This week, when Stadler plays in the Sanderson Farms Championship that starts on Thursday in Jackson, Miss., Koepka is No. 1 in the world, Thomas is fourth and Molinari sixth.
Yes, it’s been that long.
Stadler — a part-time Denver resident who won a state high school title while at Kent Denver, notched victories in two CGA Match Plays and captured the Colorado Open championship in his pro debut in 2002 — this week will be competing on the PGA Tour for the first time since missing the cut in the John Deere Classic in July 2015. The last time Stadler has made a cut on the world’s top tour was over four years ago, at the Shiners Hospitals for Children Open.
“There’s no reason to stay away now (from the PGA Tour),” Stadler said in an interview with ColoradoGolf.org after missing the cut in the CoBank Colorado Open in late July.
Stadler won the 2014 Waste Management Phoenix Open for his first victory on the PGA Tour, finished eighth at the Masters that spring and placed 36th on the Tour money list that season with more than $2.3 million in earnings. That’s in addition to being runner-up in the 2014 European Tour’s Alstom Open de France at the course that hosted the 2018 Ryder Cup.
But just as Stadler was becoming one of the better players on the PGA Tour, things went awry in a hurry. In November 2014 while competing in China, he began experiencing major pain in his left hand.
“It literally felt like I had a firecracker going off in my palm every time I’d practice,” he said in 2016. “It was a nightmare.”
It turns out Stadler had a broken hamate bone and nerve damage. But it took a l-o-n-g time for the doctors to come to that conclusion — years, in fact. In August 2017, he finally had the surgery that alleviated the pain.
“It’s 100 percent (healed),” Stadler said regarding the hand in late July. “They couldn’t diagnose it for the longest time. It was the same bone they were fixated on the whole time. But for the previous 18 months I kept being told it was fully healed. It was actually broken and kept getting worse, but I kept being told it was fine. Because I didn’t know what was wrong, I kept trying to play and dealing with the pain, which caused a lot of funky things to pop up in my golf swing. A lot of different hand motion and stuff that instinctively happened to lessen the pain. It still hurt like hell, but it was less.
“It feels fine now, but the motor skills have taken over that I’ve got to unwind. That’s what I’m working on right now.”
Stadler will compete in the 2018-19 PGA Tour wraparound season on a major medical extension. He will have 26 tournaments to earn at least $717,890 in order to keep his exempt status.
Stadler has certainly competed since initially getting injured in November 2014 — just not on the PGA Tour. There were three events in 2015 — the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, the Masters and the aforementioned John Deere Classic. Between 2017 and ’18, there have been four tournaments on the Web.com Tour, where Stadler won four times more than a decade ago. And he finished 41st in the 2016 Colorado Open and missed the cut at that same event this year. In every case, he was either still injured or trying to knock the considerable rust off his game.
“I developed a lot of really ugly habits in my golf swing that I have to unwind,” he said at the Colorado Open almost three months ago. “It’s great coming out and seeing what it is in competition.
“The whole thing (regarding damage in the hand) was a mess. I was told it was a stress fracture. A year later I was told it was fully healed, but it kept getting worse. I stopped after having about 6-8 MRIs on it. They told me it was healed for nine months in a row and I was still having pain. They couldn’t find the answer for it. The pain finally got back to day 1 excruciating last summer (in 2017). I was told it was 75 percent broken. I’d seen six different hand surgeons — and they’re all in major league baseball. I had two out of maybe six or seven guys tell me I needed surgery initially and the other guys said not to.
“But it’s doing great now. I just need to figure out how to get the game back in working order.”
Stadler has competed in 264 PGA Tour events over his career, winning about $9.7 million. And now he’s looking forward to a full-schedule season for the first time since 2013-14, when he played in 26 events.
“I can just play like a normal season,” the 38-year-old said. “Ideally I’d just make the playoffs next year and get my (card) that way and don’t have to worry about starts or anything. But worse-case scenario, if I play say 21-22 events, then I have four more for the following season to try to get whatever I may need.”
During the Colorado Open, Stadler appeared to have dropped some weight.
“I’m just trying to get rid of what I found in the last few years off,” he said. “I needed to drop some. Being away from marching on a golf course 25 times a year, five days a week, it snuck up on me and stacked them on. So starting to get rid of a few.”
Also in the Sanderson Farms field this week are several other competitors with strong Colorado ties: Jim Knous and Wyndham Clark, who like Stadler grew up in Colorado; former Fort Collins resident Sam Saunders; and former Colorado State University golfer Martin Laird.
It wasn’t quite Babe Ruth’s “called shot” from the 1932 World Series, but it was nevertheless an impressive example of an athlete noting what needed to be done, then going out and flat doing it.
After Friday’s second round of the U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Brandt Jobe was eight strokes out of the lead, but said, “You shoot a 66 or 65, you’re back in the tournament.”
Twenty-four hours later, Jobe walked off the East Course in his old home state with a nifty 4-under-par 66 — which matched the best round Saturday — that vaulted him into fifth place and just three strokes out of the lead going into Sunday’s final round.
Reminded Saturday of his words from a day earlier, Jobe chucked and said, “I delivered.”
It’s the second straight year that Jobe has gone low in the third round of the U.S. Senior Open to land a spot on the leaderboard. A year ago in Peabody, Mass., Jobe tied the U.S. Senior Open single-round scoring record by shooting an 8-under-par 62 in round 3. That one put him within six strokes of the lead.
“Saturdays have been good,” he noted this time around. “These last two Saturdays (at the Senior Open), if I could make the Saturdays the rest of the week, I’d be in a little better shape.”
At The Broadmoor, Saturday’s 66 and 1-under-par 209 total left Jobe with half the 54-hole deficit he faced last year as Jerry Kelly leads at 206, 2001 PGA Champion David Toms is in second place at 207 and 2017 Senior Open runner-up Kirk Triplett and Tim Petrovic share third at 208.
“I’ve got to go out there and probably shoot another 66” on Sunday to have a realistic chance to win, Jobe said. “I’ve got a lot of good players ahead of me obviously.”
Many local fans will be rooting for Jobe, who lived in Colorado from 1970 to ’99. During that time, he won a Colorado Open, three CGA Match Plays, one CGA Amateur, one CGA Junior Amateur and one CGA Junior Match Play. (Coincidentally, his first two CGA Match Play wins came at The Broadmoor, on the South Course.) The Kent Denver graduate also finished second in The International at Castle Pines in 2005 after having a healthy lead going into the final day. His mom, dad, brother, sister and brother-in-law still live in Colorado.
