Eighth-seeded Jack Hughes of Aspen defeated top-seeded Dillon Stewart of Fort Collins, winner of last week’s Junior America’s Cup, 5 and 3 in Tuesday afternoon’s quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, 12th-seeded Tyler Severin of Johnstown topped fourth-seeded Connor Jones of Westminster, 3 and 2. And Christopher Kennedy of Aurora, who played in the U.S. Junior Amateur earlier this month, beat second-seeded Jake Welch, winner of the 2018 Colorado Junior Amateur, 3 and 1.

Jack Castiglia of Lakewood, runner-up in this event last year, kept some semblance of order by defeating 11th-seeded Ty Findlow of Lone Tree, 7 and 5.

In Wednesday morning’s semifinals, Hughes will face Severin and Kennedy will meet Castiglia.

On the girls side, most of the favorites made the final four on Tuesday by winning two matches. That includes top-seeded Lauren Lehigh of Loveland, No. 2 Hailey Schalk of Erie and No. 4 Charlotte Hillary of Englewood, along with No. 6 Kaylee Chen of Denver. In the semis, Lehigh will face Hillary and Schalk will play the 14-year-old Chen.

In perhaps the best matchup of Tuesday’s girls quarterfinals, Hillary defeated Katie Berrian of Castle Rock, winner of the girls title in the Colorado Junior Amateur earlier this month, 3 and 2. Hillary is fresh off making the match play round of 32 at the California Women’s Amateur Championship.

Earlier in the day, Hillary beat Natasha Brandy McClain of Denver 9 and 8.

Lehigh and Schalk were teammates — along with Kelsey Webster of Boulder and Emma Bryant of Aurora — last week on the Colorado squad that finished fifth out of 18 at the Girls Junior Americas Cup at Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen. And Hillary and Schalk were partners that made the round of 32 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball in late April. Schalk won the Colorado Junior Match Play title in 2016.

At the conclusion of Wednesday morning’s boys and girls semifinals, the winners will meet in the afternoon for the Junior Match Play titles.

For the Colorado Junior Match Play brackets, click on the following: BOYS, GIRLS.
 

Meanwhile, the top seven seeds are through to the round of 16 in the girls tournament — the top three via byes and the other four through victories on Monday.

Stewart, fresh off his individual and Colorado team victories in the Junior America’s Cup, scored a 5-and-4 victory over reigning 3A state high school champion Davis Long of Lafayette.

Second-seeded Jake Welch of Highlands Ranch, winner of the Colorado Junior Amateur boys title earlier this month, defeated James Clark of Lamar in 19 holes, winning with a par. And No. 3-seeded Jack Castiglia of Lakewood needed 20 holes to overcome Caleb Busta of Centennial.

On the girls side, the top three sides — Lauren Lehigh of Loveland, Hailey Schalk of Erie and Marie Jordaan of Lakewood — had byes in the round of 32. But fourth-seeded Charlotte Hillary of Englewood, who advanced to the match play round of 32 at last week’s California Women’s Amateur Championship, posted a 5-and-3 win over Kate Griffin of Colorado Springs.

Also among those advancing were girls Colorado Junior Amateur champion Katie Berrian of Castle Rock, who defeated Allie Nocera of Arvada, 4 and 3.

Two rounds of matches — the Sweet 16 and the quarterfinals — will be contested on Tuesday, with the semifinals and finals set for Wednesday.

For the Colorado Junior Match Play brackets, click on the following: BOYS, GIRLS.
 

But with the change, one Coloradan will have the opportunity for No. 3 this year.

Davis Bryant of Aurora, who has won the last four Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado majors in which he’s competed, has qualified for the 2015 and ’17 U.S. Junior Ams. And he can add one last one next week before he starts his college golf career at Colorado State University in the fall. Bryant went to 21 holes in the match play round of 64 at last year’s Junior Am.

Buffalo Run Golf Course in Commerce City will host the 18-hole U.S. Junior Amateur qualifying on Tuesday (June 26), with 79 competitors vying for three spots in the national championship. Baltusrol in Springfield, N.J., a major championship venue many times in the past, will be the site for the national event July 16-21.

