It’s the year-ending holiday season, which means different things to different people.

One of the things that comes with this time of year here at coloradogolf.org and coloradowomensgolf.org is a reflection on the past 12 months and compilation of the top stories of the year in Colorado golf. We’ve been doing it annually since 2009, and we’re not about to stop now.

There’s no lack of worthwhile candidates, so in recent years we’ve broken up the list into a two-part series. We go in reverse order, for the sake of preserving some suspense, and add an honorable-mention list that will be included with Part II, which will be published in the coming days.

Today, we’ll cover Nos. 25-13, so without further ado …:

25. Year 2 for Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado: The JGAC, which made quite a splash upon debuting in 2016, continued a significant upward trajectory in 2017. The Alliance — a joint effort of the CGA, Colorado PGA and CWGA — further expanded its reach by creating more tournaments, including several in western Colorado, and adding services. Junior players of all abilities can benefit from JGAC-related programs, including anything from the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy to Colorado PGA Golf in Schools to the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program to Drive Chip & Putt and PGA Junior League competitions.

24. Three Victories by DU Women’s Team: The University of Denver women’s golf team has compiled quite a record from late last season to early this one. In late April, the Pioneers won their 14th straight conference championship, an eye-opening run even if their conference isn’t particularly strong in women’s golf. Then this fall, DU won two tournaments in 11 days — both in Colorado, at the Golfweek Conference Challenge in Wolcott and the Ron Moore Women’s Intercollegiate in Highlands Ranch. For the record, that made for three wins in the course of five tournaments spanning two seasons. Denver, ranked among the top 25 women’s teams in the nation to complete the fall (along with the University of Colorado), was given a boost in the offseason when 2017 CWGA Player of the Year Mary Weinstein transferred in from the Regis University.

23. Eaton’s March Toward CWGA Record: This year, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton reached 24 CWGA championship victories by sweeping the Senior Match Play and Senior Stroke Play titles. That leaves her just one shy of Carol Flenniken’s career-record total of 25. After her third sweep of the Senior Match and Senior Stroke in the same year, Eaton earned the CWGA Senior Player of the Year honor for the eighth time. She’s also been the overall CWGA Player of the Year four times since 2004.

22. Variety is Spice of Life for Moore: Another Colorado Golf Hall of Famer, Kent Moore, added to a rather remarkable feat that likely will never be matched. With his victory in the Super-Senior Match Play, Moore (pictured above) now has claimed titles in eight different CGA individual championships. Over the last 44 years, he’s won the 1973 Junior Match Play, the 1986 Amateur, the 1989 Match Play, the 1995 Mid-Amateur, the 2006 Senior Match Play, the 2014 Senior Stroke Play, the 2016 Super-Senior Stroke Play and the 2017 Super-Senior Match Play. READ MORE

21. Longmont’s Nygren Inaugural Putting Champ: Longmont’s Cole Nygren, a pro for just a couple of months, earned a nice paycheck ($15,000) and plenty of publicity with his Halloween victory in the All Pro Championship at the inaugural Major Series of Putting in Las Vegas. The most eye-catching part of the win was the fact that it came against a field that featured PGA Tour veterans Brad Faxon, John Cook, Tommy Armour III and Colt Knost. Nygren, who placed fourth in the CGA Amateur in August to conclude his amateur career, beat Knost, the 2007 U.S. Amateur champion, 3 and 2 in the match-play finale. READ MORE

20. Major Changes for Colorado Cup Matches: The Colorado Cup Matches, a Ryder Cup-style competition between CGA/CWGA amateurs and Colorado PGA professionals, have been held annually since 1971. But there were many significant changes implemented in 2017, which will be the last time the matches are conducted until 2019. With no college golfers playing for the amateur team for the first time, the Colorado PGA (left) prevailed 26-14 in the event, which now features open, senior and women players competing for a single Cup. That result came a year after the pros were swept by the ams. READ MORE

19. More National Recognition for Colorado PGA: Mark Pfingston, the PGA head professional at The Golf Club at Bear Dance, this year was named the PGA of America’s national Merchandiser of the Year for public facilities. With Pfingston’s accomplishment, Colorado PGA members continued their roll of the last decade-plus in receiving national recogntion for their work. In the last 11 years (2007 through ’17), CPGA members — or the Section as a whole — have earned nine national awards from the PGA of America. READ MORE