Jobe never won on the PGA Tour — he finished runner-up four times. And so far in his PGA Tour Champions career, the 52-year-old Jobe has won once — last year’s Principal Charity Classic in Des Moines, Iowa.
But Jobe is leading the PGA Tour Champions in driving distance this year, and often seems to do well in senior majors.
He’s posted six top-10 finishes in those events, which is notable considering he didn’t play in his first one until 2016. He’s been second and fourth in the Senior Players, third in that 2017 U.S. Senior Open where he shot the third-round 62, third and eighth in the Senior PGA, and fifth in the Senior British Open.
“My length, it’s huge out here,” he said. “Even (playing partner Bob Estes) is fairly long for out here and I was hitting it 30 (yards) by him. And the harder the course, the fewer people that can hang in there. The difficulty and the length helps me.”
So does playing four rounds in senior majors vs. three in regular PGA Tour Champions events.
“Four rounds always helps, no doubt about it,” he said. “Putting four rounds together vs. three, the guy that’s playing the best is going to continue to rise. It’s not as much of a sprint when you play four rounds. In three-round (events), if you don’t get it going (early) you kill yourself. I’ve gotten used to it. I’ve learned a lot out here.”
On Saturday, Jobe switched putters to a virtually identical model with perhaps a little less loft, which seemed to turn things around after what he called “horrible” putting days Thursday and Friday. He birdied three of his first six holes, making a couple of 15-footers and saving a par from 5 feet on 4, and finished with five birdies and one bogey on the day.
“I’ve had the (old) putter for a year and there’s something wrong with it,” he said. “It got bent in the hosel. They fixed it, but now it looks like it’s doing it again, so I said, ‘I’m not going to putt with it anymore.'”
Jobe now lives in Texas and will soon be moving to Oklahoma City. But the Kent Denver graduate explained on Saturday why he left Colorado 19 years ago after living in the state for nearly three decades, mostly recently in Castle Rock.
“I finally kind of realized it’s tough,” he said. “Even coming back here I laugh because the ball does so many different things than it does (at sea level). It’s just different golf here.
“It’s hard to do this kind of altitude and the way the ball goes when every week (on tour) we’re at sea level. That’s kind of why I made the change. And also just to get somewhere where the winters weren’t so difficult.”
For scores from the U.S. Senior Open, CLICK HERE.
For Sunday’s pairings at The Broadmoor, CLICK HERE.
]]>Bob Austin helped put the Cherry Creek boys golf team in the record books, and he had a hand in removing the Bruins as well.
Austin played on two of Creek’s state title-winning teams — in 1970 and ’71 — as the Bruins went on to set the record for the most boys golf state team titles in Colorado, with eight.
But on Tuesday in the 3A state meet at Saddle Rock Golf Course in Aurora, with Austin serving as the head coach of the host Kent Denver squad, the Sun Devils took sole possession of the aforementioned record, moving out of a tie with Cherry Creek.
Kent Denver (pictured celebrating) has now won state crowns nine times since 1999, and Austin has been the coach for eight of those nine — two in Class 4A and six in 3A. (With its sixth win in the last seven years in 5A on Tuesday, Regis Jesuit joined Creek with eight state championships.)
And to double the fun for Kent on Tuesday, Sun Devils junior Oliver Jack (left) won a playoff to claim the 3A individual championship.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Austin said. “I’m really choked up. I really wanted this for these kids. We finished second the last two years. I wanted to get over that hump. The kids, I couldn’t be prouder of them. They played awesome. It was really fun. This might be the sweetest (state title) of all.”
And that was just one of the three state tournaments that concluded on Tuesday around the state. The others were just as notable:
— In the 4A meet at River Valley Ranch Golf Club in Carbondale, the individual title also was settled in a playoff, this one denying defending champion Jackson Solem of Silver Creek from becoming just the fifth two-time Colorado boys state high school champion since 1995. The first-round leader, junior Luke Trujillo of Discovery Canyon, parred the second playoff hole to defeat Solem and claim the title. And Trujillo helped Discovery Canyon win a boys state golf team championship for the first time. Three-time defending champ Valor Christian was third.
— In the 5A tournament at Bookcliff Country Club in Grand Junction, senior Kyle Pearson of Highlands Ranch put on a clinic as rounds of 66-67 gave him a 9-under-par 133 total and a six-stroke victory over Davis Bryant of Eaglecrest. Moreover, Pearson made a hole-in-one Tuesday en route to the title, acing the 136-yard 15th hole with a gap wedge. And, as noted earlier, Regis made it six 5A team titles in seven years. And perhaps the most remarkable thing about that is that each of the last two victories have come by one-stroke margins.
Back at 3A, the two players who finished tied for second in the state tournament last year were the ones in a playoff on Tuesday: Jack and Ivan Richmond of Estes Park. Richmond birdied the 17th hole in regulation to pull even, and both players bogeyed No. 18, with Jack three-putting.
But on the par-5 556-yard playoff hole, Jack hit his drive 30 yards beyond where his ball traveled on the same hole earlier Tuesday, and he had just a 7-iron for his approach into the green. Richmond, meanwhile, pulled his tee shot into a hazard and needed four shots to get to the front fringe. He three-putted from there for a double bogey. Jack, meanwhile, sank a 4-foot birdie for the victory.
“This means a lot,” said Jack, a 16-year-old who has already verbally committed to play his college golf at the University of Colorado. “A state championship is something I always wanted to win. Words can’t describe the feeling. Nothing means more to me than winning this. And it’s great for the team (too).”
Richmond (left), meanwhile, was thinking of what might have been.
“Obviously the tee shot (in the playoff) wasn’t the greatest,” he said. “Nerves and all that stuff were just going through my brain. It was bad.
“Obviously I wanted to win here. It would have been pretty special.”
Jack shot an even-par 72 on Tuesday — not counting his playoff birdie — and finished at even-par 144. Richmond closed with a 71 to get to that same total.
“I was really excited for Oliver,” Austin said. “I thought Oliver was the best player coming in, and I told him that. And I thought if we were going to win, the best player needs to win individually — and he did. He’s such an unbelievable talent and such a great kid
“(Winning both titles) was a huge thrill. The last two hours, I’m probably more nervous than I’ve ever been in my life.”
Joining Jack in the top 10 individually for Kent Denver on Tuesday were sophomore Jackson Klutznick (148, fourth place) and freshman Ben Zimmerman (153, 10th place). Rounding out the Sun Devil team was senior Jack Friedman (162, 25th place).
Placing third individually on Tuesday was Peak to Peak’s Ethan Tartaglia, who posted a 72 for a 146 total. Yale Kim of the Dawson School, the 2014 champion, shared fourth place with Klutznick at 148.
