LONGMONT – You think the atmosphere around a state golf tournament is nerve wracking?
That was the sense you got on Monday afternoon at The Fox Hill Club, site of the 3rd Annual Showcase Invite hosted by Holy Family.
Tigers head coach Heikke Nielsen has made it one of the biggest and best girls golf events in the state, drawing in players from all four classifications for one remarkable tournament.
“We had 40 of the top 50 girls players in the state and everybody was looking forward to it,” Nielsen said. “Everybody’s talking about it, the kids are here an hour and half before they tee off. This event has got legs now, and hopefully we can continue that on.”
The weather held off all day and Fox Hill presented a fantastic challenge to the magnificent field. For the third straight year, the team title was won by Valor Christian (224). The Eagles were paced by medalist Ella Scott, who fired a 2-under-par 70 – that included five birdies – to win by two shots over Colorado Academy sophomore Sophia Lee.
There was a three-way tie for third place between Manitou Springs’ Addison Dorsey, Legend freshman Scout Fitzgerald and Lutheran’s Tess Morris, but it was Dorsey who took home the hardware by virtue of a scorecard playoff.
The team race was just as exciting after Valor, especially between Class 3A powers Timnath (230) and defending 3A champion Holy Family (231). The two have matched up twice this season, Holy Family won the first time by one shot, and on Monday the Cubs were one shot better and earned runner-up accolades.
“When you get the level of talent that we accumulated at this golf course today across four classes, that’s the difference,” Nielsen said. “I mean, the state championships are great, but you might have 10 girls that can really compete for the title. You had 40 girls, and at one point I counted 25 that were at even par midway through the round and that just shows the level of talent we have and it was fun to see.”
Scott, who is bound for N.C. State in the fall, threatened to run away and hide from the field after three birdies in her first seven holes. She would end up going out in 33 and the only hiccup on her scorecard came at the par-5 15th – ironically the easiest hole on the course by handicap – where a double bogey seven temporarily moved her into a tie for first with Lee.
Lee was steady all day, making no more than bogey thru her first 10 holes, but rallied to go 3-under in her final eight to earn some hardware.
(Jon Yunt)
