The 16-year-old matched her career low round by shooting a 2-under-par 70 and finished in a three-way tie for first place out of a field of 33 at Colorado National Golf Club in Erie.

Joining Vogt in advancing from Colorado National to the U.S. Girls’ Junior will be two international players, Annabelle Ackroyd of Canada and Ela Anacona of Argentina, both of whom also shot 70.

The U.S. Girls’ Junior will be held at Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach, Calif., July 16-21.

“It was my first USGA qualifier,” said Vogt, a junior-to-be at Broomfield High School. “Matching my lowest round ever felt pretty good. I was the second tee time off and there were 11 groups behind me. Coming in at 2 under was stressful because I wanted to get one of the spots and I knew there were a lot of good girls out there. So it feels really good to actually qualify for it.”

Vogt, the Rocky Mountain Junior Golf Tour’s 2017 Girls Player of the Year, made six birdies and four birdies in Tuesday’s round. She drained birdie putts of 30 and 20 feet, and several from short distance.

“A United States Golf Association (event). I know it’s just a qualifier, but I’m proud of myself,” Vogt said. “I went into the day feeling really good on the range, the way I was hitting it.

“My putting has been really, really good the last few days. I was also hitting my wedges really well. So when I gave myself an opportunity for a wedge into the green, I’d use it to my advantage and knock it close and make the putt.”

Meanwhile, Ackroyd finished the day with five birdies and three bogeys, while Anacona carded three birdies and one bogey.

Two players in the field who qualified for the 2017 U.S. Girls’ Junior didn’t earn back-to-back trips as Charlotte Hillary of Cherry Hills Village fired a 72 and Nebraskan Shelby Poynter a 76. Also coming up short was 2017 Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado Girls Player of the Year Hailey Schalk of Erie. Playing on her home course on Tuesday, Schalk posted a 72.

U.S. Girls’ Junior

At Par-72 Colorado National GC in Erie
ADVANCE TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Meghan Vogt, Broomfield 70
Annabelle Ackroyd, Canada 70
Ela Anacona, Argentina 70
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Malak Bouraeda, Southlake, Texas 71
Amy Chitkoksoong, Aurora 71

For all the scores from Tuesday, CLICK HERE.
 

Murray, a recent Regis Jesuit High School graduate who plans to play college golf at the University of Colorado beginning this fall, shot a 1-over-par 73 on Tuesday at Valley Country Club in Centennial to land one of the three national spots that were at stake.

“I think it’s a great way to end up my junior career,” said the 18-year-old. “I really wanted this. It’ll be fun to have one last go at it. It means a lot to me.”

Joining her at the U.S. Girls’ Junior — scheduled for July 24-29 at Boone Valley Country Club in Augusta, Mo. — were medalist Jennifer Cai, a 14-year-old from Irvine, Calif., and Shelby Poynter of Scottsbluff, Neb., who’s a member of the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado. Cai carded a 1-under-par 71 and Poynter a 74. (The qualifiers are pictured, from left, Cai, Murray and Poynter.)

Murray, who became the first Colorado resident in two years to qualify in the Centennial State for a spot in the U.S. Girls’ Junior, hit 15 greens in regulation on Tuesday but managed just one birdie to go with two bogeys. She parred her final 10 holes of the day.

“I couldn’t make a putt,” said the two-time Colorado Girls Junior America’s Cup representative. “I had so many opportunities — so many putts within 10 feet, 5 feet. I just couldn’t make them. I had a lot of two-putts, but should have had more one-putts. But I’m definitely happy (with a 73). I hit the ball super, super well so I can’t complain.”

Murray, runner-up in this month’s Colorado Junior PGA Championship, was among the beneficiaries this year of a change in age restrictions for the U.S. Girls’ Junior that allows 18-year-olds to compete, after 17 had been the maximum.

It will mark the third USGA championship overall for Murray, who also competed in the 2015 USGA Women’s State Team. Cai will be going to her second USGA championship, having played — alone — in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball last month. It’ll be the first USGA tournament for Poynter.

“This is probably the biggest thing I’ve done (in golf),” said the 17-year-old Poynter, a high school senior-to-be. “I placed second at state my sophomore year of high school, but this is a much bigger deal to me.

“It’s really special. It’s really an honor. I haven’t been playing golf for very long. (Qualifying for a USGA championship) has been one of my biggest goals since I started playing, so it’s awesome. It’s a good feeling.”

Cai, who made four birdies on Tuesday, was 4 under par through 15, but carded a double bogey on 16 and a bogey on 17 and still managed to post the only sub-par round out of a field that originally numbered 33. That despite this trip marking her first time playing golf in Colorado.

Poynter also chalked up four birdies — including a 60-footer on No. 12 — in addition to four bogeys and a double bogey.

