Coby Welch (pictured), a freshman for the University of Northern Colorado, finished 11th out of 126 players. That was particularly impressive given that the tournament featured 22 of the nation’s top 100 college golfers, according to Golfstat.
Welch, the CGA’s Junior Player of the Year in 2015, posted rounds of 69-74-70 for a 3-over-par 213 total at the Stanford Golf Course. He ended up seven strokes behind winner Rhett Rasmussen of Brigham Young.
It’s been a very solid freshman season for Welch, who won the Mark Simpson Invitational in September.
Meanwhile, Coloradan Wyndham Clark, another former Valor golfer and currently the top-ranked college player in the nation, ended up one stroke behind Welch, sharing 13th place at 214.
Despite the strong showing, Clark saw his streak of top-10 finishes in his senior season at Oregon end — although just barely. Clark had been 10th or better individually in each of his first eight tournaments of the season. This time around, he rebounded from a first-round 77 with a 68 and a 69. Clark was playing his 10th tournament round in 12 days.
The Goodwin
March 30-April 1, 2017 (final) in Stanford, Calif.
8. (out of 24 teams) Northern Colorado 292-295-287–874
11. Coby Welch 69-74-70–213
20. Joshua Matz 73-72-70–215
69. Li Chen 79-74-71–224
87. Andrew Romano 71-77-79–227
106. Sam Marley 79-75-76–230
15. Colorado 298-301-285–884
36. Ethan Freeman 69-77-72–218
41. Spencer Painton 75-76-68–219
63. Jeremy Paul 76-76-71–223
80. John Souza 78-74-74–226
93. Yannik Paul 78-75-75–228
17. Colorado State 292-298-297–887
46. Colton Yates 72-75-73–220
63. Jake Staiano 73-69-81–223
75. AJ Ott 72-80-73–225
87. Blake Cannon 75-75-77–227
93. Max Oelfke 75-79-74–228
Also
13. Coloradan Wyndham Clark, Oregon 77-68-69–214
69. Coloradan Cole Nygren, Cal Poly 77-72-75–224
114. Coloradan Glenn Workman, Wyoming 79-78-75–232
The 2015 CHSAA 5A boys state high school tournament probably belongs in the “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” category.
Any one of these things would be improbable on its own, yet all of them occurred on Tuesday at Fort Collins Country Club:
— The host school, Fort Collins HS, which had just two players in the field, saw those two competitors finish 1-2, with Hunter Paugh (left) claiming the title and fellow senior AJ Ott placing second.
— Both of the top two finishers are left-handers.
— The individual champion, Paugh, won at his home course.
— Paugh led after the first round of the 5A state meet each of the last two years, but instead of shooting a second-round 77 and finishing third as he did in 2014, he closed the deal with an even-par 71 on Tuesday for the victory.
— Though Fort Collins HS has featured six state team champions over the nearly-70 years of boys state high school championships, it had never had an individual winner until Paugh broke the ice on Tuesday.
— With just a few groups left on the course, three schools (Regis Jesuit, defending champion Coronado and Lakewood) were tied for the lead in the team competition. Regis ended up prevailing by one over co-runners-up Coronado and Lakewood, with Fort Collins-based Fossil Ridge just four out of the top spot.
— In the last seven years, Regis has won five state team championships and finished second the other two years.
Suffice it to say it was a stellar ending to an eventful boys high school season. And the 5A was just one of the three state tournaments that concluded on Tuesday. For details about the 4A and 3A state meets, see below.
Paugh couldn’t keep the lead that he held after 18 holes last year, but this time around, no one ever caught him, though a couple of opponents crept within one shortly after he hit it into the water and made a double-bogey 7 on the seventh hole. He was solid as a rock thereafter, making two birdies and nine pars to fend off all challengers.
It was an ideal way to close out Paugh’s high school golf career — with a victory at state in his hometown and on his home course.
“This is just how my dream was — just exactly,” he said. “I can’t picture it any better, with all my family and friends around to support me after winning the state title. It’s amazing.”
Paugh, who has verbally committed to play college golf at the University of South Dakota, posted a 4-under-par 138 total, good for a three-stroke victory. Ott, his teammate, had gotten within one before placing second at 141 after closing with a 70.
Grand Junction junior Trevor Olkowski and Regis Jesuit senior Andrew McCormick (above) tied for third at 143, with Olkowski carding a day 2-best 69 and McCormick a 72.
Ott (left), a Colorado State University recruit who earlier this year finished third in the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior and second in a playoff at the CGA Junior Stroke Play, notched his fourth top-10 at state. But a victory eluded him.
“It’s very disappointing,” he said. “I definitely wasn’t even close to my best. It’s just one of those days. It’s unfortunate it had to happen today.
“It bothers me, yeah, but it’s just one tournament. But then again, this year and last year especially I felt like I was really confident going in (to state).”
