Each year has its own distinctive makeup. That’s true regarding life in general, or in Colorado golf.

And so it was in 2018, which is quickly coming to a close.

Since 2009, we’ve made it an annual habit to go back through the golf stories of the year, pick out the most prominent ones and rank them for a retrospective on the CGA website.

For most of the last several years, we’ve broken the list into two installments to keep things a little more manageable. We go in reverse order, for the sake of suspense, and add an honorable-mention list that will be included with Part II, which will be published in the coming days.

Today, we’ll cover Nos. 25 through 13.

So, without first ado, here’s our 10th edition of Colorado golf-related stories of the year:

25. Second Colorado Topgolf Site Gearing Up: Since August 2015, there’s been one Topgolf location in Colorado — the one in Centennial. But three months ago, ground was broken at a second site — at I-25 and 60th Ave., in Thornton. The 65,000-square-foot, three-level facility is scheduled to open to the public in late 2019. It will have 102 climate-controlled hitting bays — where players hit microchipped golf balls at targets with varying point values — in addition to a restaurant and three bars. There will be 250 HD televisions, a rooftop terrace with fire pits and 3,000 square feet of space devoted to private events. The Centennial Topgolf employs about 500 people, the same number that is expected in Thornton.

24. Annika Returns to Colorado for First Tee Event: Over the last three years, the folks who run the CoBank Colorado Open Championships and The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch have brought in tour players to conduct exhibitions and chat with kids from The First Tee programs in the state. During the first two years, doing the honores were Hale Irwin, Ryan Palmer, Paula Creamer, David Duval, Lexi Thompson and Mark O’Meara. This year, there was no letdown in talent as Matt Kuchar came for a late June exhibition at GVR, and World Golf Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam (above) for a CoBank PEAK Performers event in August at The Broadmoor, where Sorenstam won her first LPGA title — the 1995 U.S. Women’s Open. The PEAK Performers event was particularly unique as nine kids from First Tee programs around the country had the opportunity to play golf with Sorenstam for six holes each as part of a four-day, all-expenses-paid outing. READ MORE

23. Sibling Sweep for Bryants: A year after Davis Bryant and younger sister Emma completed the “Bryant Slam” by jointly winning all four Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado majors in 2017, they posted a “Sibling Sweep” when they prevailed at both the boys and girls 5A state high school tournaments in the same school year. Almost eight months after Davis Bryant claimed the 5A boys crown as a senior at Eaglecrest, Emma held up her end by capturing the 5A girls title as an Eaglecrest freshman in May at Boulder Country Club. It’s the first time two players with the same surname have won the boys and girls state individual prep championships in one school year. READ MORE

22. High Honor for Irwin: Hale Irwin (left) had to contend with Jack Nicklaus on the golf course plenty of times over the course of their careers. But in June, it was Nicklaus and the Captains Club that honored Irwin — a three-time U.S. Open champion and World Golf Hall of Famer who grew up in Boulder — as the 2018 Memorial Tournament honoree. And it’s no small tribute. Others who have received similar status since 2010 include Seve Ballesteros, Nancy Lopez, Tom Watson, Ray Floyd, Annika Sorenstam, Nick Faldo, Johnny Miller and Greg Norman. “I have a hard time putting myself in that category with the greats of the past, so I am absolutely delighted.” Irwin said.

21. Schalk Still Undefeated in High School Ranks: When then-Holy Family sophomore Hailey Schalk won the girls 3A state high school tournament in May, it gave her two titles in two seasons of high school golf. But even more impressively, Schalk remained unbeaten in her two years of high school tournaments and kept alive her chances for an unprecented four Colorado girls state high school golf titles. Schalk became the eighth player to win at least two Colorado girls state high school championships, joining Lynn Ann Moretto (3), Ashley Tait (3), Jennifer Kupcho (2), Becca Huffer (2), Kelly Jacques (2), Jennifer McCormick (2) and Emily Wood (2). Schalk, now a junior, later verbally committed to play her college golf at the University of Colorado beginning in 2020.

