Caroline Jordaan of Lakewood tied for sixth out of 136 players in the girls 15-18 tournament. She carded rounds of 73-80-76-76 for a 17-over-par 305 total. That left her 12 strokes behind champion Jillian Bourdage.

And in the boys 16-18 event, TJ Shehee of Mead and Micah Stangebye of Montrose were among those who tied for eighth place out of 134 golfers.

Shehee went 71-71-75-74 for a 3-over-par 291 total. At that same figure, Stangebye carded scores of 71-73-72-75.

Those two finished 11 strokes behind champion Yuki Moriyama.

In earlier phases of the Optimist International, Nicholas Pevny of Aspen won the boys 12-13 tournament (READ MORE), while Eva Pett of Denver placed sixth in the girls 13-14 division (READ MORE).

Here are the results of the Colorado golfers at the Optimist this week:

Boys 16-18
8. TJ Shehee of Mead 71-71-75-74–291
8. Micah Stangebye of Montrose 71-73-72-75–291
34. Walker Franklin of Broomfield 77-73-76-76–302
Missed 54-Hole Cut
Ryder Heuston of Louisville 73-81-75–229
Bo Wardynski of Parker 77-76-79–232
Blake Schneiter of Grand Junction 80-81-81–242
Tyler Mulligan of Parker 85-82-79–246
Finn Sapp of Avon 81-84-84–249
 
Girls 15-18
6. Caroline Jordaan of Lakewood 73-80-76-76–305
28. Leigha Devine of Windsor 83-76-77-79–315
46. Jessica Zapf of Windsor 80-78-79-85–322
Missed 54-Hole Cut
Emma Bryant of Aurora 82-81-80–243
Meghan Vogt of Broomfield 83-83-80–246
Morgan Ryan of Centennial 82-83-82–247
Jenna Chun of Englewood 83-83-81–247
Katherine Malcolm of Parker 93-83-89–265
Brooke Kramer of Aurora 93-95-88-276

Shehee fired a 6-under-par 66 to grab a three-stroke advantage among the boys. And Berrian posted an even-par 72 to go up by three in the girls tournament.

The 54-hole Colorado Junior Am, the second major of the year for the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado, will continue through Wednesday.

Shehee made seven birdies and one bogey in the opening round. The 17-year-old played his final 13 holes in 6 under. Shehee finished eighth last month in the year’s first major, the Colorado PGA Championship.

A total of seven boys broke par on Monday. Ryan Liao, a 15-year-old from Littleton, holds second place at 69 after a five-birdie, two-bogey day. Sharing third place at 70 are Jack Hughes of Aspen and Jake Francis of Watkins.

Berrian, who finished third in the 5A girls state high school tournament in May, carded three birdies and three bogeys on Monday to take the top spot among the girls after round 1.

Josie Baker, a JGAC member from Sherman Oaks, Calif., posted a 75 despite a triple bogey on No. 6 to hold second place. Marie Jordaan of Lakewood sits in third place at 76.

For the scores from the Colorado Junior Amateur, click BOYS, GIRLS.

The Trusted Choice Big “I” National Championship is set for Aug. 6-9 in Charleston, S.C., and earning spots through the Colorado tournament at Boomerang and Highland Hills were Goodman, Micah Stangebye of Montrose, TJ Shehee of Mead and Brayden Weiss of Superior on the boys side. For the girls, Chen advanced along with Kaylynn Xia.

Goodman and Stangebye tied in regulation in the boys tournament with 3-over-par 146 totals as Goodman went 70-76 and Stangebye 73-73. Weiss (77-72) and Shehee (75-74) shared third place at 149.

Chen posted rounds of 71-76 for a 3-over-par 147 total to lead the girls, while Xia shot 68-81–149. Lauren Lehigh of Loveland, the 2017 state champion, placed third at 150 (75-75).

For all the scores: BOYS, GIRLS.

But with the change, one Coloradan will have the opportunity for No. 3 this year.

Davis Bryant of Aurora, who has won the last four Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado majors in which he’s competed, has qualified for the 2015 and ’17 U.S. Junior Ams. And he can add one last one next week before he starts his college golf career at Colorado State University in the fall. Bryant went to 21 holes in the match play round of 64 at last year’s Junior Am.

Buffalo Run Golf Course in Commerce City will host the 18-hole U.S. Junior Amateur qualifying on Tuesday (June 26), with 79 competitors vying for three spots in the national championship. Baltusrol in Springfield, N.J., a major championship venue many times in the past, will be the site for the national event July 16-21.