“I actually played really well,” Poynter said. “I didn’t get a practice round in this year. I was actually late getting here this afternoon. I didn’t get here as early as I would have liked, so I didn’t really know what to expect. I didn’t think I would really make it (qualify). I was hoping for it, but …

“I was putting really well. I hadn’t been putting well for a long time. My coach just said, ‘You’re close. It’ll come. Just be patient.’ And I was today and they started falling.”

As for Cai, she said she came to Colorado to qualify because the odds were better than if she tried it in her home state of California.

“It’s more competitive at other places,” she said. “There’s too many good players in California.”

Whatever the case, getting a recent taste of what USGA championships are like at the Women’s Four-Ball, Cai was happy to earn another berth in a national tournament.

“It means a lot. I love USGA events,” she said. “They’re really well-planned. To play in another one is really great. When I played in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball, I was amazed by how good it was. It was a great experience. It was really fun, but I also learned a lot.”
 

U.S. Girls’ Junior Qualifying
At Par-72 Valley CC in Centennial
ADVANCE TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Jennifer Cai, Irvine, Calif. 34-37–71
Jaclyn Murray, Grand Junction, Colo. 37-36–73
Shelby Poynter, Scottsbluff, Neb. 36-38–74
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Caroline Jordaan, Denver, Colo. 40-35–75
Jenna Chun, Englewood, Colo. 39-37–76
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Sadie Englemann, Austin, Texas 40-36–76
Julia Baroth, Denver, Colo. 39-38–77
Libby Singleton, Kingwood, Texas 39-38–77
Amy Chitkoksoong, Aurora, Colo. 39-38–77
Tabitha Diehl, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 41-36–77
Anju Ogi, Arvada, Colo. 39-39–78
Lauren Murphy, Carbondale, Colo. 39-39–78
Hailey Schalk, Erie, Colo. 41-37–78
Alexis Chan, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 39-39–78
Sofia Choi, Littleton, Colo. 40-39–79
Lexi Mueldener, Arvada, Colo. 43-37–80
Sarah Hwang, Monument, Colo. 40-40–80
Lauren Lehigh, Loveland, Colo. 41-39–80
Dylin Myers, Huntington Beach, Calif. 43-38–81
Kellsey Sample, Monument, Colo. 43-38–81
Gracie Olkowski, Grand Junction, Colo. 43-38–81
Sydney Eye, Golden, Colo. 41-41–82
Marie Jordaan, Denver, Colo. 44-39–83
Amelia Lee, Castle Rock, Colo. 42-41–83
Natasha McClain, Denver, Colo. 42-42–84
Eva Pett, Denver, Colo. 40-45–85
Olivia Roper, Denver, Colo. 42-43–85
Kelsey Fuess, Austin, Texas 43-43–86
Caitlin O’Donnell, Centennial, Colo. 44-42–86
Olivia Patrick, Tustin, Calif. 42-47–89
Amisha Singh, Greenwood Village, Colo. 48-45–93
 

Among the 33 players entered are Hailey Schalk, who just completed her freshman year at Holy Family High School (3A winner); Lauren Lehigh, a junior-to-be at Loveland High School (4A); and Amy Chitkoksoong, a junior-to-be at Grandview (5A).

Since claiming the 3A state title, Schalk has won the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior by Transamerica, and the Colorado Junior PGA Championship. And Lehigh just won the state Big I Junior Classic.

At stake on Tuesday will be three berths into the national championship, set for July 24-29 at Boone Valley Country Club in Augusta, Mo.

Also in Tuesday’s qualifying field are Jaclyn Murray, the 2017 Colorado Junior PGA runner-up and a 2014 U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifier; and Caroline Jordaan, winner of the North American Junior Amateur in January.

Starting this year, the maximum age for the U.S. Girls’ Junior has been raised from 17 to 18, and the maximum Handicap Index for competitors has been lowered from 18.4 to 9.4.

For Tuesday’s qualifying tournament pairings at Valley CC, CLICK HERE.

Gillian Vance has had a junior golf season to remember so far in 2015, but with college golf on the horizon in the fall, the end of the line is near, so she wants to wring every bit she can out of the remainder of her junior experience.

The 17-year-old from Lakewood took another step toward fully accomplishing that goal on Monday by earning co-medalist honors in U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifying at Valley Country Club in Centennial and earning a spot in that national championship for the second and final time.

The 5A state high school champion shot a 2-over-par 74 to land one of the four available berths in the Girls’ Junior, which this year is set for July 20-25 in Tulsa, Okla.

“It means a lot because it’s also my last year,” said Vance, who was medalist in the Colorado U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifier for the second consecutive summer. “And it will be one of my last big junior tournaments. I just want to go there and have a blast.”