20. 25 and Counting for Eaton: Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton wasted no time in 2018 tying Carol Flenniken’s record for career CGA/CWGA women’s titles. In May, she teamed with fellow Hall of Famer Janet Moore in winning the Brassie Championship, giving her 25 such victories in her career. Though Eaton came up short — in a playoff — of notching No. 26 at the CGA Women’s Senior Stroke Play at her own home course at Greeley Country Club, she’ll have additional opportunities at the outright record in 2019. READ MORE

19. Spiranac Continues to Make a Splash: It’s hard to fathom how big a social media sensation 2015 CGA Women’s Match Play champion Paige Spiranac has become. At last check, the former Colorado resident had 1.5 million followers on Instagram and 215,000 on Twitter. Before largely giving up competitive golf, Spiranac not only won the 100th CWGA Match Play, but finished ninth in the 2016 CoBank Colorado Women’s Open and won the 2010 CWGA Junior Stroke Play as well as the 2006 CJGA Tournament of Champions — all in Colorado. Spiranac, who appeared in the 2018 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, is now a periodic columnist for Golf.com. READ MORE

18. 25 Years and Counting for Denver Golf Expo: What started out relatively modestly at the Colorado Convention Center in the early 1990s has turned into quite an annual affair. In 2018, the Denver Golf Expo, now run by Mark and Lynn Cramer, celebrated its 25th anniversary. The Cramers, who bought the show from Colorado PGA professional Stan Fenn in 2000, will be honored in June by the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame with a Lifetime Achievement Award. READ MORE

17. Memorable Year for Andonian-Smith: It was a year of “firsts” for Colorado PGA professional Sherry Andonian-Smith. She, along with fellow Coloradans Janet Moore and Marilyn Hardy, qualified for the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open. The Centennial resident became the first woman to qualify for the national Senior PGA Professional Championship and ended up finishing 29th out of a field of 264 there. She was named the Colorado PGA’s inaugural Women’s Player of the Year after tying for second place in the Colorado PGA Professional Championship and winning the Section’s West Chapter Championship for the second time in three years. And Andonian-Smith and Alexandra Braga became the first women from the Colorado PGA to qualify for the national PGA Professional Championship.

16. And Love-ing It: After getting advice from World Golf Hall of Famer Davis Love III, son Dru (left) made an eagle in a playoff to win the CoBank Colorado Open. The younger Love carded an eagle and nine birdies in his final 19 holes of the tournament. It was the biggest win of Dru Love’s career, and he made $100,000 in the process. Davis Love III won the PGA Tour’s International twice in Colorado, while Davis Love II claimed the title in the CGA Junior Match Play in both 1953 and ’54. READ MORE

15. Kevin Stadler, Kaye Make Long-Awaited Returns to ‘The Show’: The year 2018 marked the return to PGA Tour action for two Colorado-based veterans who hadn’t competed in golf’s top circuit for quite a while. Part-time Boulder resident Jonathan Kaye, a two-time PGA Tour winner, had last played in a PGA Tour event in 2011, but in March he landed a spot in the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship, where he missed the cut. And part-time Denver resident Kevin Stadler, who hadn’t competed on the PGA Tour since 2015 due to a broken hand, returned for the Sanderson Farms Championship in October, but likewise missed the cut. Stadler is expected to be a regular in PGA Tour events in 2019 as he plays on a major medical extension.

14. ‘Youth on Course’ Debuts in Colorado: A year ago, CGA executive director Ed Mate predicted that the Youth on Course program could become a “game-changer for player development” in Colorado. The initiative, which makes golf more accessible to juniors by capping their cost for a round at $5 at participating facilities, came to Colorado in 2018. Fifteen Colorado courses participated this year, and many more are expected to be on board in 2019. READ MORE

13. Web Tournament Formalized for TPC Colorado: Colorado last hosted an open-age PGA Tour-affiliated event in 2014, when the BMW Championship PGA Tour playoff tournament was held at Cherry Hills Country Club. But in a September announcement, the Web.com Tour confirmed what had long been known — that a Web.com Tour event would be conducted at the new TPC Colorado course (left) in Berthoud for at least five years, starting in 2019. The event, known as the TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes, will debut the week of July 8-14, with 156 players competing for a $600,000 purse. The Web circuit — then known as the Nike Tour — previously had a tournament in Colorado in 1996 and ’97, when Riverdale’s Dunes Course in Brighton hosted the Nike Colorado Classic. READ MORE

Also on the subject of new courses in Colorado, Fred Funk said in late June that the Raindance National Golf Club course in Windsor that he’s co-designing may open as soon as the fall of 2020.