As for Paugh, he was unflappable following his double bogey on the seventh hole. After seeing his lead dwindle to one, he drained birdie putts of 10 feet on No. 11 and 6 feet on No. 12, and had a cushion of at least two the rest of the way.
“Last year gave me good experience going into today,” Paugh said. “Last year I went in (to the last day in) the same position. I knew what I needed to do today. No. 7 wasn’t a good hole but I knew I needed to let it go because you can’t do anything about it. I didn’t want to let it affect me. From there on I was just really comfortable.
“Winning state is big for anybody, but it’s huge after last year having a chance at it and I didn’t get it done. This year at my home course, being expected to play well, I filled those expectations. Having the state title is amazing. And it’s cool (for Fort Collins players) to be 1 and 2 at state this year.”
With Paugh holding a comfortable lead going up the final hole, the team title remained in doubt until the very end. But Regis, which won four straight 5A state championships from 2010-13, got birdies from McCormick at No. 16 and a 7-footer from junior Tyler Zhang at No. 18 to give the Raiders (left) a one-stroke victory.
“He hit one of the best drives I can imagine,” Regis coach Craig Rogers said of Zhang’s shot on 18. “He was about 95 yards out and hit it to about 7 feet. That was the difference at the end.”
Then McCormick sank a 4-foot slider on No. 17 and two-putted for par on 18 to keep Coronado and Lakewood at bay.
“Stepping up on the last tee box, all the people watching, hitting it down the middle of the fairway, then hitting it in the middle of the green, then hitting it about 2 inches …,” Rogers said of McCormick on 18. “For any kid to have that kind of poise, it’s just beautiful to watch. He’s a guy who loves the competition.”
Regis finished with a 15-over-par 441 total, while Coronado and Lakewood came in at 442 and Fossil Ridge at 445.
Solem Feels Right at Home in Claiming 4A Title: Paugh wasn’t the only golfer to win a state high school title in his hometown and on his home course on Tuesday. Junior Jackson Solem, who plays for Silver Creek High School in Longmont, earned the 4A championship at The Fox Hill Club.
Solem (left) shot a 1-under-par 69 on Tuesday to prevail by one over Valor Christian senior Coby Welch, who likewise carded a 69.
Solem, the 4A Northern Regional champion who earlier this year finished third in the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior, made two birdies and one bogey on Tuesday. He finished at 1-under 139 overall to become the first individual state champion to represent Silver Creek.
Welch, winner of the CJGA 14-18 Junior Series Championship this year, was one ahead of Solem after 14 holes on Tuesday. But a double bogey on No. 15 proved costly as the University of Northern Colorado recruit lost the lead for good.
Windsor’s Cole Krantz, winner of the 2015 Colorado PGA Junior Championship, tied for third at 142 with first-round leader Philip Lee of Valor Christian.
Speaking of Valor, it won its third consecutive 4A state title — and fifth since 2009. This time, it was 28 strokes better than runner-up Silver Creek and another three better than third-place Evergreen.
Peak to Peak Pulls off Sweep of 3A Titles: Peak to Peak, which had never had a team or individual state champion in golf, rectified that situation on both fronts on Tuesday.
The Pumas (left) prevailed by nine for the team title at Eagle Ranch Golf Course in Eagle, and junior Sam Taylor ran away with the individual championship.
Taylor shot a 3-under-par 69 — the only sub-par round of the tournament — to finish at 3-under 141, good for a nine-stroke winning margin.
Taylor birdied five of his first seven holes on Tuesday before giving back a couple of strokes on the back nine.
Three players tied for second at 150: Oliver Jack of Kent Denver (75 Tuesday), Will Hazen of Aspen (72) and Ivan Richmond of Estes Park (74).
Defending champion Yale Kim of the Dawson School tied for sixth at 155.
Team-wise, Peak to Peak carded a 21-over-par 453 total. That was nine better than runner-up Kent Denver and 27 better than third-place Aspen.
SCORING: For scores from the state tournaments, click on the following: 3A, 4A, 5A
]]>Hunter Paugh and AJ Ott will play their final round of high school golf on Tuesday, and the opportunity couldn’t be more ideal. The two Fort Collins High School seniors, both left-handers, not only are on the top of the leaderboard in the 5A state tournament, but they’re doing it in their hometown of Fort Collins. In fact, Paugh is closing out his prep career at the course where he and his family are members, Fort Collins Country Club.
Paugh (left), who finished third individually at last year’s state tournament, used his home-course advantage to shoot the lowest score of his life, a 4-under-par 67, in Monday’s first round of the 5A meet.
“It was a great day,” said Paugh, who has verbally committed to play college golf at the University of South Dakota. “I’ve been looking forward to this since last year, when I finished third. It’s my home course. It was a great day for golf. It was fun to hit the ball well and to play well.”