Kent Denver, which finished at 13-over-par 445, had a battle to win its eighth team title since 2006. Defending champion Peak to Peak took second place at 448.
In the 5A tournament, the team race was even closer as Regis Jesuit’s 10-over-par 436 total just edged Highlands Ranch by one.
Individually, Pearson was the only player to post two rounds in the 60s at Bookcliff. Besides his hole-in-one eagle, he made four birdies and two bogeys on Tuesday. For the two days, he racked up 10 birdies plus the eagle.
Bryant, a U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier last year, was very much in contention through 10 holes Tuesday as he had made a birdie and nine pars and stood 6 under overall. But he went 3 over par the rest of the way, shot 73, and had to settle for runner-up with a 3-under 139 total.
First-round leader Nick Caldwell of Rock Canyon was the only other player to finish under-par for two rounds, in his case at 140, good for third place. He made an eagle and a birdie on Tuesday, but also seven bogeys in a round of 75.
In 4A, Solem rallied from four behind going into the day to force a playoff in his bid for two straight individual championships. But after both players parred the first extra hole, Trujillo made a par on the second playoff hole to prevail as Solem missed his 6-foot par attempt. Both players finished at 4-under-par 140 overall, with Solem closing with a bogey-free 69 (though his blemish-free day ended on the second playoff hole) and Trujillo a 73.
Trujillo led by three strokes with four holes left in regulation, but a double bogey on 15 and a bogey on 18 forced the playoff.
Cole Krantz of Windsor was also in the thick of the title race, but back-to-back bogeys on 15 and 16 led to a third-place finish, one out of the playoff. Krantz played his first seven holes in 4 under par on Tuesday, making an eagle on the 325-yard seventh hole.
Discovery Canyon ran away with the 4A team title. Its 6-over-par 438 total was 15 strokes better than runner-up Montrose.
For scores from the state tournaments, click on the following: 5A, 4A, 3A.
]]>The part-time Denver resident and Kent Denver High School graduate accomplished plenty of personal firsts during the ’13-’14 wraparound season. Let’s count the ways:
— Most notably, he won for the first time on the PGA Tour, out-dueling Bubba Watson down the stretch in the Waste Management Phoenix Open near Stadler’s winter home in Scottsdale.
— Stadler won more than $2 million in a PGA Tour season for the first time, ending up with $2.3 million, good for 36th place on the Tour money list.
— The 34-year-old finished eighth in the Masters, marking by far his best showing ever in a major championship.
— In July, Stadler was on the verge of becoming the first American in 42 years to win the European Tour’s French Open, but he three-putted the final green, missing an attempt of less than 3 feet that would have forced a playoff.
“All in all, it was definitely a good year, but I would have liked to have played a little better in the summer than I did,” Stadler told COgolf.org after last month’s BMW Championship at Cherry Hills Country Club. “I’ve gotten into a spot the last three or four years where I’ve been a lot more comfortable, a lot more consistent, and played all around a lot better. I’ve had three good solid years in a row now.”
Indeed, Stadler recorded eight top-25 finishes on the PGA Tour in 2013-14, not counting his French Open showing. Currently, Stadler stands at No. 56 in the World Golf Rankings.
So now the question is, what does Stadler need to do to join the elite of the elite, the players who win multiple times on Tour and contend in major championships? (Kevin’s dad, Evergreen resident Craig Stadler, claimed 13 PGA Tour titles, including the 1982 Masters, and nine Champions Tour victories.)
“What exactly I need to do to take the next step, I’m not too sure,” Kevin said. “I’ll try to figure that out over the winter.”
Stadler likely will soon surpass $10 million in career earnings on the PGA Tour as he currently sits at $9.66 million, with more than $9 million of that total coming since the beginning of 2007.
Coincidentally, Craig Stadler barely surpassed $10 million in career PGA Tour earnings, with $10,021,897.
Followers of Colorado golf over the last couple of decades are familiar with Kevin Stadler’s record in the state. While at Kent Denver, Stadler won the state high school title in 1997, when there was only one state tournament. Also as an amateur, he earned titles in the 1999 and 2002 CGA Match Play. And he won the 2002 Colorado Open after a three-way playoff in his professional debut while dad Craig was caddying for him at Sonnenalp Golf Club in Edwards.
So if anyone in the field for the BMW Championship, which begins Thursday at Cherry Hills, knows the altitude and has a bit of a home-field advantage this week, it’s Stadler.
Despite spending his formative years — and now his summers — in the area, Stadler is only somewhat more familiar with Cherry Hills CC than his fellow PGA Tour players. Though his dad is Evergreen resident and 1982 Masters champion Craig Stadler, Kevin estimates he’s played the course fewer than 10 times.
But he’s definitely more familiar than most Tour players with competing at a mile-high-plus altitude. He won the 2002 Colorado Open at Sonnenalp Golf Club, just west of Vail, at roughly 7,200 feet in elevation. He also claimed titles in the 1999 and 2002 CGA Match Plays.
“I certainly would think (he has an advantage at altitude),” he said Wednesday at Cherry Hills. “I’m certainly comfortable playing in it and I understand what you need to do to judge it from growing up and playing a lot here. I played so much here as a kid that (even after coming back from sea level), second nature kicks in.”
And Stadler returns “home” having been on quite a roll this year. He broke through for his first PGA Tour victory — at the Waste Management Phoenix Open near his primary home of Scottsdale in February — and has earned almost $2.3 million in the 2013-14 wraparound season. He posted his best finish ever at a major championship (eighth at the Masters) and stands 34th on the season-long money list. He also placed second in the European Tour’s Alstom Open de France this summer.
And after a 16th-place finish on Monday at the Deutsche Bank Championship near Boston, he’s 32nd on the FedExCup Playoff standings.
With all that as build-up, Stadler will be the home favorite this week at the BMW Championship.
“I was extremely excited when they announced three or four years ago that they were coming here,” the 34-year-old said. “I can’t believe it’s already here. I’m certainly excited and looking forward to it.”
As for Cherry Hills, Stadler is eager to see how it plays. As a kid, he only played the course twice, both times in the winter. It’s undergone a restoration — by Tom Doak — since then, in 2008. Stadler checked it out a couple times this summer, then has gotten reacquainted the last couple of days.
“The course was playing as short as I’ve ever seen it (on Tuesday),” he said. “There wasn’t a hint of wind and it was playing really firm and fast. I think when it cools off, the ball’s not going to travel quite as much (and) it won’t be quite as score-able. But it’s in pristine condition.”
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BMW Championship: The Essentials
What — BMW Championship PGA Tour FedExCup Playoff Event.