Both golfers never trailed on Monday in posting victories in their opening-round matches in Vero Beach, Fla.

Moore, a Colorado Golf Hall of Famer from Centennial, posted a 2-and-1 victory over Canadian Jackie Little. And Hardy, the part-time Gunnison resident who was seeded seventh after stroke play, scored a 3-and-a win over Lynda Wimberly of Brentwood, Tenn.

Meanwhile, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton ran into a buzzsaw in opponent/friend Leigh Klasse of Cumberland, Wis., who won 8 and 7, tying the largest margin of victory in the championship’s history. Klasse was 6 under par through the 11 holes of the match. It also didn’t help that Eaton, who has gone to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Senior Women’s Am four times, wasn’t on her game as she had two double bogeys, two bogeys and an “X” in those 11 holes.

While Eaton faced a friend in the round of 64, Moore will do so in the round of 32 — Ellen Port of St. Louis. Port, a seven-time USGA champion and three-time winner of this event who’s seeded fourth in Vero Beach, recorded a 3-and-1 victory Monday over Fay Chen of Huntington Beach, Calif.

In Moore’s Monday match, she won the first three holes — with a birdie and two pars — and never gave up her lead, though Little was just 1 down after 13. But Moore won 14 with a par, then halved the remaining three holes for the victory. Moore was 5 over par through the 17 holes of the match.

Hardy’s match was similar as she never trailed and was only all square after two holes — 3 and 5. Hardy was only 1 up through 12, but won No. 13 with a par and 17 with a birdie to close out the match. Hardy finished 2 over par for 17 holes.

Hardy will face Lynne Cowan of Rocklin, Calif., in Tuesday’s round of 32.

Here are the results for the players with strong Colorado ties competing in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur:

MATCH PLAY
Monday’s Round of 64
Marilyn Hardy, Gunnison, def. Lynda Wimberly, Brentwood, Tenn., 3 and 1
Janet Moore, Centennial, def. Jackie Little, Canada, 2 and 1
Leigh Klasse, Cumberland, Wis., def. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton, 8 and 7

STROKE PLAY (Saturday and Sunday)
Advance to Match Play
6. Marilyn Hardy, Gunnison 75-73–148
35. Janet Moore, Centennial 77-80–157
46. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton 79-81–160
Failed to Advance to Match Play
Kristine Franklin, Broomfield 86-77–163 (lost in playoff)
Kathy West, Castle Pines 83-83–166
Tiffany Maurycy, Denver 81-88–169
Helene Afeman, Colorado Springs 88-86–174
Jennifer Hocking, Colorado Springs 88-87–175
Deb Pearson, Colorado Springs 98-99–197

For all the results, CLICK HERE.
 

Part-time Gunnison resident Marilyn Hardy, Janet Moore of Centennial and fellow Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton are in the 64-person match-play bracket for sure. And Kristine Franklin of Broomfield will need to survive a 7-for-1 playoff on Monday morning to advance at Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club (left).

Hardy shot a 1-over-par 73 on Sunday and tied for sixth place in the stroke-play portion of the event with a 4-over 148 total. She finished five strokes behind medalist Pamela Kuong of Wellesley Hills, Mass.

Moore carded a second-round 80 to check in at 157, good for a share of 35th place. Moore and Hardy both made the round of 32 at last month’s U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, and they both qualified for the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open over the summer.

Meanwhile, Eaton, a four-time quarterfinalist in the Senior Women’s Am, placed 46th in stroke play this time around with a 160 total after a second-round 81.

Franklin, who made match play in this event last year, posted a 77 on Sunday for a 163 total, leaving her in a seven-way tie for 64th place.

Here are the scores for the players with strong Colorado ties competing in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur:

Advance to Match Play
6. Marilyn Hardy, Gunnison 75-73–148
35. Janet Moore, Centennial 77-80–157
46. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton 79-81–160
In Playoff for Final Match-Play Berth
64. Kristine Franklin, Broomfield 86-77–163
Failed to Advance to Match Play
Kathy West, Castle Pines 83-83–166
Tiffany Maurycy, Denver 81-88–169
Helene Afeman, Colorado Springs 88-86–174
Jennifer Hocking, Colorado Springs 88-87–175
Deb Pearson, Colorado Springs 98-99–197

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.
 