Also trying to earn a return trip to the U.S. Junior Amateur on Tuesday will be TJ Shehee of Mead, who advanced last year.

Likewise in the field at Buffalo Run will be Dillon Stewart of Fort Collins, who won the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior early this month; Cal McCoy of Highlands Ranch, who captured the title earlier this week in the JGAC Tour event at Black Bear Golf Club in Parker; U.S. Open Sectional qualifier Jack Castiglia of Lakewood; and 3A state high school runner-up Walker Franklin of Broomfield.

For Tuesday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.

It was go low or go home on Wednesday in a U.S. Open Local Qualifying tournament at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.

A year after no one shot lower than 68 in this event at CommonGround, six golfers posted better totals than that. And 13 players carded 69s or lower.

With five golfers out of the original field of 84 advancing to the second and final stage of U.S. Open qualifying, Jonathan Kuzava of Littleton fired a personal-best 7-under-par 64 to earn medalist honors. Former University of Colorado golfer Tom Gempel, now a teaching pro at The Pinery Country Club in Parker, managed a 65 to land the second spot. (The two are pictured, with Kuzava at left.)

Four players posted 67s, forcing a playoff for the final three berths. Glenn Workman (below, in a white shirt) of Pueblo West, who turned pro on the first tee after wrapping up his college career at the University of Wyoming, got up and down for par on the second playoff hole to advance. The same was true of Jack Castiglia of Lakewood, part of the Hale Irwin Player Program at CommonGround. Workman, the 2017 CGA Amateur champion, will graduate from Wyoming on Saturday, and Castiglia from Lakewood High School this month.

The final Sectional qualifier was Davis Bryant of Aurora, who won the 5A state high school title at CommonGround in October. Bryant, the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s Boys Player of the Year in 2017, atoned for a missed 3-foot par putt on the second playoff hole to drain a 5-foot birdie on the third extra hole to advance. Darrin Hall of Golden, who bogeyed the second playoff hole, missed a 5-foot birdie attempt on the third extra hole and had to settle for the first alternate position.

Like Castiglia, Bryant will graduate from high school this month, in his case from Eaglecrest. Bryant will play his college golf at Colorado State University and Castiglia at the University of Northern Colorado.

All five players who advanced on Wednesday will be going to U.S. Open Sectionals for the first time.

“It’s cool because I remember growing up at Columbine (Country Club, which used to host a U.S. Open Sectional) and watching all these guys come through for Sectionals when it was there,” said Kuzava, a son of well-known Denver media personality Steve Kelly. “I got to see Tom Kite and guys like that come through there. It was like, ‘Man, this is cool.’ I never thought I’d go through to that stage ever. I’m glad I didn’t think about it today; otherwise I probably wouldn’t have done it.”

Kuzava, 29, didn’t play high school or college golf — in fact, he was a backup quarterback at CSU-Pueblo. But he’s developed his game on the Florida mini tours, including one called the Florida Fresh Meat Pro Golf Tour, where he once posted a win.

“You won and you got $400 and they gave you all these coupons for this meat company down there,” Kuzava said with a smile.

“It’s crazy to me to think that even a few years ago, I didn’t even know I could do something like this,” he said of advancing to Sectionals. “I give credit to God because there’s no way I could have done it on my own. I don’t have an instructor or anything like that. It was awesome for me.

“It’s a weird route I’ve taken.”

On Wednesday, Kuzava chalked up an eagle, seven birdies and two bogeys. From holes 4 through 11, he was 7 under par.

“I was just really relaxed,” he said.

Kuzava and Gempel, 31, were the elder statesmen of those who advanced on Wednesday.

Gempel was a very high-level amateur in the state, finishing runner-up in both the CGA Amateur and the CGA Match Play in 2009, losing in both cases to Steve Ziegler. But the results haven’t been as encouraging recently.

Asked when the last time he had shot 65, as he did Wednesday, Gempel said, “Not in a long time. A 68 last fall was probably my best score in recent memory. Lots of 73s and 74s earlier this year. It feels good to get a good one in there.

“It’s just really encouraging. I’m excited to test my game against good players on some hard tracks. I got married last year so it’s nice to show the wife that I can play a little bit.”

