Many of Colorado’s top juniors set to tee it up this weekend for final JGAC major of 2021 and Junior Ryder Cup
By Gary Baines – 10/8/2021
The fourth and final major of the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado season is named the JGAC Tour Championship, but at least on the boys side, it could just as easily be called the Tournament of Champions.
After all, all three winners of the previous 2021 JGAC majors are entered in this weekend’s tournament at Denver Country Club, as are all three champions of this week’s boys state high school meets. For the record, that would be Matthew Wilkinson of Centennial (Colorado Junior PGA), Charlie Flaxbeard of Greenwood Village (Colorado Junior Amateur), Ben Harding of Longmont (Colorado Junior Match Play), Will Kates of Centennial (5A state high school), Brentyn Paiz of Windsor (4A) and Connor Downey of Edwards (3A).
And besides that, the 38-player boys field also includes the 2020 JGAC Boys Player of the Year and 2021 Tour points leader (Hunter Swanson of Denver), the 2019 and ’20 JGAC Tour Championship winners (Parker Paxton of Riverton, Wyo. and Wes Erling of Colorado Springs), and a Drive Chip & Putt National Finals qualifier (Matai Naqica of Centennial).
The 36-hole tournament at Denver CC will begin on Saturday and conclude on Sunday.
The 21-player girls field features far fewer 2021 JGAC major winners and state high school champs, but is still formidable. 5A state high school winner Katelyn Lehigh of Loveland is entered, as are 2021 Girls Tour points leader Sofia Choi of Littleton and Kaylee Chen of Parker, who finished eighth individually in the Girls Junior Americas Cup this year.
For Saturday’s tee times at Denver Country Club, CLICK HERE.
Meanwhile, for the top juniors 13 and under, this weekend will feature the JGAC Junior Ryder Cup at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.
The competition features nine-hole four-ball and nine-hole foursomes matches on Friday and 18-hole singles matches on Sunday, with teams dubbed “Team USA” and “Team Europe” — appropriate for a Ryder Cup-style format.
For Junior Ryder Cup tee times, CLICK HERE.