Colorado Springs – First-round pairings Monday in Class 5A included one of its best threesomes since girls golf was sanctioned in 1990.
Brooke Collins of Monarch, Melissa Martin of Central (G.J.) and Becca Huffer of Littleton, all juniors and well-credentialed, were the main attraction at Patty Jewett Golf Course, which opened in 1903 and is one of the country’s oldest public venues west of the Mississippi.
And they delivered, shooting a combined 3-under par to occupy three of the top four spots.
Taking advantage of a tree-lined layout not overly difficult and playing to fewer than 6,000 yards, Collins seized the lead with a 3-under-par 70. Martin was a shot back. Heritage’s Kayley Kempton was in third place at 1-over 74, and Huffer, the defending champion, had a 75.
Collins fired a 3-under 33 on the front nine and did not make a bogey until the 15th hole, where her tee shot on the par 3 was short of the green. She gained the shot back on 18 when her eagle attempt on the par 5 ran out of steam inches shy of the cup. She tapped in for birdie and an even-par 37 on the back with no three-putts in her round.
“Everything was going pretty good today. I have no complaints,” said Collins, who was sixth a year ago and fifth in 2005. “I made a lot of 3- and 4-footers to save par.”
Strategy and patience is required, she added, as “it’s a placement course and you have to know where to hit it.”
Martin, who won 10 regular-season tournaments as well as her regional, was a stroke down at the turn, then matched Collins at par down the stretch.
“It could have been better,” she said. “I can think of a couple of holes where it could have been … but for the most part, my mental game was really solid today.”
Martin tied for 10th as a freshman and was fourth in 2006.
Heffer, also third as a freshman, was 4-over at one point and clearly had trouble with her flat stick – she totaled 34 putts. She was practicing on the putting green minutes after her round ended.
Loveland’s Bethany Buchner was tied with Huffer for fourth at 75.
Cherry Creek, paced by Kasha Scott’s 80, leads the team competition, with Douglas County one shot back.
Neil H. Devlin can be reached at 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com.
CLASS 5A
At Patty Jewett G.C., Colorado Springs
5,998 yards, par 36-37 – 73
FIRST ROUND
Team scores – Cherry Creek 249, Douglas County 250, Highlands Ranch 254, Heritage 255, Mountain Vista 259, Standley Lake 261, Grand Junction 269, Northglenn 272, Green Mountain 277, Doherty 295, Smoky Hill 301.
INDIVIDUALS
Brooke Collins, Monarch 33-37-70
Melissa Martin, Central (G.J.) 34-37-71
Kayley Kempton, Heritage 38-36-74
Becca Huffer, Littleton 38-37-75
Bethany Buchner, Loveland 37-38-75
Christina Duran, Green Mountain 39-40-79
Leslie McGetrick, Arapahoe 42-37-79
Kasha Scott, Cherry Creek 40-40-80
Jamie Engelkemier, Highlands Ranch 40-41-81
Tracy Saracino, Cherry Creek 40-41-81
Jenna Zamprelli, Douglas County 42-40-82
Laura Heien, Standley Lake 40-43-83
Dana Zamprelli, Douglas County 41-42-83
Katelyn Negrelli, Skyline 40-43-83
Brittany Berguin, Grand Junction 45-39-84
Amanda Covington, Smoky Hill 47-37-84
Andi Hibbert, Lakewood 40-44-84
Stephanie Lee, Highlands Ranch 46-39-85
Teresa Sandri, Mountain Vista 42-43-85
Anna Kim, Douglas County 43-42-85
Michele Harrison, Fort Collins 44-41-85
Stephanie Hesse, Mountain Vista 42-44-86
Jamie Befort, Standley Lake 41-45-86
Kristin Kempton, Heritage 41-45-86
Sarah Moore, Arapahoe 44-42-86
Sydney Holder, Lakewood 45-42-87
Whitney Rahm, Fruita Monument 43-44-87
Kacie Curd, Cherry Creek 43-45-88
Andrea McCarty, Cherry Creek 46-42-88
Jessica Lee, Highlands Ranch 43-45-88
Stephanie Zavilla, Mountain Vista 45-43-88
Katie Seeger, Gateway 49-39-88
Kela Powers, Wheat Ridge 43-45-88
Libby Avery, Highlands Ranch 44-45-89
Madison Robb, Mountain Vista 44-45-89
Leigh Levalo, Northglenn 43-46-89
Sarika Fields, Green Mountain 44-46-90
Amy Hodgkinson, Skyline 47-43-90
Brittany Brownrigg, Columbine 44-46-90
Mary Good, Chaparral 42-48-90
Lyssa Roberts, Douglas County 43-48-91
Briane Baer, Northglenn 47-44-91
Sarah Schlichting, Wasson 47-44-91
Danae McKnight, Chaparral 45-46-91
Lacey Block, Standley Lake 49-43-92
Lara Pocs, Northglenn 45-47-92
Ashley Winder, Grand Junction 50-42-92
Hannah Paulson, Chatfield 46-46-92
Angela Marquez, Central (G.J.) 48-44-92
Julia Flores, Grand Junction 43-50-93
Megan Lemke, Arvada West 49-44-93
Christine Klatman, Boulder 48-45-93
Aubrey Mable, Eaglecrest 51-42-93
Rachel Talpers, Littleton 45-49-94
Lynne Urbina, Heritage 46-49-95
Maree Wartz, Doherty 48-47-95
Jasmine VanMeveren-Schutt, Poudre 47-49-96
Whitney Brofus, Fruita Monument 48-48-96
Stacy Harper, Dakota Ridge 49-47-96
Jesse Joachin, Brighton 52-44-96
Paige Crawford, Doherty 49-48-97
Jamie Zook, Palmer 46-52-98
Gabrielle Tomaselli, Pine Creek 50-48-98
Mikayla Passanante, Standley Lake 49-50-99
Lauren Harmon, Grandview 52-47-99
Erin Stephens, Doherty 56-47-103
Emily Einfeldt, Bear Creek 47-56-103
Kyle Schletter, Smoky Hill 53-55-108
Nicole Fields, Green Mountain 56-52-108
Alison Sampson, Smoky Hill 55-54-109
Ashley Rehl, Bear Creek 58-52-110
Katie Robinson, Chatfield 55-55-110
Liz Bhappu, Grandview 54-56-110
