Paige Spiranac currently has 1.3 million followers on Instagram and 179,000 on Twitter, and she can trace her meteoric rise on social media to something she experienced at Raccoon Creek Golf Course in Littleton on July 9, 2015.

That was the day that Spiranac won the 100th CWGA Match Play Championship at Raccoon Creek. In the scheduled 36-hole final of that milestone CWGA event, Spiranac played stellar golf, finishing 9 under par for 35 holes in outdueling University of Colorado golfer Brittany Fan 2 and 1 for the title.

It was a triumphant return to Colorado for Spiranac (at left on that day), who grew up in the Centennial State and won the 2010 CWGA Junior Stroke Play as well as the 2006 CJGA Tournament of Champions. (As a pro, Spiranac finished ninth in the 2016 CoBank Colorado Women’s Open; pictured below.)

While a story with pictures on the CWGA Match Play victory appeared on the CWGA and CGA websites that day in 2015, there were other things going on.

According to a recent article in azcentral.com, the digital home of The Arizona Republic newspaper, “She picked up her first individual win in years, and checked her phone as she walked off the course, assuming the stream of texts was to congratulate her. Then she checked Instagram.

“Thousands of people had followed her. As she searched for explanation, a friend texted her a link to an article on (name redacted) a website devoted to frat parties and college girls. Spiranac clicked the link. The bro-targeted site had declared, “The Whole World Is About To Fall In Love With Paige Spiranac,” complete with a dozen photos and a link to her Instagram account.

“… Thousands of more people found her and followed Spiranac. She told her sister she just wanted a ‘K,’ to see her follower count tick from ‘9,999’ to ’10K.’ That happened in a few hours. Then it kept climbing.

“Twenty-thousand. Fifty. By the next day, she had more than 100,000 followers.”

Since then, the numbers have kept skyrocketing. But Spiranac has become adept at making the numbers work in her favor.

Golf Digest put her on the cover of its magazine in May 2016, an issue that featured “innovators and infuencers changing the game.”

As an attractive social media sensation and professional golfer, Spiranac often makes public appearances (including at the PGA Tour’s Waste Management Phoenix Open last week), does some modeling, is a brand ambassador for PXG, and speaks out publicly about cyberbullying and its effects.

And this week, Sports Illustrated announced that Spiranac will be among those featured in its 2018 Swimsuit Issue. Included is a story entitled, “Paige Spiranac Is Using Her Platform as an SI Swimsuit Model to Fight Cyberbullying”. For that article, CLICK HERE.

In connection with that topic, Spiranac serves as an ambassador for the Cybersmile Foundation, a non-profit that works to battle cyberbullying.

“It still hasn’t hit me that I’m going to be in the 2018 @SI_Swimsuit issue,” Spiranac wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. “But thank you for listening to my story and why I’m so passionate about stopping cyberbullying!”

Spiranac was born in Colorado and lived in the state full-time until she was 13. Then she split time between Arizona and Colorado until she went to San Diego State as a student-athlete.
 

It seemed only fitting that a match for the ages settled the 100th CWGA Match Play Championship.

In Thursday’s 35-hole final in which the two players combined to make 22 birdies and were 15 under par, Paige Spiranac defeated Brittany Fan 2 and 1 after they halved the final hole with — what else? — birdies.

“It’s a lot of pressure because you know you have to be at the top of your game, but that’s also fun too,” said Spiranac, who matched 6-under-par 66s with Fan on the first 18, then went 3 under par on the next 17 holes to finish at 9 under overall. “You want to have that competition. You want her to play well, and I also want to play well. I was happy when she made birdie and I’d want to make birdie too. It was really fun going back and forth the entire time.”

Indeed, Spiranac was 6 under par in her first 10 holes at Raccoon Creek Golf Course, where she keeps her handicap. That left the former Coloradan 2 up. But Fan, a Hawaii native who plays golf for the University of Colorado, battled back to go 2 up through 23 holes. Then Spiranac birdied the 27th and 28th holes to take a lead she wouldn’t relinquish.

