The CJGA Junior Series Championship hasn’t been around a long time — since 2008, to be exact — but a quick glance at the names on the trophy shows that success in the tournament is often a precursor to much bigger things.
Just in the 11-13 Junior Series Championship, the 2014 version of which wrapped up on Tuesday, the winners include Ethan Freeman, who just qualified for the U.S. Amateur, and Jake Staiano and AJ Ott, who recently returned from the U.S. Junior Amateur. And on the girls side, 2010 champ Jennifer Kupcho this year alone has won the CWGA Match Play and Junior Stroke Play, along with the 4A state high school title.
So maybe Jack Castiglia (above) of Fossil Trace Golf Club and Amy Chitkoksoong of Murphy Creek Golf Course could be headed for significant success in golf.
Castiglia and Chitkoksoong won the CJGA 11-13 Junior Series titles on Tuesday at The Homestead in Lakewood, albeit in very different ways.
Castiglia shot a sub-par round and claimed the boys title by 13 strokes, while Chitkoksoong (left) needed a late rally and a one-hole playoff to prevail in the girls division.
Castiglia, 13, made four birdies and shot a 1-under-par 64 in Tuesday’s final round, finishing the tournament with a 3-over 133 total. Next best in the 18-player field were Jake Welch of The Links Golf Course and Canon Olkowski of Bookcliff Country Club, who shared second place at 146. Welch closed with a 69 and Olkowski with a 74.
Castiglia lives just five minutes away from The Homestead and used to call it his home course. He estimates he’s played the layout 25 times in his life, and it showed on Tuesday, when he drained three birdie putts of at least 25 feet and ran away from the field in the process.
All his experience at The Homestead “made me feel more comfortable, knowing what I’m doing,” said the freshman-to-be at Lakewood High School.
Tuesday marked the third sub-par round in a tournament for Castiglia (left). More importantly, it was his fourth consecutive victory in CJGA events in July.
“This means a lot just because I know I came really close a couple of years ago (in the 10-and-under division in 2011),” Castiglia said. “So to come back and win it this year is a big deal.”
As for Chitkoksoong, who was runner-up in this event last year, she forced a playoff by making a par and picking up two shots on the final hole of regulation. Then she defeated Caroline Jordaan on the first hole of sudden death with a par to claim the title.
“I felt like it was a hard challenge, but in the end I came through,” said Chitkoksoong, an 8th-grader-to-be at Falcon Creek Middle School in Aurora. “I was confident going into the playoff because I like to be under pressure. My competitor, Caroline, did her best, and it just ended up with one putt (being the difference).”
The 18th hole proved to be a nice bounce-back for Chitkoksoong, who had posted a triple bogey on the par-3 17th, where she hit her tee shot over the green, pitched into a bunker and three-putted.
Chitkoksoong (left), 13, fired a 9-over-par 74 Tuesday for a 16-over 146 total. Jordaan led by two strokes after 17 holes on Tuesday, but took a double bogey on No. 18 after needing two to get out of a tough situation in a bunker left of the green. She closed with a 72 and settled for second place when she made a bogey in the playoff after her approach shot went over the green.
“I messed up on 17, getting a triple,” Chitkoksoong said. “I was already rooting for Caroline to make a par or bogey (on 18) just to win the whole thing. But I found myself getting a chip really close.”
Amisha Singh of South Suburban Family Sports, who had beaten both Chitkoksoong and Jordaan for the 10-and-under Junior Series Championship in 2011, claimed third place at 152 after a 79 Tuesday.
“This is a big deal for me because I tried my best when I was 10 and under and couldn’t (win the Junior Series title),” Chitkoksoong said. “Winning this is so emotional. I have to thank my competitors for putting up such a good score for me to beat.”
The Junior Series Championship for 14-18 year-olds will be held Aug. 4-5 at Black Bear Golf Course in Parker, while the tournament for golfers 10-and-under will be Aug. 6 at the Les Fowler par-3 course at Boulder Country Club.
CJGA 11-13 Junior Series Championship
At Par-65 Homestead GC in Lakewood
BOYS
Jack Castiglia, Fossil Trace GC, 69-64–133
Canon Olkowski, Bookcliff CC, 72-74–146
Jake Welch, Links GC, 77-69–146
Jordan Jennings, The Bridges GC, 73-75–148
Benjamin Zimmerman, Denver CC, 74-75–149
Christopher Kennedy, Meadow Hills GC, 73-79–152
Evan Kalac, Meridian GC, 82-71–153
Ryan Liao, Family Sports GC, 78-76–154
Ty Findlow, Colorado GC, 76-79–155
Tj Shehee, Boulder CC, 77-80–157
Ryan Sangchompuphen, CommonGround GC, 83-77–160
Christian Agelopoulos, CommonGround GC, 86-77–163
Trey Whitehead, Southglenn CC, 84-81–165
Grant Hoos, Broadlands GC, 86-80–166
Colt DiGiovanni, Hyland Hills GC, 87-81–168
Supawich Beam Boonta, CommonGround GC, 87-82–169
Thomas Hicks, CJGA Club, 93-78–171
Jessen Steel, The Club at Pradera, 94-83–177
GIRLS
x-won sudden-death playoff
x-Amy Chitkoksoong, Murphy Creek GC, 72-74–146
Caroline Jordaan, Cherry Hills CC, 74-72–146
Amisha Singh, Family Sports GC, 73-79–152
Katie Berrian, CC of Castle Pines, 81-77–158
Lauren Lehigh, Harmony GC, 82-76–158
Marie Jordaan, Cherry Hills CC, 79-79–158
Gracie Olkowski, Bookcliff CC, 81-84–165
Brittlynn O’Dell, Bookcliff CC, 91-84–175
Anju Ogi, Fox Hollow GC, 104-96–200
