The upcoming Optimist International Junior Golf Championships have a world-wide field that includes qualifiers from 42 states, four Canadian provinces and 22 total nations.
Colorado is well represented, with a contingent of 29 boys and girls in seven age groups (boys 10-11, 12-13, 14-15 and 16-18 and girls 10-12, 13-14, 15-8) headed to play at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, over the next two weeks after earning their way through local qualifying tournaments.
Three girls golfers from Aurora high schools are among the Colorado group in Regis Jesuit teammates Jaclyn Murray and Mary Weinstein and Smoky Hill’s Amisha Singh.
Singh, who finished tied for 13th in the Class 5A girls state golf tournament as a freshman, is qualified for the girls 13-14 tournament July 25-30, while 2016 Regis Jesuit grad Weinstein and senior-to-be Murray arrive later for the girls 15-18 tournament July 30-Aug. 4.
All three players — who were part of the 2016 Aurora Sentinel All-City Girls Golf Team — just wrapped up the Colorado Junior PGA Championship at Indian Tree Golf Course. Weinstein (a Regis University signee) won the three-round tournament by a single stroke, while Murray placed fourth and Singh came in 13th.
For Murray, the Optimist will be a quick turnaround after she plays as part of Colorado’s Junior America’s Cup team July 26-28 in Modesto, California.
Murray played in last season’s Optimist tournament and shot rounds of 80, 84 and 81 to miss the cut for the final day.
Singh qualified in the past, but wasn’t able to make the trip to play.
Also last year, Regis Jesuit’s Drew Anderson tied for 21st in the boys 14-15 tournament.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
COLORADO OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR GOLF QUALIFIERS
Boys 10-11: Yusuke Ogi (Arvada); Nicholas Pevny (Aspen)
Boys 12-13: Thomas (TJ) Hicks (Greenwood Village), Jordan Jennings (Montrose), Jeffrey Zhou (Greenwood Village)
Boys 14-15: Billy Howenstein (Boulder), Connor Jones (Westminster), Cade Kilkenny (Centennial), Liam Ohalloran (Colorado Springs), Dillon Stewart (Fort Collins), Jake Welch (Highlands Ranch)
Boys 16-18: Timothy Amundson (Littleton), Cameron Nagel (Fort Collins), Daniel Pearson (Longmont), Marcus Tait (Littleton), Coby Welch (Highlands Ranch)
Girls 10-12: Sofia Choi (Littleton), Katelyn Lehigh (Loveland)
Girls 13-14: Katie Berrian (Castle Rock), Brittlynn O’Dell (Grand Junction), AMISHA SINGH (GREENWOOD VILLAGE)
Girls 15-18: Julie Baroth (Denver), Alexis Chan (Highlands Ranch), Tabitha Diehl (Highlands Ranch), Carly Gallant (Louisville), JACLYN MURRAY (GRAND JUNCTION), MARY WEINSTEIN (HIGHLANDS RANCH)