Tori Glenn picked up in the first CWGA championship of 2015 where she left off in one of the last of 2014.

Which is to say she won it.

The 20-year-old from the Ridge at Castle Pines North paired up with University of Colorado teammate Megan Haase of Flatirons Golf Course to defeat defending champions Rachel Sweeney of Lone Tree Golf Club and Megan McCambridge of Boulder Country Club 2 and 1 in Wednesday’s championship-flight final of the CWGA Mashie at Black Bear Golf Club in Parker. (The champions are pictured at left and below.)

It was the second straight year that the defending champs have lost in the finals as Sweeney and McCambridge beat 2013 winners Kathleen Kershisnik and Samantha Stancato last spring.

For Glenn, Wednesday marked her second victory in a CWGA four-ball event in the last 10 months. Last August, she teamed up with Christie Austin to capture the title in the CWGA Brassie, which features a four-ball stroke-play format.

And this week, Glenn proved equally adept at four-ball match play.

“For me, (these team tournaments) are a way to ease yourself into more competitive events where a lot of college players play,” she said. “And they’re just more fun. It’s good to have fun.”

This was a final full of notable nuggets. For the second straight year, the CWGA Mashie title match featured four college players. And this time around, each team included a Megan. And three of the four finals competitors work together on the player-services staff at the Omni Interlocken Golf Club in Broomfield (Glenn, Haase and McCambridge).

Glenn, the 2014 CWGA Match Play runner-up, made a birdie on the first hole to give her team a lead it would never relinquish. Haase parred No. 2 to go 2 up, and they were 3 up after four holes.

“It was real fun,” said Haase, a 21-year-old grew up in Spokane, Wash. “Both of us played pretty well — and we played well together.

“We were always at least 1 up so that was a nice little comfort zone. But even being there, it was a little nerve-wracking.”

On the other side, McCambridge and Sweeney (left) were left playing catch-up all day long.

“We were confident the whole time we could get back up, but we couldn’t get putts to fall,” said McCambridge, a junior to-be at Butler University in Indiana. “We’d win one hole, then halve several in a row. We were never able to get back to an all-square or 1-up position that we’re accustomed to.”

Despite Sweeney being the longest hitter in the finals, she and McCambridge can point to the par-5s as significant in their downfall on Wednesday. Two of the three holes in which neither made a birdie or better were par-5s, and both resulted in lost holes. Overall, Sweeney and McCambridge were a combined 6 over par on the par-5s.

“That was a big issue,” said Sweeney, a junior-to-be at Lewis University in Illinois. “Usually I can reach par-5s in two or at least get close. Off the tee, I didn’t really set myself up for a good look.”

After being 1 up at the turn, Glenn and Haase (left) expanded their lead with a best-ball par on the par-5 13th as Sweeney had a lost ball and McCambridge left her approach in a bunker, and both bogeyed.

On No. 17, Sweeney almost extended the match as a 40-foot birdie attempt just missed. But a 3-foot par putt by Haase closed things out.

“Overall, they both played well and we didn’t quite have enough to take care of business out there,” McCambridge said.

Haase credited Glenn with steady play throughout the week that kept the two Buffs advancing.

“Tori played really solid. I owe a lot to her,” Haase said. “I definitely struggled the first day. I got better the second day. And I got a lot better today. Tori helped me out and was encouraging. If she knows something (that will help), she’ll tell me. That just built my confidence up.”

