The 39th annual boys Junior America’s Cup is producing some unique results in the rarefied air of Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen.
The CGA is putting its home-state advantage to good use and is on pace for its best team finish ever at the event, while a 15-year-old who plays for San Diego leads the individual competition after Thursday’s second round.
Northern California holds a six-stroke advantage over Oregon, while defending champion Southern California trails by seven going into Friday’s final round. Colorado, which has never finished better than fourth in its 36 previous appearances in the boys Junior America’s Cup, is in fourth place, nine out of the lead.
“We knew this would be the year to have our best finish and maybe make a run at” the title,” said Cameron Harrell (pictured above) of Colorado Springs, who shares seventh place individually.
The boys Junior America’s Cup features 17 four-man teams from the western U.S., western Canada and Mexico, and the event is being held in Colorado for just the third time.
Fifteen-year-old Jonah Texeira, who lives in the Los Angeles area but plays for San Diego, is the only player at or under par after 36 holes. The 2010 Future Collegians World Tour national champion shot a 1-under-par 69 Thursday and owns a 1-under 139 total.
“It’s an honor to be in the lead,” Texeira said. “This is a great tournament.”
First-round leader Jonathon De Los Reyes of Northern California (67-74) and teammate Andrew Bonner (71-70) share second place at 141.
Colorado, which tied Northern California for round of the day on Thursday (7-over-par 217), has two players in the top 10 of the individual standings. Colorado State University-bound Harrell is in seventh place at 144 despite making two double bogeys in his final six holes on Thursday. And Cole Nygren of Longmont got up and down for par on five of his last six holes Thursday to shoot 71 and share 10th place at 145.
Jimmy Makloski of Pueblo (80-72–152) and Ben Moore of Cherry Hills Village (75-80–155) round out Colorado’s scores.
“We’ve got four pretty solid kids,” said Nygren (pictured at left), winner of last month’s AJGA Aspen Junior Golf Classic. “All in all I think we’re doing pretty well.
“We thought we had a pretty good advantage (going into the week). Most places don’t have mountains like this and they don’t have to deal with greens like this. Plus, the elevation (7,600 feet) is killer. Kids from (sea level) fly greens like there’s no tomorrow. It’s even different for us. So we knew we could take top five if we played well, and we’re playing pretty well so far.”
Harrell estimates the CGA team’s home-state advantage may be worth five strokes per round versus opponents from sea level.
The CGA began playing in the Junior America’s Cup in 1975, and its best finish on record was fourth in 1985.
While the elevation at Hiwan is taking a toll on many competitors accustomed to playing at sea level, the fast, sloping greens are proving to be a big challenge as well.
“These are some of the ‘slopeiest’ greens I’ve ever putted on,” said Texeira, who nevertheless made about every putt he looked at under 8 feet on Thursday.
“I think the greens just get everybody,” Harrell added. “They’re just really tough. They break a lot. You just don’t really know what they’re doing.”
Tee times for Friday’s final round will run from 7 to 8:20 a.m.
Boys Junior America’s Cup
At Par-70 Hiwan GC in Evergreen
TEAM SCORES
Northern California — 210-217–427
Oregon — 213-220–433
Southern California — 210-224–434
Colorado — 219-217–436
Washington — 224-219–443
San Diego — 227-219–446
Alberta — 227-220–447
Hawaii — 223-224–447
Sun Country — 219-230–449
Arizona — 220-230–450
British Columbia — 221-230–451
Mexico — 223-228–451
Utah — 230-224–454
Idaho — 224-232–456
Nevada — 233-237–470
Montana — 231-242–473
Wyoming — 235-240–475
INDIVIDUAL SCORES
Jonah Texeira, San Diego, 70-69–139
Jonathon De Los Reyes, Northern California, 67-74–141
Andrew Bonner, Northern California, 71-70–141
Max Carter, Oregon, 69-74–143
Austin Banz, Utah, 73-70–143
Dominick Francks, Washington, 76-67–143
Jake Knapp, Southern California, 72-72–144
Alistair Docherty, Oregon, 74-70–144
Cameron Harrell, Colorado, 70-74–144
KK Limbhasut, Southern California, 68-77–145
Alex Angard, Southern California, 70-75–145
Bryson DeChambeau, Northern California, 72-73–145
Cole Nygren, Colorado, 74-71–145
Kevin Kwon, British Columbia, 69-77–146
Kevin Murphy, Oregon, 70-76–146
Kenneth Fadke, Sun Country, 71-75–146
Seung Jae Maeng, Hawaii, 73-73–146
Dylan Kornberg, Arizona, 73-74–147
Will Higham, Idaho, 75-72–147
Tyler Saunders, Alberta, 78-70–148
Aaron Terrazas, Mexico, 73-75–148
Curtis Chan, British Columbia, 74-75–149
Logan France, Arizona, 73-77–150
Andrew Whalen, Washington, 75-75–150
Emilio Maurer, Mexico, 73-77–150
Brett Hogan, Alberta, 75-76–151
Nick Mandell, Washington, 73-78–151
Alex Chiarella, Hawaii, 77-74–151
Jimmy Makloski, Colorado, 80-72–152
Kalena Preus, Hawaii, 75-77–152
Matt Williams, Alberta, 74-79–153
Bobby Gojuangco, San Diego, 79-74–153
Cody Neal, Northern California, 77-76–153
Patrick Sanchez, Mexico, 77-76–153
Derek Rucki, Alberta, 80-74–154
Sulman Raza, Oregon, 76-78–154
Blake Toolan, Arizona, 74-80–154
James Lee, Sun Country, 75-79–154
David Elliott, Idaho, 74-80–154
Scott Riley, Nevada, 78-76–154
Kamrin Allen, Wyoming, 74-80–154
Danny Ochoa, San Diego, 79-76–155
Nicholas Smart, Utah, 78-77–155
Ben Moore, Colorado, 75-80–155
Richard Hattori, Hawaii, 75-80–155
Jordan Wright, Nevada, 76-79–155
Eli Rogers, Montana, 76-79–155
Colton Dallimore, Utah, 79-77–156
Brady Calkins, Washington, 79-77–156
Rico Hoey, Southern California, 78-79–157
Cameron Davison, British Columbia, 79-78–157
Henry Cunningham, San Diego, 78-79–157
Kade Crossland, Idaho, 77-80–157
David Faraudo, Mexico, 78-79–157
Nathan Wunderli, Utah, 81-77–158
Marty Sanchez, Sun Country, 73-85–158
Kyle Miley, Idaho, 75-83–158
Brandon McIver, Montana, 80-78–158
Chris Cremer, Wyoming, 78-81–159
Chris Crisologo, British Columbia, 78-82–160
Nikolas Gonnella, Nevada, 79-82–161
Ryan Porch, Montana, 76-85–161
Danny Davis, Wyoming, 83-79–162
Jamie Waltmire, Arizona, 84-79–163
Reed Platke, Montana, 79-87–166
Bradley Keyer, Nevada, 83-86–169
Quintin Pope, Wyoming, 91-84–175
Isaac Merry, Sun Country, NC-76–NC
