Reimers, Scottsdale, Ariz. 68
T5. Ben Shur, Venura, Calif. 68
T5. Kelby Scharmann, Trabuco Canyon, Calif. 68
T14. Griffin Barela (amateur), Lakewood 69
T14. Joe Parkinson, Alpine, Utah 69

For complete scores from Thursday, CLICK HERE.
 

So far, Colorado’s top junior golfers apparently are really enjoying the home cooking this week.

With two rounds complete and just one left at the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior by Transamerica — arguably the top junior tournament that will be held in Colorado in 2017 — in-state players stand first and second on both the boys and girls leaderboards at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in Westminster. 

On the boys side, two NCAA Division I-bound Coloradans — Griffin Barela of Lakewood (University of Wisconsin) and Trevor Olkowski of Grand Junction (University of Colorado) are in the top two spots. Barela leads by one at 7-under-par 137 after a second-round 70 on Wednesday, while Olkowski fired a tournament-best 65 to vault into second place at 138, good for a tie with William Paysse of Temple, Texas.

“It’s awesome” to have a chance to win a second AJGA title in just over two months, said Barela (pictured), who won a tournament in early April in California. “It just shows the hard work I’ve put in these last couple of years — especially this last offseason — is paying off. Hopefully I can play another solid round tomorrow and win it.

“As a Colorado player, I would love to win this AJGA in my home state. It would be an honor to win this tournament.”

Barela, the reigning Colorado Junior Match Play champion, made four birdies in Wednesday’s round, giving him 11 in two days.

In the 24-player girls tournament, the only golfers at or better than par are two 15-year-old Coloradans: Charlotte Hillary (left) of Cherry Hills Village and girls 3A state high school champion Hailey Schalk of Erie.

Hillary, girls winner of the JGAC Tour Championship last fall (Olkowski won the boys title in that event), has shot her first two sub-par tournaments rounds of the year (69-70) to open a four-stroke lead going into Thursday’s final round. The Kent Denver student has racked up eight birdies so far.

“My putting lately has not been working. All of a sudden I come here and I just feel so confident,” said Hillary, who placed second to Schalk in the 3A state high school tournament last month. “Today I actually did not feel as comfortable with my putting. I had a three-putt on 10 that rattled me a bit, so that made me lose confidence. But I got it back. That’s been the difference between this week (and previously) this year.

“I haven’t shot under par this whole year (in a tournament), so to do it twice in a row … The putter has got to be working, right?”

Schalk, who like Hillary just completed her freshman season of high school (in Schalk’s case at Holy Family), bogeyed two of her last four holes on Wednesday to post a 73, good for a 143 total. 

“I’ll play more aggressive tomorrow, probably, and just play the best that I can,” Schalk said of her final-round plan. “I think it’s a really big opportunity. I think if I can finish in the top five that would be awesome for me.”

Behind the two Coloradans, sharing third place at 145 are Jacqueline Ha of San Ramon, Calif., and Canadian Savannah Grewal.

In the boys tournament, Olkowski, runner-up in this event last year at Highlands Ranch Golf Club, has played his last 22 holes in a remarkable 11 under par and has gone bogey-free for his last 24 holes. He had a poor stretch in the middle of Tuesday’s round — 6 over par in five holes — but other than that the 18-year-old has been outstanding.

“I had the rough stretch yesterday. That really was a setback,” said Olkowski (left). “But I’m happy with the way I’m hitting the ball.

“Today was one of the better scoring rounds I’ve had. I was really consistent and hit a lot of greens (17) and I made the putts I needed to. It was a fun round. This is exactly where I wanted to be. Today I just had to regroup and put myself in position to contend tomorrow, and that’s exactly what I did.”

Two other Coloradans, 3A state high school champion Oliver Jack of Denver and Glen-Michael Mihavetz of Montrose, are also in the top five, sharing fourth place at 141.

