A series of qualifying tournaments for the Optimist International Junior Golf Championship have been held in Colorado this month, and 47 players — primarily Coloradans — will advance to the event at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
That’s in addition to the 23 golfers who earned berths via the Optimist Junior Tour event held in October at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in Northeast Denver.
Three separate tournaments are held at PGA National, depending on gender and age. Overall, the events begin July 19 and conclude on Aug. 1.
In 2017, Colorado was the most-represented state at the Optimist International Junior Golf Championship, with 50 players. The Colorado-Wyoming District of the Optimist junior golf program traditionally provides some financial assistance for those who qualify locally for the Florida event.
Here are the players who will advance from this month’s qualifying tournaments held in Colorado:
June 15 at Flatirons GC in Boulder
Boys 16-18 (7 Qualifiers)
1. Walker Franklin, Broomfield 66
2. Liam O’Halloran, Colorado Springs 68
T3. Micah Stangebe, Montrose 69
T3. TJ Shehee, Mead 69
T3. Jack Glenn 69
T6. Blake Schneiter, Grand Junction 70
T6. Tyler Mulligan, Parker 70
June 8 at Aurora Hills GC
Boys 14-15 (14 Qualifiers)
1. Traejan Andrews, Windsor 70
T2. TJ Hicks, Greenwood Village 71
T2. Maxwell Lange, Golden 71
T2. Karsten Simmons, Worland, Wyo. 71
T2. Jackson Grace, Boulder 71
T6. Jack Larson, Arvada 73
T6. Jeffrey Zhou, Greenwood Village 73
T8. Dakota Dolph, Pine 74
T8. Drex Duffy, Littleton 74
T8. Hunter Swanson, Denver 74
T11. Mario Dino, Denver 75 (in playoff)
T11. Matthew Wilkinson, Centennial 75 (in playoff)
T11. Jackson Rottschafer, Centennial 75 (in playoff)
T11. Trey Kirschner, Arvada 75 (in playoff after being alternate)
June 8 at Aurora Hills GC
Boys 12-13 (5 Qualifiers)
1. Nicholas Pevny, Aspen 73
2. Jackson Smith, Centennial 74
3. Yusuke Ogi, Arvada 75
T4. Grant Samuelson, Fort Collins 80
T4. Michael Dinapoli, Steamboat Springs 80
June 8 at Aurora Hills GC
Boys 10-11 (4 Qualifiers)
1. Austin Barry, Fort Collins 74
2. Carson Bertagnole, Casper, Wyo. 80
3. Landon Houska, Fort Collins 82
T4. Tyler Long, Evergreen 85 (won playoff)
June 14 at Meadow Hills GC in Aurora
Girls 15-18 (7 Qualifiers)
T1. Jessica Zapf, Windsor 73 (won playoff)
T1. Lauren Lehigh, Loveland 73
T3. Jenna Chun, Englewood 74
T3. Leigha Devine, Windsor 74
5. Kelsey Webster, Boulder 75
6. Emma Bryant, Aurora 76
7. Brooke Kramer, Aurora 77
June 14 at Meadow Hills GC in Aurora
Girls 13-14 (7 Qualifiers)
1. Sofia Choi, Littleton 73
2. Kaylee Chen, Denver 74
T3. Rachel Penzenstadler, Centennial 75
T3. Katelyn Lehigh, Loveland 75
5. Timbre Shehee, Mead 79
T6. Eva Pett, Denver 80
T6. Amira Badruddin, Parker 80
June 14 at Meadow Hills GC in Aurora
Girls 10-12 (3 Qualifiers)
1. Hadley Ashton, Erie 74
2. Caitlyn Chin, Greenwood Village 77
3. Ashleigh Wilson, Highlands Ranch 80