Marilyn Hardy, a part-time resident of Gunnison, shot a 3-over-par 75 on Saturday at Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club, leaving her in a tie for 12th place heading into Sunday’s final round of stroke play. She made two birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey on Saturday.

And Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore of Centennial carded a first-round 77, putting her in 23rd place. She carded 14 pars, three bogeys and an opening-hole double bogey in round 1.

The top 64 players after 36 holes will advance to match play, which begins on Monday.

Also in the top 64 after Saturday are Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton (37th place at 79) and Tiffany Maurycy of Denver (59th place at 81). Eaton is a four-time quarterfinalist in this national championship.

Here are the scores for the players with strong Colorado ties competing in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur:

12. Marilyn Hardy, Gunnison 75
23. Janet Moore, Centennial 77
37. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton 79
59. Tiffany Maurycy, Denver 81
85. Kathy West, Castle Pines 83
107. Kristine Franklin, Broomfield 86
113 Jennifer Hocking, Colorado Springs 88
113. Helene Afeman, Colorado Springs 88
131. Deb Pearson, Colorado Springs 98

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.
 

Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton, a four-time quarterfinalist in the national Senior Women’s Am, earned medalist honors in qualifying in Scottsdale, Ariz., by shooting a 72 on Tuesday. And Kathy West of Castle Pines Golf Club also landed a spot at that site, posting a 79.

The Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs will host the Colorado-based qualifier for the event on Monday after the tournament was moved from the nearby Broadmoor because of hail damage. In Colorado Springs, 29 golfers will be vying for the seven spots in the U.S. Senior Women’s Am, which is set for Oct. 6-11 at Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club in Vero Beach, Fla. That will mark the final USGA championship of 2018.

Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore of Centennial, who has qualfiied for every U.S. Senior Women’s Am for which she’s been eligible, will be in the field at the Country Club of Colorado. This year, she’s already competed in the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open, and she’s also qualified for the upcoming U.S. Women’s Mid-Am, which will be her 27th USGA championship.

Also scheduled to play on Monday are fellow 2017 U.S. Senior Women’s Am competitors Kristine Franklin of Broomfield, Susan Hartwell of Arvada, Marilyn Hardy of Gunnison, Kathy Malpass of Evergreen, Sandra Bickel of La Porte and Lisa Lee of Longmont.

Hartwell, Eaton and Franklin made match play at last year’s national championship, with Eaton and Hartwell advancing to the round of 32. So far in 2018, Franklin has won the CGA Women’s Senior Stroke Play and fellow Monday competitor Tiffany Maurycy of Denver claimed the title in the CGA Women’s Senior Match Play.

For Monday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.

The last time Kristine Franklin raised a CGA/CWGA trophy that she’d won, her name was Kris Hoos, she wasn’t yet married or had any kids, she hadn’t yet turned pro — and it was 32 years ago.

On Tuesday — seemingly a lifetime after winning the 1986 CWGA Stroke Play, now with a family that includes a husband and two sons, and having long ago regained her amateur status — Franklin revisited the good old days by winning her second CGA/CWGA title.

And not only did the Broomfield resident capture the title in the CGA Women’s Senior Stroke Play, she did so by beating five-time champion Kim Eaton — and on Eaton’s home course of her younger days, Greeley Country Club.

“To play well enough against her was wonderful,” said the 52-year-old Franklin. “I love that she hit such great shots (into greens) right after me. That was really neat. She’s such a competitor. To play against her and be on top was unbelievable.”

After three-putting the 18th green — missing a 4-foot par attempt — in Tuesday’s final round to allow a playoff, Franklin landed the victory with a par on the first hole of sudden death as an uncharacteristic shank by Eaton on her greenside pitch shot led to a bogey.

“She gave me a break on 18 by missing that putt, then I go and do that,” said a frustrated Eaton, who had missed a 3-foot par putt on that same hole earlier in the day. “I would at least like to have given her a little better fight (in the playoff).”