His teammate, Ott, played his back nine in 3 under par Monday to share second place, four behind Paugh. While he, like Paugh, is facing a little additional pressure this week while competing at home, he’s embracing the opportunity.
“It’s fun,” said Ott, who is likely to record his fourth top-10 finish at state on Tuesday. “I think it’s good for the town and good for our school.”
Ott (left) is one of four players who shot 71 and share second place four back of Paugh. Also at even-par are Griffin Barela of Lakewood, Austin Hardman of Mountain Vista and Regis Jesuit’s Andrew McCormick, the runner-up in the 2015 CGA Junior Match Play.
Paugh closed his round with three consecutive birdies — from 15, 8 and 2 feet — to give him five for the day, while carding one bogey.
“I knew it was there. I just had to do what I did, I guess,” said Paugh, winner of a Rocky Mountain Junior Golf Tour event shis summer. “There’s been some pressure because it’s my home course. I’m expected to play well. But I really didn’t let that get to me. I’m just going out to have some fun. It’s my last high school tournament, so enjoy it.”
As for Ott, it’s certainly no surprise to find him near the top of the leaderboard. This year, he finished third in the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior, second in a playoff at the CGA Junior Stroke Play, 13th at the Big “I” National Championship and 16th at the Junior America’s Cup. He’s verbally committed to Colorado State University.
On Monday, Ott had a rough start, double-bogeying the fourth hole en route to a 3-over-par 38 on the front nine. But he birdied 10, 11, 12 and 18 on the back — offset by a bogey on 17 — to fire a 33 on his incoming half.
“I just had to stay patient because I don’t think anybody is going to make a ton of putts out here,” he said. “I got off to a bad start, but I made a few coming in on the back side, which felt good. I think some of my experience in big tournaments this summer has helped me.”
Though two teammates will be among those who will battle it out for the 5A individual title on Tuesday, they’re accustomed to competing against one another.
“We’ve always competed since we were little since we’ve been in the same schools,” Paugh said. “It’s really been him and I all four years (at Fort Collins HS) and it’s always been a little rivalry. It’s always been fun, and it will be fun tomorrow.”
With Fort Collins not having the third player at state needed to compete as a team, the team competition is very tight after round 1. Lakewood and Regis Jesuit are tied for the lead at 6-over-par 219, with Fort Collins-based Fossil Ridge (221) and defending champion Coronado (223) within four of the top spot, and Mountain Vista (226) and Heritage (227) also well within striking distance.
Valor’s Lee Closes Strong to Fire 67 at 4A Tournament: Two Valor Christian teammates were the two players who broke par Monday in the 4A state tournament at the Fox Hill Club in Longmont.
Philip Lee shot a 3-under-par 67, while teammate Tim Amundson fired a 69.
Windsor’s Cole Krantz, the 2015 Colorado PGA Junior Championship winner, and Silver Creek’s Jackson Solem, who’s playing in his hometown of Longmont, matched rounds of 70.
Another Valor player, 2015 U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier Coby Welch, posted a 71.
Lee made six birdies on Monday, including on four of his last six holes.
Valor, winner of the last two 4A state team titles, holds an 18-stroke lead over Evergreen after shooting a 3-under-par 207 in round 1.
Peak to Peak’s Taylor, Datta Set Standard at 3A Meet: Sam Taylor and Nishant Datta, teammates at Peak to Peak, shot even-par 72s to share the lead after the first round of the 3A state tournament at Eagle Ranch Golf Course in Eagle.
The next-best players going into Tuesday’s final round are Kent Denver’s Oliver Jack and Basalt’s Linc Kleager, who carded 75s.
Defending champion Yale Kim of Dawson opened with a 79.
After posting a 6-over-par 222 total, Peak to Peak holds a 10-stroke advantage over Kent Denver in the team competition.
SCORING: For scores from the state tournaments, click on the following: 3A, 4A, 5A
]]>But no matter how new the programs are to the local high school golf scene, that hasn’t kept them from producing some of the best talent to come from Colorado in recent years.
That’s been proven this past week during the early national letter of intent signing period for golf and other sports. Both Valor and Jefferson Academy had multiple players sign with college programs. Valor’s Ross Macdonald and Pierce Aichinger are going to the University of Colorado, while teammate Jake Staiano is headed to Colorado State. Jefferson Academy’s Jennifer Kupcho (pictured) signed on Monday with Wake Forest, while teammate Mariah Ehrman formally committed to Colorado Mesa University.
Well over a dozen Colorado junior players have inked NLIs since last Wednesday, including at least 12 with NCAA Division I programs. Valor was particularly a center of activity with all three seniors from this year’s 4A state championship team going to Division I programs in-state.