“I’m kind of having mixed emotions right now,” said Fan, the low amateur at the 2013 HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open. “I’m sad and disappointed that I lost but I’m also happy because that was a really great match. You have to make birdie to win, and we just played great.”

For the 22-year-old Spiranac (left and above), it was her second CWGA championship victory as she won the Junior Stroke Play in 2010. She also claimed the title at the 2006 CJGA Tournament of Champions, among other CJGA victories.

Spiranac hasn’t lived in Colorado for about five years — she now mainly splits time between Arizona, where her parents live, and San Diego, where she just completed her college golf eligibility at San Diego State, though she has one more semester of school before graduating.

But because Spiranac is visiting an older sister who lives in Colorado, she’s playing a few tournaments in the state while she’s here, including the Match Play, U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifying and the CWGA Stroke Play.

The Match Play certainly was a good start to the run as Spiranac earned medalist honors and won her four matches 7 and 6, 3 and 2, 5 and 4, and 2 and 1.

And, of course, it doesn’t hurt to forever go down as the winner of the 100th CWGA Match Play, with numerous former champions on hand, including four-time winner Joan Birkland and former CWGA executive director Maggie Giesenhagen.

“It’s awesome,” Spiranac said. “It has great tradition and the CWGA always puts on great events. It’s nice to win the 100th and have my name on there.

“I grew up in Colorado playing junior golf here, then went away to college. So it’s nice to come back to Colorado and win again. It means a lot because I’ve been working really hard on my game. It feels great to have it all come together.”

On Thursday, Spiranac took control by winning four holes in a five-hole stretch in the middle of the second round to go 3 up through 31 holes. But as quickly as you can say “not so fast”, Fan made one last run. She birdied both the 32nd and 33rd holes to narrow Spiranac’s lead to 1 up.

“She started to get a little momentum (after a bogey by Fan on the par-3 13th hole),” said the 19-year-old CU golfer, who ousted defending champion Jennifer Kupcho in the semifinals. “But I told myself, ‘You’ve got to keep fighting’, and I went birdie-birdie. But she was playing well too.”

When Fan (left) made bogey from a greenside bunker on the 34th hole, Spiranac went back to 2 up. Then the two finished the match in appropriate fashion. On the 150-yard 35th hole, Spiranac put her tee shot 3 feet from the hole. Fan calmly nearly matched the effort, with her ball ending up 5 feet from the cup.

Fan drained her birdie, and Spiranac did likewise to cap the match. It was the fourth time Thursday that they halved a hole with birdies.

“Honestly, the entire time it was back and forth and up and down,” said Spiranac, who hopes to turn pro by December. “Once I hit it in on 17, that was when it was, ‘OK, I can relax now.’ The entire time I couldn’t let down. When I thought I had it for a second (with five holes left), she came back and made two straight birdies. The entire time I was staying as focused as I could.”

Meanwhile, for the second consecutive year at the CWGA Match Play, a CU golfer finished runner-up, with Fan following in the footsteps of Tori Glenn in 2014.

As good as Fan played, she was left lamenting two three-putts — on the 24th and 30th holes — that cost her in a tight match.

“I think if I didn’t have the three-putts, I think we’d still be playing,” Fan said shortly after the match. “I definitely take a lot of positives from this, but there’s also a lot of things I can work on.”

For a story on the CWGA Match Play Senior Championship, CLICK HERE.

