Colorado State golfer Zen Brown of Arvada’s Indian Tree Golf Course highlighted the first-round winners Tuesday at the 108th Colorado Golf Association Match Play Championship at Plum Creek Golf and Country Club in Castle Rock.
Brown, the top seed, advanced past the round of 64 with a 2 and 1 victory over Brian Nichols of Columbine Country Club. Other top seeds to advance included second-seeded Devin Schreiner of Hillcrest Country Club, University of Colorado player and No. 3 seed Luke Symons, CU’s fourth-seeded Luke Symons of Valley Country Club and two other Buffaloes teammates: Patrick Grady of Omni Interlocken and Derek Tolan of South Suburban.
DU golfer Shockley qualifies.
University of Denver golfer Dawn Shockley of Glen Haven finished five strokes back of medalist honors but qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in a sectional qualifier at Colorado Golf Club in Parker.
Shockley’s 5-over-par 77 trailed winner Stacey Keating, of Victoria, Australia, at even-par 72. Nicole Ferrero of Lodi, Calif., carded 76 and Rebecca Lederhausen of Hinsdale, Ill., shot 77 as the other qualifiers.
Shockley and Lederhausen finished the round tied with two other golfers. They were forced into two- hole playoffs that left Littleton’s Ashley Tait and Elizabeth Wells of El Dorado, Ark., as alternates.
The championship, hosted by the USGA, will start Aug. 4 at Eugene (Ore.) Country Club.
State fencers make Olympic team.
Air Force Academy graduate Capt. Seth Kelsey, a 2003 graduate, and former Denver resident Becca Ward will compete for the U.S. fencing team seeking gold at the Beijing Olympics next month.
Kelsey, a national title-winner and four-time All-American, will compete in the men’s epee competition. Ward, a current resident of Portland, Ore., will be on the women’s sabre team. The U.S. team is determined by international rankings.
Air Force soccer adds 20.
The Air Force women’s soccer team added 20 freshmen to its roster, the largest incoming class in team history. The list of new players, from 13 states, is highlighted by four all-state selections and two standouts from Colorado: Kelly Beiber of Windsor High School and Stephanie Puzak from Pine Creek High School in Colorado Springs.
