A.J. Ott Dominates En Route to 118th CGA Match Play Title

CSU’s Ott wins first CGA championship over CU’s Ross Macdonald.

By Drew Kort

Another episode of the historied rivalry between CU and CSU unfolded this week, but this time outside the usual setting of a football stadium or a basketball arena. In the first instance since 2013, representatives from the two schools went head-to-head on the golf course in competition over our state’s oldest championship—the CGA Match Play.

In the 118th edition of the championship, soon-to-be CSU junior A.J. Ott (Fort Collins) throttled CU’s soon-to-be redshirt junior Ross Macdonald (Castle Rock) 9 & 8 at The Club at Ravenna in Littleton. Ott’s win matched the fifth largest margin of victory in the history of the event.

The grueling championship required that each finalist play eight rounds in a mere five-day span-a test as much about endurance as it is about golf.

Both players defeated past champions of the event in order to compete for a title of their own. Ott, in the south division semifinal, bested Brian Dorfman, the 2012 champ. In the North division, Macdonald defeated defending champion and recent DU graduate Chris Korte in the quarterfinals.

When it came time to contest the last and most important match of the week, both players were in grind mode.

There is no question that Ott’s victory was earned rather than given. Over the 28 holes that were played, Ott was 8-under-par with one eagle, nine birdies and only three bogeys. He never trailed in the 36-hole championship match after jumping out to a quick 5-up lead by birdieing six of the match’s first seven holes.

Having played many rounds with Macdonald—who finished runner-up in May’s PAC-12 conference championship—Ott didn’t relent. At the end of the first 18 holes, his lead had swollen to 7-up as they headed back to the first tee.

Ott then found his extra gear again and shot 5-under-par through the first seven holes of the second loop. With a 9-up lead through 25 holes, the match was all but over. Three finishing pars for both players closed out the match, and Ott earned his first CGA title in dominating fashion.

Both players have two years of eligibility remaining and will look to build on their success this week when they put their school colors back on.

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