“There were attractive options for all three out of state,” said Jason Preeo, Valor’s boys golf coach and the individual instructor for Macdonald, Staiano and Aichinger. “But their first choice was in-state. They all got pretty much what they were looking for. It’s really important for in-state schools to make sure the top talent stays in the state. You have to own your home turf.”
Indeed, the University of Colorado men’s team, which had just six players on its roster in the fall season, landed three in-state players, all of whom finished in the top eight in the ultra-competitive 4A state tournament — Macdonald (third), Aichinger (sixth) and Cheyenne Mountain’s Wilson Belk (eighth). Macdonald, the CGA Junior Player of the Year, has won the last two CGA Junior Stroke Plays and Aichinger claimed the Colorado Junior PGA Championship this year.
As for CSU-bound Staiano, he won the 2013 CGA Junior Match Play, advanced to match play at the 2014 U.S. Junior Amateur, and was the runner-up in the 4A state tournament.
It’s little wonder why Valor, which once featured Oklahoma State-bound Wyndham Clark, has won four of the last six 4A state team titles and has now produced seven NCAA Division I signees.
All four Colorado players who signed with either the CU or CSU men are currently ranked among the top 500 boys national/international players on Junior Golf Scoreboard.
On the girls side, Kupcho is ranked No. 104 nationally/internationally among girls by Junior Golf Scoreboard. Although the reigning 4A state high school champ also considered the University of Denver and Colorado State, she’s headed for Wake Forest, which is currently the No. 10-ranked women’s college program in the nation.
“It’s really exciting to have it done,” said Kupcho, the CWGA Player of the Year and three-time Junior Player of the Year at age 17. “I’ve been looking forward to this day. Finally to just get it over with and know I’m going to college is kind of exciting. To go play Division I golf is a real exciting accomplishment.”
Wake Forest has been to 13 NCAA Championship finals in the last 22 years. Laura Diaz, a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour and a former Wake Forest standout, is a volunteer assistant coach for the Demon Deacons.
Kupcho cited the coaches and the climate (Wake Forest is in Winston-Salem, N.C.) as the primary reasons she chose to be a Demon Deacon.
“Obviously, I’ve always wanted to play for a higher (ranked) school so I can hopefully go play professional” eventually, said Kupcho, who finished runner-up in the 2014 HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open, a tournament that featured numerous top-level Symetra Tour players. “I would say that’s part of the steppingstone to playing professionally.”
Kupcho’s brother, Steven, plays for the University of Northern Colorado, though he’s redshirting this season. Jennifer Kupcho’s parents coach the Jefferson Academy girls golf team.
Here are the in-state players who have signed national letters of intent this month, and out-of-state players who have signed with Colorado-based NCAA Division I schools (note: this list was updated in May 2015):
BOYS
Pierce Aichinger, Valor Christian — Colorado
Wilson Belk, Cheyenne Mountain — Colorado
Li Chen, Legacy — Northern Colorado
Bretton Krantz, Windsor — Colorado Mesa
Ross Macdonald, Valor Christian — Colorado
Hayden Plewe, Montezuma-Cortez — Southern Utah
Grant Rogers, Boulder — Rice
Jake Staiano, Valor Christian — Colorado State
Taylor Rodriguez, 4A individual champ at Pueblo South — CSU-Pueblo
Jackson Vacek, Fairview — Occidental
GIRLS
Mariah Ehrman, Jefferson Academy — Colorado Mesa
Courtney Ewing, Pueblo West — CSU-Pueblo
Tori Goodman, Falcon — CSU-Pueblo
Anna Kennedy, Legend — BYU
Ashlyn Kirschner, Ralston Valley — Colorado Mesa
Jennifer Kupcho, Jefferson Academy — Wake Forest
Adara Pauluhn, Niwot — Boise State
Kylee Sullivan, Cheyenne Mountain — Oakland U.
Gillian Vance, Dakota Ridge — Colorado
Out-of-State Players Committed to Colorado Div. I Schools
Boys
Ben Bradley of Frankfurt, Germany — Colorado (eligible to compete in spring semester 2015)
Kade Crossland, transfer from Corban University in Solem, Ore. — Colorado
Tate Tatom of Gallatin Gateway, Mont. — Air Force Academy
Girls
Hanna Atkins of Phoenix — Northern Colorado
Lauryn Keating of Elma, Wash. — Colorado
Sophie Newlove of Nottingham, England — Denver
Katrina Prendergast of Sparks, Nev. — Colorado State
Janet Yeo of Los Angeles — Northern Colorado
It may not have been nearly of the magnitude of Arnold Palmer’s final-round comeback in the 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills, but similar to “The King”, Grant Olinger of Pomona rallied from seven shots behind going into the last 18 holes to claim the individual title in the 5A boys state high school tournament at Colorado Springs Country Club.
The senior shot a bogey-free round of 4-under-par 67 on Tuesday — the best score of the tournament by two strokes — to erase the big deficit and prevail by one shot.