Franklin, wife of University of Colorado women’s golf assistant coach Brent Franklin and the mother of one of the top junior players in the state (Franklin, younger brother of Jaxon), played her final 12 holes of regulation in even-par, shooting her second straight 2-over-par 74. That left the golfer from Colorado National (left and above) tied with Eaton, who had led by one stroke after 12 holes on Tuesday but bogeyed three times in her final seven holes, including the playoff. Eaton, a 59-year-old who now lives in Mesa, Ariz., missed two birdie putts inside of 10 feet on the 15th and 16th holes.

In sudden death, after Eaton’s shank (below) had resulted in a bogey, Franklin putted from just over the green, 20 feet from the flag, to within 6 inches and tapped in for the title.

After being under pressure with good shots by Eaton all day, Franklin was relieved to win it in relatively easy fashion.

“To have it end that way, I was so thankful,” said Franklin, who opted not to know where she stood all day, until a conversation with cartmate Eaton made it apparent heading up to the 18th green that she was one ahead.

“I’m like, ‘Why did I say anything?’ You are so stupid.”’ Franklin said of being informed of her status relative to Eaton.

Franklin, a former director of operations for Ricardo Patton when the latter was the head men’s basketball coach at CU, dedicated Tuesday’s win to her dad, George Hoos, a longtime high school golf coach in Boulder and a fixture in the Colorado golf community, who is battling leukemia.

“I really wanted to do this for my dad,” said Franklin, who returned to competitive golf just last year after a layoff of 18 years. “I just can’t wait to tell my dad (about winning).

“I get so much joy from watching my kids play. I didn’t realize that back when I played that my parents got that much joy. So I thought maybe if I started playing again …”

Franklin had a friend, Lara Tennant, talk her into returning to competition in 2017 after last competing in the 1999 Colorado Women’s Open, where she lost in a playoff to Shannon Hanley. So last year she played in the Women’s Trans National Senior Four-Ball, then qualified for the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and made match play. And this year in Colorado, she’s taken it up a notch, finishing second in the CGA Women’s Senior Match Play and winning on Tuesday.

So how has it been playing in these events after so long — and winning?

“It’s really exciting,” Franklin said. “The thing I enjoy most is meeting some of the ladies out here. They’re so nice and a real treat to play with.

“I drive up in the morning and am like, ‘Why am I doing this?’ because I get the nerves. But I think the more I practice and the more I work on my mental game, I hope it’ll be a better drive up to each of the tournaments. I think I’d like to keep competing.”

But while that’s the case, Franklin also will be on the golf course trying to help build the games of teenagers. Her brother, Eric Hoos, a former University of Denver men’s golf head coach who once won an event on the Web.com Tour, has taken on head coaching duties at Prospect Ridge Academy, where Walker Franklin plays. And with Eric on board, Kristine has committed to be an assistant coach, a role in which she’s currently enmeshed.

Franklin, who played professionally in Japan for about seven years, joined Jill Gaschler (2015) as the only players who have beaten Eaton in a CGA Women’s Senior Stroke Play. The last time Greeley Country Club had hosted the event, in 2012, Eaton won by 16 shots. But that year, Eaton shot just one stroke better over 36 holes than her total this week (148).

Eaton (left), a four-time quarterfinalist in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, is seeking her 26th career CGA/CWGA championship, which would give her sole possession of the record she now shares with fellow Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Carol Flenniken. Eaton said her next opportunity for No. 26 won’t come until next year.

Asked if falling short on Tuesday was more painful, given it was at her old home course, Eaton said, “It’s more painful in that I feel like I have a target on my back and everybody is out to get me (as the favorite). I just want to win it so I can get it over with.

“I was a little nervous on the back nine just because I wanted to get it over with and not have to worry about it anymore.”

Finishing third behind Franklin and Eaton on Tuesday was 2018 CGA Women’s Senior Match Play champion Tiffany Maurycy (below) of Cherry Creek Country Club, who closed with a 75 for a 153 total.

Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore of Cherry Hills Country Club placed fourth at 154 after a second-round rally was derailed by a triple-bogey at the 11th hole en route to a 75. Coincidentally, Moore and Franklin were college teammates at the University of Arizona.