Also trying to earn a return trip to the U.S. Junior Amateur on Tuesday will be TJ Shehee of Mead, who advanced last year.

Likewise in the field at Buffalo Run will be Dillon Stewart of Fort Collins, who won the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior early this month; Cal McCoy of Highlands Ranch, who captured the title earlier this week in the JGAC Tour event at Black Bear Golf Club in Parker; U.S. Open Sectional qualifier Jack Castiglia of Lakewood; and 3A state high school runner-up Walker Franklin of Broomfield.

For Tuesday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.

Two junior golfers from Colorado ended up advancing to the 64-golfer match play bracket, marking the first time that’s happened since Josh Seiple and Spencer Painton pulled it off in 2013.

Moving on Tuesday at Flint Hills National Golf Club in Andover, Kan., were Jackson Solem of Longmont and Davis Bryant of Aurora, who next week will be Colorado teammates for the third consecutive year at the Junior America’s Cup tournament. (The two are pictured, with Bryant at left.)

Solem, a former 4A state high school champion who will play his college golf at the University of Denver beginning this fall, came back from a first-round 75 to shoot a 3-under-par 69 on Tuesday, finishing 39th in stroke play in his first U.S. Junior Am. Solem made seven birdies and five bogeys in round 2. He recorded just one par in his final 10 holes on Tuesday.

Two years after making his U.S. Junior Amateur debut by shooting 81-80 as a 15-year-old, Bryant proved a much different player this time around, finishing 47th out of 156 players in the 36-hole stroke-play portion of the championship. The winner of both Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado majors held so far this year, Bryant shot rounds of 71-74 for a 3-over-par 145 total. The future Colorado State University golfer, who made three birdies and three double bogeys on Tuesday, ended up 13 strokes behind medalist Austin Eckroat of Edmond, Okla.

Match play will begin on Wednesday, and if either Solem or Bryant wins in the round of 64, it would be the first time since Wyndham Clark went to the round of 16 in 2009 that a Coloradan has won a match in the U.S. Junior Amateur.

The third Colorado competing in the U.S. Junior Am, TJ Shehee of Mead, didn’t advance to match play after posting rounds of 78-80 for a 158 total.

Here are the scores for all the Coloradans competing this week:

Advance to Match Play
39. Jackson Solem, Longmont 75-69–144
47. Davis Bryant, Aurora 71-74–145
Failed to Advance to Match Play
127. TJ Shehee, Mead 78-80–158

For all the scores from the Junior Amateur, CLICK HERE.
 

Bryant, winner of the first two majors of the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s 2017 season, shares 30th place with one round remaining in stroke play. The 17-year-old, who has verbally committed to play his college golf at Colorado State University beginning in 2018, made two birdies and two bogeys on Monday.

Bryant (pictured) is competing in his second U.S. Junior Am.

The top 64 players out of the field of 156 will advance to match play, which begins on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the other two Coloradans competing in the U.S. Junior Am have some ground to make up on Tuesday if they want to make the match-play bracket.

Jackson Solem of Longmont opened with a 4-over-par 75 and is tied for 78th place. The former 4A state high school champion made two birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey in round 1.

TJ Shehee of Mead carded a 7-over-par 78 on Monday, leaving him in 114th place. Shehee recorded a birdie and eight bogeys.

Brandon Mancheno of Jacksonville, Fla., leads the way after 18 holes at 8-under-par 63.

Here are the scores for all the Coloradans competing this week:

30. Davis Bryant, Aurora 71
78. Jackson Solem, Longmont 75
114. TJ Shehee, Mead 78

For all the scores from the Junior Amateur, CLICK HERE.
 

It was two years ago, and Solem made it into a playoff where four players competed for the final two available national berths. Alas, despite his home-course advantage, Solem was one of the odd men out.

But fate smiled on the Longmont resident on Tuesday. First, the rules were changed for the 2017 championship, upping the maximum age of entrants from 17 to 18. Solem just happens to be 18, set to play golf for the University of Denver starting in the fall. And then the qualifying tournament returned to Fox Hill, where Solem estimates he’s played 1,000 rounds over the last 10 years. In fact, Solem won the 4A state high school individual title at the course in 2015.