“It’s not my lowest round — I’ve had a 65 before in a tournament,” Olinger said. “But this one feels a lot better. It’s my best round, I would say.”
Playing in the seventh-to-last group and starting almost an hour before the round 1 leaders, Olinger birdied the third, fifth, 11th and 17th holes while those under par after Monday slowly came back to the pack. By following up his first-day 76 with a 67, Olinger finished at 1-over-par 143 overall.
Even Olinger himself seemed a little taken aback by his comeback. After all, not only was he seven out of the lead, but he was in 15th place.
“I knew if I shot under par, I’d be top-10,” said Olinger (left and above), who placed 14th at state last year. “But I didn’t think I could get a chance (at the win) if I was that far back. I knew it would take something really low — one of my best rounds ever.”
Junior Isaac Petersilie of Coronado, who won the 4A state title last year, shot a 70 on Tuesday to check in one stroke behind Olinger. First-round leader Hunter Paugh (left) of Fort Collins held the top spot through 11 holes, but played his final seven in 3 over par to finish with a 77 and in third place, at 146 overall.
With Petersilie leading the way, Coronado claimed its first state team championship in golf, with the win coming in the school’s hometown. With daily totals of 226 and 220, CHS posted a 21-stroke team victory over co-runners-up Regis Jesuit and Lakewood. Regis had won the previous four 5A titles.
“It was really good because a lot of the guys came up clutch today,” Petersilie said. “That was really good to see. And also, it’s the first (state golf title) for Coronado.”
Joining Petersilie on the state championship team (left) were Wes Moran (151 total), Austin Burgess (151) and Luke Travins (158).
While Petersilie obviously relished winning the team championship, he would have loved to double up by claiming a second individual title. But two double bogeys in the final six holes on Monday proved difficult to overcome.
“I’m a little disappointed,” he said. “But kudos to (Olinger). He played real well and made a birdie on 17 coming in. And I was happy with the way I played. I was consistent all day. “
Indeed, Olinger’s 20-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th proved the difference between an outright win and a playoff.
So what turned Olinger around so much from Monday (76) to Tuesday (67)?
“I made a lot more putts, I hit a lot more greens, I hit a lot better shots,” he said. “And the swing felt a lot better today.
“I was a lot closer to the hole on every iron shot and wedge. That really helped. You really need to do that to shoot a good out here.”
It also didn’t hurt that Olinger was removed from the pressure and the spotlight of the final several groups during the final round. He admitted as much.
Olinger hopes to play college golf, though he isn’t sure where that might be. But it’s safe to say that Tuesday’s round — which produced his third individual victory this season — might translate into some opportunities.
But for now, he’s just relishing becoming a state champion.
“It feels really good,” he said. “It means a lot of hard work paid off. I worked real hard this summer and played in a lot of tournaments. Then this week I worked my butt off getting my swing dialed in.
“I really wanted to win. That’s why I was working so hard this year, because I felt like I had a chance to. That made it a little easier today.”
Rodriguez Overcomes Leaders, Valor Repeats as 4A Team Champ: Valor Christian placed all four of its players in the top six individually at the 4A state tournament at Walking Stick in Pueblo, but the top spot went to Taylor Rodriguez of Pueblo South on Tuesday.
Rodriguez fired his second consecutive 3-under-par 69 to overcome a two-stroke deficit entering the day and post a two-shot win.
Rodriguez bogeyed his final two holes on Tuesday, but he’d given himself a cushion by playing the previous 12 holes in 5 under.
Valor senior Jake Staiano, who will play his college golf at Colorado State, placed second on Tuesday after coming in fourth a year ago. After being the co-leader following round 1, Staiano carded a 1-over 73 on Tuesday for a 140 total.
University of Colorado-bound teammate Ross Macdonald, winner of the last two CGA Junior Stroke Play titles, came in third at 142 after a 70 on Tuesday.
Valor’s Coby Welch, who shared the top spot with Staiano after Monday, struggled to a 79 on Tuesday and shared fourth place with Braden Bentley of Mesa Ridge (71-75).
The fourth Valor player, Pierce Aichinger, who’s headed to CU, tied for sixth place at 147 with Steamboat Springs’ Britt Walton.
With an 8-under-par 424 team total, Valor Christian easily won its second consecutive 4A state team title, this one coming by 23 strokes over runner-up Pueblo South. Valor has claimed four state golf championships since 2009.
Dawson’s Kim Wins 3-Man Playoff in 3A: Yale Kim of the Dawson School in Lafayette parred the fourth playoff hole to win the 3A state high school title at Northeastern 18 in Sterling on Tuesday.
In a three-man playoff, first-round leader Trey Lambrecht of host Sterling bowed out with a triple bogey on the first extra hole. Then Kim earned the championship with a par on playoff hole No. 4 when Cooper Gould of Vail Christian made bogey.
