It’s hard to imagine starting a state high school tournament career on a higher note.
Holy Family freshman Hailey Schalk made birdie on each of her first five holes Monday — and eight for her round — in shooting a career-best 6-under-par 65 at the Broomfield-based Broadlands Golf Course, which happens to be less than a mile from her school.
That gives Schalk, who won the Colorado Junior Match Play championship last summer, a whopping six-stroke lead heading into Tuesday’s final round’s of the 3A girls state high school tournament.
Schalk, who shot the 65 despite a final-hole bogey, changed putters on the eve of the state tournament and it obviously worked wonders.
“She has been striking the ball well, but she’s struggled putting the last couple weeks,” her dad and Holy Family coach Matt Schalk told BoCoPreps.com. Matt Schalk is a PGA professional and the general manager at Colorado National Golf Club.
Cassie Kneen of Colorado Academy holds down second place at 71.
With four players in the top six overall, it should come as no surprise that Kneen’s CA team — the 2016 4A state champions — holds a huge lead. With a 2-over-par total, the school is 23 ahead of Holy Family.
This marks the first year for the 3A state tournament.
5A Tournament at The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden: Facing a formidable test on the greens at Rolling Hills, no player broke 75 on the first day of the 5A state meet.
Senior Amelia Lee (pictured) of Rock Canyon handled the course the best on Monday, making a 2-foot birdie putt on her final hole and shooting a 3-over-par 75, which gives her a one-stroke lead. She made three birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey in round 1.
“There were definitely some rough holes out there and the greens weren’t that easy either,” Lee said. “I had a 5-foot putt that ended up an 11-foot putt. That was kind of rough. But overall I love this course and it’s a lot of fun playing with the girls, as always.”
Lee finished 11th in the state tournament as a sophomore and 17th last year.
“This year is to redeem myself,” said Lee, who has signed to play her college golf at Creighton University.
Julia Baroth of Denver East and Payton Canon of Chery Creek share second place at 76. Sophomore Amy Chitkoksoong of Grandview, last year’s 5A runner-up, posted a 78.
“For a state course, I think it was tough but fair,” said Chitkoksoong, the 2015 Colorado Junior Match Play champion. “I was just trying to survive out there today.”
Rock Canyon, at 24 over par, holds a five-stroke lead over Ralston Valley in the team competition.
4A Tournament at Colorado National Golf Club in Erie: Lauren Lehigh of Loveland, who tied for ninth in the 5A state tournament last year, holds down the top spot in the 4A tournament after Monday’s opening round.
Lehigh, who birdied her first two holes, made four birdies overall and shot a 1-over-par 73. That’s good for a two-stroke lead over Lauren Murphy of Glenwood Springs and Sydney Prey of Golden, who placed seventh at state last year.
Lehigh’s Loveland squad built a formidable 18-stroke lead over Windsor in the team standings.
For scores from the state tournaments, click on the following: 3A, 4A, 5A.