Where — Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village.
Schedule
Sept. 4-7: Championship rounds, with Thursday and Friday tee times from 11:15 a.m.-1:15 p.m. off the first and 10th tees, and Saturday and Sunday tee times from 9-11 a.m. off the first and 10th tees.
Gates Open — 10 a.m. Sept. 4-5; and 8 a.m. Sept. 6-7.
TV Coverage — Sept. 4-5: 2-6 p.m., Golf Channel; Sept. 6: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Golf Channel and 1-4 p.m., KUSA (9); Sept. 7: 10 a.m.-noon, Golf Channel and noon-4 p.m., KUSA (9).
Tickets — Tickets will not be sold on site, only online. CLICK HERE.
PGA Tour Players Short Game Clinic — CommonGround Golf Course, located at 10300 East Golfers Way in Aurora, near the intersection of Havana and 1st Avenue, will host a PGA Tour Players Short Game Clinic on Sept. 3 at approximately 5-6 p.m. The event is free and open to the general public. Two PGA Tour players — to be determined — from the BMW Championship field will be the focus of the event.
Thursday/Friday Tee Times: For Thursday and Friday tee times, CLICK HERE.
Free Admission for Juniors — Kids 16 and under will be admitted free to the BMW Championship when accompanied by an adult ticket or credential holder.
Military Admission Policy — All active-duty, retired, reserve and veterans will receive free admission for one day of the tournament. Each military member must verify his or her military status on the website (CLICK HERE) and print off a free ticket voucher in advance of the tournament.
Field — The top 70 players in the FedExCup Playoff standings after the Deutsche Bank Championship concludes on Sept. 1. There will be no cut during the BMW Championship.
Purse — $8 million, with $1.44 million going to the winner.
Course Set-up — 7,352 yards. Par-70 (34-36). 3-inch-deep bluegrass rough. Greens 11-11.5 on Stimpmeter.
Tournament Beneficiary — All the net proceeds from the BMW Championship go to the Evans Scholars Foundation, which awards full tuition and housing college scholarships to worthy and qualified caddies with limited financial means. The average value of an Evans Scholarship nationwide is estimated to be $80,000. One of the 14 Evans Scholarship houses is located at the University of Colorado in Boulder. About 870 caddies are currently on scholarship nationwide, and the program has produced almost 10,000 alums since 1930, with about 430 from CU. Among the CU Evans Scholar alums is George Solich, the general chairman of the 2014 BMW Championship.
Parking — Free parking is available at 1 Highfield Parkway in Englewood, with free shuttle service provided to the main entrance at Cherry Hills CC. Free parking for BMW owners will be provided at 6145 Happy Canyon Road in Denver, with shuttle service to the course. (At Cherry Hills, the BMW owners’ pavilion is located between the seventh and 14th holes; owners need only show their BMW key for access).
Autographs and Cameras — Not permitted during championship rounds Thursday through Sunday.
Tournament History — The BMW Championship’s predecessor, the Western Open, began in 1899, making it the third-oldest PGA Tour event, behind the British Open and U.S. Open. The tournament was renamed the BMW Championship in 2007 when it became part of the FedExCup Playoffs.
Course History — Cherry Hills Country Club, a William Flynn-designed course, opened in 1922. It has hosted a myriad of significant tournaments over the years: U.S. Opens in 1938, ’60 and ’78; PGA Championships in 1941 and ’85; a U.S. Women’s Open in 2005; U.S. Amateurs in 1990 and 2012; a U.S. Senior Open in 1993; a U.S. Senior Amateur in 1976; and a U.S. Mid-Amateur in 1983. Winners of those events include Arnold Palmer (’60 U.S. Open), Jack Nicklaus (’93 U.S. Senior Open) and Phil Mickelson (’90 U.S. Amateur).
For More Information — Visit the BMW Championship website (CLICK HERE.)
]]>When the boys state high school golf championships are held Monday and Tuesday, the fields will feature two players who made the final 64 at the U.S. Junior Amateur, the brother of a three-time girls state high school champ, a player who will be fresh off competing in a Champions Tour event at Pebble Beach, and a team that has won a Colorado-record seven consecutive state titles.
In other words, the three state tournaments won’t be lacking for storylines. When the 5A meet is played at Murphy Creek Golf Course in Aurora, the 4A at Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen and the 3A at Pueblo Country Club, here are some of the things to watch:
— Spencer Painton of Regis Jesuit, runner-up in the 5A state tournament last year, qualified for the 64-player match-play bracket at this year’s U.S. Junior Amateur. There, he lost to Scottie Scheffler of Dallas, who went on to win the national title.
Painton (pictured above) was a regional champion at Murphy Creek, the site of the 5A state tournament after it was moved following flooding at CommonGround Golf Course. Earlier this week, he also won a tournament that featured Colorado junior all-stars from all classifications, the CJGA Collegiate High School Invitational held in conjunction with the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational college meet.
— Josh Seiple of Valor Christian, arguably the favorite in the 4A state meet, has qualified for the last two U.S. Junior Amateurs. This year he advanced to match play before losing in 19 holes in his round-of-64 match.
Seiple, who has committed to play college golf at the University of Mississippi, has finished in the top 10 at each of the last two 4A state tournaments.
(Seiple, in black, is pictured at left hitting, with defending 5A state champion Kyler Dunkle of Douglas County looking on.)
Two of Seiple’s Valor teammates won CGA junior state titles this year, with Ross Macdonald prevailing in the Junior Stroke Play and Jake Staiano in the Junior Match Play.
— Kobe Padilla of Cherry Creek will compete in the 5A tournament after spending the weekend at Pebble Beach playing in the Champions Tour’s nationally televised Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach. Padilla, a member of the First Tee of Denver, will be partnered there with fellow Coloradan Mark Wiebe, who is coming off his second Champions Tour victory of the year.
— Michael Tait of Columbine, a regional champion in Class 5A, is the brother of Ashley Tait, who won three 4A girls state high school titles from 2002-05 while attending Mullen. Michael Tait also plays football for Columbine.
— Meanwhile, Kent Denver, competing in Class 3A, will be trying to extend its Colorado record for consecutive state golf titles to eight. But unlike in recent years, the Sun Devils will be long shots to win. They finished fifth in their regional meet, but did qualify four players for state.
Here are some of the nuts and bolts leading up to the three state high school championships:
— 2012 Individual Champion Returning — Kyler Dunkle of Douglas County (5A).
— 2012 5A State Top 10 Individual Finishers Returning — Kyler Dunkle, Douglas County (first); Li Chen, Legacy (second); Spencer Painton, Regis Jesuit (second); Donny Kinnaman, Grand Junction (fourth); Chris Korte, Regis Jesuit (sixth); AJ Ott, Fort Collins (sixth); Neil Tillman, Ralston Valley (10th).
