GRAND JUNCTION | Grandview’s Morgan Sahm finished in the top 10 in her first round of the Class 5A girls state golf tournament Monday.
The Wolves’ freshman sits in a tie for 8th place after the first round at the par-72 Tiara Rado Golf Course after she turned in a 7-over-par 79.
Sahm made par on eight of the first nine holes of her round on the backside and sat at 2-over through 12 holes after two more pars on the front side, but two double bogeys in the last six holes — both on par 4s — brought her in at 7-over. Sahm sits six strokes behind leader Calli Ringsby of Cherry Creek going into the second round, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Eaglecrest’s Jamie Griffin, playing in her fourth 5A state tournament, sits two strokes behind Sahm in a tie for 15th with a score of 9-over 81. Among four other players in the tie for 15th is Regis Jesuit sophomore Sydney Gillespie, who is playing in the 5A tournament for the first time.
Griffin birdied two par 4s — holes No. 1 and No. 15 — but four double bogeys, three in her first nine holes, kept her at 9-over. Gillespie had a single birdie in her round, but mostly stayed out of a trouble with just one double bogey on par 4 hole No. 4.
The two Aurora players are paired together for Tuesday’s second round.
Gillespie’s Regis Jesuit teammates — senior Sofia Vigil and freshman Mary Weinstein — each fired 10-over 82s and make up half of the four players deadlocked for 20th overall.
Weinstein got off to a roaring start in her state debut with two birdies on her first three holes and was just 1-over through nine holes, but managed just one par in her last nine holes to drop in the standings. Vigil — playing in a group with Sahm and Dakota Ridge’s Gillian Vance — bounced back from going 8-over in her first nine with five pars and a birdie on her last nine.
Regis Jesuit, last season’s 4A state champion, sits in third place as a team in its 5A debut with a total score of 245. Cherry Creek leads at 236, followed by Centennial League rival Arapahoe at 239.
In her second state tournament appearance, Rangeview junior Julia Kim carded a 93 and sits in a tie for 46th, while sophomore teammate Jasmine Trevizo struggled in her state debut and finished at 139.
Kim had a tough day with just one birdie and two pars on 18 holes, while Trevizo had three double-digit holes in a difficult first round.
Hinkley’s Kasydi Valentine, the first alternate from the Metro-West Regional, was added to the tournament but withdrew.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555
2013 CLASS 5A GIRLS STATE GOLF TOURNAMENT (FIRST ROUND)
Team scores: Cherry Creek 236, Arapahoe 239, REGIS JESUIT 245, Legacy 255, Highlands Ranch 256, Heritage 261, Dakota Ridge 261, Fairview 264, Loveland 265, Rock Canyon 267, Fossil Ridge 271, Grand Junction Central 279, Grand Junction 300, Standley Lake 310, Columbine 318, Lakewood 335.
Aurora results (par 72): T8. Morgan Sahm (Grandview) 79; T15. Sydney Gillespie (Regis Jesuit) 81; T15. Jamie Griffin (Eaglecrest) 81; T20. Mary Weinstein (Regis Jesuit) 82; T20. Sofia Vigil (Regis Jesuit) 82; T46. Julia Kim (Rangeview) 93; 82. Jasmine Trevizo (Rangeview) 139; Kasydi Valentine (Hinkley) withdrew
Top 10 individuals (par 72): 1. Callie Ringsby (Cherry Creek) 73; T2. Claudia Davis (Arapahoe) 75; T2. Jenni Chun (Highlands Ranch) 75; T2. Michelle Romano (Rock Canyon) 75; 5. Sydney Merchant (Dakota Ridge) 76; 6. Gillian Vance (Dakota Ridge) 77; 7. Delaney Elliott (Monarch) 78; T8. MORGAN SAHM (GRANDVIEW) 79; T8. Mary Kate Nelson (Pine Creek) 79; T8. Sarah Hankins (Legacy) 79
Full first round scores, here.
Full second round pairings, here.