CWGA Mashie Championship
At Black Bear GC and Heritage Eagle Bend

  Championship Flight Final — Tori Glenn/Megan Haase def. Rachel Sweeney/Megan McCambridge, 2 and 1.
  Championship Flight Consolation Final — Lisa Lee/Cathy Stypula def. Susan Jennings/Jessica Noffsinger, 1 up.
  First Flight Final — Carol Henderson/Carla Stearns def. Theresa Lange/Ruth Van Zee, 3 and 1.
  First Flight Consolation Final — Denise Cohen/Vicki Warren def. Brenda Cook/Lynn Larson, 3 and 2
  Second Flight Final — LeAnna Rosenow/Patricia Swanson def. Mary Doyen/Vicki Porter, 1 up.
  Second Flight Consolation Final — Melis Ward/Karen Williams def. Stephanie Stewart/Cheryl Wilkinson, 3 and 2.
  Third Flight Final — Kim Gosche/Heidi Horner def. Cindy Lantz/Corrina Ruttkar, 19 holes.
  Third Flight Consolation Final — Susan Schell/Cindy Speer def. Kelli Gopsill/Janine Lowe, 2 up.
  Fourth Flight Final — Lori Gude/Paulette Jerpe def. Kay Geitner/Marie Schriefer, 3 and 2.
  Fourth Flight Consolation Final — Chris Jansen/Janis Ward def. Juliet Miner/Peggy Puckett, 3 and 2.
  Fifth Flight Final — Debbie Childs/Ellen Thomas def. Norma Bisdorf/Marla Straw, 6 and 5.
  Fifth Flight Consolation Final — Deborah Beckman/Rebecca Howard def. Lyndon Lieb/Judy Maillis, 3 and 2.
  Sixth Flight Final –Bonnie Catalano/Karen Moore def. Patti Godette/Kristi Samuelson, 3 and 1.
  Sixth Flight Consolation Final — Anne Svec/Kris Van Bladeren def. Amy Ennis/Karen Leuschel, 1 up.
  Seventh Flight Final — Linda Loveland/Linda Powell def. Dede Rushton/Laura Fischer, 6 and 5.
  Seventh Flight Consolation Final — Amber Leis/Meredith Nelson def. Pam Godfrey/Julie Workman, 2 and 1.
  Eighth Flight Final — Cheryl Burget/Janet Cott def. Suzanne Elkins/Mary Smith, 3 and 1.
  Eighth Flight Consolation Final — Jaki Berry/Dee Riedel def. Gail Bilotta/Anne Mursch, 5 and 4.
  Ninth Flight Final — Claudia Svarstad/Rochelle Tisdale def. Barbara Bostwick/Linda Brown-Stiller, 3 and 2.
  Ninth Flight Consolation Final — Carol Casteel/Ronda Palsulich def. Mari Johnson/Pamela Schmidt, 3 and 2.
  10th Flight Final — Sharon Colon/Cathy Reith def. Roben Deines/Susan Elliott, 2 up.
  10th Flight Consolation Final — Maree Albright/Joyce Craig def. Audrey McEwen/Susan Wagner, 4 and 3.
  11th Flight Final — Jan Place/Linda Schippers def. Donna Jones/Patricia Moore, 4 and 3.
  11th Flight Consolation Final — Thelma Benefiel/Jan Squires def. Denise Bassett/Billie Dahlbach, 3 and 1.

Rachel Sweeney admits she’s never had a run of birdies quite like it, and not even two lightning delays could derail her on Wednesday.

Sweeney, from Lone Tree Golf Club, made four consecutive birdies on the front nine and six overall in 15 holes as she and teammate Megan McCambridge of Boulder Country Club made it look easy in knocking off the defending champions and claiming the title in the season-opening CWGA Mashie Championship at Ptarmigan Country Club in Fort Collins.

The two college golfers — Sweeney from Lewis University in Illinois and McCambridge from Butler in Indiana — defeated Colorado-based University of Wyoming teammates Kathleen Kershisnik and Samantha Stancato, 5 and 3 in Wednesday’s championship-flight final to earn the top spot in the four-ball match play event.

“I was on a roll,” said Sweeney, an 18-year-old graduate of Mountain Vista High School. “I felt unstoppable. Everything was working.” During her run of consecutive birdies on holes 4 through 7, Sweeney hit approach shots within 10 feet every time.

Kershisnik, who was making her third consecutive appearance in the championship finals of the Mashie, chalked it up to just being one of those days.

“She was on fire today,” the golfer from Columbine Country Club said of Sweeney. “When you can’t get putts to drop and they’re making birdies, it just makes it tough to keep up with them.”

Sweeney and McCambridge (pictured above and at left, with McCambridge in purple) carded seven best-ball birdies in 15 holes, and a couple of times, both players had birdies on the same hole. “We were pin-seeking all day,” McCambridge said.

Sometimes, even when shots were mis-hit, they turned out great. Such was the case on the par-3 15th hole. McCambridge thinned her tee shot, but it bounced and rolled up to 4 feet from the pin. And after Kershisnik and Stancato failed to make par, the putt was conceded and the match was over. 

“I didn’t hit it very well but it ended up being one of those lucky bounces. It just worked out. I’ll take it,” said McCambridge, a product of Fairview High School.

Stancato and Kershisnik (pictured at left) said they played similarly to the two previous days — when they posted consecutive 5-and-4 victories — but they simply ran into a buzzsaw on Wednesday. Even after the second of two lightning delays, Sweeney and McCambridge didn’t cool off, making two birdies on their last three holes.

“We were hitting good shots into the greens but couldn’t make anything,” said Stancato, who plays out of Patty Jewett Golf Course. “It’s hard to come back when (an opponent) makes that many birdies. But we gave it our all.”

All in it, it was a stellar first appearance in the Mashie for Sweeney and McCambridge, especially considering McCambridge had never played Ptarmigan and Sweeney had never played Collindale before this week’s tournament at which both courses were used.

