Even in a very unusual year, Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado kept churning out notable and memorable feats
By Gary Baines – 10/26/2020
Turning 5 years old is a momentous occasion. That’s no less true for the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado than for your average kindergartner.
Five years ago this month, the CGA and the Colorado PGA announced they were joining forces in a major effort to bolster junior golf in the state. A few months later, the name for the resulting organization was disclosed — the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado — and the first JGAC season was held in 2016.
This month, the JGAC’s fifth season concluded, and milestones continue to be reached on a regular basis.
For instance, the alliance now includes 1,755 members. That’s more than double what the JGAC had in 2016 — 838 kids. There are three different levels of membership, and there was such high demand for tournament play that the Series and Tour memberships were sold out in mid-June.
Overall, there are 955 Introductory members, 518 Series members and 282 Tour members. All JGAC memberships come with access to Youth on Course, an ever-growing non-profit program which makes golf more accessible for juniors by capping their cost for a round at $5 at participating facilities.
“In 2020, the demand for junior golf skyrocketed in a way that we love, but couldn’t anticipate,” Ashley Barnhart, the CGA’s managing director of golf operations, said in an email. “Despite the global pandemic, we saw incredible growth in JGAC membership, the desire to play competitive tournaments, and the utilization of Youth on Course. The season wasn’t without its Covid-related challenges, but this growing desire to play provides some exciting insight to the future success of the game.”
As was the case with many things in life this year, Covid-19 had considerable effect on the JGAC. Among other things, the tournament season didn’t start until early June — two months after originally planned.
Let’s look back on some of the highlights — and just plain oddities — of a unique JGAC season:
— While all four of the JGAC major championships were played in 2020, many of the most prestigious international, national and regional events in which top-level junior golfers aspire to compete were canceled due to novel coronavirus-related safety concerns.
Most notably for Colorado, that included the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, which had been scheduled for July at Eisenhower Golf Club at the Air Force Academy. The 2020 U.S. Girls’ Junior was supposed to be the first time a U.S. military course would host a USGA championship. And in another departure from the past, the Junior Golf Alliance was to have served as the “host group” for the championship, partnering with the USGA in many respects.
Also canceled for 2020 were the two AJGA events Colorado was to have hosted, the U.S. Junior Amateur, the IMG Academy Junior World Championships, the boys and girls Junior Americas Cup events, the national boys and girls Junior PGA Championships and all the Drive Chip & Putt events.
— Speaking of lost opportunities, Hailey Schalk of Erie was hoping to become the first four-time Colorado state high school individual golf champion — girls or boys. But she’ll have to settle for winning the event three times — along with Lynn Ann Moretto (1995, ’96 and ’97) and Ashley Tait (2002, ’04 and ’05) — after the 2020 girls championship was canceled due to Covid-19.
— JGAC member Aubri Braecklein of Northglenn made a little history in June by winning the CGA Women’s Stroke Play at age 17 as she became the youngest winner of that event in more than a dozen years, before which detailed records weren’t kept.
Braecklein would go on to be named the JGAC Girls Player of the Year, while Hunter Swanson of Denver was the Boys Player of the Year. To see more details on their 2020 accomplishments, see the list of JGAC award winners and honorees below.
— This year was an unusual one as far as the number of JGAC major winners that were crowned. More often than not, at least one player wins more than one major in a year. But between the boys and the girls, there were eight different major champions in 2020:
Walker Franklin of Westminster and Ashley Kozlowski of Littleton (Colorado Junior PGA); Bo Wardynski of Parker and Charlotte Hillary of Cherry Hills Village (Colorado Junior Amateur); Matthew Wilkinson of Centennial and Morgan Miller of Cedar Park, Texas (Colorado Junior Match Play); and Wes Erling of Colorado Springs and Emma Bryant of Aurora in a sweep of Hale Irwin Player Program members (JGAC Tour Championship).
It should be noted that both Hillary and Bryant had won JGAC majors in previous years.
— In the spring, Max Lange of Golden accomplished one of the most odds-defying feats of 2020 in Colorado golf as the 16-year-old made two holes-in-one in three holes at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club’s par-3 course. Oh, and by the way, Lange recorded the two aces insides a half-an-hour after never having made a hole-in-one before.
