Nikki Athey took Monday off from her job as a high school teacher to compete in her first CWGA championship.
Besides getting to play some golf on a workday, Athey made the decision pay off in a couple of respects. First, she tied for the best individual score of any of the 120 players competing in the CWGA Club Team Championship, shooting a 9-over-par 80. And more importantly, she led the Country Club of Colorado to the team title at its home course.
“That’s awesome,” Athey said of claiming the team championship. “It’s the first time (the club) has ever played in this, so to win is fun and cool. The club was excited.”
The four representatives of the club in Colorado Springs (pictured) put their home-course advantage to good use as they ran away with the Club Team title. Though archived records for the event aren’t complete, the Country Club of Colorado’s 15-stroke victory is likely the largest winning margin in the tournament’s nine-year history.
It marked the second time in the last seven Club Team Championships that the home course has come out on top. Columbine Country Club did it in 2006.
The Country Club of Colorado posted a cumulative total of 369 for its A, B, C and D players, which gave the club a comfortable victory margin over the next-best teams: City Park Golf Course (384), Canongate Colorado (385) and Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club (385).
In addition to Athey’s 80, individual scores for the winning team were: Carol Key 85, Terry Keller 88, and Sheila Manzanares 116.
“The main advantage we may have had is knowing our greens,” Athey said. “The mountain (Cheyenne Mountain) plays a huge factor.”
But having never competed in the Club Team before, Athey, Key, Keller and Manzanares didn’t know what a good score for the event was. Suffice it to say they didn’t expect their total to be in the hunt.
“We were really surprised because we had never done it before,” Athey said. “369 — that seemed high to me, but who knew?”
And now Athey has one title to show for the one CWGA championship in which she’s ever competed.
“One-for-one, woo-hoo,” she said with a laugh.
Defending champion Saddle Rock Golf Course placed 20th this year with a 406 total. In the history of the CWGA Club Team Championship, no course has repeated as champion.
CWGA Club Team Championship
At Par-71 Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs
CC of Colorado 186-183–369
City Park GC 192-192–384
Canongate Colorado 192-193–385
Heritage Eagle Bend GC 197-188–385
Foothills GC 193-193–386
Kissing Camels GC 203-185–388
Patty Jewett GC 194-194–388
Fox Hollow GC 203-190–393
Glenmoor CC 199-195–394
CommonGround GC 201-194–395
Valley CC 202-196–398
The Links GC 201-198–399
Broken Tee GC 196-204–400
Red Rocks CC 206-195–401
Monument Hill CC 206-197–403
Westwoods GC 195-208–403
Willis Case GC 199-204–403
Raccoon Creek GC 211-194–405
The Meadows GC 202-203–405
Saddle Rock GC 201-205–406
Overland Park GC 207-203–410
The Club at Rolling Hills 212-198–410
Wellshire GC 203-208–411
The Ranch CC 205-209–414
South Suburban GC 207-209–416
Deer Creek GC at Meadow Ranch 211-208–419
Meadow Hills GC 212-209–421
Breckenridge GC 207-217–424
Highlands Ranch GC 211-218–429
The Courses at Hyland Hills 222-213–435