Kim and Gould shot consecutive rounds of 1-over-par 73 for 2-over 146 totals. Lambrecht, who led by three after day 1, needed a birdie on his final hole of regulation to shoot a 78 and join the playoff.
Max Messner of Colorado Academy claimed fourth place after going 71-76. Cole Folwell of the Dawson School recorded his second top-five finish at state in two years by placing fifth, at 148.
Sterling, playing in its hometown, won its first state golf title. Its 459 total was five better than runner-up Kent Denver.
Scores: For scores from the three state tournaments, click on the following: 5A, 4A, 3A.
]]>Two high school golfers who didn’t win an individual title all season are in good shape to make the 5A state meet their first victory.
The only two players to match or better par in Monday’s first round of the 5A tournament at Colorado Springs Country Club were certainly dark horses to make a run at the championship. Hunter Paugh of Fort Collins shot the round of his life — a 2-under-par 69 — to grab the lead. And fellow junior David Packer of Arapahoe matched his best score ever numerically with a 70.
“I’ve only won one tournament before — 7th-grade districts for middle school,” Paugh noted. “I’ve had a couple top-10s on the Rocky Mountain Junior Golf Tour. Those are pretty nice to have. I haven’t really won anything big. It’s nice to go into tomorrow hoping I might have a chance.”
On a day when play was suspended twice due to lightning — for a total of two hours — and which also featured hail and plenty of rain (left), only one other player shot below 74 in Monday’s opening round of the 36-hole event: Trevor Olkowski of Grand Junction, who carded a 73. Olkowski was among four players who represented Colorado in the 2014 Junior America’s Cup.
Seven players shot 74, including 2013 4A state champion Isaac Petersilie of Coronado, who double bogeyed two of the last six holes; Legacy’s Li Chen, runner-up in the 5A tournament each of the last two years; and Fort Collins’ AJ Ott, a 2014 U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier.
In the team competition, Coronado, a program which moved up from 4A last season, leads the way with a 13-over-par 226 total. Highlands Ranch is next best, at 230, while Boulder is at 236. Regis Jesuit, winner of the last four 5A team titles, shares fourth place at 237 with Cherokee Trail.
Paugh, who like teammate Ott is a left-hander, birdied his first three holes of the day (10, 11 and 12), making putts of 6, 6 and 10 feet. Then he drained a 25-footer on No. 14 to go 4 under through five. He was still 4 under through 15, but he bogeyed his 16th and 17th holes before finishing his round — following the first weather delay — with a two-putt par.
Monday’s round was about six strokes better than Paugh’s season average and three better than his previous best high school tournament round.
“It’s just great,” he said. “I’ve been practicing a lot since regionals and I’ve been looking forward to this tournament. It’s nice to be able to play well.”
This marks Paugh’s third state appearance, with a 28th-place showing last year his best showing as a freshman or sophomore. But Tuesday will be his big opportunity.
“I hope to go out and do what I did today — play a solid round and we’ll see what happens,” he said. “I think I have a chance to win it. It’s going to come down to how everything goes tomorrow.”
Packer (left) could have had the outright lead — or at least a share of the top spot — but a double bogey on his final hole Monday dropped him back to 1 under par. His approach on the par-4 ended up well short of the green, and his pitch was still short, on the fringe. And he couldn’t get up and down from there.
“That’s a rough way to end it,” he said. “Nerves got to me, but you’ve got to look at it as a whole. You can’t (judge) it by one hole. I’m proud of the way I played today.”
Indeed, overall, Packer finished with an eagle, five birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey. He only posted seven pars. Packer’s eagle came on the 547-yard 15th hole (his sixth), where he hit a 5-iron in and sunk a 60-foot putt.
He had separate stretches in his round where he birdied three straight holes and where he went 4 under par in a four-hole run.
“I had the putter rolling really well and I hit a lot of fairways,” said Packer, who won an RMJGT event at Fort Carson in June. “I’ve got to work on finishing it for sure, but I’m excited for tomorrow. I feel good about my chances.”
Valor Posts 10 Under Par to Build Big Lead in 4A: The Valor Christian boys golfers once again lived up to their billing on Monday by posting an impressive 10-under-par 206 team total and putting all four of their players into the top six individually in the 4A state tournament at Walking Stick Golf Course in Pueblo.
The defending 4A team champions built a 14-stroke advantage over Pueblo South in their bid for four state titles since 2009.
Senior Jake Staiano, who made the round of 64 at the 2014 U.S. Junior Amateur, and junior teammate Coby Welch matched 5-under-par 67s and share the individual lead in 4A. Meanwhile, Valor’s other two players, seniors Ross Macdonald and Pierce Aichinger, are tied for sixth place at 72 with 2013 runner-up Wilson Belk of Cheyenne Mountain.
