AURORA | Grandview High School sophomore-to-be Morgan Sahm is headed to Florida in late July to play golf against a field of players from around the world.

Sahm — a top 10 finisher in the Class 5A girls state golf tournament in May — won the Colorado-Wyoming girls 15-18 qualifying event on June 20 at Boulder’s Flatiron Golf Course and earned her way into the 2013 Optimist International Junior Golf Championship tournament at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Grandview's Morgan Sahm
Morgan Sahm, a sophomore-to-be at Grandview High School, qualified for the 2013 Optimist International Junior Golf Championships July 25-30 in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

The girls 15-18 age group plays July 30-Aug. 4 and will include Sahm, who shot a 6-over-par 76 in the qualifying event to finish three strokes clear of a four-way tie for second place. The Grandview golfer finished three strokes out of qualifying in the girls 13-14 age group Optimist qualifier in 2011.

Sahm is the latest girls player from an Aurora high school to qualify for the Optimist international championships, following Eaglecrest’s Jamie Griffin in 2012 and Overland grad Somin Lee, who finished second out of 81 golfers in the girls 16-18 class in 2010.

A total of six Colorado girls in the 15-18 age group advanced to the Optimist event, with Megan McCambridge, Sarah Hankins, Jenni Chun and Gillian Vance — who each shot 79s — plus Jaylee Tait (80) joining Sahm. Regis Jesuit sophomore-to-be Mary Weinstein shot an 83 to finish three strokes out of the last qualifying spot.

The other Optimist girls qualifiers in other age groups are: Caroline Jordaan and Katie Berrian (10-12) and Alexis Chan and Jenna Chun (13-14). The younger age groups qualified on June 18 at Aurora’s Fitzsimons Golf Course and will play in Florida July 25-30.

Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555

2013 COLORADO/WYOMING DISTRICT OPTIMIST QUALIFIER

June 20, Flatirons G.C. (Boulder), Par 70

GIRLS 15-18: MORGAN SAHM 76; Megan McCambridge 79; Sarah Hankins 79; Jenni Chun 79; Gillian Vance 79; Jaylee Tait 80; Adara Pauluhn 82; Alex Trask 82; Mary-Kate Nelson 83; Mary Weinstein 83; Delaney Elliott 84; Jennifer Hankins 84; Michelle Romano 84; Colleen Casey 86; Madison McCambridge 89; Kendra Bellman 91; Raquell Castillo 91; Cassie Kneen 91; Emily Jung 92; Alli Smith 93; Mariah Ehrman 94; Erin Sargent 94; Aryn McLaughlin 95; Shelby Bledsoe 100; Leah Perletz 101; Sydney Gillespie WD

Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor and photographer with Sentinel Colorado. A Denver East High School and University of Colorado alum. He came to the Sentinel in 2001 and since then has received a number...