18. Chalk Up Another Honor for Keffer: In the last decade, Geoff Keffer has become one of the most awarded players from the Colorado PGA in the Section’s history. This year, the Lakewood resident received the Section’s Dow Finsterwald Player of the Year Award for the fourth straight season and for the fifth time in six years. To put that into perspective, only one player has been the Colorado PGA’s Finsterwald Player of the Year more times than Keffer, with two others matching his total. And all of the other three members of the five-timers club have all been inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame. Bob Hold owns the record for most CPGA Finsterwald Player of the Year Awards, with seven earned between 1966 and ’74, including six straight starting in ’66. Other five-time Players of the Year, in addition to Keffer, are Vic Kline (1975 to 1981) and Ron Vlosich (1986 to ’91). READ MORE

17. Back to North Dakota for CGA’s Jensen: Dustin Jensen, the CGA’s highly regarded and well-liked managing director of operations, recently accepted a job as associate dean of student engagement at his alma mater, the University of Jamestown in his hometown of Jamestown, North Dakota. Jensen was a key administrator in Colorado golf, particularly playing a pivotal role in the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado getting up and running during its initial years. READ MORE

16. Age No Problem for Schalk: Hailey Schalk (left) of Erie was only 15 years old during the 2017 golf season, but that didn’t keep her from becoming the girls Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s Player of the Year. In 2017, Schalk was the first Coloradan to win a title at the prestigious AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior. And in May, she was the first freshman since 2002 to win a girls state high school individual championship in Colorado. In addition, she captured the titles at both of the JGAC majors in which she competed. She also placed 14th individually while playing for Colorado at the Girls Junior America’s Cup. She and Davis Bryant were recently named “Future Famers” by the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.

15. Seniors Rule at CPGA Professional Championship: The Colorado PGA Professional Championship is the top tournament of the year for the Section. But this year’s event, held at Red Sky Golf Club in Wolcott, turned into a showcase for the 50-and-over set as 50-year-old John Ogden prevailed in a playoff over 64-year-old Rick Cole, who was ever so close to becoming the oldest winner of this event — by far. As it was, Ogden earned the $8,000 first prize, then promptly donated half of that total to the Colorado PGA REACH Foundation. READ MORE


14. Timely 59 for Sam Saunders: Former Fort Collins resident Sam Saunders picked a good time for his career round. Saunders, grandson of the late Arnold Palmer, opened the Web.com Tour Championship with a 12-under-par 59 in Atlantic Beach, Fla., where he moved from Fort Collins last year. It was just the seventh round under 60 in the history of the Web.com circuit. More importantly, it led to a second-place finish in the Web Tour Championship, which secured Saunders’ fully-exempt PGA Tour card for 2017-18 after he had lost that status late in the summer.


13. Bunch, Harvanek Voted into Colorado Golf Hall of Fame: Two Coloradans whose service in golf has made an indelible impact were voted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame. Jim Bunch of Denver and Danny Harvanek of Littleton will make up the 46th class of the Hall of Fame and will be inducted on May 20 at Sanctuary golf course in Sedalia. Bunch has served in high-powered volunteer roles at the USGA and with the Western Golf Association, including as the chairman of the USGA Rules of Golf Committee, of the WGA and of the Evans Scholars Foundation that awards full tuition and housing college scholarships to high-achieving caddies with limited financial means. Harvanek, a longtime PGA Master Professional in Colorado, has long been touted for his highly-effective instruction work with junior golfers, which helped lay the groundwork for the Colorado PGA Golf in Schools program. READ MORE
   

Seeking their first league title since 2010 — and the automatic NCAA Regional berth that would have gone with it — the Rams fell just short of the mark Sunday in Tucson, Ariz.

After going into the final round with a two-stroke lead — and still being ahead with nine holes left — CSU was edged on the final hole and had to settle for a runner-up finish, one stroke behind UNLV, which successfully defended its title. Five teams in the 11-school field finished the 54-hole event at least 14 under par, with UNLV posting an 18-under-par total and Colorado State checking in at 17 under.

