FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA | Fresh off his appearance at the U.S. Junior Amateur, Davis Bryant is set to represent Colorado in the 43rd annual Junior America’s Cup, which begins with first round action Tuesday at Pine Canyon Golf Club.
The Eaglecrest High School sophomore-to-be is joining forces with Valor Christian’s Coby Welch, Fort Collins’ AJ Ott and Jackson Solem (Silver Creek) to represent the state in the annual event, which brings together 18 four-player teams of boys golfers from 12 Western states, plus two Canadian provinces and Mexico, which has two teams entered in the 2015 event.
Bryant — who played two rounds of stroke play, but didn’t advance to stroke play at the U.S. Junior Amateur at Colleton River Plantation in Bluffton, South Carolina — is in the final group to tee off in Tuesday’s opening round at 9:20 a.m. He plays in a group with Mexico’s Andre Becerra and Nevada’s Jay Babu. His three Colorado teammates go off the same tee at 8:50 a.m. (Ott), 9 a.m. (Welch) and 9:10 a.m. (Solem).
Team results are based on the lowest three gross scores of the four team members.
While Bryant is a newcomer, Ott and Welch played in the JAC event last season when Team Colorado finished 13th in the 18-team field, 19 strokes behind the winning team from Hawaii in play at the Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in Canada.
Started in 1973, the Junior America’s Cup has seen notable professional players such as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples and Corey Pavin compete in previous years.
The four player teams are selected by a junior tournament committee from their respective area, with the criteria including points, conduct, national tournaments, character and head-to-head results against other candidates.
Golfers from Aurora schools have more of a tradition in playing in the Girls’ Junior America’s Cup, as the 2015 team playing in that event at the Cheyenne Country Club in Wyoming includes Regis Jesuit senior-to-be Mary Weinstein.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FBL Aurora Prep Sentinel
2015 JUNIOR AMERICA’S CUP TEE TIMES
First round, July 28 at Pine Canyon Golf Club
TEE 1
7:30 a.m.: Mason Anderson (Arizona), Justin Kim (Southern California), Sam Warkentin (Washington); 7:40 a.m.: Chase Furey (Southern California), Alvin Kwak (Washington), Brock Goyen (Arizona); 7:50 a.m.: Nick Nolan (Washington), Briggs Duce (Arizona), Sam Choi (Southern California); 8 a.m.: David Ricciardelli (Arizona), Joseph Chun (Southern California), RJ Manke (Washington); 8:10 a.m.: Carson Lundell (Utah), Bryce Wortman (Oregon), Kyosuke Hara (Hawaii); 8:20 a.m.: Spencer Tibbits (Oregon), Kyle Suppa (Hawaii), Cole Ponich (Utah); 8:30 a.m.: Andrew Chin (Hawaii), Brock Stanger (Utah), Kevin Geniza (Oregon); 8:40 a.m.: Elijah Turner (Utah), Reese Fisher (Oregon), Junho Won (Hawaii); 8:50 a.m.: Matt Lloyd (Northern California), Sean Moore (Sun Country), Jordan Costello (Wyoming); 9 a.m.: Slaver Sivage (Sun Country), Easton Paxton (Wyoming), Bryan Baumgarten (Northern California); 9:10 a.m.: Brock Ehlers (Wyoming), Matt Robinson (Northern California), Ricky Silva (Sun Country); 9:20 a.m.: Christopher Ebster (Northern California), Patrick McCarthy (Sun Country), Jared Edeen (Wyoming)
TEE 10
7:30 a.m.: Luis Garza (Mexico 1), Connor Johnstone (Idaho), Logan Carver (Alberta); 7:40 a.m.: Carson Barry (Idaho), Brendan MacDougall (Alberta), Jorge Villar (Mexico 1); 7:50 a.m.: Landon Stellingwerff (Alberta), Camilo Mexsen (Mexico 1), Josh Gliege (Idaho); 8 a.m.: Eduardo Carrete (Mexico 1), Andrew Hess (Idaho), Michael Martin (Alberta); 8:10 a.m.: Ryggs Johnston (Montana), Cullen Plousha (San Diego), Roy Kang (British Columbia); 8:20 a.m.: Everton Hawkins (San Diego), Alex Park (British Columbia), Caleb Stetzner (Montana); 8:30 a.m.: Diego San Pedro (British Columbia), Joey Moore (Montana), Hunter Reed (San Diego); 8:40 a.m.: Jonny Cielak (Montana), Noah Henderson (San Diego), Sy Lovan (British Columbia); 8:50 a.m.: Luis Carrera (Mexico 2), AJ OTT (COLORADO), Jack Trent (Nevada); 9 a.m.: COBY WELCH (COLORADO), Scott Rescigno (Nevada), Juan Padilla (Mexico 2); 9:10 a.m.: George Kim (Nevada), Isidro Benitez (Mexico 2), JACKSON SOLEM (COLORADO); 9:20 a.m.: Andre Becerra (Mexico 2), DAVIS BRYANT (COLORADO), Jay Babu (Nevada)
