There was certainly no lack of highlights to punctuate the CJGA 11-13 Junior Series Championship that concluded on Tuesday at Deer Creek Golf Club in Littleton.
On Monday, the golfer who would end up winning the girls title, Katie Berrian of Castle Rock, shot a 4-under-par 66, the lowest score of her life — by seven strokes.
Then on Tuesday, boys competitor Elijia Harp of Antonito in southern Colorado made the first hole-in-one of his life, acing the 123-yard 16th hole with a pitching wedge.
And, adding an exclamation mark to the tournament overall, Jordan Jennings of Montrose, playing in the same group as Harp, chipped in for birdie from 25 feet on the final hole to claim the boys title by one stroke. It was the first individual CJGA title this season for Jennings (pictured above) after three runner-ups and a two-person team victory.
“I knew I had to chip it in so I pulled out the pin and I played a little check shot and it rolled in,” the 12-year old said. “I was really happy.”
With the hole-out, Jennings edged another Montrose resident, Micah Stangebye, who had posted a 1-under-par 70 just minutes earlier. Jennings’ 73, which included four birdies, gave him an even-par 142 total. Two strokes back of Jennings and one behind Stangebye was Jack Hughes of Snowmass Village, who closed with a 75. That left Western Slope players with a sweep of the top three boys spots.
On the girls side, Berrian’s first-round 66 gave her a four-shot cushion entering the day and a 4-over-par 74 on Tuesday left her with a five-stroke victory. The 13-year-old made two birdies on Tuesday en route to posting an even-par 140 total. It was the fourth CJGA title this year for Berrian (left and below).
“This means a lot,” said the eighth-grader at St. Thomas More Catholic School. “I’ve always wanted to win this since I was 9. Now I finally have the opportunity.”
Hailey Schalk of Erie finished second among the girls despite suffering a quadruple bogey 7 — she hit into the hazard twice on No. 16 — and a double bogey on Tuesday. Schalk carded a 75 to check in at 145. Brittlynn O’Dell of Grand Junction came in third at 148 after a 76 on Tuesday.
Though Berrian played well enough to win on Tuesday, her out-of-the-blue 66 was what set up the victory. On her back nine Monday, she made an eagle and three birdies en route to a 4-under-par 32.
“I’ve never putted like that before,” said Berrian, whose previous best round was a 73. “It was really nice.”
Berrian recently placed a very respectable 15th in the girls 13-14 age group at the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships in Florida. But her Monday round took things to another level.
“I was pretty confident coming into this week,” she said. “I’ve been playing great lately, hitting it good and putting good. But I surprised myself a little (by shooting that score).”
While Berrian had some cushion coming down the stretch on Tuesday, the same wasn’t the case in the boys tournament. Jennings (below) and Hughes were tied going into the 17th hole, but Hughes made bogey after hitting his approach into a bunker on 17 and parred 18. And Stangebye, who had made up four shots on Jennings on holes 14-17 to draw even, fell victim to Jennings’ final-hole chip-in for birdie.
“I’ve qualified for the Optimist (International) twice and the Junior Worlds once, but this is probably my biggest (golf accomplishment),” said Jennings, a seventh-grader at Columbine Middle School in Montrose.
The 11-13 tournament marked the second of three CJGA Junior Series Championships. Last week at The Ranch Country Club, Coby Welch and Mary Weinstein of Highlands Ranch won the titles in the 14-18 age group. And the 10-&-under tournament will take place Wednesday at Boulder Country Club’s Les Fowler Par-3 Course.
CJGA 11-13 Junior Series Championship
At Deer Creek GC in Littleton
Boys (Par-71)
Jordan Jennings, Montrose, Colo. 69-73–142
Micah Stangebye, Montrose, Colo. 73-70–143
Jack Hughes, Snowmass Village, Colo. 69-75–144
Elijia Harp, Antonito, Colo. 72-78–150
Ryan Liao, Littleton, Colo. 75-75–150
Christian Agelopoulos, Denver, Colo. 79-74–153
Davis Long, Lafayette, Colo. 74-79–153
Ryan Sangchompuphen, Denver, Colo. 76-78–154
Traejan Andrews, Windsor, Colo. 78-81–159
Thomas Hicks, Denver, Colo. 84-81–165
Supawich Beam Boonta, Centennial, Colo. 84-83–167
Jeffrey Nelson, New Castle, Colo. 86-83–169
Medhaj Shrestha, Golden, Colo. 84-88–172
Jake Chesler, Firestone, Colo. 91-83–174
Zaden Gomez, Westminster, Colo. 89-87–176
Girls (Par-70)
Katie Berrian, Castle Rock, Colo. 66-74–140
Hailey Schalk, Erie, Colo. 70-75–145
Brittlynn O’Dell, Grand Junction, Colo. 72-76–148
Marie Jordaan, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 74-78–152
Amisha Singh, Greenwood Village, Colo. 82-71–153
Charlotte Hillary, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 77-86–163
Emma Bryant, Denver, Colo. 84-83–167
Anju Ogi, Arvada, Colo. 85-91–176
Sofia Choi, Littleton, Colo. 88-90–178
Katelyn Lehigh, Loveland, Colo. 94-85–179