Staiano has verbally committed to Colorado State, while Macdonald and Aichinger are headed to the University of Colorado.
Staiano made six birdies and one bogey on Monday, while Welch recorded an eagle, four birdies and a bogey.
Taylor Rodriguez of Pueblo South holds down third place at 69, while Braden Bentley of Mesa Ridge and Britt Walton of Steamboat Springs are tied for fourth at 71.
Lambrecht, Sterling Feeling Right at Home in 3A: Trey Lambrecht of Sterling took advantage of having the 3A state tournament in his hometown by opening up a three-stroke lead at the halfway point of the event at Northeastern 18.
Lambrecht fired a 4-under-par 68, making an eagle, five birdies and three bogeys in the process. He played the four holes starting on No. 13 in 5 under par.
Sam Taylor of Peak to Peak and Max Messner of Colorado Academy share second place at 71. Cole Folwell of the Dawson School, who finished third at state last year, checked in at even-par 72 despite a 7 and a 6 on his card.
Host Sterling leads the way in the team standings, posting a 6-over-par 222. Defending champion Dawson, with just three qualifiers, sits in second place at 228.
Scores: For scores from the three state tournaments, click on the following: 5A, 4A, 3A.
]]>Spencer Painton placed a nice, big beautiful bow on top of his high school golf career Tuesday at Murphy Creek Golf Course.
In his final high school tournament, the senior led Regis Jesuit to its fourth consecutive 5A state team title, a feat accomplished in Colorado by only two other programs in the open or large-school classification: Colorado Springs (four straight, 1948-51) and ThunderRidge (six in a row, 2001-06).
And Painton (pictured fist-pumping after making a birdie) doubled his fun by claiming the individual 5A championship.
“I’m happy to contribute to hopefully (Regis eventually winning) six in a row,” he said. “I wish I could come back again next year, but I went out with a bang. That’s all I can do.”
Indeed, between finishing Monday’s round of 66 with six straight birdies, then pulling away on Tuesday to earn the state title, it doesn’t get much better.
“This means a lot to me, especially because since freshman year it’s been one of my goals to win state as an individual,” said Painton, who will play college golf at the University of Kansas for former Colorado State coach Jamie Bermel. “All the hard work has paid off.
“The title of state champion never leaves you. I’m very, very proud of this one.”
Painton, who reached the round of 64 at the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur, shot an even-par 72 Tuesday despite the wind wreaking havoc on the back nine. That left him with a 6-under-par 138 total.
Regis teammate Jake Kelley, also a U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier this year, tied for second place — two shots behind Painton — with Legacy’s Li Chen, who was runner-up for the second straight year. Kelley (pictured at left) closed with a 69, while Chen posted a 73.
Regis cruised to the team title — its sixth overall — finishing with an impressive 7-under-par 425 total for two rounds. That was 23 strokes better than runner-up Ralston Valley.
“It’s amazing to watch these guys perform,” Regis coach Craig Rogers said of his team.
Chen, who didn’t win a high school tournament this season, was even with Painton through six holes Tuesday thanks to standing 2 under par for the day at that time.
But Painton kicked it into high gear with three consecutive birdies beginning on hole No. 6, and Chen finished the front nine with two straight bogeys, the first coming after hitting his tee shot in the water on the par-3 eighth.
So in the course of three holes (7-9), Painton went from all square with Chen to four ahead.
“My mindset was, I was hitting a lot of great shots,” Painton said. “It was only a matter of time before I had a stretch like that. I’m glad it came where it did.”
And he never relinquished that lead on the back nine despite winds that he said were “absolutely brutal.”
As for Chen (pictured at left), the junior said, “I’m a little disappointed. I could play much better (than I did) today. I didn’t play as well as yesterday (67). I shot an (over par) number, not an (under-par) number. The first day was great for me, the second day could be better. That’s all I can say about it.”
From Painton’s perspective, it seemed only appropriate that he end his high school golf career with team and individual titles at Murphy Creek, the course where he recently won a regional championship and where a few years ago he broke 70 for the first time.
“This course has always had a special place in my heart,” said Painton, who tied Chen for second place at state last year. “I guess it’s an even bigger portion now.”
Coronado’s Petersilie Prevails in 4A at Hiwan: On a day in which high scores were the norm, Coronado’s Isaac Petersilie earned the 4A state title at Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen.
Petersilie edged Wilson Belk of Cheyenne Mountain by one stroke, with both shooting 4-over-par 74s on Tuesday. Each player bogeyed two of his final three holes. Petersilie posted a 4-over 144 total.
Glenn Workman of Pueblo West placed third at 147 after a 77 Tuesday. First-round leader Andrew Rademacher-Howe of Silver Creek struggled to an 80, leaving him in fifth place at 149.
Valor Christian rallied to win its third 4A team title since 2009. Valor bested Silver Creek by three strokes.