Audrey McEwen of Coal Creek Golf Course, who won the seventh-flight gross competition, had one of the highights of the tournament as she made a hole-in-one — the first of her life — on the 117-yard second hole on Tuesday.

For all the scores from the championship flight, as well as from the other seven flights at the CGA Women’s Senior Stroke Play, CLICK HERE.

CGA Women’s Senior Stroke Play Winners

Championship Flight
Gross: Kristine Franklin, Colorado National GC 74-74–148

First Flight
Gross: Jennifer Hocking, Cherokee Ridge GC 80-80–160
Net: Laurie Steenrod, Saddle Rock GC 73-74–147

Second Flight
Gross: Lynda McManus, Highland Hills GC 78-83–161
Net: Sheila Schroeder, Broken Tee GC 72-75–147

Third Flight
Gross: Laura Wetzel, Coal Creek GC 82-85–167
Net: Audrey Bopp, Ptarmigan CC 72-72–144

Fourth Flight
Gross: Darlene Evans, West Woods GC 90-84–174
Net: Berta Thimmig, Riverdale 70-72–142 and Candy Hammerich, Rifle Creek GC 77-65–142

Fifth Flight
Gross: Insook Bhushan, Meadow Hills GC 93-91–184
Net: Judy Maillis, Broken Tee GC 80-70–150

Sixth Flight
Gross: Sandra Schnitzer 86-101–187
Net: Margaret Brubaker, Riverdale 73-69–142

Seventh Flight
Gross: Audrey McEwen, Coal Creek GC 95-96–191
Net: Susie Goldberg, Overland Park GC 79-69–148 

The Colorado Golf Hall of Famer, competing at the course where she grew up, finds herself in second place at the halfway point of the event.

Ahead of her on the championship flight leaderboard is Kristine Franklin of Colorado National Golf Club, who shot a 2-over-par 74 in Monday’s first round. Franklin, a former pro and the 1986 CWGA Stroke Play champion, made 16 pars and two bogeys in round 1. Like Eaton, Franklin (left) made match play at last year’s U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur. And Franklin finished runner-up earlier this summer at the CGA Women’s Senior Match Play.

Eaton, who is tied with Carol Flenniken for most career victories in CGA women’s/CWGA events (25), posted a 16-shot victory the last time the Senior Stroke Play was held at Greeley CC, in 2012. But the scoreboard is much more tightly packed this time around.

On Monday, Eaton carded three birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey of her 75. The 59-year-old has previously won the Senior Stroke Play in 2009, ’10, ’12, ’13 and ’17. A sixth title in this event would tie the Senior Stroke Play record set by Lynn Larson in 2001.

Cindy Snow of The Pinery Country Club sits in third place after a 77. And three players share fourth place at 78 — Tiffany Maurycy of Cherry Creek Country Club, winner of the 2018 CGA Women’s Senior Match Play; Kathy West of Castle Pines Golf Club; and Louise Lyle of Eisenhower Golf Club.

And Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore of Cherry Hills Country Club opened with a 79 and is in seventh place.

The 36-hole championship will conclude with Tuesday’s round.

For all the scores from the championship flight, as well as from the other seven flights at the CGA Women’s Senior Stroke Play, CLICK HERE.
 

Competing at a course she estimated at the time that she’s played more than 1,000 times, Eaton lapped the field in her old hometown of Greeley, prevailing by 16 strokes in a 36-hole event six years ago.

We bring that up now because the Women’s Senior Stroke Play will return to Greeley CC next week — specifically Monday and Tuesday. And Eaton (left) — a Colorado Golf Hall of Famer who has now won the championship five times, including last year — will be in the field looking for a shot at history.

Should she prevail at her old home club, it would be the 26th CGA/CWGA title of her career, which would break the record she currently shares with another Hall of Famer, Carol Flenniken.

Eaton, who recently turned 59 and is now a full-time resident of Arizona, has won four Stroke Plays, one Match Play, five Senior Stroke Plays, four Senior Match Plays, one Junior Match Play, seven Brassies, one Mashie, one Chapman and one Mixed championship in Colorado.