And on Tuesday, he earned medalist honors at his home club to qualify for his first USGA championship. The U.S. Junior Amateur will be held July 17-22 at Flint Hills National Golf Club in Andover, Kan.

Solem birdied two of the last three holes to shoot even-par 70 to lead the way out of a field that originally numbered 84. Joining him in earning spots in the U.S. Junior Am were Davis Bryant of Aurora, who has now qualified twice at Fox Hill for the U.S. Junior Amateur, and TJ Shehee of nearby Mead, who like Solem will be going to his first USGA championship. (The qualifiers are pictured, from left, Bryant, Solem and Shehee.)

“I thought it was awesome” that 18-year-olds are allowed to compete in the U.S. Junior Am starting this year, Solem said. “This is something I’ve never qualified for. I’ve played in a lot of different things. I missed in a playoff when qualifying was here last time (in 2015). That kind of stung a little bit. Last year I played terribly out at (the qualifier) at Walnut Creek. It was cool to have a shot at redemption.”

As for qualifying for his first USGA event, “it means a whole lot,” Solem said. “I’ve heard the USGA championships are awesome — like the pinnacle of golf. It’s cool to get my first one. Getting at least a taste of it at (U.S. Open) Sectionals was so cool. I think it gave me a lot of confidence coming into this. It made me want it a little more even.”

Solem, who last week won his third consecutive state Big I Junior Classic, has changed his mental approach to competing on his home course over time.

“I used to (put a lot of pressure on himself) because I play out here all the time so people expect me to play well,” he said. “This year I’ve stopped caring about that so much and think, ‘It’s another golf course. I just know a little bit more about it than most people.’ I just think of it as a little advantage rather than as a curse now. “

Bryant and Shehee matched 1-over-par scores of 71 on Tuesday, tying for second, a stroke behind Solem.

Solem and Shehee were teammates on the Silver Creek High School golf squad, though Solem recently graduated from Longmont Christian and Shehee is a junior-to-be at Mead High School. And Solem and Bryant were teammates on the 2015 and ’16 Colorado Junior America’s Cup teams.

Bryant, who prevailed in the 2015 playoff in which Solem fell short, also rallied late in his round on Tuesday. After being 4 over par through eight holes, he played his last 10 in 3 under, making four birdies along the way, starting with a 40-footer on his ninth hole. Bryant, who recently won the Colorado Junior PGA Championship, has verbally committed to play his college golf at Colorado State University beginning in 2018.

“I bounced back good” after the rough start, said the Eaglecrest senior-to-be. “I left it all out there and did as best as I could.

“I like this course a lot,” Bryant added. “It’s always in really good shape. I read the greens pretty well. It’s tight with the trees, which I like. I hit it really straight off the teebox. There’s a lot of dogleg lefts, which suits my draw. So there’s something about this place I really like. It’s been good to me.

“I’ve really had a good start to the summer. To add this one to the schedule will be awesome. My game two years ago is nothing like it is now. I’ll definitely be a lot more prepared.”

Like Bryant, the 17-year-old son of Green Valley Ranch PGA general manager Matt Bryant, Shehee comes from a family with close ties to the Colorado PGA. His dad, Tray, is an instructor at Ute Creek Golf Course, and his mom, Terra, is the head professional at Boulder Country Club.

“They’re definitely the biggest influence on how I’m playing right now,” said TJ Shehee, who recently qualified for the Optimist International Junior Championships.

On Tuesday, TJ Shehee made two birdies and three bogeys on the day at Fox Hill, where he often practices.

“This is one of my home courses,” the 16-year-old said. “I feel really comfortable here. I’ve been playing well coming up to this point (of the season), so I thought I had a good chance here.

“To qualify, it’s the biggest tournament I’ve ever played in in my life. It’ll be a really great experience.”

Several changes were made for the U.S. Junior Amateur starting this year:

— The qualifying tournament was reduced from the 36 holes it long had been to 18 holes.

— As noted, the maximum age for competitors has been raised from 17 to 18.

— And the maximum Handicap Index allowed for players has been lowered from 6.4 to 4.4.
 

U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifying
At Par-70 The Club at Fox Hill in Longmont
ADVANCE TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Jackson Solem, Longmont 36-34–70
Davis Bryant, Aurora 33-38–71
TJ Shehee, Mead 37-34–71
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Cal McCoy, Highlands Ranch 35-37–72
Jack Castiglia, Lakewood 34-38–72

For all of Tuesday’s scores, CLICK HERE.