Basalt’s Rohrbaugh Finishes Strong to Claim 3A Crown: Tristan Rohrbaugh of Basalt, the son of HealthOne Colorado Senior Open champion Doug Rohrbaugh, came from behind in the final round to win the 3A state championship at Pueblo Country Club.
Rohrbaugh shot a 1-under-par 70 on Tuesday to finish at 1-under 141 overall, good for a four-stroke victory.
Behrod Keshtavar of Peak to Peak took second after closing with a 73. First-round co-leaders Cole Folwell and Cameron Connor of Alexander Dawson placed third and fourth, respectively.
In the team competition, Alexander Dawson ended Kent Denver’s record run of seven consecutive state titles. With a 445 total, Dawson was 26 strokes better than Peak to Peak and Lutheran. It was Dawson’s first state team championship in golf.
]]>Apparently, Glenn herself is nowhere near satisfied with that.
The Valor Christian senior and University of Colorado women’s golf recruit not only advanced to state and is on the leaderboard, but she’s the outright leader after Monday’s first round of the meet at Broken Tee Golf Course.
Glenn shot a 2-over-par 74 in the rain and wind on Monday and grabbed a one-stroke advantage heading into Tuesday’s final round. She hit 17 greens in regulation and closed with a 1-under-par 35 on the back nine.
A former high-level gymnast, Glenn is one shot ahead of Taylor Dorans of Broomfield (pictured) and Jennifer Kupcho of Jefferson Academy heading into the final 18.
Glenn started playing golf as a sophomore, but just a year later she placed ninth at state. And now this year’s tournament is the future CU golfer’s to lose.
“You just keep on cutting strokes back and improving,” she said of her rapid progress in golf. “That’s all you can ask for in this game.”
It wasn’t long ago that Glenn had her sights set on a gymnastics scholarship at the University of Denver. But that was before she broke her right leg during her sophomore year at Valor Christian.
Just a few months after suffering the injury, she competed in golf at the junior varisty level — while wearing a cast on her leg.
“I was on one leg, hobbling around and hitting away,” she said. “When you love something it doesn’t matter what obstacle is in front of you. You’ll go for success no matter what.”
Glenn said she won “about” five high school tournaments this season and averaged 75. But after her 74 Monday, she thinks she’s capable of going even lower in Tuesday’s final round.
“I’m hoping I can go under tomorrow,” Glenn said. “I had three three-putts today; my distance control was off a lot. Tomorrow will be better. I’m excited.”
Likewise for the other contenders.
Dorans, a University of Wyoming golf signee, has finished fourth once and sixth twice in her previous trips to state. Kupcho, who placed third last year at state, had the lowest state-qualifying round this season — in either Class 4A or 5A — in firing a 67 at Fox Hollow in the 4A Metro-West Regional.
Dorans missed two putts inside of 4 feet in her first 10 holes, but finished strong, going 1 under in her last seven despite closing with a bogey.
“I feel really good,” she said. “I’m coming out here just playing for myself — having fun, enjoying it, because it’s my last high school tournament. I’m kind of just embracing it and doing what I can. I can’t control what the other girls are going to do, but as long as I play for myself, I’ll be happy.”
Meanwhile, Kupcho thinks if she gets her putting homed in, she’ll be in good shape on the final day.
“I hit everything good (on Monday), but I just couldn’t putt,” she said. “The first four holes I had 5-footers on every one and only made one.”
Cheyenne Mountain leads the 4A team competition by five strokes after Valor Christian’s Laura Cohan forgot a penalty stroke and signed for an incorrect score. Therefore, the team couldn’t use her total of 86 among its three best individual scores. Instead, it counted a 95. That dropped Valor from first to second place as it has a 253 total, compared to Cheyenne Mountain’s 248.
Cohan will be able to compete in Tuesday’s final round and her score can be used for VC’s second-day team total.
For 4A scores, CLICK HERE.
Cherry Creek’s Ringsby Leads 5A By Two in Grand Junction: Cherry Creek junior Calli Ringsby took a two-stroke lead at the halfway point of the 5A girls state tournament at Tiara Rado Golf Course in Grand Junction.
Ringsby, who swept the CWGA Junior Stroke Play and Junior Match Play championships last year, fired a 1-over-par 73 on Monday. The junior, who made three birdies and four bogeys in the opening round, is seeking her first state high school title after placing second in 2011 and fourth last year.
Three players share second place at 75 heading into Tuesday’s final round. University of Colorado signee Claudia Davis of Arapahoe is tied for that spot with Jenni Chun of Highlands Ranch and Michelle Romero of Rock Canyon.
Defending champion Mackenzie Cohen of Cherry Creek opened with an 82 and shares 20th place.
Two-time defending 5A state champion Cherry Creek shot a 236 and leads the team competition by three over Arapahoe.
For 5A scores, CLICK HERE.
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