THORNTON | The tears began as soon as the golf ball fell into the cup for the final time Tuesday for Regis Jesuit senior Audrey Whitmore.
The Raiders’ standout rolled in a short putt on the green of Hole No. 18 at Todd Creek Golf Club to cap her prep career and seal her best-ever finish at the Class 5A girls golf state tournament.
In her fourth career state tournament, Whitmore shot plus-7 79 in the final round — a day after she shot 78 — and it lifted her into a tie for fifth place.
“I’m really sad, I was super emotional on the last hole,” Whitmore said. “I made my putt and I just started crying. It’s been quite an adventure. I was talking with a lot of seniors and they are like ‘I don’t know why this is so sad,’ but for me, it’s because I’m really close with a lot of my team and this has been a massive part of my life for the last couple of years. It’s super emotional.”
Whitmore saved her best for last when it came to the state tournament, as she eclipsed her eighth-place finish at last season’s tournament at the Broadlands G.C. That came after she was 18th as a sophomore and 45th as a freshman.
Additionally, Whitmore carded a two-day total of 157 to come in 17 strokes clear of the next-highest finishers among the Aurora area’s total of nine state qualifiers, as Cherokee Trail sophomore Brinnon Cook shot a two-day total of 174 that tied her for 27th. Cook’s Cougars edged Whitmore’s Raiders by a single shot in the team race, however, as Cherokee Trail grabbed 10th and Regis Jesuit 11th.
Cherokee Trail senior Haylee Clark, a three-time state qualifier, finished a stroke behind teammate Cook in a tie for 30th. Clark finished 37th as a sophomore in 2023 and tied for 58th as a freshman in 2022.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2025 CLASS 5A GIRLS GOLF STATE TOURNAMENT
May 19-20 at Todd Creek Golf Club
Final team scores (par 216-216 — 432): 1. Valor Christian 233-229 — 462; 2. Legend 234-256 — 490; 3. Fossil Ridge 246-246 — 492; 4. Cherry Creek 249-253 — 502; 5. Rock Canyon 252-257 — 509; 6. Douglas County 260-250 — 510; 7. Castle View 258-265 — 523; 8. Ralston Valley 266-260 — 526; 9. Columbine 259-273 — 532; 10. CHEROKEE TRAIL 265-269 — 534; 11. REGIS JESUIT 267-268 — 535; 12. Legacy 260-276 — 536; Mountain Vista 285-270 — 555; 14. Chatfield 301-285 — 586; 15. Doherty 305-285 — 590; 16. Arapahoe 304-297 — 601; GRANDVIEW no score
Top 10 individuals (par 72-72 — 144): 1. Ella Scott (Valor Christian) 72-76 — 148; 2. Maddie Makino (Legend) 72-79 — 151; 3. Tatum Platt (Cherry Creek) 77-78 — 155; 4. Addison Hines (Ralston Valley) 78-78 — 156; T5. AUDREY WHITMORE (REGIS JESUIT) 78-79 — 157; T5. Lilie Cohen (Chaparral) 77-80 — 157; T7. Adyson Ice (Legend) 73-85 — 158; T7. Aja Blankenship (Valor Christian) 80-78 — 158; T7. Brenna Higgins (Valor Christian) 83-75 — 158; T10. Ellie Barry (Fossil Ridge) 83-77 — 160; T10. Ashley Chang (Rock Canyon) 80-80 — 160; T10. Raleigh Puzio (Brighton) 81-79 — 160
