Ahern’s Playoff Birdie Nets Title in CGA Stroke Play

Colorado Golf Association

DENVER — Minutes after missing almost the same putt on the 72nd hole of regulation on Sunday, John Ahern of Bear Creek Golf Club made the only birdie of the day on the 18th hole at Pinehurst Country Club — in the first hole of sudden death — to win the 77th Colorado Golf Association Stroke Play Championship.
     Ahern, a junior-to-be on the Colorado School of Mines golf team, drained a 16-foot putt from the fringe to overcome Andrew Cornella of the Club at Flying Horse in the playoff.
     The victory was the second CGA championship for Ahern, who won the 2011 CGA Junior Match Play as well as the 2010 4A state high school title.
     The 20-year-old left-hander trailed by four early in the final round, but rallied by playing his final seven holes in 3 under par, including the playoff. Ahern fired an even-par 70 on Sunday to finish at 5-under 275.
     Cornella, a Colorado Springs resident who is transferring from Nevada to Texas-Arlington to continue his college golf career, went 67-67 on the weekend to force the playoff. Then he gained the upper hand on the extra hole by hitting a 400-yard drive — with the help of a cart path bounce — on the 419-yard, par-4 18th hole at Pinehurst.
     That blast put Cornella about 120 yards closer to the hole than Ahern. But the Mines golfer hit a 50-degree wedge to the fringe to the right and short of the hole, 16 feet away. Cornella had a tough chip shot, though, and ran it 15 feet past the cup. And after Ahern coaxed in his birdie, Cornella missed his, ending the tournament.
     Derek Fribbs of Colorado National Golf Club, a former teammate of Ahern at the University of Colorado before Ahern transferred, finished third on Sunday, two behind Ahern and Cornella. Fribbs, who won the 2013 CGA Public Links Championship, closed with a 71.
     Defending champion Steven Kupcho of CommonGround Golf Course, who held at least a share of the lead after rounds 2 and 3, couldn't find his form from the previous two days, shot 75 and settled for fourth place at 278.

CGA Stroke Play Championship
At Par-70 Pinehurst CC in Denver

x-won playoff

x-John Ahern, Bear Creek GC, 71-66-68-70–275

Andrew Cornella, Club at Flying Horse, 70-71-67-67–275

Derek Fribbs, Colorado National GC, 69-72-65-71–277

Steven Kupcho, CommonGround GC, 70-67-66-75–278

Brendan Connolly, Ridge at Castle Pines North, 67-71-68-74–280

Minkyu Jeon, Meadows GC, 67-71-69-73–280

Michael Harrington, Garden of the Gods Club, 69-72-72-70–283

Parker Edens, Greeley CC, 67-74-70-74–285

Ben Krueger, Patty Jewett GC, 70-70-73-73–286

Dylan Wonnacott, Fox Hill CC, 71-72-72-71–286

Matt Porter, CommonGround GC, 71-70-71-75–287

Michael Lee, Greeley CC, 73-73-70-71–287

Steven Irwin, Lakewood CC, 72-73-71-72–288

Eric Hallberg, Colorado GC, 74-68-71-75–288

Ethan Freeman, Glenmoor CC, 78-71-69-70–288

Danny Riskam, Columbine CC, 74-72-72-71–289

Nathaniel Goddard, Ptarmigan CC, 67-72-78-73–290

Matthew Weiss, Highlands Ranch GC, 74-76-73-68–291

Sean Thomas, Indian Tree GC, 74-71-71-75–291

Brandon Bingaman, Black Canyon GC, 74-74-73-70–291

Cole Nygren, Colorado National GC, 71-69-71-80–291

Nicholas Nosewicz, Meadow Hills GC, 76-73-70-73–292

Sean Kato, Highland Hills GC, 73-78-75-67–293

Steve Connell, Riverdale GC, 73-74-72-74–293

Jeffrey Gravina, Pinehurst CC, 76-74-70-73–293

Christopher Wilson, Eisenhower GC, 74-75-74-71–294

Josh Gardella, The Ridge at Castle Pines North, 76-70-76-73–295

David Oraee, Highland Hills GC, 73-71-75-76–295

Chris Korte, Lone Tree GC, 78-73-72-72–295

Billy Ramsey, Lone Tree GC, 74-71-74-77–296

Art Cudworth, Raccoon Creek GC, 75-73-76-73–297

Cameron Brown, Sonnenalp GC, 72-75-72-78–297

Connor Klein, Lone Tree GC, 70-72-76-80–298

Zach Tripp, Foothills GC, 79-72-70-77–298

Mark Zbrzeznj, Eagle Vail GC, 74-77-78-70–299

Matt Robertson, Foothills GC, 70-73-79-77–299

Cody Vance, Raccoon Creek GC, 78-73-78-71–300

Andrew Romano, Colorado GC, 76-75-78-72–301

Lamar Carlile, City Park Associates Club, 74-74-83-71–302

Thomas Roos, Spring Valley GC, 80-69-75-80–304

Jordan Burgess, Highland Hills GC, 78-71-77-78–304

Mike Chavez, Applewood GC, 72-74-79-79–304

Cameron Connor, Boulder CC, 76-75-74-81–306

Will Myer, Denver CC, 75-76-77-80–308

Clint Miller, Meadow Hills GC, 77-72-83-77–309