— The CoBank Colorado Women’s Open proved a memorable experience for three JGAC members as they were paired with three current LPGA Tour players for the first two rounds of the tournament. Hillary competed alongside Jennifer Kupcho, who would go on to win the CWO. Bryant teed it up with two-time LPGA winner Carlota Ciganda. And Schalk was in a threesome with Jenny Coleman, a former University of Colorado standout.
— After having the U.S. Girls’ Junior canceled off the course’s 2020 schedule, Eisenhower Golf Club at the Air Force Academy ended up hosting the last two JGAC majors of the year. The Blue Course did the honors for the Colorado Junior Match Play and the Silver for the JGAC Tour Championship, which was limited to one round after high winds canceled the final day’s action.
— Ashleigh Wilson went where no Colorado junior golfer had gone before when she won the 11-13 Girls Series Championship in August. After claiming the Girls 10 & Under Series Championship three times, Wilson became the first player — regardless of age — to capture four JGAC Series Championship titles. She had shared that distinction with three-time champs Kupcho, Somin Lee, Coby Welch and Andre Dumonteil.
— Speaking of Schalk, the current CU golfer had a stellar two-month run in tournament play. In early August, she won the final AJGA tournament in which she’ll compete, the AJGA Junior at Southpointe. Shortly thereafter, she teamed with Erin Houtsma to win the CGA Women’s Brassie Championship. In September, Schalk paired with CU teammate Alisha Lau to qualify for the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship. And early this month, she won the Colorado National Women’s Amateur.
— Swanson, a third-year member of the Hale Irwin Player Program based at CommonGround Golf Course, had a strong showing in early August at the High School Golf National Invitational at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. The junior at Northfield High School tied for 18th place out of a boys field of 235.
— In one of the more exciting finishes for a Colorado boys state high school tournament, Valor Christian senior Lucas Schulte eagled his final hole as a high school player to win the 5A individual title by one stroke and give his school the team title by two.
— In an event delayed by a few weeks by an early-September snowstorm, Junior Golf Alliance staffers and supporters took part in an inventive — though very taxing — fundraiser for Youth on Course, which limits the cost for junior golfers to $5 per round at participating facilities. Eight players teed it up for the 100 Hole Hike at CommonGround Golf Course, taking roughly 10 hours and walking more than 20 miles for their marathon of golf. The event raised more than $23,000 for YOC.
Below are the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado honorees and award winners for 2020:
Players of the Year
Girls — Aubri Braecklein of Northglenn: Won the CGA Women’s Stroke Play title at age 17, becoming the youngest champion in more than a dozen years. … Braecklein is a senior at Jefferson Academy, the same school that produced current LPGA Tour player Jennifer Kupcho. … Though Braecklein didn’t win any of the JGAC majors in 2020, she notched three top-two finishes, placing second in the Colorado Junior Amateur, the Colorado Junior PGA and the JGAC Tour Championship. She was also ninth in the Colorado Junior Match Play. … She won two JGAC tournaments in 2020 and was never outside of the top 10 in an Alliance event. … Braecklein won the JGAC Tour Girls points race by a whopping 682 points.
Boys — Hunter Swanson of Denver: The junior at Northfield High School is in his third year as part of the Hale Irwin Player Program at CommonGround Golf Course. … He finished runner-up in the Colorado Junior Amateur, fifth in the JGAC Tour Championship, sixth in the Colorado Junior PGA and ninth at the Colorado Junior Match Play. … He won two JGAC tournaments in 2020. … Finished 18th out of a boys field of 235 at the High School Golf National Invitational at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. … In the 4A boys state high school meet, he tied for sixth place.
Most Improved Players of the Year
Boys — Pratham Parmar of Greenwood Village: In 2020, he recorded almost an eight-stroke improvement in his scoring average compared to 2019. This year, he averaged 79.7 and finished second on the boys 14-18 Series. Last year, his JGAC norm was 87.4.
Girls — Molly Stratton of Centennial: Competing in the 14-18 Series this year, she posted a scoring average of 84.8 in finishing sixth on the girls points list. In 2019, playing in the 11-13 Series, she averaged 92.7 and placed 12th on the girls points list.
Award of Excellence (based on community service, character, overcoming hardship and showing spirit of the game of golf)
Braden Wedel of Bethune: Wedel lives in an area where golf opportunities are limited. The person who nominated him noted, “The courses in Burlington and Stratton are only 9-hole buffalo grass-fairway courses, with minimal challenges like sand, water and fast greens that are present on JGAC courses. But Braden was still able to post three good scores including +9, +8, and +4 at JGAC events.” Braden plays 6-man football, holds officer positions in school leadership organizations and owns a 4.0 grade-point average. He played a key role in getting Stratton High School to start a sanctioned golf team.
