Windsor – It’s popular to say, “You certainly can’t win a golf tournament on the first day, but you sure can lose it.”
Day One at Highland Meadows Golf Course in the Class 4A girls tournament separated contenders from mere participants. An emphasis on patience, especially on the large, undulating greens, is a must on the course.
Just four girls broke 80 on the 5,921-yard, par-71 track, paced by Colorado Academy’s Elizabeth Kresock, who fired a 3-over-par 74. Mullen’s Maggie Boberg shot a 75, and Rifle freshman Loren Forney came in at 6-over 77.
“I played very conservatively. I hit a lot of fairways and just tried to keep the ball in play,” said Kresock, who tied for second last year at Pueblo’s Elmwood Golf Course. “I don’t know where the 74 came from, because I told myself that if I shot 82 or better, I would be happy. I’m absolutely ecstatic with a 74.”
Boberg, who also tied for second last year, struggled like just about everyone else with the opening nine, but made up for it on the inward half. Birdies at each of the par 5s and one more on the short par-4 No. 16 helped her come home in 2-under 33.
“It was a rough day,” said Boberg, who will play collegiately at Princeton. “This is the kind of course where if you just play it safely, you are going to turn out all right. There are a lot of ways to go wrong, but it’s just a matter of staying confident.”
Forney, last week’s Western Regional champion at her home course, Rifle Creek, didn’t show the nerves of a freshman making her state tournament debut. She fired a 6-over 42 on the outward half and paired two birdies with two bogeys to come home in 35.
“I’m normally nervous at every tournament, but I got here and practiced hard on the range and just got into my groove,” said Forney, 15, who already has to give her father, Keith, shots when they play. “It is a tough course that you have to play safe. As far as tomorrow, I know I can play well here, and I know what to do.”
If there is a home-course advantage, the Windsor Wizards might have it. Led by Erica Schlomer’s 78, the Wizards are tied for first in the team title chase with Colorado Academy at 255. Schlomer, whose home course is Pelican Lakes Golf Club, birdied the par-5 first hole and avoided the big numbers.
“There are a few really tough holes out here, and if you don’t play it smart, it’ll eat you alive,” Schlomer said.
The signature sixth hole, a daunting, 359-yard par 4 that forces a precise approach shot over a massive ravine, played to a 6.2 stroke average Monday.
Salida’s Emily Wood, whose 76 last week at regionals was the lowest 4A score posted, shot a 12-over 83 on Monday, as did Evergreen’s Chance Forbes.
Jon E. Yunt can be reached at 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com.
CLASS 4A
At Highland Meadows Golf Course, Windsor
5,921 yards, par 36-35-71
FIRST ROUND
Team scores – Colorado Academy 255, Windsor 255, Evergreen 261, Rifle 264, Mullen 265, Cheyenne Mountain 269, Pueblo South 284, Cañon City 290, Pueblo West 305.
INDIVIDUALS
Elizabeth Kresock, Colo. Academy 39-35-74
Maggie Boberg, Mullen 42-33-75
Loren Forney, Rifle 42-35-77
Erica Schlomer, Windsor 41-37-78
Annika Amundson, Cheyenne Mtn. 40-41-81
Brittany Ransome, Rock Canyon 43-39-82
Olivia Garard, Kent Denver 42-40-82
Amber Nicholson, Moffat County 46-37-83
Chance Forbes, Evergreen 44-39-83
Emily Wood, Salida 44-39-83
Megan Chapman, Pueblo South 45-38-83
Molly Dorans, Broomfield 44-39-83
Rachel Means, Florence 45-39-84
Jessica Woodruff, Montrose 45-40-85
Kaeli West, Windsor 45-40-85
Sarah Stratton, Evergreen 42-44-86
Grace Duboc, Kent Denver 43-44-87
Lisa Jones, Pueblo East 48-40-88
Courtney Engle, Colo. Academy 48-42-90
Jordan Dew, Cañon City 47-43-90
Megan Faucett, Alamosa 46-44-90
Ashley Chastain, Rifle 50-41-91
Crystal Samples, Brush 48-43-91
Hillary Hoffer, Colorado Academy 47-44-91
Maggee Becker, Glenwood Springs 50-41-91
Christina Spinzig, Evergreen 49-43-92
Cristina Aragon, Pueblo East 48-44-92
Erika Balfanz, Windsor 48-44-92
Jennifer Ingram, Mullen 47-45-92
Abby Lavernz, Burlington 50-43-93
Justine Kemp, Cheyenne Mountain 52-41-93
Michelle Stripp, Glenwood Springs 49-44-93
Nichole Wooldridge, Fort Morgan 46-47-93
Eva Heltshmidt, Yuma 48-47-95
Katie Nelson, Cheyenne Mountain 50-45-95
Meghan Innes, Moffat County 53-42-95
Brittany Johnson, Golden 55-41-96
Kori Kosht, Rifle 54-42-96
Tarrin George, Palisade 49-47-96
Sarah Burris, Cheyenne Mountain 51-46-97
Alicia Hayhurst, Cañon City 53-45-98
Amber Trimble, Pueblo West 53-45-98
Bryanne Samuels, Pueblo South 44-54-98
Haley Robinson, Pueblo Centennial 55-43-98
Kristen Nugent, Thompson Valley 49-49-98
Laura Gritz, Rock Canyon 57-41-98
Natalie Klee, Mullen 51-47-98
Alexandra Hauber, Mullen 57-42-99
Brittany Espinoza, Pueblo West 53-46-99
Danielle Reed, Wray 49-50-99
Kaylee Moore, Cherokee Trail 54-45-99
Stephanie Krupka, M. Springs 55-44-99
Jeanette Baker, Eagle Valley 49-51-100
Madeline Novey, T. Valley 47-53-100
Tiffany Hsu, Alamosa 54-46-100
Leah Neumann, Elizabeth 53-49-102
Sara Devlin, Yuma 56-46-102
Sawyer Bisel, Cañon City 52-50-102
Ashlee Samuels, Pueblo South 53-50-103
Cara Jorgensen, Ftn.-Fort Carson 60-43-103
Cody Hegg, Manitou Springs 54-49-103
Katie Hocheder, Brush 59-44-103
Megan Prince, Broomfield 53-50-103
Ali Martens, Fort Morgan 58-49-107
Rachel Bailey, The Classical Acad. 57-51-108
Raeanne Ortiz, Pueblo West 58-50-108
Jazmine Nickerson, Pueblo Cent. 57-56-113
Ali Browder, Gunnison 63-52-115
Rachel Larsen, Ralston Valley 57-58-115
Carrie Kreimier, Rifle 63-61-124
Kyla Monchak, Berthoud 58-68-126
Ariel Bensen, Cedaredge 60-67-127
