16 Coloradans, including former national finalists Chin, Boonta and Ortiz, advance to Drive, Chip & Putt Regionals
By Gary Baines – 08/03/2019
All three Coloradans who competed in the Drive, Chip & Putt Nationals Finals at Augusta National in April kept their chances intact for earning return trips thanks to their performances Saturday in a DCP Sub-Regional Qualifying event at Murphy Creek Golf Course in Aurora.
Two-time DCP National Finalist Caitlyn Chin of Greenwood Village (girls 12-13 division), Grady Ortiz of Colorado Springs (boys 7-9) and Chunya Boonta of Centennial (girls 14-15) punched their tickets to the DCP Regionals, which this year will be held in Colorado for the first time. Colorado Golf Club in Parker will host that event on Sept. 8.
In the spring, Boonta posted the best finish ever by a Coloradan in the DCP National Finals, placing second in the girls 12-13 division. Chin was fifth in girls 10-11 and Ortiz was fifth in boys 7-9.
On Saturday at Murphy Creek, Ortiz easily won the boys 7-9 division, Chin prevailed in girls 12-13 and Boonta was second in girls 14-15. The top two finishers — out of 12-15, depending on the division — landed spots in the Regionals.
Both Boonta and Chin are members of the CGA’s Hale Irwin Player Program at CommonGround Golf Course, with Boonta in her fourth year and Chin in her second.
Also among the 16 Regional qualifiers from Murphy Creek — all Coloradans — was Ashton Edwards of Boulder, who won the boys 10-11 division. Edwards is the son of University of Colorado men’s golf head coach Roy Edwards. The runner-up in that division was Crew Fitzgerald of Parker, son of 2013 Colorado PGA Player of the Year Caine Fitzgerald.
Other Sub-Regional champions — in addition to the aforementioned — were Addison Moreno of Fort Collins (girls 7-9), Jadie Wilson of Denver (girls 10-11), Kaden Devenport of Windsor (boys 12-13), Jack Chambers of Carr (boys 14-15) and Maryn Harlow of Fort Collins (girls 14-15).
The Sub-Regionals are the second of four stages of the DCP, preceded by Locals and followed by Regionals and the National Finals at the site of the Masters.
In DCP events, contestants score points in each discipline — driving, chipping and putting — based on how they place in each, with the points added together for a cumulative total.
Jack Chambers of the northern Colorado community of Carr accumulated the most points of anyone on Saturday with 158.
At each of 10 Regional Qualifiers, the winners of each age/gender division advance to the DCP National Finals. There are eight age/gender divisions in each DCP event.
One more Sub-Regional Qualifier will be held in Colorado, Aug. 24 at Thorncreek Golf Coure in Thornton.
DCP is sponsored by the Masters, the USGA and the PGA of America. The competition is limited to players 7-15. This is the seventh season of the event.
Prior to 2019, only three Coloradans had qualified for the DCP National Finals: Chin, Luke Trujillo and Arielle Keating in 2016, and Kaden Ford in 2017.
Drive Chip & Putt Sub-Regional
Saturday at Murphy Creek GC in Aurora
The following players advance to DCP Regionals
(Points noted: Drive+Chip+Putt=Total)
BOYS 7-9
1. Grady Ortiz, Colorado Springs 31-40-50–121
2. Gage Poulsen, Timnath 13-40-46–99
GIRLS 7-9
1. Addison Moreno, Fort Collins 6-45-26–77
2. Chloe Johnson, Parker 14-20-36–70
BOYS 10-11
1. Ashton Edwards, Boulder 32-55-41–128
2. Crew Fitzgerald, Parker 34-40-31–105
GIRLS 10-11
1. Jadie Wilson, Denver 21-37-47–105
2. Landry Frost, Colorado Springs 14-50-41–105
BOYS 12-13
1. Kaden Devenport, Windsor 40-55-50–145
2. Austin Barry, Fort Collins 29-60-47–136
GIRLS 12-13
1. Caitlyn Chin, Greenwood Village 38-41-41–120
2. Alexandra Remaklus, Commerce City 51-32-22–105
BOYS 14-15
1. Jack Chambers, Carr 43-55-60–158
2. Grant Samuelson, Fort Collins 40-50-51–141
GIRLS 14-15
1. Maryn Harlow, Fort Collins 42-32-50–124
2. Chunya Boonta, Centennial 33-55-26–114
For all the scores from Saturday at Murphy Creek, CLICK HERE.