Grace Burke Award (goes to female high school golfers who exhibit character, leadership, personal integrity, and enthusiasm for the game of golf)
Aubri Braecklein of Northglenn: The high school senior was named the JGAC Girls Player of the Year for 2020 (see above). She’s played in the JGAC since 2019 and is a 2020 JGAC Academic All-Star.
Elan Fleetwood of Parker: The high school senior has competed in the JGAC since 2017 and played in 13 events this year, winning two. She’s a 2020 JGAC Academic All-Star.
Grace Ha of Westminster: The high school senior has played in the JGAC since 2016 and competed in 11 events this year, placing as high as second. She’s a 2020 JGAC Academic All-Star.
Rachel Penzenstadler of Littleton: A high school senior, Penzenstadler has playedin the JGAC since 2017 and competed in a dozen tournaments this year, with two third-place finishes. She’s a 2020 JGAC Academic All-Star.
2020 Points Chase Champions
Boys 10 & Under: Hudson Stutzman
Girls 10 & Under: Adrielle Miller
Boys 11-13: Gavin Amella
Girls 11-13: Alexandra Remaklus
Boys 14-18: Tiki Jaffe
Girls 14-18: Natalie Tatar
Boys Tour: Hunter Swanson
Girls Tour: Aubri Braecklein
10 & Under All-Stars
Adrielle Miller
Amalei Lagrimas
Sophia Lee
Landry Frost
Jadie Wilson
Hudson Stutzman
Grady Ortiz
Gage Poulsen
Hudson Rozga
Connor Young
11-13 All-Stars
Gavin Amella
Andre Dumonteil
Ross Miller
Tyler Long
Landon Houska
Alexandra Remaklus
Addison Hines
Lenna Persson
Maddie Makino
Zoe Bar-Or
14-18 All-Stars
Tiki Jaffe
Pratham Parmar
Brentyn Paiz
Travis Seitz
Grant Juergens
Natalie Tatar
Kyra Shatzer
Molly Stratton
Lily Nelson
Elan Fleetwood
Tour All-Stars
Hunter Swanson
Matthew Wilkinson
Charlie Flaxbeard
Wes Erling
Owen Cornmesser
Aubri Braecklein
Kaylee Chen
Emma Bryant
Ashley Kozlowski
Charlotte Hillary
Academic All-Stars
Emaan Adil, Greenwood Village
Zane Aiken, Parker
Evan Ashbeck, Littleton
Chloe Avant, Denver
Braden Balch, Greenwood Village
Brynn Balliet, Parker
Will Balliet, Parker
Bennett Bante, Cherry Hills Village
Madeline Bante, Cherry Hills Village
Siena Barnes, Centennial
Zoe Bar-Or, Greenwood Village
Malachi Barros, Gypsum
Maxwell Barros, Gypsum
Connor Bell, Montrose
William Beshoar, Montrose
Logan Biggerstaff, Cherry Hills Village
Kaitlyn Blair, Parker
Jonathon Boyer, Eagle
Aubri Braecklein, Northglenn
Caroline Brandon, Denver
Kenji Bray, Arvada
Jack Bretz, Englewood
Emma Bryant, Aurora
Dylan Bundy, Lone Tree
Gavin Buttshaw, Aurora
Qwenton Caldwell, Littleton
Paige Carlson, Parker
Owen Casey, Denver
Logan Cass, Parker
Ashley Chang, Lone Tree
Christina Cheng, Colorado Springs
Emily Cheng, Colorado Springs
Alyssa Chin, Greenwood Village
Caitlyn Chin, Greenwood Village
Benjamin Chin, Greenwood Village
Sofia Choi, Littleton
Alex Choi, Thornton
Erin Choi, Thornton
Brendan Church, Arvada
Jack Conklin, Eagle
Austin Cortez, Thornton
Garrett Covney, Highlands Ranch
Jake Crawford, Avon
Alexis Cunningham, Denver
Gabrielle Cunningham, Denver
Luke Cushman, Castle Rock
Kaden Devenport, Windsor
Michael Dinapoli, Steamboat Springs
Mario Dino, Denver
Dakota Dolph, Pine
Mckenzie Dolph, Pine
Jake Dost, Parker
Raven DuKane, Broomfield