CSU and UNLV were tied for the team lead with just the final group of the day left on the course. Unfortunately for the Rams, senior Blake Cannon bogeyed the 470-yard, par-4 18th, leaving CSU one back of UNLV.

Cannon and teammate Colton Yates led the way for the Rams, tying for eighth place at 5-under 211. Colorado resident Jake Staiano was 11th at 212. (April 27 Update: Staiano was subsequently named to the All-Mountain West Conference team.)

Meanwhile, Sunwoo Choi of the Air Force Academy placed sixth individually at 210 as the Falcons were seventh in the team standings.

At the Women’s Summit League Championship in Nebraska City, where the University of Denver is seeking its 14th straight conference title, DU grabbed a one-stroke lead over South Dakota State following the first round.

The Pioneers opened with an 8-over-par 296. Senior Jessica Carty, the defending champion, posted an even-par 72 which left her in second place, three strokes behind Megan Mingo of South Dakota State.

At the Women’s Big Sky Championship in Boulder City, Nev., Northern Colorado wrapped up its season with a fifth-place finish out of the 12-team field. UNC posted a 58-over-par 922 total. Sacramento State won at 900. Baile Winslow led the way for UNC individually, tying for 11th place.

Men’s Mountain West Conference Championship
April 21-23, 2017 (final) in Tucson, Ariz.
2. (out of 11 teams) Colorado State 283-280-284–847
8. Blake Cannon 70-70-71–211
8. Colton Yates 71-71-69–211
11. Jake Staiano 71-70-71–212
20. AJ Ott 71-72-73–216
20. Max Oelfke 74-69-73–216

7. Air Force Academy 296-286-289–871
6. Sunwoo Choi 72-68-70–210
22. Andy Germann 73-74-70–217
36. Joshua Wu 72-71-78–221
49. Dane Hankamer 79-73-76–228
52. Brenden Bone 80-77-73–230

Also
22. Coloradan Tanner Jenson, Utah State 69-73-75–217
38. Coloradan Glenn Workman, Wyoming 72-74-76–222

Women’s Big Sky Championship
April 21-23, 2017 (final) in Boulder City, Nev.
5. (out of 12 teams) Northern Colorado 311-302-309–922
11. Baile Winslow 77-75-78–230
18. Morgan Sahm 78-79-75–232
21. Marisa Hisaki 82-72-79–233
27. Christina Ferrreira 74-76-85–235
45. Kala Keltz 85-79-77–241

Also
34. Coloradan Delaney Elliott, Montana State 81-81-79–241
42. Coloradan Jaylee Tait, Montana State 81-88-74–243

Women’s Summit League Championship
April 23-25, 2017 in Nebraska City
1. (out of 9 teams) Denver 296
2. Jessica Carty 72
3. Sophie Newlove 74
4. Mariell Bruun 75
4. Lauren Whyte 75
4. Jessica Dreesbeimdieke 75

Note: Just prior to the tournament, DU seniors Jessica Carty and Mariell Bruun were named to the All-Summit League first team and junior teammate Lauren Whyte to the second team.

Women’s Big 12 Conference Championship

April 21-23, 2017 (final) in San Antonio, Texas
38. Coloradan Hannah Wood, Oklahoma 80-78-77–235
 

When compiling a list of the year’s top stories in Colorado golf, the toughest part is paring things down to a manageable number.

This year, as usual, there’s no lack of candidates for such a list. But in 2014, we’re taking a little different approach to our annual year-end countdown of the top Colorado golf stories of the last 12 months.

Over the next several days, we’ll break the top stories list into two installments. To stick with a golf theme, we’ve assembled the top 18 — as in an 18-hole round — plus an honorable-mention list.

We’ll “play the course” in reverse order so as to preserve some measure of suspense. And we’ll include the honorable-mention selections as part of the second installment.