On Wednesday, Gempel played his final 12 holes in 6 under par, making an eagle at 7 and four birdies on the back nine.

“I hit my irons unbelievably well,” he said. “I was inside 20 feet it seemed like every hole. Fortunately, I got enough of them to go down. I’m really excited.”

Workman had an encouraging start to his pro career, going bogey-free in regulation and in the two playoff holes he played. He hit his first 19 greens of the day in regulation until just going over the par-3 17th in the playoff.

“I didn’t do anything too miraculous, just hit it well and putted well and shot a nice little 4 under,” he said. “You do that, you play well.”

Workman originally signed up for the qualifier as an amateur because he was still playing college golf for Wyoming. But with his senior season having come to an end, he declared his pro status on the first tee Wednesday.

“It’s great. I love where my game is at,” the 22-year-old said. “It’s coming into shape. I’m playing confident. I love moving back to Pueblo soon because it’s such a great town to get better at golf. It’s just a golf town and you can get better there. I love everything that Laramie has done for me, but I’m ready to start chasing. I’m excited to see where I’ll go from here.”

Then there were the two qualifiers who are still in high school. Castiglia, the 2017 Colorado Junior Match Play runner-up, is 17 years old and Bryant is 18.

Like Workman, Castiglia (left) went bogey-free on Wednesday. But for the teenager, that was a first in tournament play.

“I felt confident going into” my first tournament of the year, said Castiglia, the 2017 Colorado Junior Match Play runner-up. “I’ve played (at CommonGround) a lot because I’m part of the Hale Irwin program. I’m out here a lot. I know this course so I was able to put it together.”

On Wednesday, that translated into a two-birdie, one-eagle day. His eagle came via a 50-foot putt on No. 11.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “It’s really cool (advancing) in a USGA event. To qualify for Sectionals for a U.S. Open is great.”

As for Bryant, he originally wanted to play in next week’s U.S. Open Local Qualifying tournament in Fort Collins, but he had a test that day. So he competed at CommonGround, where his state high school victory was part of a stellar 2017 season.

“I felt good because I obviously had good memories here and something special happened here (seven) months ago,” said Bryant, a two-time U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier. “But everyone is starting at even par and you’ve got to golf your ball and see how the cards fall at the end.

“But this is a great start to the summer. I haven’t played much at all. I’ve had (high school) baseball going since mid-December, when workouts started. I practiced (golf) as much as I could. After today I obviously feel great for what I was able to accomplish in my first tournament round of the year in Colorado.”

On Wednesday, Bryant (left) hit 14 greens in regulation in shooting his 67. Including the playoff, he made seven birdies and three bogeys on the day. On his 18th hole in regulation, he kept his chances alive to advance by making a 12-foot par putt.

The 36-hole Sectional Qualifying in the U.S. will be contested on June 4 at 10 sites in the U.S., plus one in England that day and one in Japan on May 21. From there, the top finishers will land berths in the Open itself, set for June 14-17 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y.

Wednesday marked the second of three Colorado-based U.S. Open Local Qualifiers this year. Earlier this week at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in Westminster, those who punched their tickets to Sectionals were John Murdock of Laramie, Wyo.; Steven Kupcho of Westminster; Josh Seiple of Castle Rock; Trevor Olkowski of Grand Junction; and Zahkai Brown of Golden.

Collindale Golf Course in Fort Collins will host the final Local Qualifying in Colorado, on Tuesday.

The U.S. Open is the only USGA championship that utilizes a two-stage qualifying process, with most entrants having to successfully negotiate Local and Sectional Qualifying in order to make it into the field for the second men’s major of the year.
 

U.S. Open Local Qualifying
At Par-71 CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora
ADVANCE TO SECTIONALS
Jonathan Kuzava, Littleton 64
Tom Gempel, Lone Tree 65
Glenn Workman, Pueblo West 67
Jack Castiglia, Lakewood 67
Davis Bryant, Aurora 67

ALTERNATES (In Order)
Darrin Hall, Golden 67
Kane Webber, Australia 68

For complete results, CLICK HERE.