Graham Dzengelewski, Highlands Ranch
Adam Eicher, Arvada
Wesley Erling, Colorado Springs
Nick Fallin, Highlands Ranch
William Farber, Lakewood
Nolan Farrar, Larkspur
Nicole Fatovic, Broomfield
Charlie Flaxbeard, Greenwood Village
Elan Fleetwood, Parker
Gabe Flexter, Highlands Ranch
Jeth Fogg, Colorado Springs
Bryant Ford, Colorado Springs
Kaden Ford, Colorado Springs
Connor Fredericks, Denver
John Fredericks, Denver
Morgan Frieling, Castle Rock
Quinn Gallagher, Centennial
Oliver Gibbons, Lakewood
Devin Gilbreath, Aurora
TJ Giordano, Denver
Hunter Glasser, Eagle
Christopher Gunlikson, Longmont
Grace Ha, Greenwood Village
Logan Hale, Eagle
Kalai Hamlin, Monument
Alex Hanna, Steamboat Springs
Ben Harding, Longmont
Maryn Harlow, Fort Collins
Ben Henderson, Louisville
Ian Henderson, Louisville
Eva Herron, Lone Tree
JJ Heupel, Littleton
Ava Hickey, Boulder
Aidan Highsmith, Littleton
Carter Hinkle, Windsor
Jeffrey Mason Hollingsworth, Fort Collins
Mallory Hopper, Centennial
Landon Houska, Fort Collins
Teddy Hummel, Denver
Jack Jacobsen, Englewood
Kaden Jaramillo, Broomfield
Alena Kasanicky, Longmont
Carson Kerr, Grand Junction
Nathan Kim, Castle Pines
Sam Knowlton, Boulder
Caden Koole, Broomfield WY
Gabrielle Krebs, Windsor WY
Wesley Krebs, Denver
Luke Kusserow, Highlands Ranch
Amalei Lagrimas, Castle Rock
Gisella Lagrimas, Castle Rock
Chase Lampe, Arvada
Luke Landskov, Arvada
Richard Lane, Pueblo
Maxwell Lange, Golden
Jordan Larese, Highlands Ranch
Halahn Lee, Lone Tree
Jake Legg, Montrose
Madeleine LeGrande, Castle Rock
Katelyn Lehigh, Loveland
Zachary Lipfield, Lone Tree
Sofia Liss, Castle Rock
Jon Lord Jr., Lakewood
Anthony Lore, Parker
Simone Lore, Parker
Alex Lund, Colorado Springs
Josee Lurcott, Englewood
Lincoln Mackay, Evergreen
Aditya Malhotra, Lafayette
Christopher Marsh, Gypsum
Oliva McCandless, Arvada
Jordan McCaslin, Arvada
Campbell McFadden, Denver
Jack McLean, Aurora
Peyton McLeese, Broomfield
Alexander McNeil, Aurora
Taylor McNeil, Aurora
Matthew McNitt, Highlands Ranch
Joel Melun, Greenwood Village
Gage Messingham, Arvada
Katrina Messner, Colorado Springs
Grace Messner, Colorado Springs
Anna Mettler, Colorado Springs
Caleb Michaels, Louisville
Ella Miller, Centennial
William Mitchell, Lafayette
Davis Moon, Castle Rock
Colson Morley, Castle Pines
Jessica Morrissey, Golden
Luke Murphy, Grand Junction
Tyler Nakos, Frisco
Jeffrey Nelson, Commerce City
Lily Nelson, Commerce City
Caitlin Neumann, Cherry Hills Village
Max Noffsinger, Fort Collins
Ryan Occhionero, Morrison
Brentyn Paiz, Windsor
Ryan Parker, Parker
Benjamin Parris, Englewood
Kale Parthen, Colorado Springs
Rachel Penzenstadler, Centennial
Lenna Persson, Aspen
Alexander Quiachon, Broomfield
Ben Reifschneider, Broomfield
Alexandra Remaklus, Commerce City
Charlie Riggs, Windsor
Will Rinehart, Aurora
Kayla Robinson, Columbine Valley
Joaquin Rodriguez, Thornton
Bretton Ronlund, Denver
Taylor Rorick, Castle Pines
Sydney Rothstein, Niwot
Gabriel Rubinfeld, Colorado Springs
Miles Rucker, Boulder
Cade Rummell, Littleton
Grant Samuelson, Fort Collins
Benjamin Sander, Parker
Spencer Schlagel, Parker
Carter Schmela, Aspen
Jack Schubert, Highlands Ranch
