Westminster – Beau Schoolcraft has a flashy name, something perhaps out of an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. His demeanor is decidedly lower-key, but the Kent Denver senior golfer had a first round Monday that made a big statement at the Class 4A boys state tournament.
Schoolcraft’s 2-under-par 69 put him atop the leaderboard entering today’s final round at The Broadlands Golf Course. His showing also put the Sun Devils in the lead for the state team title they are defending, six strokes ahead of Greeley Central (215-221).
Golf is an individual sport, but at the prep level players claim to want the team championship as much as one for themselves. After signing his scorecard, therefore, Schoolcraft hustled back to the 18th green to watch teammates Matt Schovee, BJ Smith and David Hanley finish their rounds.
“We want to win it again,” Schoolcraft said. “It means a lot to us and our coach (Bob Austin).”
Schoolcraft helped his and the Sun Devils’ cause with an 18-foot birdie putt on No. 18. It was a great finish to a day when his putter sometimes failed him, but his driver never did.
“I hit it good today,” said Schoolcraft, who is considering Texas Christian and Louisville. “The greens aren’t incredible, but I gave myself a lot of opportunities. Didn’t make a lot of putts, but it was still a pretty good day.”
Two shots back of Schoolcraft is 2005 Class 4A state champ, Nick Umholtz of Greeley Central, along with Schovee, Pueblo West’s Zane Covey and Will Percy of St. Mary’s.
Umholtz, a junior, won it all as a freshman and thinks he has a chance at another title. But he, too, would rather see teammates share in a team title. As he spoke, Umholtz sat under a makeshift Greeley Central tent where a team barbecue was taking place.
“I care about it when I am playing out there, individually, because it’s kind of hard to worry about the rest of your team because you don’t have any control over it,” Umholtz said. “But we want to win it as a team, because we can all share in something. (Today) will be nice, because I’ll be playing with the leaders and can see what they’re doing.”
Umholtz called Schoolcraft a “really solid player.”
“I’ve never been in a tournament where he hasn’t shot under 70,” he said. “Obviously, he’s in the driver’s seat right now, so anybody who wants to beat him will have to play real well.”
Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com
