GOLDEN | Never has a bogey been so good for Amy Chitkoksoong as the last one she made May 23.
The Grandview sophomore rolled in a bogey putt with ultimate significance on Hole No. 12 at the Club at Rolling Hills, one that delivered her the Class 5A state championship.
Chitkoksoong finally outlasted Highlands Ranch’s Jenna Chun on a third playoff hole to become the program’s first state winner, a year after she helped the Wolves win the first 5A state team title as well. It capped an uplifting second day of the 5A girls state golf tournament for Grandview after a forgettable first day.
Coach Mary Danielson’s Wolves weren’t able to defend last season’s state title — that went to Ralston Valley — but they shot 21 strokes better as a team in the second round to rise from seventh to third in the final standings. And they were able to celebrate plenty after Chitkoksoong brought home her title, a year after she finished in a tie for second place.
Chitkoksoong missed her “target score” in the opening round by quite a bit, as she turned in a score of plus-11 83 that left her in a tie for fifth place and looking up at several outstanding players in front of her on the leaderboard.
But she clawed her way back into contention and after making three straight par putts to finish her second round with a 1-under 71 — the best score in the field on the day — Chitkoksoong found herself in a three-way tie with Chun and Rock Canyon’s Amelia Lee at 10-over for the tournament.
Lee had two holes remaining to try to take the title, but a bogey on No. 17 dropped her a stroke off the pace and she couldn’t make it up as she made par on No. 18.
Chitkoksoong and Chun matched each other on the first two playoff holes — with Chun missing a winning putt on No. 11 — and Chitkoksoong won the final hole, despite a second shot that landed in the rough above the hole. She chipped onto the green, then two-putted for the win after Chun missed her bogey putt.
The Wolves also got better performances on the second day from junior Caitlin O’Donnell (who shot seven strokes better with an 81), sophomore Morgan Ryan (who shot 12 strokes better with an 82) and senior Sharae Lewis (who improved 14 strokes with an 83), they just couldn’t overcome the hole they were in after the opening round.
With an almost completely brand new team and a new coach in Melissa Martin, Regis Jesuit finished in eighth place with the help of an 18-stroke improvement on the second day.
Senior Jaclyn Murray again led the Raiders, but she came up a single stroke short of posting her third consecutive top-10 state finish. Murray followed an 81 in the first round with an 80 that left her at 161 for 13th, a stroke behind a pack of four players who shot 160 and tied for ninth.
Freshman Katie Berrian shot the second-lowest score of any Aurora player in the second round —a 3-over 75 — which represented a 14-stroke improvement from the opening round. Berrian finished just three strokes behind Murray for the team lead, while another freshman, Skylar Cain, shot 189 for the tournament for the Raiders’ third score.
Berrian’s performance put her in a tie for 16th place, just in front of Smoky Hill sophomore Amisha Singh, who shot an 81 in the second round to move into a tie for 18th. Singh
Cherokee Trail finished 14th as a team and was paced by freshman Gabriella Ello, who shot 185. Brooke Kramer and Alix Mees — both making their second state tournament appearances — finished at 193 and 195, respectively for the Cougars.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or [email protected] Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2017 CLASS 5A GIRLS STATE GOLF TOURNAMENT
May 23 at the Club at Rolling Hills (Golden)
Team scores (par 216-216 — 432): 1. Ralston Valley 245-229 — 474; 2. Rock Canyon 240-243 — 483; 3. GRANDVIEW 260-239 — 499; T4. Arvada West 250-251 — 501; T4. Fossil Ridge 256-245 — 501; T6. Denver East 259-251 — 510; T6. Highlands Ranch 265-245 — 510; 8. REGIS JESUIT 268-246 — 514; 9. Cherry Creek 255-267 — 522; 10. Monarch 262-269 — 531; 11. Arapahoe 271-280 — 551; 12. Legend 283-281 — 564; 13. ThunderRidge 286-285 — 571; 14. CHEROKEE TRAIL 289-284 — 573
Top 10 individuals (par 72-72 — 214): T1. AMY CHITKOKSOONG (GRANDVIEW) 83-71 — 154 (won in 3-hole playoff); T1. Jenna Chun (Highlands Ranch) 78-76 — 154; 3. Amelia Lee (Rock Canyon) 75-80 — 155; T4. Jordan Remley (Ralston Valley) 82-74 — 156; T4. Julia Baroth (Denver East) 76-80 — 156; T6. Arielle Keating (Rampart) 77-80 — 157; T6. Payton Canon (Cherry Creek) 76-81 — 157; 8. Lexi Mueldener (Ralston Valley) 81-77 — 158; T9. Kelsey Webster (Fairview) 84-76 — 160; T9. Sydney Eye (Ralston Valley) 82-78 — 160; T9. Leigha Devine (Fossil Ridge) 84-76 — 160; T9. Carly Gallant (Monarch) 78-82 — 160
Aurora individuals (par 72-72 — 214): T1. Amy Chitkoksoong (Grandview) 83-71 — 154; 13. Jaclyn Murray (Regis Jesuit) 81-80 — 161; T16. Katie Berrian (Regis Jesuit) 89-75 — 164; T18. Amisha Singh (Smoky Hill) 85-81 — 166; 22. Caitlin O’Donnell (Grandview) 88-81 — 169; T32. Morgan Ryan (Grandview) 94-82 — 176; T35. Sharae Lewis (Grandview) 97-83 — 180; T44. Gabriella Ello (Cherokee Trail) 94-91 — 185; T51. Skylar Cain (Regis Jesuit) 98-91 — 189; T59. Brooke Kramer (Cherokee Trail) 95-98 — 193; 63. Alix Mees (Cherokee Trail) 100-95 — 195; 74. Julia Shaver (Eaglecrest) 104-105 — 209; 80. Eliannah Angel-Lucero (Regis Jesuit) 117-108 — 225; 83. Kamryn Crouthers (Eaglecrest) 128-107 — 235