CWGA Match Play Championship
At Raccoon Creek GC in Littleton

Championship Flight Final (36 holes) — Paige Spiranac def. Brittany Fan, 2 and 1

Championship Flight Consolation Final — Samantha Barker def. Allie Johnston, 3 and 2

President’s Flight Final — Taylor Dorans def. Delaney Elliott, 1 up

President’s Flight Consolation Final — Sydney Gillespie def. Sarah Hankins, 3 and 1

Senior Championship Flight Final — Lynn Zmistowski def. Kathy Malpass, 1 up

Senior Championship Flight Consolational Final — Denise Cohen def. Christie Austin, 21 holes

First Flight Final — Jenni Chun def. Deb Hughes, 2 and 1

First Flight Consolation Final — Michelle Romano def. Megan McCambridge, 2 up

Second Flight Final — Nancy Ziereis def. Lynn Larson, 1 up

Second Flight Consolation Final — Courtney Ewing def. Katty Rothberg, 1 up

Third Flight Final — Aubrey Doran def. Susan Schell, 3 and 2

Third Flight Consolation Final — Carla Stearns def. Laurie Steenrod, 2 and 1

Fourth Flight Final — Jennifer Cassell def. Cindy Speer, 4 and 2

Fourth Flight Consolation Final — Nancy Sturgill def. Lyndon Lieb, 5 and 3

Fifth Flight Final — Judy Maillis def. Patti Godette, 2 and 1

Fifth Flight Consolation Final — Becky Finger def. Jennie Jones, 2 and 1

Sixth Flight Final — Harlene Bowman def. Cheryl Burget, 6 and 5

Sixth Flight Consolation Final — Lori Maul def. Sallie Dalton, 1 up

On Thursday, exactly 40 years after Lynn Zmistowski etched her name on the CWGA Match Play trophy for the second time, she staked out a presence on the glass prize that goes to the Senior Match Play champion.

Zmistowski trailed after 16 holes of the senior championship final, but won Nos. 17 and 18 at Raccoon Creek Golf Course in Littleton to defeat Kathy Malpass of Hiwan Golf Club 1 up and claim the senior title.

For Zmistowski, it was her fifth individual CWGA championship as she’s also captured two Match Plays and two Senior Stroke Plays. Overall, the player from Willis Case has claimed 15 individual state amateur titles in three states: Minnesota, Colorado and Arizona. She’s been inducted into the Golf Hall of Fames in both Colorado (class of 2000) and Minnesota (2014).

“This means a lot,” said Zmistowski (pictured above and below), who splits her time between Boulder and Arizona. “I’m pretty old now. I’m 70, but I can be competitive with the (50-and-over players). I still hit it pretty long, but not as long as I used to. It feels real good to keep up my game and still be competitive.”

Though she had dominated her previous two matches — winning both by 5-and-4 margins — Thursday proved much different. In fact, she never led until she won the 18th hole. Malpass, a two-time Senior Match Play champ, went 1 up when she parred No. 16 after just missing a 9-foot birdie putt, while Zmistowski made bogey.

But after both players were in similar positions on the par-3 17th — with long birdie putts — Malpass three-putted for bogey, while Zmistowski salvaged a par from 5 feet.

Then all square going into 18, Malpass’ approach shot from the right rough ran over the green and into the back bunker, while a wedge by Zmistowski left her with a 10-foot birdie putt. Worried that there was very little sand under her ball, Malpass elected to putt out of the bunker, and her ball ended up short of the putting surface, on the collar. After Malpass’ par attempt ran well past the cup, Zmistowski nestled her birdie attempt within inches of the hole, leading to a concession and the victory.

“I’m disappointed,” said the 59-year-old Malpass (left), who won four women’s club championships at Raccoon Creek in the 1990s, when she called it her home course. “I played fairly well until the back nine (she was even on the front), but I made some mental errors. Like on 18, I was in the rough and thought I needed to take a little more club (7-iron) because it’s still wet. And with the adrenaline or whatever, I blasted it through there.

“This is really my first competitive tournament of the season because I just got back from a 15-day trip to Europe. So I can’t be that disappointed, but of course I am.”

Zmistowski, who battled a balky putter and was 2 down after eight holes, had squared the match on No. 15, when she blasted from a greenside bunker to within 6 inches of the cup for par. After having tree issues on her third shot (below), Malpass recorded a bogey there.