18. DU Women Extend Improbable Streak: Winning NCAA Division I college golf tournaments is usually no simple matter, but the University of Denver women’s team has been able to consistently catch lightning in a bottle at conference championships. That continued in 2014 when coach Lindsay Kuhle’s Pioneers extended their streak of claiming conference titles to a remarkable 11 by winning the Summit League crown. From 2004 to ’14, the Pios — under Sammie Chergo, then Kuhle — have captured titles in the Sun Belt Conference (nine times), Western Athletic Conference (once) and the Summit League (once). Tonje Daffinrud, who went on to place 10th in the NCAA finals and earn first-team All-American honors, won the individual championship at the Summit League tournament in the spring. Full story: CLICK HERE. 

17. Humerickhouse Falls Just Short of Five-Peat: In September, Keith Humerickhouse of Glenwood Springs Golf Club was attempting to become the first player in the 114-year history of CGA championships to win five consecutive titles in the same CGA event. But the former pro finished a stroke out of a playoff at the CGA Mid-Amateur at River Valley Ranch Golf Club, where Chris Thayer of Bear Creek Golf Club won the championship. Full story: CLICK HERE. 

16. Joining Forces at G-4 Summit: The Allied Golf Associations of Colorado have made an increasingly concerted effort over the years to solve problems and address major issues in Colorado golf through joining forces. That continued in 2014 with, among other things, the inaugural G-4 Summit, held in February at Inverness Golf Club. The event featured high-level meetings, roundtables where best-practices were exchanged, and sessions featuring several issues crucial to the game. It’s a joint effort of the CGA, CWGA, Colorado PGA, Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Mile High Chapter of the Club Managers Association. Full story: CLICK HERE. 

15. Birthday Gifts for New Colorado Golf Hall of Famers: The timing of the voting on the 2015 class of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame was remarkable considering who was chosen for induction. Former USGA Executive Committee member Christie Austin was voted in on her birthday and Ron Vlosich, long one of the best players in the Colorado PGA, earned the honor four days before his birthday. Austin and Vlosich, coincidentally, were born four days apart in the same year, 1956. Full story: CLICK HERE.

14. 64s Wild for Oraee: Suffice it to say that things worked out pretty well when David Oraee (left) shot 64s in 2014. The golfer from Greeley fired a bogey-free 64 in the final round at Lakewood Country Club to win the CGA Stroke Play, which completed his career sweep of the CGA’s major championships, the Stroke Play and Match Play. Full story: CLICK HERE. Then less than two months later, the University of Colorado golfer carded another bogey-free 64 — this one at Colorado National Golf Club in the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational — en route to claiming his first individual title in college. He posted rounds of 64-67 for a 13-under-par 131 total, the best 36-hole tally in CU program history. Full story: CLICK HERE.  

13. USGA Success for Harrington, Eaton: USGA amateur championships typically draw the country’s — and sometimes the world’s — top amateur golfers, so making hay at those events is no small feat. In 2014, two players with strong Colorado connections made it to the quarterfinals of match play in USGA championships. Michael Harrington of Colorado Springs advanced to the final eight of the U.S. Mid-Amateur, which is limited to players 25 and older. That performance helped the 42-year-old become one of the oldest winners of the CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year award. The week after Harrington made his run, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur for the third time since 2009. Full story: CLICK HERE. 

12. The Moore, the Merrier: Give Kent Moore an award for both longevity and variety regarding his amateur golf success. When the longtime Coloradan won the CGA Senior Stroke Play in September, he continued to hit the mark in both categories. In the longevity division, Moore is believed to be the first player to win CGA championships in five consecutive decades, having captured the Junior Match Play in 1973, the Stroke Play in ’86, the Match Play in ’89, the Mid-Amateur in ’95, the Senior Match Play in ’06 and the Senior Stroke Play in ’14. As for variety, the Colorado Golf Hall of Famer has won almost every individual CGA championship for which he’s been eligible. For good measure, in 2014 Moore also earned low-amateur honors in the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open for the second time, leading to him winning CGA Senior Player of the Year award. Full story: CLICK HERE.

11. A First for the Colorado PGA: The Colorado PGA broke some new ground in October when Leslie Core-Drevecky, the only head professional Murphy Creek Golf Course has ever known, became the first female president in the history of the Colorado Section. For an organization committed to growing the game, the move certainly should send a welcoming message. Full story: CLICK HERE. 