Kyle Schumacher, Highlands Ranch
Trevor Seeley, Parker
Justin Segura, Colorado Springs
Travis Seitz, Steamboat Springs
Kya Shatzer, Colorado Springs
Timbre Shehee, Mead
Noah Sherry, Boulder
Andrew Sinar, Centennial
Christopher Smith, Monument
George Smith, Denver
Windrem Smith, Fort Collins
Jack Stafford, Parker
Ava Staver, Highlands Ranch
Molly Stratton, Centennial
Tanner Strickler, Lone Tree
Trinity Stuart, Westminster
Blake Sullivan, Castle Rock
Carter Surofchek, Colorado Springs
Hunter Swanson, Denver
Makaela Swanson, Denver
Natalie Tatar, Denver
Sydney Taylor, Fort Collins
Leanne Telle, Colorado Springs
Samantha Thomas, Englewood
Chase Thompson, Evergreen
Roland Thornton, Aurora
Davyn Timbang, Castle Pines
Collen Todd, Golden
Hope Torres, Broomfield
Tyler Tyson, Arvada
Zachary Tyson, Arvada
Jordan Ulitzky, Aurora
Keegan Ulvedal, Arvada
Richard Valdez III, Colorado Springs
Kenny VanWormer, Aurora
Noah Vieyra, Aurora
Noah Wagner, Pueblo West
Cole Wearner, Centennial
Reed Wearner, Centennial
Logan Weissman, Colorado Springs
Matthew Wilkinson, Centennial
Blake Williams, Lone Tree
Mathew Williams, Brighton
Hayden Woelk, Colorado Springs
Garrett Wood, Centennial
Liam Wood, Boulder
Max Zadvorny, Centennial
Jeffrey Zhou, Greenwood Village
Kaitlin Zingler, Lakewood
Ian Zweifel, Orlando FL
2020 JGAC RECOGNITION
Bo Wardynski: Colorado Junior Amateur Boys Champion
Charlotte Hillary: Colorado Junior Amateur Girls Champion
Ashley Kozlowski: Colorado Junior PGA Girls Champion
Walker Franklin: Colorado Junior PGA Boys Champion
Matthew Wilkinson: Colorado Junior Match Play Boys Champion
Morgan Miller: Colorado Junior Match Play Girls Champion
Wesley Erling: JGAC Tour Boys Champion
Emma Bryant: JGAC Tour Girls Champion
Sophia Lee: JGAC 10 & Under Series Girls Champion
Hudson Stutzman: JGAC 10 & Under Series Boys Champion
Tyler Long: JGAC 11-13 Series Boys Champion
Ashleigh Wilson: JGAC 11-13 Series Girls Champion
Brentyn Paiz: JGAC 14-18 Series Boys Champion
Lily Nelson: JGAC 14-18 Series Girls Champion
PGA JUNIOR LEAGUE
Jason Witczak: Junior League Coach
Andy Blake: Junior League Member – Saturday Winner
Izzy Paraiso: Junior League Member – Saturday Winner
Jack Dailey: Junior League Member – Saturday Winner
Kaitlyn Grommeck: Junior League Member – Saturday Winner
Ben Sander: Junior League Member – Saturday Winner
Crew Fitzgerald: Junior League Member – Saturday Winner
Jake Dost: Junior League Member – Saturday Winner
Kyndra Johnson: Junior League Member – Saturday Winner
Ben Sander: Junior League Member – Sunday Winner
Kyndra Johnson: Junior League Member – Sunday Winner
Jake Dost: Junior League Member – Sunday Winner
Kaitlyn Grommeck: Junior League Member – Sunday Winner
Jack Dailey: Junior League Member – Sunday Winner
Izzy Paraiso: Junior League Member – Sunday Winner
Mason Goettling: Junior League Member – Sunday Winner
Chance Witczak: Junior League Member – Sunday Winner
STATE HIGH SCHOOL INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS
(Note: Girls state tournaments were canceled for Covid-19-related safety concerns)
Nicholas Pevny: Boys 3A
Jordan Jennings: Boys 4A
Lucas Schulte: Boys 5A