— 2012 4A State Top 10 Individual Finishers Returning — Glenn Workman, Pueblo West (third); Chase Federico, Pueblo South (fifth); Josh Seiple, Valor Christian (seventh); Jacob Rudosky, Cortez (eighth); Taylor Rodriguez, Pueblo South (ninth); Ross Macdonald, Valor Christian (10th).
— 2012 3A State Top 10 Individual Finishers Returning — Brian Coleman, Estes Park (fourth); Dylan Jirsa, Estes Park (fourth); Payton DeVencenty, Lutheran (seventh); Hayden Nicholaides, Lutheran (ninth); Cole Folwell, Alexander Dawson (10th).
— Defending State Team Champions — 5A: Regis Jesuit (three-time defending champs); 4A: Pueblo South; 3A: Kent Denver.
— 2013 Regional Team Champions — 5A: Boulder, Regis Jesuit, Columbine, Cherry Creek. 4A: Silver Creek, Valor Christian, Cheyenne Mountain, Durango. 3A: Aspen, Trinidad, Alexander Dawson, Holy Family.
— 2013 Regional Individual Champions/Co-Champions — 5A: Grant Rogers, Boulder; Erik Young, George Washington; Spencer Painton, Regis Jesuit; Michael Tait, Columbine; Brooks Hoffman, Fossil Ridge. 4A: Todd Millard, Silver Creek; Josh Seiple, Valor Christian; Glenn Workman, Pueblo West; Patrick Shin, Cheyenne Mountain; Jacob Rudosky, Cortez. 3A: Cooper Gould, Vail Christian; Mason Dotter, Salida; Cole Folwell, Alexander Dawson; Hayden Nicholaides, Lutheran.
— 2013 CJGA Collegiate High School Invitational Results (held Sept. 23-24 at Colorado National GC in Erie) — 1. Spencer Painton, Regis Jesuit, 82-71-69–222; 2. Josh Seiple, Valor Christian, 77-73-75–225; 3. Jake Staiano, Valor Christian, 76-77-74–227; 4. Glenn Workman, Pueblo West, 84-75-70–229; 5. Chris Korte, Regis Jesuit, 77-75-78–230; 6. (tie) Coby Welch, Valor Christian, 81-76-79–236; Kyler Dunkle, Douglas County, 82-77-77–236; 8. Ross Macdonald, Valor Christian, 80-79-79–238.
Here are tee time links for Monday’s first rounds of state: 5A, 4A, 3A.
With the year drawing to a close, it’s time to play one final 18. In this case, we’ll run down the top 18 Colorado golf stories of 2012, then throw in some honorable-mention selections at the end.
And just for the sake of a little suspense, we’ll start with the 18th-biggest story.
18. Woodard Inducted into National Black Golf Hall of Fame, Voted into Colorado Golf Hall of Fame: 2012 was a big year for longtime Coloradan Tom Woodard, now the director of golf for the Foothills Park & Recreation District. In March, he was inducted into the National Black Golf Hall of Fame, then in October he was voted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame, along with fellow Colorado PGA professional Alan Abrams and Jimmy Vickers. COLORADO GOLF HALL OF FAME FULL STORY, NATIONAL BLACK GOLF HALL OF FAME FULL STORY
17. Tourney Routs by Eaton, Humerickhouse: There were a couple of lopsided state tournament victories that went beyond the norm. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton prevailed by 16 shots in the CWGA Senior Stroke Play at the course on which she grew up, Greeley Country Club. STORY And in winning his third straight CGA Mid-Amateur, Keith Humerickhouse was a dozen shots ahead of the runner-up, marking the biggest margin in the event since 1991. STORY Then Humerickhouse put an exclamation mark on the year by proposing to his girlfriend in the midst of his acceptance speech for the CGA Mid-Amateur Player of the Year award.
16. A Lucky Seven Straight for Kent Denver: Kent Denver, coached by Bob Austin, set a Colorado record by winning its seventh consecutive state high school boys team championship, this time in Class 3A. STORY
15. Bertsch, Jacques, Huffer ‘Open’ the Door: Three Coloradans qualified for the top USGA championship for their respective gender. Shane Bertsch of Parker earned a U.S. Open berth for the first time since 1998. STORY And Becca Huffer and Kelly Jacques made it through qualifying at the Broadmoor to punch their tickets to their first U.S. Women’s Open. STORY Then in December, Jacques joined former University of Denver golfer Stephanie Sherlock in earning LPGA Tour status in 2013. STORY
14. Jones Joining Nicholson in Colorado Sports Hall of Fame: Former USGA president Will Nicholson Jr., was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in April. STORY And after being voted in in October, 1996 U.S. Open champion Steve Jones, a former University of Colorado golfer, will follow suit in the spring of 2013. STORY
13. Ringsby Hits the National Stage: Calli Ringsby of Cherry Hills Village had a memorable 2012 tournament season. She swept both the CWGA Junior Stroke Play STORY and Junior Match Play titles. Then she was one of just four American girls selected to compete in the USA-China Youth Golf Match. STORY
12. Lee Adds Still More Variety to Her Accomplishments: With a nine-shot victory in the CWGA Stroke Play, Somin Lee became just the second player in history to win the CWGA Junior Stroke Play, Junior Match Play, Stroke Play and Match Play. Lee joined Wendy Werley as the only golfers to capture all four of those titles during their careers. STORY
11. Colorado PGA Keeps its Streak Going: For the sixth and seventh time in six years, the Colorado PGA earned national awards from the PGA of America. Dale Smigelsky, the director of golf at Collindale Golf Club in Fort Collins, was named PGA Merchandiser of the Year for Public Facilities, while George Kahrhoff, head professional at The Country Club at Castle Pines in Castle Rock, earned the Merchandiser award for private facilities. STORY The Colorado PGA also was among the national leaders in the “Get Golf Ready” initiative in which PGA and LPGA professionals teach people everything they’ll need to know to play golf with confidence — in five lessons, usually for $99 total. The idea is to bring new and former golfers into the game as seamlessly as possible in a no-pressure environment.