But after Malpass took the lead again with a solid par on 16, Zmistowski rallied down the stretch.

The part-time Coloradan knows it isn’t easy to play with the lead, so she remained confident going into the final two holes.

“I know the feeling that Kathy had because I’ve played golf for so long,” Zmistowski said. “When you have the lead, it kind of works a reverse on your mentality. When you watch somebody come from behind on the tour, the pressure is on the guy who’s leading because he’s got everything to protect.

“At that point (the pursuer) has nothing to lose. You just try to hit your best shots. When you’re trying to protect a lead, you’re a little more careful. You don’t want to make a big mistake. I knew she had to be thinking that, so it sort of relaxed me.”

Isaac Petersilie was kicking himself a little for forgetting to sign up for the inaugural AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior that CommonGround Golf Course hosted early this month. But while he would have loved to compete against the stellar field that assembled for that event, he’s made the most of his opportunities since then.

Later in the same week the AJGA tournament was held, Petersilie not only won the Springer tourney held in his hometown of Colorado Springs, but he prevailed by eight shots.

Then last week, the 2013 4A state high school champion earned one of two spots at stake in his age division for next month’s prestigious IMG Academy Junior World Golf Championships in the San Diego area. Then to cap off his June to remember, Petersilie rallied in a major way on Wednesday to win the 39th CGA Junior Stroke Play Championship at Raccoon Creek Golf Course in Littleton.

The Coronado High School senior-to-be, who has committed to play college golf at the University of Denver beginning in 2016, made up four shots on the final seven holes of regulation, then won a sudden-death playoff with a 15-foot birdie on the first extra hole.

“I felt like in the past when I’ve been down I’ve kind of rushed it and tried to force something to happen,” the 17-year-old said. But this time around, he just got into a nice groove and let the birdies flow.

Petersilie (left and above) played his final nine holes — including the playoff — in 5 under par to overcome AJ Ott of Fort Collins, who led after each of the first two days.

“He made a lot of putts coming in,” Ott said of Petersilie, who drained three birdie attempts of 12-20 feet in his last seven holes, including the playoff.

After both players birdied their 18th hole in regulation — Ott nearly chipped in for eagle and Petersilie missed a 9-foot eagle attempt — it was time for sudden death. Petersilie hit his tee shot pin-high to the right of the green on the playoff hole, the 375-yard dogleg-left 10th. After Ott went into the bunker off the tee and blasted to the back fringe, he missed his 15-foot birdie attempt. That opened the door for Petersilie, whose birdie putt — on a similar line as playing partners Ott (below) and Coby Welch had earlier in the day — just trickled into the cup.

All in all, it was 180 degrees different than how the final round of the CGA Junior Stroke Play went last year. In 2014, Petersilie led going into the final day following rounds of 68-69 at Indian Tree. But he struggled on day 3, posting a 76 that dropped him to fourth place.

“This means a lot,” Petersilie said. “Last year I was close. I didn’t play too well (in the final round). It felt good to put three consistent rounds together and give myself a chance.”

Petersilie closed with a 3-under-par 69 Wednesday, giving him an 8-under 208 total. He made five birdies and a bogey in 19 holes on Wednesday.

Ott, a 2014 U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier who will play college golf at Colorado State beginning in 2016, carded a 2-under 70 on Wednesday.

Jackson Solem (left) of Longmont placed a distant third, six strokes out of a playoff, after a 72 on Wednesday. Fellow Longmont resident Daniel Pearson checked in in fourth place at 217, also closing with a 72.

Ott had a four-stroke advantage on Petersilie after both made birdie on their 11th hole Wednesday. Ott was 3 under par at the time and hadn’t carded a bogey on the day. But he made two down the stretch — one via a lost ball off his tee shot at his 12th hole and another after hitting his approach into the bunker on his 16th.

“I played pretty bad on the back,” said the Fort Collins High School senior-to-be. “I didn’t give myself very many looks. I was struggling to make pars from some ridiculous spots on the greens.

