After winning the Class 4A state high school title on Tuesday, John Ahern waffled about whether to play in the CJGA Tournament of Champions on the weekend. He had already entered, but possibly missing more school left him questioning whether participating in another tournament made sense.
But a victory Sunday evening in the CJGA season finale no doubt put Ahern’s mind at ease about whether he did the right thing.
The senior from D’Evelyn High School (pictured) capped a stellar week by earning his second victory, this one in a Tournament of Champions playoff at Colorado Golf Club in Parker.
But it didn’t come easy. The left-hander needed five holes of sudden death to beat Cameron Harrell of Colorado Springs, who placed third in the 4A meet that Ahern won. With the sun having already set, Harrell missed a 2-foot par putt on the fifth extra hole, while Ahern two-putted from 12 feet for the victory.
Had both golfers tied the hole, it was agreed that they would be named co-champions in the event, which is limited to players 14-18 years old.
“I feel terrible for him,” Ahern said of Harrell. “I’ve done that (miss a crucial short putt). It doesn’t feel good, especially after five playoff holes. After that hole we would have just called it a draw (due to darkness). At the same time, a win’s a win.”
Meanwhile, going extra holes certainly wasn’t an issue in the girls division. Somin Lee of Denver closed out her CJGA career with a seven-stroke win.
The boys tournament featured all three of the 2010 state high school champions. While Ahern won the title Sunday, 5A champ David Oraee of Greeley couldn’t overcome a 9 on his first hole Sunday and finished tied for third. Class 3A winner Ethan Freeman of Littleton shared eighth place.
In cold, drizzly conditions, Ahern shot a 7-over-par 79 on Sunday for a two-day total of 11-over 155 on the course that played host to the 2010 Senior PGA Championship. Harrell birdied three of his last five holes in regulation Sunday to card a 75 and catch Ahern, the first-round leader.
“Really none of us had our A-game this weekend,” Ahern said. “The course played really hard. Today was cold, rainy and windy — everything in one. I guess I dinked it around the best because it wasn’t anything special.”
Ahern and Harrell tied the first and third playoff holes with bogeys and the second and fourth with pars. During the course of sudden death, Ahern missed putts of 4 and 8 feet for the win, and Harrell missed a 10-footer for victory. But Harrell’s three-putt on the fifth extra hole — and especially the 2-footer he missed to the left of the cup in dwindling light — proved his downfall.
“It might have been a pull, it might not,” Harrell said of the short putt. “I probably misread it. I thought it was dead straight and I missed it left. I wasn’t too worried about the dark and could I read it.”
Losing to Ahern for the second time in a week “is tough to handle but he’s a good player so I’m not mad,” Harrell added. “It’s hard to take, but it’s fine.”
While Ahern wouldn’t rank Sunday’s victory up with his state high school title — which he earned by overcoming nationally-ranked Wyndham Clark — the T of C win still was important to him, especially with all the high school champions in the field.
“It’s always fun to win a golf tournament,” he said. “It’s a pretty big tournament, with everyone who has won (this year). You know you’re playing against some of the best kids in Colorado. But the state (high school) championship has a little more hype. I don’t think it’s any different in terms of golf. But beating Wyndham makes it a little bigger deal to me.”
In the girls competition, Lee won her second consecutive Tournament of Champions by posting the best round of the event, regardless of gender. Her 2-under-par 70 on Sunday left the reigning 5A girls high school state champion with a 152 total. First-round leader Shannon Lubar of Littleton (78-159) placed second.
After not making a birdie as she shot 82 on Saturday, Lee carded four birdies and an eagle on Sunday. Her eagle came on the par-5 16th, where she holed her third shot from about 80 yards.
The 18-year-old from Overland has won plenty of junior events in the state, but she didn’t want to let her CJGA finale get away from her.
“This was my last CJGA tournament, so it means a lot for me,” she said. “I really wanted to win it. And I played really good today.”
CJGA Tournament of Champions (Age 14-18)
At Par-72 Colorado GC in Parker
x-Won 5-Hole Sudden-Death Playoff
BOYS
x-John Ahern, Morrison, Colo. 76-79–155
Cameron Harrell, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80-75–155
David Oraee, Greeley, Colo. 78-80–158
Steven Kupcho, Westminster, Colo. 80-78–158
Tyler Engel, Castle Rock, Colo. 82-78–160
Zach Tripp, Littleton, Colo. 81-80–161
Chris Weinstein, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 80-82–162
Eric Hallberg, Castle Rock, Colo. 80-83–163
Ethan Freeman, Littleton, Colo. 81-82–163
Andrew Romano, Littleton, Colo. 84-80–164
Nicholas Reisch, Thornton, Colo. 87-77–164
Palmer Giro, Ft. Collins, Colo. 83-81–164
Spencer Sheets, Centennial, Colo. 82-82–164
Benjamin Moore, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 85-80–165
Connor Klein, Lone Tree, Colo. 82-83–165
Jimmy Makloski, Pueblo, Colo. 86-80–166
Josh Seiple, Castle Rock, Colo. 83-83–166
Mitchel Solomon, Dacono, Colo. 81-85–166
Jack Adolfson, Longmont, Colo. 88-81–169
Christopher Good, Aurora, Colo. 82-89–171
Michael Cole, Monument, Colo. 89-83–172
Sam Rock, Superior, Colo. 94-79–173
Ethan Yamada, Arvada, Colo. 89-86–175
Zachary Hull, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 84-91–175
Peter Hassan, Boulder, Colo. 90-87–177
Caleb Barker, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 81-WD
GIRLS
Somin Lee, Denver, Colo. 82-70–152
Shannon Lubar, Littleton, Colo. 81-78–159
Kathleen Kershisnik, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 90-73–163
Katy Dyachkova, Centennial, Colo. 87-78–165
Allie Johnston, Castle Rock, Colo. 88-81–169
Lindsay McGetrick, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 84-87–171
Shinwoo Lee, Aurora, Colo. 87-86–173
Seungha Choi, Aurora , Colo. 88-86–174
Claudia Davis, Centennial, Colo. 88-88–176
Taylor Dorans, Erie, Colo. 87-97–184
Katie Moats, Wheat Ridge, Colo. 93-96–189
Hannah Wood, Centennial, Colo. 109-92–201
Emily Woodard, Cheyenne, Wyo. 109-95–204