10. Tolan Doubles Up in Colorado Open: Coloradan Derek Tolan won his second HealthOne Colorado Open in the last four years, this time rallying after trailing by four strokes with six holes to play. STORY
9. Bermel Departs CSU After 13 Years: After 13 successful years at the helm of the Colorado State University men’s team, Jamie Bermel resigned to take the same job at the University of Kansas. Bermel’s teams went to the NCAA regional tournament in 12 of his 13 years, and in 2011 the Rams earned a berth in the NCAA Finals for just the second time in program history. Overall, the Rams won 18 multi-team tournaments in Bermel’s tenure, including two conference titles. Former national assistant coach of the year Christian Newton succeeded Bermel at CSU. STORY
8. Near Miss in College Finale for Knous: Colorado School of Mines golfer Jim Knous finished up his college career with a flourish. After leading most of the final round of the NCAA Division II national finals, Knous finished second, losing in a playoff. STORY
7. Mallon, Neumann Will Lead the Way at Colorado Golf Club: The leadership of the competing teams for the 2013 Solheim Cup matches that will be played at Colorado Golf Club in Parker was set early this year. Meg Mallon, winner of 18 LPGA Tour events in her career, will captain the U.S. squad, while 1988 U.S. Women’s Open champion Liselotte Neumann will be her European counterpart. STORY
6. CU Women Score NCAA Breakthrough in Colorado: An NCAA women’s regional golf tournament was held in Colorado for the first time, and the University of Colorado took advantage of its host role at Colorado National by advancing to the NCAA Finals for the first time in program history. STORY
5. Kupcho Rallies from 9 Down in Final Round to Win CGA Stroke Play: After starting the final round nine strokes out of the lead and in 16th place, Steven Kupcho posted one of the biggest final-round rallies ever by a winner of the CGA Stroke Play. His final-round 66 at Fort Collins Country Club gave him the title as a 19-year-old. STORY
4. Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy Debuts: The CGA and CWGA launched a unique initiative to promote the use of caddies and foster candidates for the Evans Caddie Scholarship at the University of Colorado. The Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy at CommonGround Golf Course — which is owned and operated by the CGA and CWGA — provides a powerful incentive to use caddies by paying all of their base fees. The program’s mission is to use caddying and the game of golf to help kids learn how to succeed in life. STORY
3. Stacy Gains Spots in World Golf Hall of Fame: Part-time Colorado resident Hollis Stacy earned one of golf’s biggest honors by being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Stacy, who lives in Lakewood during the summer, won 18 times on the LPGA Tour, but particularly excelled in USGA events. She won three U.S. Women’s Opens and three U.S. Girls’ Juniors. STORY
2. Austin Departing Powerful USGA Executive Committee: Not many women preceded Coloradan Christie Austin as a member of the USGA Executive Committee, one of golf’s most powerful governing bodies. But after six years in that role, Austin will be stepping down in February. STORY
1. U.S. Amateur a Hit in Colorado: The U.S. Amateur was held in Colorado for just the fourth time, with Cherry Hills hosting and CommonGround being the second stroke-play course. The week started with Jack Nicklaus, winner of 18 major championships and two U.S. Amateurs, playing the role of spectator as son Gary competed. It continued with two players with strong Colorado ties — Michael Schoolcraft and Justin Spray — qualifying for match play. And it ended with largely unheralded and 63rd-seeded Tennesseean Steven Fox winning a final in 37 holes after being 2 down with two holes left. Fox (pictured above with his dad Alan) was the the highest-seeded player to win the U.S. Amateur since the USGA began the seeding process in 1985. About 4,500 fans attended the final day, one of the largest totals in recent U.S. Amateurs. STORY
Honorable Mention: Former University of Colorado athlete Hale Irwin followed the likes of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson in receiving the Nicholson Award given for a lifetime of commitment and dedication to the game of golf. Later in the year, the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program was launched, with the initiative designed to nurture the budding careers of exceptional young golfers in the state. … After Ray Makloski won the CGA Senior Match Play in May, son Jimmy claimed a CGA title of his own (the Junior Stroke Play) in June. Later in the year, University of Denver golfer Andy Yang qualified for the U.S. Amateur shortly after sister Jennifer advanced to the U.S. Women’s Amateur. … Former college hockey standout David Delich won the CGA Senior Stroke Play the week after placing second in the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open, which marked the best finish by an amateur in that event since 1999. … Despite dozens and dozens of entrants both years, Lone Tree Golf Club repeated as champion in the season-long CGA Team InterClub Championship. … Nicole Zhang made it to the semifinals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur after qualifying for the event in Colorado. … At age 14, Jordan Sahm of Centennial qualified for U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship. … Cherry Creek’s Mackenzie Cohen, who shot 93 in the first round of the 5A state tourney in 2011, posted a score 26 strokes better in the final round of this year’s meet en route to an improbable victory. … Six-time CGA Player of the Year Rick DeWitt, who had never before competed in an event on the PGA, Champions or Web.com Tours, qualified for the U.S. Senior Open.
In the end, no matter how dominant Kent Denver’s golf team was, it couldn’t have it all Tuesday at the boys 3A state high school tournament at Pinehurst Country Club.
Most, but not all.
The Sun Devils set a Colorado high school record by collecting their seventh consecutive boys state golf championship. But there was no way to get around the fact that at least one of the team’s top two players was going to come up short in his attempt to win the individual state title.
As it turned out, senior Ben Moore closed out his high school career with his first individual state championship. But that only happened because he overcame teammate Ethan Freeman, who fell a little short in his bid to become the first Coloradan to claim three individual boys state high school titles.
“It’s bittersweet,” Freeman said. “I’m happy for Ben and I’m happy for the team, but I’d obviously like to come away with a win. But if there’s one kid I’m fine (with beating me), it’s Ben. He deserved it.”
As for possible “what-ifs” that might pass through Freeman’s mind, he doesn’t want to dwell on them.
“Coulda, shoulda, woulda,” he said. “Four team titles, two individual titles, top four (individually at state) all four years — I’ll take that.”
And Moore certainly did his part to claim the 3A individual championship, making birdies on three of the last four holes Tuesday to overtake Freeman.
The University of Colorado-bound Freeman led Moore by three strokes as he walked to the 12th tee, but he three-putted Nos. 13, 15 and 16 while Moore made his late charge to capture the title.
Moore (pictured at left), who will play college golf at NCAA Division III Emory University in Atlanta, shot an even-par 70 for the second straight day to finish with a 140 total. Freeman carded a second-round 73 to end up three behind. Faith Christian’s Jack Cummings placed third (75-72–147) for his second straight top-10 showing in the 3A tournament.
“It feels good to beat Ethan because he’s arguably the best player here,” said Moore, who finished fourth last year as Freeman won title No. 2. “I was really looking forward to playing against him today and seeing what happened. I was really excited with the way I played and the way it turned out.
“I think it was fun. Both of us probably enjoyed it; I know I certainly did. It just feels good to win.”
