A frost delay Tuesday morning didn’t keep Caleb Barker from wearing shorts for the final round of the Class 5A state high school golf tournament. But in the end, it was Barker’s opponents who were left out in the cold at Saddle Rock Golf Course.
The lead the junior from Highlands Ranch High School built on Monday was never seriously threatened on Tuesday, and he cruised to a five-stroke victory that left even Barker a little taken aback.
“It actually does (surprise me) a little bit,” he said. “Going in, I had a top-10 finish in my mind.”
It’s no wonder why Barker hadn’t seriously entertained thoughts of winning until after he shot a 70 on Monday. After all, he finished 57th at state last year, posted an 80 in the state-qualifying meet, and was shooting 78-80 in the week leading up to state. Before Tuesday, he had won one tournament this season — also at Saddle Rock — and two in his high school career. He said that, as of Tuesday evening, he hadn’t had any colleges contact him about playing for them.
Not surprisingly then, Barker said the state championship “means the world to me. It’s just awesome.”
Barker, who became the first individual golf state champion Highlands Ranch High School has produced, fired a 1-over-par 73 in the final round to post the only sub-par total of the tournament, a 1-under 143. Senior Cody Kent finished a distant runner-up for the second straight year, but led Douglas County to its second 5A team title in as many years. The Huskies were also second in 2007.
Kent finished fourth, second and second in his final three state high school tournaments, though he was six shots out of first place last year and five this time.
“It was fun, but frustrating,” he said. “The last two years I can’t be mad because we won (state titles) as a team. That’s what really matters here. I enjoyed it. It was fun. I really wanted to get the (individual) win, but “¦”
Clay LaBrec of Mountain Range, who closed with a 73 for a 149 total, was the only other player to break 150 for two rounds.
Barker, whose season-best 70 on Monday gave him a four-stroke lead, never let any opponent get closer than three on Tuesday. Overland senior Jonathan Park was within three after eight holes, but Barker drained a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 9 while Park bogeyed, accounting for a two-stroke swing. It was the first of five straight bogeys for Park, who ended up tied for fourth with a final-round 77.
Even a double bogey on the tough 10th hole couldn’t derail Barker, who bounced back to play his final eight holes in 1 under par.
Barker, whose father James coaches the Highlands Ranch golf team, finished with three birdies in the final round, including a chip-in on No. 17.
“On the first tee, I was really nervous,” he said. “Then I just felt like I was playing golf.” Coming down the stretch, he noted, “I was just on autopilot.
“After (Monday), I thought I could hang with these guys, and I did, so I”˜m happy.”
Here’s a wrapup of the other two state high school golf tournaments that concluded on Tuesday:
CLASS 4A AT HIGHLANDS RANCH GOLF CLUB — Wyndham Clark, the highest-ranked junior player in Colorado, came from behind to win his first state high school championship. The Valor Christian sophomore shot a 5-under-par 67 Tuesday to overtake first-round leader Drew Trujillo of Montrose and win by two strokes.
Clark, one of the top 50-ranked boys golfers in the nation, finished at 8-under-par 136, while Trujillo closed with a 72 for a 138 total. Clark, who trailed by three entering the day, took the lead for good when Trujillo bogeyed the 13th hole. Valor’s Michael Schoolcraft finished third overall after two straight 71s.
Clark made six birdies on Tuesday, with his lone bogey of the entire tournament coming on the next-to-last hole. He adds the state high school title to the CGA Junior Stroke Play championship he won by 11 strokes earlier this year. Clark was the runner-up in the 4A state meet as a freshman.
Besides capturing the individual title, Clark led his school to the team championship, the first state title in any sport for Valor Christian, which opened in 2007. The Eagles posted a 429 total, which was six shots better than Rock Canyon.
CLASS 3A AT COUGAR CANYON GOLF LINKS IN TRINIDAD — First-round leader Peter Hassan of Alexander Dawson fended off 2008 runner-up Andrew Cornella of St. Mary’s to claim the 3A title by one stroke. Hassan became the second state champion from Dawson this decade, joining 2000 winner Trevor Owens.
Despite a double bogey on the 17th hole Tuesday, Hassan overcame Cornella, who played his last eight holes in 2 under par. Hassan, who led by three entering the day, shot a 7-over-par 79 on Tuesday for an 11-over 155 total. Cornella closed with a 77 to come in at 156.
In the team competition, Kent Denver continued its roll, winning its fourth straight state title. Kent prevailed in 2006 and 2007 in Class 4A, and the last two years in the newly-created 3A classification. This time, Kent’s margin of victory was a whopping 22 strokes over runner-up Trinidad.
