Golden – Even after more than six hours of golf on Monday, Littleton’s Becca Huffer and Estes Park’s Dawn Shockley needed more time and one more hole to settle the score.
On the par-5 playoff hole, Huffer plucked herself out of the sand and made a 4-foot birdie putt to win the Ashley Forey Memorial Golf Tournament at Rolling Hills Country Club.
“I’ve been doing good this year. I played pretty solid today,” said Huffer, a freshman who has won five of six tournaments this season. “I think my scores might go down some more because I’ve been fixing my swing and hitting it quite a bit farther this year.”
Huffer and Shockley, a senior who will play for the University of Denver next year, tied after 18 holes with 1-over-par 74s.
On the playoff hole, Shockley knocked her second shot onto the green from about 200 yards.But her second putt, from about 3 feet, stopped at the lip to give Huffer the win.
“The greens were a little rough,” Shockley said, “but overall the course was in great condition.”
Mullen won the team title for the third time in four years with a combined score of 259, followed by Glenwood Springs and Cherry Creek at 270.
Broomfield’s Stephanie Ferguson finished third at 76 after shooting 36 on the back nine. Mullen’s Ashley Tait, a two- time Class 4A state champion, Aspen’s Kristin Walla and Skyline’s Rachel Larson shot 78s.
“I thought the course was playing fairly tough,” Tait said. “Putting was really hard because the greens were just aerated, so the ball would take some unexpected turns.
“For all three of us (Mullen’s Maggie Boberg and Sasha Podolak) to play good is awesome.”
The memorial tournament, named in honor of the former Wheat Ridge golfer, welcomed more than 125 players representing 32 schools. The large field slowed play, with as many as four groups backed up at a hole at one point, but that didn’t stop Huffer and Shockley from heading out for their playoff.
Huffer’s drive went straight and long, while Shockley sent her own into the right rough. But Huffer then went into the sand trap guarding the front of the green while Shockley nailed her second shot, setting her up about 30 feet from the cup.
It looked like a second playoff hole was certain when Huffer landed 4 feet from the cup with her wedge and Shockley rolled within 3 feet on her first putt. But Huffer dropped her putt while Shockley’s stopped short.
Team scores – Mullen 259, Glenwood Springs 270, Cherry Creek 270, Green Mountain 276, Fairview 281, Heritage 281, Skyline 284, D’Evelyn 299, Standley Lake 300, Broomfield 304, Lakewood 309, Columbine 310, Pomona 310, Yuma 318, Chatfield 319, Estes Park 322, Conifer 323, Wheat Ridge 330, Bear Creek 334, Arvada West 338,
Thompson Valley 341, Evergreen 342, Golden 344, Ralston Valley 353, Highlands Ranch 357, Dakota Ridge 360, Elizabeth 377, Monarch 390, Northglenn 399, Alameda 402, Horizon 420, Arvada 453.
Individuals – Huffer, Littleton, 37-37 – 74; Shockley, Estes Park, 37-37 – 74; Ferguson, Broomfield, 40-36 – 76; Tait, Mullen, 39-39 – 78; Walla, Aspen, 39-39 – 78; Larson, Skyline, 38-40 – 78; Cavanaugh, Heritage, 41-39 – 80; Reynolds, Glenwood Springs, 38-42 – 80; Silfverskiold, Evergreen, 42-39 – 81; Saracino, Cherry Creek, 41-40 – 81; Kempton, Heritage, 39-44 – 83; Einausdottir, Fairview, 40-44 – 84; Goodall, Lakewood, 42-43 – 85; Boberg, Mullen, 42-44 – 86; Wagner, Cherry Creek, 42-44 – 86; Befort, Standley Lake, 43-46 – 89; Ivie, Glenwood Springs, 43-46 – 89; Dudley, Arvada West, 45-45 – 90; Duran, Green Mountain, 48-42 – 90; Saunders, D’Evelyn, 46-45 – 91; Vincent, Pomona, 48-43 – 91; Powers, Wheat Ridge, 42-50 – 92; Fields, Green Mountain, 45-48 – 93; Weeks, Green Mountain, 48-45 – 93; Engle, D’Evelyn, 45-49 – 94; DeHart, Columbine, 48-47 – 95; King, Bear Creek, 48-47 – 95; Podolak, Mullen, 48-47 – 95; Duffy, Fairview, 47-49 – 96; Hill, Yuma, 47-49 – 96; Nugent, Thompson Valley, 46-50 – 96; Lawson, Columbine, 44-53 – 97; Glueck, Conifer, 47-52 – 99; Tavella, Green Mountain, 51-48 – 99; Novey, Thompson Valley, 49-51 – 100.