Meanwhile, in the girls tournament, top-seeded Amy Chitkoksoong of Aurora, the 2017 girls 5A state high school champ, chalked up two victories on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals.

Also making the girls semis were Emma Bryant of Aurora, Sydney Eye of Golden and Josie Baker of Sherman Oaks, Calif. In Wednesday morning’s final four, Chitkoksoong will face Baker and Bryant will square off with Eye. Chitkoksoong won this title in 2015 at age 14. Bryant has been the most dominant player so far, winning her matches 5 and 3, 8 and 6, and 6 and 5.

Joining Pearson, a finalist in the CGA Match Play earlier this year, as semifinalists on the boys side are top-seeded Jack Castiglia of Lakewood, Luke Travins of Colorado Springs and Ty Findlow of Lone Tree. In the semis, Castiglia will play Travins and Pearson will face Findlow.

In Tuesday’s quarterfinals, Trujillo birdied the 15th and 16th holes for wins to square the match, but Pearson parred No. 17 to win the hole and he and Trujillo halved 18 with pars.

In his quarterfinal, Castiglia was 2 down through 12 to Kirby Coe-Kirkham of Sheridan, Wyo., but squared things with an eagle on the 15th, then went 1 up with a birdie on the 17th before halving No. 18 with a par.

And Findlow beat Tyler Severin of Johnstown with a birdie on the 19th hole after being 2 down through 15 holes.

The winners of this morning’s semifinal matches will meet in the finals on Wednesday afternoon.

For the brackets for each tournament, click on the following: BOYS, GIRLS.

Out of the top 10 seeds in each event — 20 players total — only one lost in Monday’s round-of-32 matches. That one came on the boys side, where 25th-seeded Bo Wardynski of Parker defeated eighth seed Freddie Gluck of Boulder, 1 up. Wardynski won the 18th hole with a bogey to advance.

Jack Castiglia of Lakewood and Amy Chitkoksoong of Aurora, the respective No. 1 seeds, led the way in advancing to the Sweet 16 in the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado major. Castiglia beat 32nd-seeded Davis Long of Lafayette, 6 and 5. And Chitkoksoong, the 2017 5A state high school champion, moved on thanks to a bye.

Among the boys into the round of 16 were 2016 state high school tournament winners Kyle Pearson of Highlands Ranch and Luke Trujillo of Colorado Springs. Pearson, seeded second, finished second in the CGA Match Play in June.

On the girls side, among the winners Monday were Natasha Brandy McClain of Denver (the No. 2 seed), Sydney Eye of Golden (3), Josie Baker of Sherman Oaks, Calif. (4) and Meghan Vogt of Broomfield (5).

Two rounds of matches — the round of 16 and the quarterfinals — will be held Tuesday for both boys and girls. Then the semifinals and finals are scheduled for Wednesday.

For the brackets for each tournament, click on the following: BOYS, GIRLS.

Players who won two matches each on Tuesday advanced to the semifinals at The Ridge at Castle Pines North.

Still in the hunt for the boys title are AJ Ott (left) of Fort Collins, who’s attempting to win his second junior major of the year; U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier Griffin Barela of Lakewood; David Leede of Greenwood Village; and Jack Castiglia of Lakewood. Ott will face Leede and Barela will meet Lakewood High School teammate Castiglia in Wednesday morning’s semifinals for the right to advance to the afternoon’s title match.

Castiglia edged Colorado Junior Amateur winner Braden Bentley of Colorado Springs 1 up in the round of 16 before topping Ryan Zetwick of Castle Rock 2 up in the quarters.

In the girls tournament, the semifinalists are Arielle Keating of Colorado Springs, who defeated top-seeded Caroline Jordaan 2 up in Tuesday’s quarterfinals; No. 2 seed Hailey Schalk of Erie, who scored a 9-and-7 win in the quarters; Sarah Hwang of Monument; and Lauren Lehigh of Loveland. In the semis, Keating will meet Hwang and Schalk will square off with Lehigh.

Amy Chitkoksoong of Aurora, winner of last year’s CWGA Junior Match Play, was ousted 3 and 2 in the round of 16 by Emma Bryant of Aurora before Hwang defeated Bryant 2 and 1 in the quarterfinals.