Fellow 17-year-old Coloradan Morgan Sahm of Centennial likewise shared medalist honors and qualified. The other golfers landing national berths out of a field that originally numbered 36 were Emily Sumner of North Tustin, Calif., and Aiko Leong of Honolulu, Hawaii. (The medalists are pictured above, from left: Sumner, Vance and Sahm.)

Sahm and Sumner matched Vance’s 74, while Leong carded a 75 and made a 10-foot birdie on the first playoff hole to earn the final national berth. Amy Chitkoksoong of Aurora and Delaney Elliott of Superior also shot 75, but Chitkoksoong ended up first alternate after parring the playoff hole, while Elliott is the second alternate after three-putting the extra hole for bogey.

It will be the third USGA championship for Vance, the second for Sahm and Leong, and the first for Sumner.

Actually, for Vance (left), it’ll be her second of 2015 as she and Jennifer Kupcho advanced to the round of 32 at the inaugural U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball in Oregon. Since then, she’s won the 5A state high school title and finished second in the CWGA Junior Stroke Play. And now the U.S. Girls’ Junior will be one of her final junior events before beginning her college career at the University of Colorado.

“Hopefully this year I’ll go deep in match play (in Tulsa),” she said. “That’s the goal.”

Vance made 16 pars and two bogeys on Monday, finishing with a run of 11 consecutive pars.

“I was pretty happy,” she said. “There was nothing too bad to complain about. I missed a lot of putts that I wish I could have made, but I’m not complaining.”

Sahm (below), a 17-year-old senior-to-be at Grandview High School, will be going to her first USGA championship since qualifying in 2012 as a 14-year-old for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links — a tournament that no longer exists.

“This means a lot,” said Sahm, who recently won the girls 15-18 title at the Colorado/Wyoming District Optimist Junior Golf Championships. “I’ve never made it in this tournament so it’s exciting.

“The last time I went (to a USGA championship), I was going to be a freshman in high school. I played really awful, but I had a good time outside of the course.”

Sahm, who finished third at the 5A state high school meet behind Vance, made three birdies and five bogeys on Monday. One of the birdies came on the first hole, where she hit the flagstick with her approach and then sank the putt she had left.

Sumner, 16, had never attempted to qualify for the U.S. Girls’ Junior before, but she made the most of his first opportunity on Monday by playing her final six holes in 2 under par. She birdied both of the final two par-5s, Nos. 13 and 15, making a 30-foot putt on the latter. And voila, she’s headed to the national championship.

“That will be fun,” she said.

Meanwhile, Leong (left) said she’s been first alternate more than once before in U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifiers. And that could have been the case again on Monday had the 2014 Michelle Wie Tournament of Champions winner not prevailed in the playoff in her final chance to make the Girls’ Junior.

“This is my first time — and my last too because I’m going to be too old next year,” said the 17-year-old, who’s committed to play college golf at Brigham Young University starting in 2016. “I’ve been first alternate too many times. I thought about that a little bit on the tee but I tried to push it out of my mind.

“This is a big deal for me because I’ve done a lot of qualifiers so it feels good to make one.”

For all the scores from qualifying, CLICK HERE.

Qualifying for USGA championships isn’t an easy task, but Jennifer Kupcho sometimes makes it appear pretty simple.

The 17-year-old from Westminster has attempted to qualify for six USGA national tournaments in the last 13 months, and Monday marked the fourth time she’s been successful.

In the U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifying at Lone Tree Golf Club, it was more of a struggle than usual, but the senior-to-be at Jefferson Academy nevertheless made the grade.

The U.S. Girls’ Junior, set for July 21-26 in Flagstaff, Ariz., will mark the fifth USGA championship for Kupcho in 2013 and ’14 combined. Besides qualifying for the 2013 and ’14 U.S. Girls’ Junior, the 2013 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links and the 2013 U.S. Women’s Amateur, she was named to the Colorado squad that competed in the 2013 USGA Women’s State Team Championship.

Kupcho not only qualified for the U.S. Girls’ Junior last year, but she made it to the round of 32 in match play.

“It’s exciting to go back,” said Kupcho, a member of the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program at CommonGround Golf Course. “I obviously could have played better (Monday), but I’m excited to get to go to the tournament I did really well in last year. Hopefully I can do even better this year.”

While Kupcho — who so far this year has won both the CWGA Junior Stroke Play and the 4A state high school girls title — is set for a return trip to the U.S. Girls’ Junior, the other three players who qualified Monday out of a field of 29 at Lone Tree will be making their USGA championship debuts.

Gillian Vance, a 16-year-old from Lakewood, earned medalist honors with a 3-over-par 75, while 15-year-old Jaclyn Murray of Grand Junction posted a 76, Kupcho a 78 and 16-year-old Erin Sargent of Longmont a 79. (From left, Vance, Murray and Kupcho are pictured above, and Sargent is pictured below.)