“I got a little quick on the back nine and hit some shots I haven’t hit in a while. I’ve got to slow it down a little coming down the stretch.”

Ott, like Petersilie, has been on a roll of late. He finished third at the AJGA Irwin Colorado Junior, was medalist in Junior World qualifying, then finished second in a playoff on Wednesday.

“I’m playing really good,” the 17-year-old left-hander said. “I’m a lot more comfortable than I was last year. It’s a little disappointing to only finish off one of the (recent three tournaments with a win), but I’ll be back soon. I just need to work on a few things.”

CGA Junior Stroke Play
At Par-72 Raccoon Creek GC in Littleton

x-won sudden-death playoff
x-Isaac Petersilie, Colorado Springs, Colo. 69-70-69–208
AJ Ott, Ft. Collins, Colo. 67-71-70–208
Jackson Solem, Longmont, Colo. 72-70-72–214
Daniel Pearson, Longmont, Colo. 70-75-72–217
Oliver Jack, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 77-64-77–218
Coby Welch, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 71-69-79–219
Brittain Walton, Steamboat Springs, Colo. 74-71-75–220
Jackson Vacek, Lafayette, Colo. 79-70-72–221
Chadd Vasquez, Colorado Springs, Colo. 73-75-73–221
Davis Bryant, Aurora, Colo. 78-72-72–222
Jake Staiano, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 71-75-76–222
Cameron Berndt, Elizabeth, Colo. 77-71-74–222
David Leede, Greenwood Village, Colo. 72-77-74–223
Wes Moran, Colorado Springs, Colo. 75-72-76–223
Cole Krantz, Windsor, Colo. 74-73-77–224
Josh Hill, Superior, Colo. 74-76-75–225
Evan Buchalski, Loveland, Colo. 75-71-79–225
Trevor Olkowski, Grand Junction, Colo. 75-75-75–225
Austin Hardman, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 74-76-75–225
Alec Poorman, Boulder, Colo. 68-78-81–227
Li Chen, Westminster, Colo. 75-76-76–227
Troy Dangler, Grand Junction, Colo. 75-78-74–227
Austin Burgess, Colorado Springs, Colo. 74-73-80–227
Braden Bentley, Colorado Springs, Colo. 73-83-72–228
Luke Travins, Colorado Springs, Colo. 76-78-75–229
Josh Caridi, Fort Collins, Colo. 78-73-78–229
Chase Federico, Pueblo, Colo. 76-74-80–230
Ryan Zetwick, Castle Rock, Colo. 75-76-79–230
Roy Carlsen, Arvada, Colo. 72-75-84–231
Reese Leiker, Littleton, Colo. 76-77-78–231
Nick Leibold, Littleton, Colo. 75-80-77–232
Alex Gorman, Broomfield, Colo. 76-80-76–232
Kyle Pearson, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 81-73-78–232
Jake Welch, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 75-76-82–233
Tyler Zhang, Lone Tree, Colo. 82-74-78–234
Jack Castiglia, Lakewood, Colo. 76-80-79–235
Will Firestone, Steamboat Springs, Colo. 75-79-81–235
Gary Schlatter, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 76-80-80–236
Alan Jake Berry, Littleton, Colo. 75-78-83–236
Austin Lienemann, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 76-77-84–237
Ryan Pearson, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 83-73-82–238
Trey Lambrecht, Sterling, Colo. 77-78-83–238
Brett Krantz, Windsor, Colo. 78-78-83–239
Samuel Taylor, Nederland, Colo. 78-75-89–242
Marcus Tait, Littleton, Colo. 78-77-DQ