At the Mashie, Sweeney (left) and McCambridge defeated teams that included former Colorado State University women’s golf coach Susan Jennings, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer and seven-time Mashie champion Janet Moore, and then the defending champs.

“The last few days we’ve been able to capitalize on mistakes others have made and just kind of get away with pars,” McCambridge said. “We went into today knowing we were going to need to make some birdies to make things happen — and we did.”

In all, 192 players competed in the CWGA Mashie, with the competition broken up into a dozen flights.

CWGA Mashie Championship
At Ptarmigan CC in Fort Collins
(Previous Rounds Played at Ptarmigan and Collindale GC)

Championship Flight Final — Rachel Sweeney (Lone Tree)/Megan McCambridge (Boulder CC) def. Kathleen Kershisnik (Columbine)/Samantha Stancato (Patty Jewett), 5 and 3

Championship Flight Consolation — Susan Jennings (Fox Hill)/Jessica Noffsinger (Greeley CC) def. Cathy Stypula/Lisa Lee, Boulder CC, 2 up

First Flight Championship — Beth Clippinger/Christine Gingrich, South Suburban, def. Kim Gosche/Sue Davis, Saddle Rock, 5 and 4

First Flight Consolation — Nina Dulacki/Jill Kirkpatrick, Broken Tee, def. Mary Doyen/Vicki Porter, Foothills, 3 and 2

Second Flight Championship — Karen Chase (Fox Hollow)/Kim Wells (Sunset) def. Debra Bolke/Cathy Neistat, Saddle Rock, 2 and 1

Second Flight Consolation — Laura Wetzel/Karen Leuschel, Coal Creek def. Leslie Keith (Valley)/Laura Dunston (Blackstone), 2 and 1

Third Flight Championship — Nancy Wilson/Jan Carter, Indian Tree, def. Patty Smogor/Judy Maillis, Broken Tee, 3 and 2

Third Flight Consolation — Leanna Rosenow/Patricia Swanson, West Woods, def. Sue Knutson/Pam Cortez, Coal Creek, 3 and 1

Fourth Flight Championship — Lynda McManus/Caitlyn Olson, Highlands Hills, def. Kim Gould/Theresa Lange, Blackstone, 7 and 5

Fourth Flight Consolation — Darlene Evans/Becky Harkey, West Woods, def. Juliet Miner (Bear Dance)/Peggy Puckett (Wellshire), 2 and 1

Fifth Flight Championship — Lita Van Cleave/Pat Cahill, Patty Jewett, def. Norma Bisdorf/Marla Straw, Overland, 2 and 1

Fifth Flight Consolation — Diane Thompson/Regina Valis, Wellshire, def. Pat O’Connor/Irene Stein, Collindale, 2 and 1

Sixth Flight Championship — Katie Kinney (Eaton CC)/Irene Manion (Stone Canyon) def. Laura Fischer (Willis Case)/Dede Rushton (Broken Tee), 1 up

Sixth Flight Consolation — Christina Nelson/Ande Havenar, Ptarmigan, def. Claudia Gallegos (South Suburban)/Janice Campbell (Meadow Hills), 2 up

Seventh Flight Championship — Amber Leis/Meredith Nelson, Fox Hill, def. Mary Smith/Suzanne Elkins, Fox Hollow, 19 holes

Seventh Flight Consolation — Debbie Knoll/Ginny Morley, Ptarmigan, def. Anne Svec/Kris Van Bladeren, Hyland Hills, 2 up

Eighth Flight Championship — Janet Cott (Fox Hollow)/Cheryl Burget (South Suburban) def. Barb Dearing (Links)/Cathy Quesnell (Red Hawk Ridge), 1 up

Eighth Flight Consolation — Kathy Diehl (Broken Tee)/Cindy Ortega (Foothills) def. Gail Bilotta (Blackstone)/Anne Mursch (Black Bear), 1 up

Ninth Flight Championship — Ann Gruidel (Lake Valley)/Marsha Swoboda (Coal Creek) def. Vera Garrett/Bev Nalls, Meadow Hills, 3 and 1

Ninth Flight Consolation — Marilyn Hollman/Cheryl Miller, Riverdale, def. Jeanette Paone/Judy Plock, Overland, 2 and 1

Tenth Flight Championship — Audrey McEwen/Susan Wagner, Coal Creek, def. Nancy Peters/Sammy Scoma, Hyland Hills, 3 and 2

Tenth Flight Consolation — Karen Leake (Eagle Vail)/Sally Lou Schultz (Meeker) def. Roben Deines (Murphy Creek)/Susan Elliott (Riverdale), 4 and 3

Eleventh Flight Championship — Denise Bassett/Billie Dahlbach, Plum Creek, def. Lori Maul/Carolyn Bachamp, Sunset, 2 up

Eleventh Flight Consolation — Marcia Hall/Susie Goldberg, Overland, def. Jo-El Freyer (Denver CC)/Jan Lee Heath (Spreading Antlers), 2 up
    

The 17-year-old Fairview High School graduate fired that 2-under-par 70 on Wednesday — the same day that two of her pursuers in the CWGA Junior Stroke Play did likewise.