In both the boys and girls events, the winners of Wednesday’s morning’s semifinals will meet in the afternoon for the championship.

To see the brackets for each tournament, click on the following: BOYS, GIRLS.

The Hale Irwin Elite Player Program is just a little more than three years old, but in that short period, it’s certainly lived up to its name.

The first three classes of Irwin Elite Players featured seven golfers who are now playing or have signed with NCAA Division I golf programs: Hannah Wood (Oklahoma), Jennifer Kupcho (Wake Forest), Spencer Painton (Kansas), Jake Staiano (Colorado State), Ross Macdonald (Colorado), Calli Ringsby (Stanford) and Coby Welch (just signed with Northern Colorado).

And two of those players — Kupcho and Wood — currently stand among the top 75 in the women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings.

With that as a backdrop, the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program announced its fourth — and largest — class on Thursday. Fourteen junior golfers will comprise the 2016 Elite Player class, including seven returnees from 2015. The group features nine boys and five girls, with two sets of siblings among them.

The program, designed to nurture the budding careers of exceptionally promising boys and girls golfers in the state, is named for the most successful golfer with Colorado roots. Irwin, a Boulder High School and University of Colorado graduate, has won three U.S. Opens, 20 PGA Tour events overall, and a record 45 tournaments on the Champions Tour. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1992.

In Colorado, Irwin claimed the 1962 CGA Junior Match Play title, the 1963 state high school championship, three straight CGA Stroke Plays (1963, ’64 and ’65) and the CGA Match Play in 1966. He won the NCAA individual title in 1967 while competing for CU.

The players chosen for the Irwin Elite Player Program receive free unlimited use of the practice range and Kids Course at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora — and of the championship course on a space-available basis — in 2016. CommonGround, which opened in 2009, is owned and operated by the CGA, which established and administers the Irwin Elite Player Program. The group will meet once a month beginning in January, and will work periodically at CommonGround with Elena King, who recently was named one of the top 10 instructors in Colorado by Golf Digest. Additionally, participants volunteer with CGA Community and Wellness Programs.

Steve Irwin, Hale’s son, serves on the CGA board of governors and was instrumental in the establishment of the Elite Player Program. The visionary behind the program was another CGA governor, former Cherry Hills Country Club head professional Clayton Cole.

The 2016 Irwin Elite Players include two juniors who will be in their fourth year with the program, dating back to its inception: Christian Agelopoulos and Roger Nakagawa, both of Denver. Another program participant, Ryan Sangchompuphen of Denver, will be starting his third year.

Also among those in the 2016 class are some of the best junior players in the state.

Mary Weinstein (pictured above) of Highlands Ranch, who just signed to play college golf with Regis University, won the 2015 CWGA Junior Stroke Play and the CJGA Junior Series Championship, and finished runner-up in the CWGA Stroke Play and the CJGA Tournament of Champions. On a larger stage, she placed 15th in the prestigious IMG Academy Junior World Golf Championships, marking the best finish ever by a Coloradan in the girls 15-17 age group there. Weinstein also represented Colorado at the USGA Women’s State Team Championship and at the Girls Junior Americas Cup.

Oliver Jack (left) of Cherry Hills Village finished second in the 3A state high school tournament (playing for Kent Denver). He placed fifth in the CGA Junior Stroke Play and went to the quarterfinals of the CGA Junior Match Play.

Here’s a rundown of all 14 junior players who have been selected to partcipate in the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program for 2016:

Christian Agelopoulos of Denver, an eighth-grader at Colorado Academy — 2016 will mark his fourth year in the program. … Posted two CJGA victories in 2015. … Competed in the CJGA Ryder Cup Matches. … Was named a CJGA All-Star and Academic All-Star in 2015.

Traejan Andrews of Windsor, a sixth-grader at Winograd K-8 — 2016 will mark his second year in the program. … Finished 35th in Optimist International Junior Golf Championships’ boys 10-11 division. … Went undefeated at the CJGA Ryder Cup Matches. … Posted six top-10 finishes in CJGA points events in 2015.