Certainly both players agree that it was special to lead Kent to its seventh straight team title, which breaks the record previously shared by Kent and ThunderRidge (2001-06 in 5A). The Sun Devils have won every 3A state title held in Colorado (2008-2012), along with 4A championships in 2006 and 2007. Bob Austin has coached all those teams, having taken over as head coach in 2006.
“I’m glad I just helped my team win another one and get in the record books,” Freeman said.
This year, Kent claimed the state title by 27 strokes over Holy Family. The Sun Devils finished with a 25-over-par 445 total. (Team members pictured at top are, from left, Moore, Josh Repine, Austin, Freeman and Will Fehr.)
This marked the fourth year under Austin that Kent has won both the team and individual championships. Beau Schoolcraft claimed the individual title in 2007, when teammate Matt Schovee placed second..
“To win seven is just a dream come true,” said Austin, whose Kent Denver teams have never done anything but claim state titles in his seven seasons as head coach. “I’m very blessed. When I started, in my wildest imagination I could never have imagined this. Each and every one is special and each and every one is different.”
With Kent Denver’s team title all but locked up, the only suspense coming down the stretch Tuesday was whether Moore or Freeman would prevail individually.
For quite a while, it looked like Freeman (pictured at left) would get his individual three-peat. After Moore three-putted No. 10 for bogey and Freeman birdied 11 a group ahead, the defending champ was up by three shots.
But Moore made a pivotal shot on No. 11 that helped turn the tide. With a tree on the left side of the fairway about six feet in front of him and slightly to the right, Moore had very little room for error with his approach shot to an elevated green.
If he pulled the shot, he could go out of bounds or at least end up with an awkward third. But he struck the ball perfectly, leaving him with a 20-foot birdie putt which he sunk.
“That was big,” he admitted. “I made bogey on 10 and wasn’t too happy with the way I was playing. I knew I was two or three down and I needed to make something happen. I was really happy with that approach shot.”
But Freeman still led by one while on the 15th green. With a ticklish downhill birdie putt, he ran the ball by the cup about 3 1/2 feet, then missed the come-backer. Playing in the group behind, Moore grabbed the lead with a sterling wedge shot and a 3-foot birdie putt.
On the next hole, No. 16, there was another two-shot swing with Moore making birdie and Freeman a bogey. After Freeman three-putted from 10 feet, Moore hit the green of the par-5 in two and two-putted for his birdie.
“I knew those were birdie holes and I needed to make at least one birdie, and I’m glad I made two,” Moore said.
As for Freeman, he said he put too much pressure on his putter by going long with his approach shots.
“You can’t hit it past the pin here; you’re just dead if you do,” he noted. “Almost every hole I hit it past the pin and had downhill putts.”
The four-shot swing in two holes put Moore three ahead, and the margin would get no smaller than two the rest of the way.
“As happy as I am for Ben — shooting 70-70 on this golf course is all-world — Ethan could have become the first player to ever win three,” Austin said. “He handled (finishing second) with class and dignity. He still finished second at state and he’s played on four teams that won state championships. And he finished top four (at state) all four years. I told him afterward, ‘You’ve had one of the great high school careers in (Colorado) history and I’m really proud of you.’
“It was real exciting and really fun to watch. I was rooting for both of them. I’m really happy for Ben. He just kept his emotions in check and his head in it. He never made a big mistake.”
Dunkle’s Birdie on 18 Gives Him 5A State Title: Junior Kyler Dunkle of Douglas County, who shot a 66 to qualify for the state tournament, continued his strong play by winning the 5A state title at The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden.
Dunkle birdied the 18th hole to edge Eric Chen of Legacy and Spencer Painton of Regis Jesuit by one stroke.
Dunkle shot a 1-under-par 70 to finish at 3-over 145. Chen likewise posted a 70 on Tuesday, while Painton birdied the final hole for a 71. First-round leader Donny Kinnaman of Grand Junction closed with a 75 to end up in fourth place at 147.
Regis claimed its third straight 5A team title, finishing at 20-over-par 446, eight strokes ahead of Ralston Valley.
Allenback Keeps Foot on Gas to Win 4A Championship: Senior Jacob Allenback of Pueblo Centennial went wire-to-wire in winning the 4A state championship at The Links at Cobble Creek in Montrose.
Allenback fired a 1-under-par 71 Tuesday to finish at 5-under-par 139. In 36 holes, he recorded just three scores of bogey or worse: one double bogey and two bogeys.
Josh McLaughlin of Thompson Valley placed second, two behind Allenback, after a 69 on Tuesday. Glenn Workman of Pueblo West ended up third at 142 after his second straight 71. Jack Adolfson of Silver Creek, last year’s runner-up, placed fourth at 1-under 143 after a closing 68.
Pueblo South and 2010 and ’11 state champion Valor Christian tied for the low team score with 11-over-par 443s. South then prevailed on the second hole of a playoff to earn its first boys state golf title since 1978.
Bob Austin seems to have the Midas Touch when it comes to Colorado high school golf.
As a player, Austin competed on two Cherry Creek teams that won state championships, in 1970 and ’71. And the year he took over as head coach of the Kent Denver boys program (2006), the Sun Devils started their current state title win streak, which sits at six and likely will reach seven on Tuesday.
“I have lived the dream,” Austin (pictured with senior Josh Repine) said after Monday’s first round of the 3A state tournament at Pinehurst Country Club. “I played on two teams that won state championships. And this is my seventh year as a coach and we’ve won (state) the first six. I’ve just been really fortunate to have really good players.”
And given how Kent Denver performed on Monday, it’s set up very nicely to win both the team and individual titles for the fourth time under Austin.
Going into Tuesday’s final round, the all-senior Sun Devil squad leads the team race by a whopping 19 strokes. And Kent’s Ben Moore (pictured at left) and two-time defending state champion Ethan Freeman fired even-par 70s to share the top spot individually, and no one else in the field shot lower than 74.
Clearly it’s gotten to the point that about the only one who can compete with Kent Denver at the boys state high school golf tournament is, well … Kent Denver.
The Sun Devils are on the verge of making history on two fronts on Tuesday. They can win their seventh consecutive state title, which would break the Colorado record currently shared by Kent and ThunderRidge (2001-06 in 5A). And if Freeman prevails individually, he’d become the first player in Colorado history to win three boys individual state high school championships.
The only problem is that for Freeman to win, Moore will fall short, or vice-versa.
“I have mixed feelings about the battle tomorrow,” Austin said. “I wish they both could win. If one of them wins in the end, I’m going to be so happy, but it’s going to be bittersweet too. They’re both great players and great seniors.”