The result was that her best was just good enough for the state title at Saddleback Golf Club in Firestone.

“I really like going out where it’s close or I’m in contention,” said Moran, who will play college golf at NCAA Division I William & Mary in Virginia beginning in the fall. “I’ve been playing really well, but I kept having one thing off in my game. But it all came together today.”

Actually, Moran did end up with a two-stroke margin in her wire-to-wire victory in the Junior Stroke Play. She birdied her 16th hole from 3 feet on Wednesday to give her a little cushion, but it was always close.

Moran finished with a 2-over-par 218 total, two stokes better than Jaylee Tait of Raccon Creek Golf Course, who matched Moran’s 70. Likewise firing 70 was third-place finisher Sarah Hankins of Thorncreek Golf Club, who checked in at 222.

“This means a lot,” said Moran, who placed third in this tournament a year ago. “It’s a good way to close out (her junior golf career in the state, though she still has a tournament or two left). I knew I had to win one of them.

“This is probably my biggest win with the field they had here. Maybe it’s tied with the (high school) regional I won as a junior.”

On Wednesday, Moran posted three birdies — all from inside of 5 feet — and one bogey in her career-best round. But if there was one area of her game that didn’t cooperate on the final day, it was her putter.

“I kept having short birdie putts and they wouldn’t drop,” she said. “It was frustrating. I was hitting it close. If I putted good, I could have gone lower, but I’m not complaining.

“I was proud of how I handled the mental part of my game today.”

Moran wasn’t the only CWGA Junior Stroke Play winner from Fairview High School. Former teammate Megan McCambridge won the First Flight on Wednesday after carding rounds of 79-84-73 for a 236 total.

CWGA Junior Stroke Play Championship
At Par-72 Saddleback Golf Club in Firestone

CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
Kelly Moran, Boulder, Colo. 74-74-70–218

Jaylee Tait, Littleton, Colo. 75-75-70–220

Sarah Hankins, Thornton, Colo. 75-77-70–222

Gillian Vance, Lakewood, Colo. 74-75-79–228

Samantha Barker, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 77-73-78–228

Sydney Gillespie, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 74-78-78–230

Kylee Sullivan, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80-73-82–235

Mary Weinstein, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 74-82-79–235

Sydney Merchant, Morrison, Colo. 80-78-79–237



FIRST FLIGHT
Megan McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 79-84-73–236

Joanna Kempton, Littleton, Colo. 79-83-77–239

Madison Tenney, Evergreen, Colo. 83-78-79–240

Andrea Ballou, Larkspur, Colo. 82-82-78–242

Dani Urman, Greenwood Village , Colo. 79-81-83–243

Delaney Benson, Littleton, Colo. 80-84-79–243

Jennifer Hankins, Thornton, Colo. 77-85-81–243

Adara Pauluhn, Longmont, Colo. 80-84-80–244

Hannah More, Littleton, Colo. 83-79-84–246



SECOND FLIGHT
Morgan Sahm, Centennial, Colo. 86-73-76–235

Jenni Chun, Lone Tree, Colo. 87-80-78–245

Margot Leibold, Englewood, Colo. 88-81-80–249

Jacquelin Biggs, Englewood, Colo. 88-77-86–251

Ashlyn Kirschner, Arvada, Colo. 88-79-85–252

Delaney Elliott, Superior, Colo. 88-86-79–253

Heather Kroll-Schoonover, Arvada, Colo. 86-90-84–260

Mariah Ehrman, Westminster, Colo. 87-89-90–266

Julia Kim, Aurora, Colo. 87-90-91–268



THIRD FLIGHT
Katherine Kemp, Colorado Springs, Colo. 91-78-80–249

Morgan Stacks, Thornton, Colo. 91-80-87–258

Emilee Strausburg, Lakewood, Colo. 90-88-86–264

Courtney Ewing, Pueblo West, Colo. 94-87-87–268

Natasha Brandy McClain, Castle Pines, Colo. 92-88-89–269

Madison McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 93-92-93–278

Andrea Hoos, Thornton, Colo. 94-98-88–280

Duval Sutherland, Parker, Colo. 95-104-99–298

Julia Baroth, Denver, Colo. 105-101-101–307