For sheer oddities, it would be tough to top the inaugural AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior as last year a player shot a final-round 61 — a course record at CommonGround and tying an all-time AJGA record — and there were three holes-in-one on the first day of the tournament, including two from the same threesome of girls.
But the second annual Irwin Junior, now presented by Huntington Industrial Partners, had its moments. For instance, Clare Amelia Legaspi of Santa Clarita, Calif., pitched in for eagle from 30 yards on her final hole Thursday at Highlands Ranch Golf Club to edge out Lauren Beaudreau of Lemont, Ill., who narrowly missed eagling the hole herself.
And though it didn’t decide the tournament, future University of Denver golfer John Sand aced the 197-yard 17th hole Thursday at DU’s home course with an 8-iron. Sand went eagle, birdie on his final two holes to get into the top 10.
As for the boys title, for the second straight year a couple of Coloradans were in the hunt for the victory, only to finish a little short. Connor Howe of Ogden, Utah, prevailed by one stroke over AJ Ott (above) of Fort Collins, Trevor Olkowski (left) of Grand Junction and Sunday qualifier Tyler Parker of Knoxville, Tenn.
It was the second top-three showing in the tournament by the Colorado State University-bound Ott, who last year tied for third with Jackson Solem of Longmont.
“It feels good (but) I wanted first (place) pretty bad,” said Ott, the 2015 CJGA Tournament of Champions winner. “Two years in a row there’s definitely something in the water here for the Colorado kids. So I think someone (local) is going to win one one day; it just wasn’t this year.”
All told, five Coloradans placed in the top 10 of the boys division. Joining Ott and Olkowski (a University of Colorado commitment) were Colorado School of Mines signee Timothy Amundson of Littleton (eighth place at 212), incoming DU golfer Isaac Petersilie of Colorado Springs (who eagled the 18th hole to tie for ninth at 214) and David Leede of Greenwood Village (ninth at 214).
Howe (left), the 2015 Utah 5A state high school champion, held at least a share of the lead after all three rounds at Highlands Ranch GC. He followed up an opening 66 with consecutive 70s for a 10-under-par 206 total. Ott, Olkowski and Parker were one behind, with Olkowski (5-under-par 67) and Ott (a bogey-free 68) carding the best two rounds of the day in the boys division.
“I feel good about it,” said Olkowski, who eagled a par-4 and added five birdies on Thursday. “There were strokes I could have picked up out there, but I had three solid rounds. I’m happy with it overall.
“I knew I had to shoot 4 or 5 under (today to have a chance to win) and I did that. I gave myself the best chance I could. I came up one short.”
Howe led by three after making a 6-inch birdie on No. 16, but he needed to drain a 15-foot putt to post a bogey on No. 17, where he took a penalty stroke. Ott birdied from 8 feet there to cut the deficit to one going into 18. But Ott ended up in a greenside bunker in two and couldn’t get up and down, settling for a par on the par-5. And despite a three-putt for par on the 18th green, Howe prevailed by one.
“This is probably the best win I’ve had,” the 16-year-old Howe said of his first AJGA victory. “This and state (high school) are probably tied. I shot 62 at state so that’s hard to beat, but this was a big tournament for me. I’m happy I pulled through.
“It’s a really good confidence-builder for me. I know I’ve been able to win (an AJGA event), I just hadn’t been able to pull the trigger. To be able to win one, just for the future gives me lots of confidence in bigger tournaments.”
On the girls side, Thursday marked the third AJGA win for the UCLA-bound Legaspi (left), but her first since 2014. She played her final 10 holes in 6 under par, and needed every one of those strokes, including the pitch-in on 18. That’s because Beadreau played her final 16 holes in 5 under par, reeling off birdies on 15, 17 and 18. Beaudreau almost pitched in for eagle on 18 to match Legaspi and force a playoff, but she was forced to settle for a tap-in birdie.
The two players matched 68s on Thursday, with Legaspi posting a 7-under-par 209 total.
Legaspi and Beaudreau were tied going up 18 after the latter sank a long birdie putt on 17.
“I knew I had to make something — an eagle or anything,” said Legaspi. “Lauren was playing really well so I knew I had to do something magnificent on the last hole.
“I had to will (the pitch shot) in because I really knew I had to make something happen. I think every shot is makeable. I just always think positive that it’s going to go in, it’s going to go close. I always try to will it in.”
Two young golfers led the way for Coloradans among the girls, with Hailey Schalk of Erie and Caroline Jordaan of Cherry Hills Village tying for seventh place at 6-over-par 222. Jordaan closed with a 73 and Schalk with a 74.
“I achieved what I wanted to do,” said the 15-year-old Jordaan, who finished second last month in the 4A state high school tournament. “Coming in I had never finished top half (in an AJGA event) and that was my goal. To do even better than that was great.”
Schalk (left), 14, was 2 under par for the day through 12 holes, but four bogeys coming down the stretch didn’t help the cause.
“I feel really good about the week,” she said. “It was really fun and I played really solid golf. It was just those (back-nine) mistakes that make me a little bit annoyed. But overall I was proud to get into the top 10.”
Also posting a top-10 finish was DU signee Camille Enright of Plano, Texas, who placed fifth at 217.
As for the 17-year-old Legaspi, it wasn’t the first time she’s holed a wedge shot at a particularly opportune moment. Two years ago, in a playoff for a spot in the U.S. Girls’ Junior, she drained a 60-yard shot to advance after her opponent had put her approach within tap-in range.
“This is a breakthrough win since I haven’t been playing well for the past year,” said Legaspi, who won a gold medal while competing for the Philippines in the 2013 Asian Youth Games. “It means a lot to me. I’ve been through a lot the last year (an injury, equipment change and finishing high school) and I haven’t won for a long time. So this is really special for me.”
For both Legaspi and Howe, it was their first time competing in Colorado.
The AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior, Past and Future: After the tournament, the AJGA presented CGA executive director Ed Mate with the AJGA Newcomer of the Year Award for the 2015 AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior, which was held at the CGA-owned CommonGround Golf Course.
Mate announced that after one year each at CommonGround and Highlands Ranch Golf Club, the 2017 Hale Irwin Colorado Junior is set for Heritage at Westmoor in Westminster. A junior-am is planned for June 5, 2017, with the championship rounds scheduled for June 6-8.
For boys scores from the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior, CLICK HERE.
For girls results, CLICK HERE.