Although it’s unlikely both Freeman and Moore will falter to the point that someone else would come out on top, three other players are within five strokes of the lead. Dylan Jirsa of Estes Park and Robby Bowles of Vail Christian share third place at 74, while Faith Christian’s Jack Cummings, a top-10 finisher last year, stands in fifth place at 75.
Team-wise, with a 7-over-par 217 total, Kent Denver is 19 ahead of second-place Estes Park.
“To be honest, coming in we just wanted to win the team title for seven in a row,” Moore said. “I was rooting for everybody on the team and it was good to see (Freeman) played well; I expected him to and he did. Tomorrow we’re going to both just try to play our best, try to win the team title and see what happens individually.”
Freeman (pictured at left), who has committed to the University of Colorado, admits he’ll probably feel the pressure of the historic situation “a little bit early” in Tuesday’s final round. “But I’m just going to try to go out there and play my own game. I’m going to try not to let that (pressure) get to me.”
That’s where Austin’s coaching may help.
“At state, there’s parents, there’s officials, there’s the press, there’s all this stuff going on, but you’ve really got to just block that out and focus on the task at hand,” Austin said. “I thought we did great with that today. We’ve got one more day and we’re going to come out tomorrow and play as well as we can, and if we’re fortunate to win, it’ll be a great honor.”
Moore and Freeman say Austin acts as a calming influence on the course, which could come in handy.
“He’s is a great coach,” Moore said. “He really cares about the team a lot and he does anything he can to help us out. He’s just a good guy to have around. We like to see him around the course. It makes you a little bit calmer. He just brings a lot of positive energy and makes the team feel good about how we’re playing.”
Allenback Fires 68 to Go Up by 3 in 4A State: Fellow Pueblo-based golfer Jimmy Makloski came in as the favorite, but Pueblo Centennial’s Jacob Allenback took a three-stroke lead after Monday’s first round of the 4A state tournament at The Links at Cobble Creek in Montrose.
Allenback shot a 4-under-par 68 and made just one bogey on Monday.
Andrew Rademacher-Howe of Silver Creek, Dylan Mitchell of Summit and Glenn Workman of Pueblo West also broke par and share second place at 71.
Makloski, the CGA Junior Stroke Play champion, opened with a 75 and is tied for 13th place.
Valor Christian, the 2009 and 2010 state champion, claimed a one-stroke lead over Pueblo South in the team competition. Valor fired a 3-over-par 219. Defending champion Silver Creek stands in third at 226.
Kinnaman Takes Two-Stroke Lead in 5A: Grand Junction’s Donny Kinnaman shot a 1-over-par 72 and grabbed a two-stroke lead in the 5A state tournament The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden.
Kinnaman birdied two of his last four holes and carded three birdies and four bogeys overall in Monday’s first round.
Two players from Ralston Valley, Jack Pedersen and Neil Tillman, share second place at 74. Douglas County’s Kyler Dunkle, who shot a 66 at regionals to qualify for state, is among six golfers tied for fourth at 75.
Ralston Valley shot a 12-over-par 225 to build a two-stroke lead over two-time defending champion Regis Jesuit in the team competition.
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But that same day last year, Kent Denver’s Ethan Freeman also won his second state high school title, his coming in Class 3A. But while Freeman’s achievement a year ago may have been overshadowed by Clark, that won’t be an issue if Freeman earns another state championship next week.
No one in the history of Colorado boys high school golf has ever won three individual state titles, but Freeman will have that opportunity Monday and Tuesday (Oct. 1-2) at the 3A tournament at Pinehurst Country Club in south Denver.
And Freeman (pictured) can be part of team history as well. If Kent Denver captures the team title, it will be the Sun Devils’ seventh in a row (with the first two coming in 4A), which likewise would be a Colorado state high school record. That mark is currently shared by Kent and ThunderRidge, which won six consecutive 5A titles from 2001 through 2006.
Freeman, who has verbally committed to play college golf at the University of Colorado, set himself up quite nicely for a run at individual title No. 3 by beating eight fellow high school standouts Tuesday in the CJGA Collegiate High School Invitational held in conjunction with the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational at Colorado National Golf Club in Erie.
Actually, to say Freeman won underplays how he well he performed. He beat Pueblo South’s Jimmy Makloski, who’s had the best year of any junior golfer in the state, by 14 strokes. And, playing the same tees as the college players, Freeman finished the three-round event with a 7-under-par 209 total, which would have put him in a fifth-place tie in the college tournament.
“We’ve got state next week so I just wanted to come in here and play well,” Freeman said. “Winning is awesome too. It just gave me a lot of confidence going into next week.
“I hit it really good for three rounds and I putted it good all three rounds. I feel pretty good with where my game is at.”
For the record, Freeman shot scores of 69-69-71 at a Colorado National course that was set up at almost 7,800 yards.
Ironically, Freeman’s performance came on the heels of a high school season that hasn’t been outstanding by his high standards. For instance, in the Metro Regional state qualifier at CommonGround Golf Course, he shot a 5-over-par 76 and tied for sixth place.
“Sometimes I’ve hit it well but not putted well, and some days I’d putt well and not hit it good,” Freeman said of his play this season. “But (at Colorado National) I brought everything together, which was nice.”
Ironically, one of the players most likely to challenge Freeman for the 3A title next week is a teammate, Ben Moore, who placed fourth at state last year. Other returnees from last year’s top 10 are Aspen’s Jesse Beetham (fifth in 2011), Faith Christian’s Jack Cummings (10th) and Basalt’s Dylan Rakowski (10th).
Meanwhile, the 4A and 5A state tournaments also will be held Monday and Tuesday, with the 4A at The Links at Cobble Creek in Montrose and the 5A at The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden. Neither will feature a defending champion.
In 4A, Makloski is the favorite after having an outstanding summer. He won the CGA Junior Stroke Play, the CJGA 14-18 Junior Series Championship and the AJGA Junior at Fox Hill. And he shot a 65 at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs to qualify for state.
Makloski placed ninth at the state tournament last year and fifth in 2010. Five other top-10 finishers from 2011 will join him in this year’s field: Silver Creek’s Jack Adolfson and Dylan Wonnacott (second and third, respectively), Summit’s Dylan Mitchell (seventh), Evergreen’s Kyle Peterson (seventh) and Valor Christian’s Josh Seiple (ninth). Seiple qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur this year.
In Class 5A, only two top-10 finishers from state last year are back as Regis Jesuit’s Cole Cunningham and Cherry Creek’s Max Urman tied for fifth in 2011. Douglas County’s Kyler Dunkle shot a competitive course record 66 at Mariana Butte in Loveland to qualify for state.