On Sunday (July 22), 21 1/2 months after Thorncreek Golf Course in Thornton closed down for a major renovation/improvement project, the facility will reopen to the general public.

Thorncreek, a public course which opened in 1992 and was designed by Baxter Spann, has been owned by the city of Thornton since 2012.

It closed on Oct. 10, 2016 and has since undergone work including:

— A redesign of nine holes (1, 2, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16 and 18).

— A new irrigation system and more than five miles of new drainage.

— Regrassing of tees, fairways and greens.

— New forward tees.

— Bunker renovations.

— An upgraded practice facility and clubhouse renovations.

Initially, cart use at Thorncreek will be limited to paths only “to allow for the best turf conditions,” course officials said in an email.

An email sent to customers indicated the course, driving range and grill will close at the end of business on Oct. 9, with the golf shop remaining open until Oct. 16.

Thorncreek, a public course designed by Baxter Spann which opened in 1992, has been owned by the city of Thornton since 2012, when it took over from a private management company. Some of the top priorities in the renovation process will be adding a new irrigation system and addressing water-quality issues relating to irrigation. Other improvements will include turfgrass and cart path modifications, developing a forward tee program and the addition of running-water restrooms. According to the city of Thornton website, “The improvements will replace an irrigation system that’s reached the end of its useful life, improve the pace of play and make the course more playable for a wider segment of golf customers.”

Meanwhile, the Thornton city council is planning to hold a public hearing on Tuesday (Aug. 23) regarding the possible construction of a three-level Topgolf facility near Thorncreek. The proposed Topgolf site is south of East 136th Ave., and east of I-25. Topgolf, a successful entertainment complex revolving around a driving range with computer-tracked golf balls, officially entered the Denver market last year, when a site opened in Centennial.

(Aug. 24 Update) The city council voted 8-1 to approve the building of the Topgolf facility. The city will kick in $3.75 million in incentives as part of the deal.

Meanwhile, 2015 CWGA Junior Match Play champion Amy Chitkoksoong of Aurora and Lauren Lehigh of Loveland earned the two girls 15-17 berths into the prestigious tournament that will be held in the San Diego area July 12-15.

Paxton, 17, fired a 2-under-par 70 Wednesday to win the qualifier with a 2-under 142 total.

The 15-year-old Stewart shot an even-par 72 Wednesday to finish second at 143.

The Olkowski brothers from Grand Junction, Canon and Trevor, placed third and fourth at 144 and 145, respectively, leaving them alternates.

In the girls competition, the 15-year-old Chitkoksoong garnered the top spot by winning the two-day qualifier with rounds of 75-77 for an 8-over-par 152 total.

The second girls berth went to Lehigh, who prevailed in a three-golfer playoff. Lehigh went 75-78 for 153, then carded two pars in the sudden-death playoff with Caroline Jordaan of Cherry Hills Village and Jordan Remley of Lakewood, who will be the first and second alternates, respectively.

For all the boys scores, CLICK HERE.

For complete girls scores, CLICK HERE.

Junior World qualifiers for boys and girls in the 11-12 and 13-14 age divisions will be contested on Thursday at Broken Tee in Englewood.
 

In the girls 15-17 division, 2014 CWGA Junior Match Play champion Amy Chitkoksoong of Aurora and Lauren Lehigh of Loveland fired 3-over-par 75s to sit atop the leaderboard.

After Wednesday’s second round, the top two finishers in each division will advance to the prestigious Junior World Championships, set for July 12-15 in the San Diego area.

Luke Travins of Colorado Springs and Easton Paxton of Riverton, Wyo., are tied for third place among the boys at 72, while Canon Olkowski’s older brother, Trevor, holds down fifth place at 73.

For all the boys scores, CLICK HERE.
 
For the girls, Arielle Keating of Colorado Springs, Caroline Jordaan of Cherry Hills Village and Jordan Remley of Lakewood sit four behind the leaders after carding rounds of 79.

For complete girls scores, CLICK HERE.

Junior World qualifiers for boys and girls in the 11-12 and 13-14 age divisions will be contested on Thursday at Broken Tee in Englewood.