Chunya Bead Boonta of Centennial, a fifth-grader at Canyon Creek Elementary — 2016 will be her first year in the program. … Won two CJGA events and finished second in the CJGA girls 10-and-under Junior Series Championship. … Was named a CJGA All-Star in 2015.

Supawich Beam Boonta of Centennial, an eighth-grader at ThunderRidge Middle School — 2016 will be his first year in the program. … Posted seven top-10 finishes in CJGA points events in 2015. … Competed in the CJGA Ryder Cup Matches.

Jack Castiglia of Lakewood, a sophomore at Lakewood High School — 2016 will mark his second year in the program. … Finished 38th in the boys 13-14 division of the IMG Academy Junior World Golf Championships. … Placed 28th in the 5A state high school tournament. … Posted eight top-10 finishes in CJGA points events in 2015.

Kacey Godwin of Denver, a senior at Colorado Academy — 2016 will mark her second year in the program. … Placed third in the girls division of Colorado PGA Junior Championship. … Finished eighth in 4A girls state high school tournament. … Posted seven top-10 finishes in CJGA points events in 2015.

Oliver Jack of Cherry Hills Village, a sophomore at Kent Denver — 2016 will be his first year in the program. … Tied for second place at the 3A state high school tournament. … Placed fifth in CGA Junior Stroke Play and went to quarterfinals in CGA Junior Match Play. … Recorded seven top-10 finishes in CJGA points events in 2015.

Cade Kilkenny of Centennial, a freshman at Cherry Creek High School — 2016 will mark his second year in the program. … Made it to round of 64 at CGA Junior Match Play. … Qualified for Optimist International Junior Golf Championships. … Posted four top-10 finishes in CJGA points events in 2015.

Katelyn Lehigh of Loveland, a sixth-grader at Bill Reed Middle School — 2016 will be her first year in the program. … Finished 27th in IMG Academy Junior World Golf Championships (girls 10-12 age division). … Won one CJGA tournament and recorded a dozen top-10 finishes in CJGA events in 2015. … Was named a CJGA Academic All-Star in 2015.

Lauren Lehigh of Loveland, a freshman at Loveland High School — 2016 will be her first year in the program. … Qualified, with Alli Bundy, for the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship. … Qualified for both the IMG Academy Junior World Golf Championships (finishing 66th in girls 13-14 division) and the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships (placing 38th). … Recorded a remarkable 17 top-10 finishes in CJGA points events in 2015. … Was named a CJGA Academic All-Star in 2015.

Roger Nakagawa of Denver, a sophomore at Thomas Jefferson High School — 2016 will mark his fourth year in the program. … Made it to the round of 64 at the CGA Junior Match Play. … Recorded one top-10 finish at a CJGA points event in 2015. … Was named a CJGA Academic All-Star in 2015.

Kailer Rundiks of Denver, a sophomore at (Denver) East High School — 2016 will be his first year in the program. … Won Western Chapter Daily Sentinel Junior Championship. … Posted six top-10 finishes in CJGA points events in 2015. … Was named a CJGA Academic All-Star in 2015.

Ryan Sangchompuphen of Denver, a seventh-grader at Denver School of the Arts — 2016 will mark his third year in the program. … Won two CJGA events and posted 14 top-10 finishes in points tournaments in 2015. … Went undefeated in CJGA Ryder Cup Matches. … Was named a CJGA All-Star and Academic All-Star in 2015.

Mary Weinstein of Highlands Ranch, a senior at Regis Jesuit High School — 2016 will mark her first year in the program. … Has signed to play college golf at Regis University. … Won the CWGA Junior Stroke Play and the CJGA Junior Series Championship in 2015. … Also was runner-up in CWGA Stroke Play and the CJGA Tournament of Champions. … Went to quarterfinals of CWGA Match Play. … Placed 15th in the prestigious IMG Academy Junior World Golf Championships, marking the best finish ever by a Coloradan in the girls 15-17 age group there. … Represented Colorado at the USGA Women’s State Team Championship and at the Girls Junior Americas Cup. … Won four CJGA tournaments in 2015. … Was named a CJGA All-Star and Academic All-Star in 2015.