Barela has enjoyed considerable success at this course over the last year. Late last June, he qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur at what is now Walnut Creek, posting rounds of 72-69.

“I think this course suits me,” he said. “I played really well here at the U.S. Junior qualifier last year. Just the fact that this is a second-shot golf course, and my iron game is probarly the best part of my game, that sets up well for me. And I’m playing well right now, so that’s a good combination.”

Olkowski also qualified at Walnut Creek for last year’s U.S. Junior Amateur.

No Coloradan has won a title — boys or girls — at the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior by Transamerica in the previous two years of the tournament.

The leading girls will tee off for Thursday’s final round at 11:20 a.m., with the boys going at 12:10 p.m. PAIRINGS

For scores from the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior by Transamerica, CLICK HERE.

A Coloradan — boy or girl — has never won the title at the prestigious AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior by Transamerica, but if Tuesday’s first round is any indication, the in-staters will be giving it a run this year in the third annual event.

After day 1 at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in Westminster, a Colorado resident (Charlotte Hillary of Cherry Hills Village) leads the girls competition, and three of the top four golfers on the girls leaderboard are Coloradans.

And on the boys side, Griffin Barela of Lakewood held the lead for most of the day before he three-putted for bogey on his final hole and his playing partner, William Paysse of Temple, Texas, eagled No. 18 from 15 feet for a 6-under-par 66.

Barela, a recent Lakewood High School graduate who won an AJGA event in California early this spring, holds second place at 67 after a seven-birdie round. He made four birdie putts of longer than 15 feet.

“Obviously, I didn’t want to bogey 18, but other than that I hit a lot of good shots and made some quality putts,” said Barela, 18, who will play his college golf at the University of Wisconsin starting in the fall.

“It’s right up there with my better rounds. It’s probably the best putting round that I can think of. I hit a couple of loose shots on the back nine, but other than that, it’s one of the best rounds I’ve played in a while.”

Hillary (pictured at top), the girls winner of the JGAC Tour Championship last fall, shot the lowest tournament score of her life, making a 5-foot birdie on her final hole for a 3-under-par 69. It was her fifth birdie of the day.

“That’s actually my best tournament round,” said the 15-year-old from Kent Denver. “To have it at an AJGA is such an honor because these tournaments are so difficult and so rigorous. There’s so much competition. To have it in Colorado and be leading after the first day makes you feel really good.”

Hillary, who sank birdie putts of 25 and 40 feet in her first four holes, didn’t make her first par of the tournament until No. 6. But after that she settled in to card two birdies and 11 pars the rest of the way.

“I really wanted to win this week,” she said. “So to have this start makes me feel really good. It makes me want to go even further.”

Not only is Hillary one of three Coloradans in the top four of the girls leaderboard, but all three are fairly young, with Hillary and Hailey Schalk of Erie being 15 and Caroline Jordaan of Denver being 16.

Schalk, winner of the girls 3A state high school title last month, and Jordaan matched 70s to share second place with Savannah Grewal of Canada.

“These tournaments, it’s everyone from around the world, so there’s definitely a lot of tough competition,” said Schalk, who made four birdies and two bogeys on the day. “I like playing well in these.”

Schalk and Jordaan tied for seventh place at last year’s AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior.

“AJGAs are really competitive junior tournaments, so I always try to do my best,” said Jordaan, winner of the North American Junior Amateur in January. “The fields are always stacked, so to have a good round feels good. It’s definitely cool because I’m from here. I’m just hoping to have two more solid rounds.”

In the boys tournament, Barela (left) is looking for his second AJGA victory in just over two months as he won the AJGA Junior at Greenhorn Creek in Angels Camp, Calif., on April 2.

“One of my goals coming into this week was to get in contention to win this event,” said Barela, the boys winner of the Colorado Junior Match Play last summer. “This event is obviously very important and I’d love to win an AJGA in my home state. To be in contention after the first round is very satisfying.”