While Eaton may know the Greeley Country Club course better than anyone in the 104-player Senior Stroke Play field — 14 golfers are in the championship flight — there’s no lack of competitors capable of winning the title next week.

Another Colorado Golf Hall of Famer, Janet Moore of Cherry Hills, teamed up with Eaton to win this year’s CGA Women’s Brassie, which marked her 21st CGA/CWGA win, putting her in the mix for the all-time record when all is eventually said and done. Moore competed this summer in the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open.

Also scheduled to be in the field in Greeley are 2016 champion Deb Hughes of Green Valley Ranch, 2018 CGA Women’s Senior Match Play winner Tiffany Maurycy of Cherry Creek, and two players who advanced to match play at the 2017 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur (along with Eaton), Kristine Franklin of Colorado National and Susan Hartwell of Hyland Hills.

The championship flight is one of eight flights that will produce a winner next week in Greeley. For Monday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.

Swann, who hails from Austin, Texas, defeated stroke-play medalist Gillian Vance from the University of Colorado 2 and 1 in Thursday’s semifinals at The Fox Hill Club in Longmont.

And Weinstein (pictured in a DU photo), the 2017 CWGA Player of the Year from CommonGround Golf Course, beat Colorado Mesa golfer Hannah More from Pinehurst Country Club, 3 and 2 in the other semi.

The two NCAA Division I college players will square off in a scheduled 36-hole final on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Maurycy advanced to the senior championship final by defeating Eaton 2 and 1 in Thursday’s semifinals. It marked Eaton’s first loss in the event since the 2011 finals, when she fell to Laurie Steenrod. Eaton has won the Senior Match Play each of the last two years since returning following a brief “retirement” from CGA women’s/CWGA events.

Top-seeded Kristine Franklin of Colorado National Golf Club, the 1986 CWGA Stroke Play champion, will face Maurycy in Friday’s scheduled 18-hole senior title match. Franklin, who made match play in last year’s U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, defeated 2014 champion Deb Hughes in Thursday’s semis, 4 and 2.

All told, on the line Friday will be championship and consolation finals for the open championship, senior championship and first through third flights.

To view the results from the CGA Women’s Match Play, CLICK HERE.
 

No. 1-seeded Gillian Vance from the University of Colorado defeated teammate Jaclyn Murray 6 and 4 in the opening match, then beat Alexis Chan of The Links Golf Club 3 and 1 to make the final four.

Mary Weinstein of the University of Denver and CommonGround Golf Course, like Vance soon headed for the U.S. Women’s Amateur, scored two decisive wins — 4 and 3 over Amelia Lee of The Ridge at Castle Pines North and 6 and 5 over BYU golfer Anna Kennedy of Colorado Golf Club — to also make the semis. (Weinstein is pictured in a DU photo.)

Colorado Mesa golfer Hannah More, of Pinehurst Country Club, defeated Gilbreth in the quarterfinals, 2 and 1. Rounding out the semifinalists is Clemson’s Kennedy Swann, who needed 19 holes to beat Caitlyn Skavdahl in the quarterfinals.

Vance will face Swann and Weinstein will take on More in Thursday’s semifinals of the championship flight.

Meanwhile, in the senior championship flight, the top three seeds won their quarterfinal matches on Wednesday. That included stroke-play medalist Kristine Franklin of Colorado National Golf Club, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton and Tiffany Maurycy of Cherry Creek Country Club, in addition to fifth-seeded Deb Hughes of Green Valley Ranch Golf Club.

Eaton, who is seeking to become the winningest player in CGA women’s/CWGA championship history, scored an 8 and 6 victory over Lisa Lee of Boulder Country Club. Franklin won 7 and 6 over Kathy Malpass of Hiwan Golf Club. Maurycy topped Jennifer Hocking of Cherokee Ridge Golf Couse 3 and 2, while Hughes prevailed 4 and 3 over Susan Hartwell of West Woods Golf Club, who went to the round of 32 at last year’s U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur.

In Thursday’s semifinals, it will be Franklin vs. Hughes and Eaton vs. Maurycy.

The winners of Thursday’s matches in all of the flights will play in Friday’s finals, with the championship flight title match being a scheduled 36-hole affair.

To view the results from the CGA Women’s Match Play, CLICK HERE.