MISSED CUT
Cody Steigerwald, Colorado Springs, Colo. 78-79–157
Will Hazen, Aspen, Colo. 79-78–157
Bridger Tenney, Evergreen, Colo. 79-79–158
Canon Olkowski, Grand Junction, Colo. 79-79–158
Nick Michas, Golden, Colo. 77-81–158
Ian Thorpe, Superior, Colo. 79-79–158
Eric Oneth, Greenwood Village, Colo. 81-77–158
Jackson Crist, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 81-79–160
Hunter Paugh, Fort Collins, Colo. 78-83–161
David Packer, Greenwood Village, Colo. 81-80–161
Jacob Gannon, Longmont, Colo. 82-79–161
Zach Zurcher, Parker, Colo. 82-80–162
Turner Johnson, Centennial, Colo. 83-80–163
Brock Dowdy, Denver, Colo. 79-84–163
Matthew Atkins, Loveland, Colo. 81-82–163
Mark Hillary, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 81-83–164
Cameron Kirke, Greenwood Village, Colo. 83-81–164
Trevor Glen, Thornton, Colo. 83-82–165
Jake Garrett, Littleton, Colo. 81-84–165
Liam Short, Evergreen, Colo. 84-82–166
Chance Vasquez, Colorado Springs, Colo. 84-82–166
Arthur Zabronsky, Parker, Colo. 84-83–167
Cole Folwell, Boulder, Colo. 83-84–167
Josh Pusar, Castle Pines, Colo. 81-86–167
Walker Franklin, Broomfield, Colo. 83-84–167
Cade Kilkenny, Centennial, Colo. 83-86–169
Reese Hummel, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 89-80–169
Zach Gomez, Westminster, Colo. 82-88–170
Cole Chalmers, Denver, Colo. 81-89–170
Nishant Datta, Broomfield, Colo. 88-83–171
Max Messner, Greenwood Village, Colo. 85-87–172
Jack Schoenborn, Castle Rock, Colo. 84-88–172
Brayden Lambrecht, Sterling, Colo. 84-88–172
Robby Walker, Centennial, Colo. 90-83–173
Andrew Stroh, Colorado Springs, Colo. 87-90–177
Jordan Phung, Littleton, Colo. 94-84–178
Ryan Hunt, Parker, Colo. 92-87–179
Tyler Mulligan, Parker, Colo. 90-96–186
Logan Gorman, Colorado Springs, Colo. 85-DQ
 

It’s hard to imagine the two girls state high school tournaments turning out much differently.

In the 4A meet at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs, Jefferson Academy junior Jennifer Kupcho posted one of the biggest — if not the biggest — victory margins in the history of the girls state tournaments: 14 strokes.

“I felt someone would be up there with me, but that didn’t happen,” said Kupcho, the 2013 CWGA Junior Player of the Year who has already committed to Wake Forest.

In the 5A meet at Raccoon Creek Golf Course in Littleton, Rock Canyon senior Michelle Romano (pictured above getting hugged) prevailed in a playoff at an event in which four other players finished within a shot of the winning total, including runner-up Hannah Wood of Arapahoe.

While Kupcho (pictured at left), who competed in four USGA championships last year, was certainly the pre-tournament favorite in 4A, Romano received far less attention competing against the likes of Wood, defending champion Calli Ringsby of Cherry Creek and Sydney Merchant of Dakota Ridge.

“I would definitely call myself an underdog,” Romano said after the biggest win of her career. “… I already know where I’m going to school (and playing golf, the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs). I didn’t have much relying on this except it really is just a self-accomplishment. I started playing golf my freshman year of high school. I never would have thought I would have been here today. It hasn’t exactly sunk in. Winning this tournament means I put in as much effort as I could and it paid off.”

Romano, sister of 2012 CGA Junior Match Play champion Andrew Romano, won the 5A Northern Regional tournament leading up to state, and also captured two or three other titles during the high school season.

But she had to overcome a bogey-bogey-bogey finish to post the victory. Wood, the University of Oklahoma-bound senior, birdied the final hole of regulation from 4 feet to tie Romano. And when Jaylee Tait of Columbine, playing at her home course, also struggled down the stretch, going 5 over par in the last four holes, Romano and Wood were headed to a playoff.

