AURORA | Grandview junior Kyle Carr will need two players to withdraw before he can play in the Class 5A boys state golf tournament after he finished third in a three-man playoff Tuesday at CommonGround Golf Course.
Carr, Cherry Creek’s Will Matthews and Denver East’s Marc Hudson all had to return to the course a day after play was suspended at the 5A Metro East Regional tournament due to darkness. The three were vying for the last available spot in the field for the 5A state tournament Oct. 1-2 at Golden’s Rolling Hills Country Club and were pulled off their third playoff hole because of poor visibility.
When they returned to the course Tuesday, Matthews took the drama out of the playoff on the first hole — the par-4 No. 10 — immediately. He hit a fantastic second shot to with three feet of the hole and made birdie, while Carr and Hudson each missed lengthy putts and settled for par. Matthews joined three of his Cherry Creek teammates who had qualified individually the previous day.
Carr and Hudson had to continue playing to see who would be the first alternate, which would be the first to gain a berth in the state tournament if one of the regional qualifiers was unable to play.
They dueled for two more holes — with Hudson sinking a clutch 10-footer on the par-5 No. 11 to match Carr’s par — before Carr missed a par putt on No. 13 and Hudson made his from a few feet away to secure the first alternate spot.
Chris Magoon had been eliminated the previous day on the first hole of a six-man playoff, leaving junior Devyn Solano as the lone Grandview player headed to state.
The Regis Jesuit team of Cole Cunningham, Spencer Painton, Jake Kelley and Chris Korte — which won the regional championship by a stroke over Cherry Creek — plus the Cherokee Trail duo of junior Ben Knapp and sophomore Mitch Nevin will represent Aurora at the state tournament.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555
