Jimmy Makloski had never played Cherry Hills Country Club before Sunday, so he was reveling in perhaps the best round of golf in his life.
Claudia Davis, meanwhile, was eager to leave the premises. After all, she had tickets to the Foo Fighters concert at the Pepsi Center Sunday night.
In both cases, though, the 16-year-olds did what they set out to do at Cherry Hills, which is to say win. Makloski and Davis recorded arguably the biggest victories of their young golf careers Sunday in winning the CJGA Tournament of Champions, which brings together many of this year’s top junior performers in the state.
Makloski, from Pueblo Country Club, shot a 5-under-par 67 in his first round ever at the storied course to take the boys division by four strokes.
Davis (pictured above), from Glenmoor Country Club, claimed the girls title by winning a two-hole playoff against Shinwoo Lee of Kennedy Golf Course.
The invitation-only tournament was originally scheduled for 36 holes, but it was shortened to one round due to poor weather on Saturday. But that didn’t put a damper on the season-ending event, especially not for the champions.
“This (victory) means a lot,” said Makloski, a junior at Pueblo South High School. “It’s a big honor, and to shoot a score like that at a hard course like this, it’s really good for me.”
Makloski (pictured at left) made six birdies and one bogey as he cruised to a relatively easy victory over CGA Junior Stroke Play champion and University of Northern Colorado golfer Steven Kupcho and Cole Nygren, runner-up in the 3A state high school tournament earlier this month.
Ethan Freeman, who outdueled Nygren to win his second consecutive 3A state high school title, and University of Colorado-Colorado Springs golfer Zach Tripp tied for fourth place at 73.
Makloski has shot one lower round in a tournament, but Sunday’s score ranks at the top of his personal list because it came at Cherry Hills, which will host the 2012 U.S. Amateur and the 2014 BMW Championship on the PGA Tour.
“This is not an easy course so it was definitely a really good round,” said Makloski, who qualified for the 2010 U.S. Junior Amateur and played on Colorado’s successful Junior America’s Cup team this summer.
And the fact that he shot the 67 despite having not played the course before was especially impressive.
“It sort of seems to help me when I don’t see the course (beforehand),” he said. “I play smarter, think more and don’t do dumb stuff. Today, I got a bunch of good up-and-downs, and mostly it was that I putted better than I have all year. That’s been holding me back.”
As for Davis, she was worried about missing her Foo Fighters concert, particularly after early-morning frost caused all the day’s tee times to be delayed. Davis didn’t finish her round until evening, and then it turned out that she was in a playoff for the girls title.
Davis (pictured at left) and Lee matched 76s, then squared off in a sudden-death matchup that lasted until sunset. After both golfers saved pars with 6-foot putts on the first extra hole (No. 10), Davis two-putted for par and the victory on the par-5 11th as Lee carded a double bogey after blading her fourth shot out of a greenside bunker.
“I was thinking about (the concert during the playoff), but it kind of took some of the pressure off so it was a good thing,” said Davis, a junior at Arapahoe High School. “I was nervous, but I just persevered, I guess.”
Davis has been on a roll in recent months, having won four consecutive junior tournaments around the state. And the Tournament of Champions might very well have been the best of the bunch.
“I’d rank it pretty high,” the Greenwood Village resident said. “It had a good field, so I’m proud of my accomplishment today.”
Three players joined Davis and Lee in breaking 80 on Sunday: Calli Ringsby of Castle Pines Golf Club (78), Allie Johnston of Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course (79) and Katy Dyachkova of South Suburban Golf Course (79).
CJGA Tournament of Champions
At Par-72 Cherry Hills CC in Cherry Hills Village
BOYS 14-18
Jimmy Makloski, Pueblo Country Club 33-34–67
Cole Nygren, Colorado National Golf Club 35-36–71
Steven Kupcho, Omni Interlocken 36-35–71
Ethan Freeman, Glenmoor Country Club 38-35–73
Zach Tripp, Foothills Golf Course 35-38–73
Austin Nonte, Springs Ranch Golf Club 34-40–74
Benjamin Moore, Glenmoor Country Club 39-36–75
Blake Basham, Lone Tree Mens Golf Club 38-37–75
Ryan Burke, Twin Peaks Golf Course 39-37–76
Connor Klein, Lone Tree Mens Golf Club 36-41–77
Dylan Wonnacott, The Fox Hill Club 36-41–77
Ross Macdonald, Ridge at Castle Pines North 38-39–77
Colin Prater, Broadmoor Golf Club 37-41–78
Kevin Wohlfarth, Green Valley Ranch Golf Club 37-41–78
Gustav Lundquist, The Club at Pradera 38-41–79
Hayden Nicholaides, South Suburban Family Sports 37-42–79
Matthew Goddard, Ptarmigan Country Club 40-39–79
Spencer Painton, Green Valley Ranch Golf Club 42-39–81
Kyler Dunkle, The Club at Pradera 41-42–83
Trevor McKune, Pinehurst Country Club 42-43–85
GIRLS 14-18
x-won playoff
x-Claudia Davis, Glenmoor CC Wga 39-37–76
Shinwoo Lee, Kennedy Lga 36-40–76
Calli Ringsby, Castle Pines Wga 35-43–78
Allie Johnston, Red Hawk Ridge Wga 36-43–79
Katy Dyachkova, South Suburban Wga 38-41–79
Seungha Choi, Commonground Golf Course 39-41–80
Dani Urman, Meridian Golf Club 41-41–82
Taylor Dorans, Eagle Trace Lga 40-42–82
Jennifer Kempton, Lone Tree Lga 42-42–84
Shannon Lubar, Meadows Wga 41-43–84
Kathleen Kershisnik, Columbine CC Lga 39-46–85
Jamie Griffin, Murphy Creek Wga 41-49–90
Alexandra Briggs, Hyland Hills Wga 45-53–98
Michelle Romano, Colorado Golf Club Wga 46-54–100