Tait (pictured at left in pink) could have won the tournament outright with a par on No. 18, or joined the playoff with a bogey. But she closed with a double bogey — hitting into a greenside bunker and three-putting — to share third place with Merchant and Anna Kennedy of Legend.

“I’m just disappointed because it feels like someone didn’t beat me; I beat myself, I guess,” said Tait, whose sister Ashley won three 4A state titles.

In the playoff, both golfers hit the green in regulation on the par-4 first hole. But Wood left her 25-foot birdie putt 4 feet short. And after Romano’s 15-foot birdie attempt finished 2 feet from the cup, Wood lipped out her par try (pictured at left). Then Romano converted her par putt for the victory.

“It’s disappointing,” said Wood, winner of the last two CJGA Tournament of Champions. “I had been three-putting all day. I considered the greens to be faster than they were and I knew the hail (from during a weather delay) had some effects on the greens.

“It’s pretty disappointing because I really wanted to do this for Arapahoe considering what we went through as a school” with the December shooting and killing of Claire Davis by a fellow student.

Wood finished her high school career with four top-10 finishes at state, going 10th, third, third and second.

Romano closed with a 3-over-par 75 on Tuesday to post a 9-over 153 total. But after making a 15-foot birdie on No. 15 and being tied for the lead with Tait, she missed a 6-foot par putt on 16. Then after putting her tee shot 30 feet from the pin on No. 17, play was delayed for more than an hour by lightning and large marble-sized hail (pictured below).

When play resumed, Romano three-putted for bogey and then popped up a drive about 100 yards on No. 18 en route to another bogey.

“I didn’t know I was tied for first (at the time of the weather delay) — and I didn’t want to know either,” Romano said. “I think the weather delay definitely affected my mojo and how I was handling myself. Then I three-putted that hole, and all the nerves set in. Then I skied a drive (on 18) and thought I was completely done.”

But Romano gathered herself to prevail in the playoff with that 2-foot par.

“That last putt, I was shaking,” she admitted. “I’ve never been so nervous in my life to make a 2-footer. It was definitely a very good feeling to get that one in.”

Wood, who was paired with Romano on Tuesday, matched her final-round 75. Those two finished one stroke better than Kennedy (final-round 74), Tait (79) and Merchant (77).

In the 5A team competition, Regis Jesuit won by three over Rock Canyon, ending Cherry Creek’s run of three straight titles. Regis swept the boys and girls 5A state championships during the 2013-14 school year. Creek, led by Ringsby’s seventh-place individual showing, finished fifth on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, at the 4A tournament in Colorado Springs, there was very little drama in the individual competition after Kupcho opened up a nine-stroke lead after round 1.

Tuesday turned out to be little more than an extended coronation for Kupcho, who like Wood is a member of the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program at CommonGround Golf Course.

Kupcho backed up her even-par 72 on Monday with a 74 on Tuesday at the Country Club of Colorado for her 14-stroke victory over Andrea Ballou of Valor Christian. Kupcho earned the top spot after finishing third at state as a freshman and second last year.

“It’s really amazing,” she said. “I’m pretty excited. I’m excited I represented my school like that. I get to go back and all my friends will be excited and proud and everything.”

On Tuesday, with little challenge being mounted from opponents, the 17-year-old Kupcho carded a birdie and three bogeys in her round of 74. The bottom line was, she wasn’t to be denied again at the state tournament.

“I wanted to do it,” she said. “Obviously, I’ve lost the last couple of years so I’ve always really wanted to win — and I finally did it.”

Cheyenne Mountain, playing in its hometown, easily defended its 4A team title, rallying on Tuesday to beat runner-up Montrose by 15 shots for the tournament.

For the final state high school scores, click on these links: 5A, 4A

Jaylee Tait works at Raccoon Creek Golf Course, site of the 5A girls state high school tournament. She plays the course pretty much “every day” during the golf season. Her dad, Pat, is the head professional at the facility. Her school, Columbine, is just a half a mile away.