10. Jervey Departs CWGA After 22 Years: Robin Jervey (left) was a fixture on the Colorado golf scene for more than two decades, but after a record 22 years as executive director of the CWGA, she stepped down in the early spring to become director of event management for JBC Golf, a Boston-based management company founded, owned and operated by Jane Blalock. Jervey made a significant impact in Colorado over the years, as evidenced by the Distinguished Service Award she’ll receive from the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame next spring. Full story: CLICK HERE. Ann Guiberson, a former director of regional affairs for the USGA, succeeded Jervey. 

Hulwick, who took over the program in February shortly after the resignation of longtime successful coach Sammie Chergo, recently guided the Pioneers to their 10th consecutive conference title, this one in the Western Athletic Conference (pictured).

It was DU’s first tournament victory with Hulwick as head coach, though she was an assistant when the Pioneers finished as high as sixth and fifth in the 2008 and 2009 NCAA Championship finals, respectively. This year’s performance earned Hulwick WAC women’s coach of the year honors.

Denver also claimed the individual conference championship as junior Tonje Daffinrud won by six and was named WAC women’s golfer of the year. Daffinrud has recorded six top-10 finishes this season and ranks among the top 30 women’s college golfers in the country according to Golfweek.

And on Monday night, DU was seeded 11th in the NCAA Division I West Regional in Stanford, Calif. In all, three regionals are on tap, running concurrently May 9-11. The top eight schools from each 24-team regional — along with two individuals from non-advancing programs — will land spots in the NCAA Championship finals, set for May 21-24 in Athens, Ga.

It will be the 12th consecutive NCAA Regionals appearance for DU. In all, 72 teams and 18 individuals will compete in Division I regional tournaments.

“We’ve gotten better and better in each tournament this spring, and that was our goal this winter,” Hulwick said after winning the WAC title. “We’re looking forward to NCAA postseason play next month.”

DU is ranked 32nd among the nation’s women’s teams by Golfstat, and 33rd by Golfweek.

Also headed to the West Regional, but as an individual, is University of Colorado junior Jennifer Coleman, who is coming off a third-place showing in the loaded Pac-12 Conference Championships. Coleman, who’s won one tournament this season, is ranked 92nd individually in the country by Golfweek.

Among the other players with Colorado ties in the NCAA Division I regionals are North Carolina State’s Lindsay McGetrick, San Diego State’s Paige Spiranac and and Texas-San Antonio’s Allie Johnston — all in the Central Regional in Norman, Okla. — and Pepperdine’s Somin Lee at the Stanford site.

While the women’s NCAA regionals have been set, men’s Division I programs are in the final week of their conference championships. Their NCAA regional fields will be announced on May 6.

Meanwhile, here are how the NCAA regional berths have shaped up for Colorado-based Division II programs:

Men’s NCAA Division II Regionals — On Friday, the NCAA announced the 80 teams and 32 additional individuals that earned berths in the men’s NCAA Division II Regional tournaments that will be held May 6-8.

Three Colorado-based teams — Colorado School of Mines, Colorado-Colorado Springs and Colorado State-Pueblo — are headed for the South Central Regional in DuPont, Wash. Mines, who went to the NCAA Div. II finals for the first time last year, is seeded first in the 10-team regional for the second straight season, while Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference champion UCCS is fifth, and Colorado State-Pueblo eighth.

In addition, Colorado Mesa’s Brandon Bingaman will be competing as an individual.

At the combined 20-team South Central and West Regionals, five schools and the top two individuals not on those teams will advance to the Division II finals, set for May 20-24 in Hershey, Pa.

Women’s NCAA Division II Regionals — Only one Colorado-based NCAA Division II women’s golfer earned a spot in the Division II Regional fields that were announced on Monday and that will be contested May 5-7.

Colorado State-Pueblo freshman Leina Kim is one of four individuals who earned a spot in the West Regional set for Tiara Rado Golf Course in Grand Junction. The nine-team field — plus the four individuals — will vie for three team and three individual berths to the Division II finals, set for May 15-18 in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Kim was the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference’s women’s golfer of the year this season. She owns six top-five finishes in the 2012-13 school year, including one victory.