Kaylee Chen places 8th individually to lead Colorado to 7th-place team showing in Girls Junior Americas Cup
By Gary Baines – 7/22/2021
The team representing the state and the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado recorded a top-7 finish for the fourth straight time at the Girls Junior Americas Cup, with Kaylee Chen of Parker tying for eighth individually out of a field of 62.
The Coloradans shot a 2-under-par 211 as a team in Thursday’s final round in Eagle, Idaho and moved up a spot to place seventh out of 16 teams. The GJAC this year featured teams from the western U.S. and Mexico.
Colorado ended up with a 7-over 646 total, 26 strokes behind Mexico, the team champion.
Individually for the second straight GJAC, a Coloradan ended up in the top 10 individually. After Charlotte Hillary was third in 2019 (the 2020 event was canceled due to Covid-19 safety concerns), Chen closed with a 4-under-par 67 to share eighth place at 3-under 210. Chen, winner of the girls division of the Colorado Junior Amateur in 2019, made five birdies and one bogey on Thursday.
Other Coloradans to finish in the top 10 individually in the last decade include Jennifer Kupcho (eighth in 2014) and Calli Ringsby (fifth in 2013). Jennifer Kern remains the lone Coloradan to capture an individual title at the GJAC, pulling off the feat in 1993.
All four Coloradans this year placed in the top 60 percent of the individual field. Sofia Choi of Littleton was 24th (218), Jessica Mason of Westminster was 29th (222) and Katelyn Lehigh of Loveland was 33rd (224).
Ashley Barnhart, managing director of golf operations for the CGA, served as captain for the Colorado team.
Girls Junior Americas Cup
In Eagle, Idaho
7. (out of 16 teams) Colorado 215-220-211—646
8. Kaylee Chen, Parker 72-71-67–210
24. Sofia Choi, Littleton 71-75-72—218
29. Jessica Mason, Westminster 72-75-75—222
33. Katelyn Lehigh, Loveland 78-74-72–224
For complete results from the GJAC, CLICK HERE.