Joining Paysse and Barela in posting sub-par rounds among the boys on Tuesday were Dillon Stewart of Fort Collins (70), Davis Bryant of Aurora (71), reigning boys 3A state high school champ Oliver Jack of Denver (71), Glen-Michael Mihavetz of Montrose (71), Calvin McCoy of Highlands Ranch (71) and Chase White of San Antonio (71).

That means six of the top eight players in the boys competition are Coloradans.

The 54-hole tournament will continue through Thursday.

2 Tourneys in 2 Days in 2 Different States for Daniel Pearson: Suffice it to say that Daniel Pearson (left) had reason to be worn out by the time Tuesday’s round ended. The golfer from Longmont competed in U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying on Monday, which in his case meant he played 36 holes in Newport Beach, Calif. And though he didn’t earn a U.S. Open berth, he shot a very respectable 75-70–145 to finish 39th out of 103 players.

But that was only the beginning of Pearson’s odyssey. With him competing in the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior by Transamerica — beginning with an 11:13 a.m. tee time in Westminster on Tuesday — it was a hectic night.

He traveled to Los Angeles International Airport, but his flight was delayed 90 minutes, then took “forever” to actually take off. And by the time he arrived at his house on Tuesday, it was 3:30 a.m.

After sleeping for about four hours, he woke up and started getting ready for Tuesday’s round at Walnut Creek.

“I’m pretty tired,” he said after shooting a 77. “But it was fun to play in Sectionals. It was definitely a challenge and good experience. I’m pretty worn out, though.”

For AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior by Transamerica scores, CLICK HERE.
 

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.
 

The 2016 Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s Junior Match Play champion chalked up a win Sunday in the AJGA Junior at Greenhorn Creek in Angels Camp, Calif.

Barela, a 2016 U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier, posted rounds of 70-67 for a 7-under-par 137 and won by three over Daulet Tuleubayev of Kazakhstan. Barela carded an eagle, nine birdies and four bogeys over the two rounds.

Barela, a Lakewood High School senior, has signed a letter of intent to play his college golf at the University of Wisconsin.

Colorado’s AJGA event, the Hale Irwin Colorado Junior by Transamerica, will be held June 6-8 at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in Westminster.
 

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
 

The historic Cherry Hills Country Club will host the Junior Tour Championship for both boys and girls Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 8-9). The by-invitation-only-event will feature 40 boys and 20 girls.

Kyle Pearson of Highlands Ranch, who won the 5A state high school individual title last week, and 4A champion Luke Trujillo of Colorado Springs are scheduled to compete in the boys tournament, along with 2015 4A state high school winner Jackson Solem of Longmont.

Also entered are Griffin Barela of Lakewood (winner of a previous major this year, the Junior Match Play); Davis Bryant of Aurora (5A runner-up this year); Cole Krantz of Windsor (third place in 4A, one shot out of the playoff between Trujillo and Solem); and Trevor Olkowski of Grand Junction (a 2016 U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier along with Barela).

In the girls tournament at Cherry Hills, entrants include the runners-up in both the 5A (Amy Chitkoksoong of Aurora) and 4A (Caroline Jordaan of Cherry Hills Village) girls state high school meets, along with Arielle Keating of Colorado Springs, who finished sixth in the girls 14-15 division at the Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals at Augusta National in the spring.

Some of the top junior performers from this past summer aren’t in the fields as they’re now playing college golf, including AJ Ott of Fort Collins (Colorado State) and Mary Weinstein of Highlands Ranch (Regis University).

The JGAC will hold its 2016 awards banquet at Cherry Hills almost immediately following Sunday’s final round.

For Saturday’s pairings, CLICK HERE.

Also taking place this weekend will be an event featuring many of the top 13-and-under players in the state — the Junior Ryder Cup at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora. Scheduled are nine-hole four-ball and foursomes matches on Saturday and 18-hole singles on Sunday.

For Saturday’s Junior Ryder Cup pairings, CLICK HERE.