Shinwoo Lee of Cherry Creek leads after the first day of the girls Class 5A state high school tournament, but it’s easy to make a case that the big winner is her sophomore teammate, Dani Urman.
Urman shot an 18-over-par 90 Monday and is tied for 34th place at Lone Tree Golf Club. But the fact that she qualified for state in the first place — or is playing the sport at all — is a remarkable feat, and a gutsy round of bogey golf just adds to it.
Urman is competing at state less than a year after devoting virtually all her energy to battling bone cancer — osteosarcoma, to be precise. Although she was declared cancer-free in September, the disease took a toll, as her left knee and part of her femur had to be replaced by a titanium rod.
That makes playing golf at any ability level a formidable task. In fact, she can only compete while being driven in a cart, then using crutches to get to and from her ball. Despite those impediments, Urman has shot as low as 79 this year. And though the left-hander’s game wasn’t at its best on Monday, she still managed six pars, including on each of her last three holes.
But good score or not, Urman couldn’t contain her joy at being able to play in the state tournament.
“I felt like crying on the 18th tee just because I was so happy,” she said after Monday’s round.
“I didn’t play very good but I had so much fun. I’m so happy I could play. It’s definitely not my best, but (Tuesday) will be.”
Indeed, every day looks bright after going through what Urman has.
To be sure, playing 18 holes of golf drains her. But on Monday, a lightning delay — one of two in the afternoon — helped recharge her batteries.
“That helped me a lot; I drank some Coke and got energized,” she said. “Tomorrow we’ll see how I hold up. I was definitely getting tired out there today.”
Urman has additional motivation to keep going strong — and playing well — this week. Cherry Creek is one of the favorites for the 5A state title, and it shares the lead with defending champion Arapahoe after day 1. Urman is one of the reasons as her score was one of the three that counted toward the team total on Monday.
“I’m excited for tomorrow, so I can hopefully play well and hopefully bring my team to the top,” she said.
In addition to possibly winning the team title, Cherry Creek is in ideal position to nail down an individual championship as Bruins players hold down the No. 1 and 2 spots on the scoreboard going into Tuesday’s final round.
Lee, who placed third at state each of the last two years, leads despite bogeying two of her final four holes for a 2-over-par 74 on Monday. Teammate Calli Ringsby trails by just one. Rock Canyon’s Allie Johnston, the runner-up in 4A last year, and Arapahoe’s Hannah Wood share third place at 76.
Pepperdine-bound Overland senior Somin Lee, trying to become just the seventh girl ever to win at least two Colorado state high school titles, opened with a 77. She played her final seven holes in 5 over par on Monday.
Tuesday’s second round has been changed to an 8 a.m. shotgun start in hopes of avoiding further weather delays.
McGetrick Fires 67 in 4A Tournament: Valor Christian senior Lindsay McGetrick made seven birdies Monday en route to a 4-under-par 67 and a four-shot lead after the first round of the 4A girls state high school meet at Elmwood Golf Course in Pueblo.
McGetrick, the 2010 CWGA Junior Match Play champion who has signed to play college golf at North Carolina State, will go into Tuesday’s final round four ahead of Pueblo South’s Bryce Schroeder. McGetrick and Schroeder finished fourth and fifth, respectively, at last year’s state tournament.
The only other player to break 77 on Monday was Coronado’s Samantha Stancato, a University of Wyoming signee who shot 72.
Pueblo South posted a 241 total and leads defending team champion Regis by two strokes. Also close are Valor Christian (247) and Broomfield (248).