Sargent needed three holes of sudden death to land the fourth and final qualifying spot. Anika Hitt of Mequon, Wis., likewise shot a 79. After both players made routine pars on the first playoff hole, Hitt had Sargent on the ropes in a major way on the par-4 second hole.

Both players missed the green right, but Sargent’s pitch ran 30 feet past the hole and she three-putted for a double bogey. Hitt just had to two-putt from 5 feet to win the playoff, but she rolled her par attempt 2 feet past the hole, then lipped out that putt.

Sargent took advantage of her opening to hit a 6-iron to 8 feet on the 160-yard third hole. Hitt missed the green and couldn’t sink her 15-foot par putt, leaving Sargent in a similar position as Hitt was the previous hole. But Sargent two-putted for par, earning a trip to Flagstaff.

Sargent admitted afterward she thought she was done-for on the second playoff hole.

“I was like, ‘Well there it goes. There’s always next time,'” said the junior to-be at Silver Creek High School, who placed sixth last month in the 5A state tournament. “I was lucky I got to go to the next hole and end up winning.”

Lone Tree, set up at 6,414 yards and with some challenging green complexes, put the qualifying field to the test, with less than 20 percent of the players breaking 80. Vance, a senior-to-be at Dakota Ridge High School, managed the situation best, making 14 pars, a double bogey and two bogeys before finishing with a birdie.

“I was pretty pleased,” she said. “It was a good round. The course was pretty tough. The greens were definitely fast and we played at a longer distance than we’re used to. But I was hitting it pretty straight and it was a pretty consistent day. I was happy with it.

“(Qualifying) means a lot. It’s a big deal for my career. It’s just a good experience to get to go there, and I love traveling to play (tournament) golf.”

Murray earned her trip to a national championship just a month after helping Regis Jesuit claim the 5A girls state high school team title. (Though Murray lives in Grand Junction during the summer, she spends the school year in the Denver metro area with her mother.)

On Monday, Murray punched her ticket to nationals with a four-birdie day in her first attempt to qualify for any USGA championship.

“It means the world,” she said. “I’m really happy with myself. And I’m honored to represent Colorado.”

Although Kupcho struggled by her standards on Monday — she went birdie-less for the day, didn’t make a putt of over 3 feet, and carded two double bogeys on the back nine — the Wake Forest recruit knows that that’s the exception rather than the rule. And she has high hopes she can be in good form at the U.S. Girls’ Junior next month. Last year in the national event, she not only advanced to the final 32, but she finished 11th in the stroke-play portion of the championship.

“I definitely could have won that match I lost,” she said. “I did pretty well there, so I should be able to get far in match play. I’d like to at least get to the round of 16, maybe the round of 8 this year.”

U.S. Girls’ Junior Qualifying
At Par-72 Lone Tree GC
* — Won playoff for final qualifying spot

QUALIFIED FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Gillian Vance, Lakewood, CO                          37-38–75
Jaclyn Murray, Grand Junction, CO                36-40–76
Jennifer Kupcho, Westminster, CO                 38-40–78
Erin Sargent*, Longmont, CO                           36-43–79

ALTERNATES (In Order)
Anika Hitt, Mequon, WI                                       37-42–79
Sarah Hunt, Parker, CO                                     39-41–80

FAILED TO QUALIFY
Delaney Elliott, Superior, CO                            41-40–81
Sydney Gillespie, Highlands Ranch, CO        42-39–81
Morgan Sahm, Centennial, CO                         41-42–83
Zarena Brown, Arvada, CO                                44-41–85
Adara Pauluhn, Longmont, CO                         45-40–85
Alexandria Trask, Commerce City, CO            42-43–85
Joanna Kempton, Littleton, CO                         40-46–86
Courtney Ewing, Pueblo West, CO                  42-44–86
Lauren Murphy, Carbondale, CO                     45-41–86
Ashlyn Kirschner, Arvada, CO                           46-41–87
Anna Kennedy, Parker, CO                               44-43–87
Hannah More, Littleton, CO                               42-45–87
Mariah Ehrman, Westminster, CO                    45-43–88
Heather Kroll-Schoonover, Arvada, CO          43-45–88
Kacey Godwin, Denver, CO                               44-44–88
Sarah Hwang, Monument, Colorado                44-46–90
Julia Kim, Aurora, CO                                          44-46–90
Delaney Benson, Littleton, CO                          47-44–91
Amy Chitkoksoong, Aurora, CO                        46-45–91
Madison McCambridge, Boulder, CO              49-46–95
Kendra George, Littleton, CO                            49-46–95
Andrea Reppe, Highlands Ranch, CO            WD
McKenna Reppe, Highlands Ranch, CO        WD