Next week, there will be an encore of sorts, limited primarily to Colorado residents. The first Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado major of 2018, the Colorado Junior PGA Championship, again will be hosted by Eisenhower Golf Club at the Blue Course at the Air Force Academy. The 54-hole event runs Monday through Wednesday (June 11-13).

Both of last year’s Colorado Junior PGA champions will be back to defend their titles — Davis Bryant of Aurora and Hailey Schalk of Erie, who both went on to win every major in which they played in 2017 and earned JGAC Player of the Year honors.

The boys tournament at Eisenhower could feature a rematch of a friendly rivalry that has blossomed over the last year — between Bryant and Dillon Stewart of Fort Collins, who on Thursday won the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve.

The two have finished 1-2 in three prominent events over the last 12 months, with Bryant winning the Colorado Junior PGA and the 5A state high school meet, and Stewart the AJGA tournament this week. Bryant will play his college golf at Colorado State University starting this fall, while Stewart is planning to join the Oklahoma State squad in 2019.

Also in the boys field at Eisenhower are Jack Castiglia of Lakewood, who joined Bryant in advancing to U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying; Walker Franklin of Broomfield, who finished fifth in the AJGA Irwin Colorado Junior; University of Denver-bound Cal McCoy of Highlands Ranch; 2017 U.S. Junior Amateur qualier TJ Shehee of Mead (and Bryant); and Kaden Ford of Colorado Springs, who played in the national Drive, Chip & Putt finals this year.

On the girls side, the field is also full of top players. In addition to Schalk, who won her second straight 3A state high school title last month, there’s 2017 4A state high school champ Lauren Lehigh of Loveland, who placed third in the recent AJGA event; 2015 Junior PGA winner Caroline Jordaan of Denver; reigning 5A girls high school champ Emma Bryant of Aurora; 2017 5A winner Amy Chitkoksoong of Aurora; and Kelsey Webster of Boulder, who will play at the University of Colorado beginning in the fall.

For Monday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.
 

The incoming freshman at Regis University shot a 3-over-par 74 in the final round to post a 4-over 217 total, which left her 11 strokes behind champion Lucy Li of Redwood Shores, Calif. On Friday, the Hale Irwin Elite Player carded one birdie and four bogeys.

Weinstein’s performance came a week after she placed fifth in the Optimist International Junior tournament in Florida. Last year, she was 15th in her final summer competing in the the prestigious IMG Academy Junior World Golf Championships. In Colorado this year, Weinstein (pictured) won two Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado majors — including the Colorado Junior PGA Championship — and the 5A state high school tournament.

Tying Weinstein for 15th place Friday was former Coloradan Elizabeth Wang, the 2015 champion, who posted scores of 71-74-72–217.

Here are the round-by-round scores of the players with strong Colorado connections:

Girls
15. Mary Weinstein of Highlands Ranch 70-73-74–217
15. Former Coloradan Elizabeth Wang 71-74-72–217
Boys
49. (Missed 54-Hole Cut) AJ Ott of Fort Collins 73-79-70–222

For scores from the Junior PGA Champship, click on the following: GIRLS, BOYS

Weinstein (pictured), winner of two Colorado junior major championships this year plus the 5A girls state high school tournament, shot a 2-over-par 73 on Thursday, leaving her at 1-over 143, good for 16th place. After a two-birdie, four-bogey day, she trails leader Mariel Galdiano of Pearl City, Hawaii by 12 strokes. Weinstein placed fifth last week in the Optimist International Junior tournament in Florida.

Also making the cut Thursday was former Coloradan — and defending champion — Elizabeth Wang of San Marino, Calif., who shares 22nd place at 145.

In the boys tournament, AJ Ott of Fort Collins had his best round of the event — a 1-over-par 70 — on Thursday, but missed the cut to the low 30 players and ties. Ott, like Weinstein a winner of the Colorado Junior PGA Championship last month, finished 49th at 15-over-par 202. He made three birdies and four bogeys on Thursday.

Here are the round-by-round scores of the players with strong Colorado connections:

Girls
16. Mary Weinstein of Highlands Ranch 70-73–143
22. Former Coloradan Elizabeth Wang 71-74–145

Boys
49. (Missed Cut) AJ Ott of Fort Collins 73-79-70–222

For scores from the Junior PGA Champship, click on the following: GIRLS, BOYS

In the coming weeks, Weinstein will begin her college career at Regis University, and Ott at Colorado State University. They lead their respective points lists for season-long performance in the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado events in 2016 and earned national Junior PGA berths by winning their divisions of the Colorado Junior PGA Championship last month.

(Updated Aug. 10) After round 1 in Rhode Island, Weinstein (pictured) shared 11th place in the girls tournament, while Ott was 59th among the boys after two rounds of action. Rain Wednesday forced the cancelation of day 2 of the girls tournament, which was scheduled to begin at midday. The girls event has therefore been reduced to a 54-hole tournament.

Ott, meanwhile, struggled to a 79 Wednesday in the inclement conditions, leaving him at 14-over-par 152 through 36 holes. Travis Vick of Houston and Kyle Vance of Audubon, Pa., share the lead at 136. 

Weinstein, who placed fifth last week in the Optimist International Junior tournament in Florida, shot a 1-under-par 70 at Wannamoisett Country Club on Tuesday and trails leader Mariel Galdiano of Pearl City, Hawaii, by six with two rounds remaining. Weinstein recorded four birdies and three bogeys on Tuesday. Former Coloradan Elizabeth Wang, the defending champion who now lives in San Marino, Calif., opened with a 71 and shares 19th place.

For scores from the Junior PGA Champship, click on the following: GIRLS, BOYS.