All that considered, it’s no surprise that the senior is in the hunt at the halfway point of the state tournament.

Tait, younger sister of three-time 4A state champion Ashley Tait (who played at Mullen), shot a 3-over-par 75 Monday and shares the lead at Raccoon Creek with sophomore Morgan Sahm of Grandview.

“It’s an advantage and also pressure” playing at Raccoon Creek, said Tait (pictured above). “I mean, senior year, home course. But it certainly gives me a course-management advantage.”

While Tait and Sahm are tied for the top spot, Sarah Hunt from Denver East trails by one after a 76. Meanwhile, many of the pre-tournament favorites struggled some on day 1 of the 36-hole event by carding scores in the high 70s.

Defending champion Calli Ringsby, a Cherry Creek senior who’s signed with Stanford, opened with a 6-over-par 78, the same as Arapahoe senior Hannah Wood, who’s bound for the University of Oklahoma. Wood was 1 under par for the first eight holes, but struggled most of the rest of the way. And Dakota Ridge sophomore Sydney Merchant, winner of last year’s CWGA Junior Match Play, checked in at 77.

All are still very much in contention for the title, but Tait and Sahm are in the driver’s seat.

Tait, who has signed with Montana State, was just 1 over par through 16 holes, but she made a double bogey on 17, where she chipped and then three-putted. For the day, she made two birdies, three bogeys and the double bogey.

“If I would have finished 1 over, that would have put me in a really good position,” Tait said. “Unfortunately I had that bad hole. I really wished I hadn’t doubled that hole.”

Sahm, who qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship as a 14-year-old in 2012, was steady on Monday. She made 15 pars and three bogeys en route to her 75.

The state tournament is a big day for most high school golfers, but like Tait, Merchant has additional reason to try to perform well.

Merchant (pictured at left), who shot 63 to win one tournament this season and 68 to prevail in another, is wrapping up her final high school season in Colorado, even though she’s just a sophomore.

In a week, Merchant’s family is moving to the Orlando, Fla., area so Sydney can play golf year-around, and the 5A state meet is her last Colorado tournament before she bids adieu.

“This is it,” said Merchant, who competed in the 2013 U.S. Women’s Amateur. “I’ve lived here (15 years), practically my whole life” so leaving is difficult. But “I want to go so bad.”

Merchant was far from pleased with her performance on Monday — she was even par through seven holes but went 5 over her last 11 — but she’s still in fourth place. (She tied for third in the 2013 5A state meet as a freshman.)

“I had some rough holes,” she said. “There’s not much to say. My game wasn’t on today.”

Asked if she can rally on Tuesday, she said, “Of course.”

In the 5A team competition, three teams share the lead at 245 after the first day: Legacy, Regis Jesuit and Rock Canyon. Legacy gained a share of the lead despite competing with just three players and not being able to throw out its high score.

Three-time defending state champion Cherry Creek trails the co-leaders by six strokes heading into the final round.

Jefferson Academy’s Kupcho Up by 9 in 4A Meet: Jefferson Academy junior Jennifer Kupcho came into the 4A state tournament with the top golf resume, and she lived up to her billing on Monday.

Kupcho, who’s finished third and second in her previous two state appearances, built a whopping nine-shot advantage after the first round at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs.

Kupcho, who competed in four USGA championships in 2013 and was named the CWGA Junior Player of the Year, shot an even-par 72 on Monday and was the only player to break 80. The Wake Forest recruit made three birdies and three bogeys in the opening round. Kupcho is part of the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program at CommonGround Golf Course.

Mariah Ehrman, a Jefferson Academy teammate of Kupcho, and Valor Christian’s Andrea Ballou share second place at 81.

In the 4A team race, Montrose leads with a 267 total. Defending champion Cheyenne Mountain holds down second place at 270.

For the state high school scores, click on these links: 5A, 4A.