Macdonald Repeats as CGA Junior Stroke Play Champ

Defeats Fellow Valor Christian High School Teammate in Playoff

Chris Duthie

Ross Macdonald won the CGA Junior Stroke Play Championship on Saturday, defeating fellow Valor Christian High School teammate Coby Welch in a playoff to win the prestigious title for a second consecutive year.

Macdonald shot a three-under-par 67 at Arvada’s Indian Tree Golf Club on the third and final day, giving him the momentum needed to secure a playoff. Two holes later in sudden death, he drained a five-foot putt for par and the trophy was his again.

Macdonald joins an elite group of players—three-time Junior Stroke Play champion Scott Petersen (1987, ’88 and ’89) and two-time winner Luke Maten (’80 and ’81)—who have won the event in consecutive years. A soon-to-be senior at Valor Christian and a member of the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program at CommonGround Golf Course, Macdonald will have an opportunity to match Petersen’s historic three-peat next summer before enrolling at the University of Colorado in 2015.

“I’ve worked hard this whole year to give myself a chance to win this tournament again,” said Macdonald, whose Saturday scorecard included a gutsy second-nine 32 to force the playoff. “It’s probably one of the biggest days of my life. Last year winning the tournament was definitely my biggest win, but defending it was even tougher with all the pressure. Doing it two years in a row means a whole lot to me.”

Defeating friend and fellow Valor Christian classmate Welch was no easy task for Macdonald, either. “Beating one of your best friends is always hard, but I knew it was all positive,” said Macdonald. “I wanted to beat him, but I also wanted him to win because he’s a teammate.”

Last fall, Macdonald and Welch helped Valor Christian win the 4A state high school team title.

CGA Junior Stroke Play Championship
June 19-21, 2014
Indian Tree Golf Club

x-Ross Macdonald, CC at Castle Pines              73-70-67—210


Coby Welch, The Links GC                                 70-68-72—210


Grant Rogers, Omni Interlocken GC                   67-74-71—212


Glenn Workman, Desert Hawk GC                     70-70-73—213


Isaac Petersilie, Colorado Springs CC                68-69-76—213


Todd Millard, Twin Peaks GC                              71-72-71—214


Spencer Painton, Green Valley Ranch GC         67-73-75—215


Jake Kelley, Pinehurst CC                                  77-69-69—215


Trevor Olkowski, Bookcliff CC                            72-72-72—216


Evan Buchalski, Olde Course at Loveland          71-71-75—217


Alex Gorman, Broadlands GC                           69-73-75—217


Alan Berry, Meadows GC                                  73-73-71—217


Garrett Jones, West Woods GC                        75-71-71—217

Aj Ott, Ptarmigan CC                                         73-73-72—218


Gregory Shelton, Raccoon Creek GC                71-70-77—218


Kyler Dunkle, Club at Pradera                            80-72-67—219


Tristan Rohrbaugh, Ironbridge GC                      77-71-71—219


Erik Young, CommonGround GC                        71-74-74—219


Andrew Cooper, Glenmoor CC                            75-75-69—219


Troy Dangler, Tiara Rado GC                               72-73-74—219


Tyler Zhang, Lone Tree GC                                  71-73-75—219


Bretton Krantz, Ptarmigan CC                              71-73-76—220


Jackson Solem, Fox Hill CC                                75-74-71—220


Keegan Sheard, Applewood GC                         75-76-70—221


Li Chen, Legacy Ridge GC                                  75-76-70—221


Behrod Keshtavar, Indian Peaks GC                  71-74-76—221


Neil Tillman, Heritage at Westmoor                    73-74-75—222


Roy Carlsen, Heritage at Westmoor                   72-76-75—223


Andrew Howe, Fox Hill CC                                  78-72-74—224


Cole Folwell, Boulder CC                                    70-75-79—224


Justin Allenback, Elmwood GC                          73-76-75—224


Jackson Vacek, Harmony Club                          78-69-78—225


Andrew McCormick, Denver CC                        73-77-75—225


Reese Leiker, South Suburban GC                    76-74-75—225


Donny Kinnaman, Lincoln Park GC                     72-77-77—226


Bridger Ryan, Broadlands GC                              75-73-78—226


Clayton Crawford, Maroon CC                              72-78-78—228


Grant Dinkel, Flatirons GC                                    81-71-76—228


Zach Gomez, Indian Tree GC                               74-75-80—229


Samuel Taylor, Indian Peaks GC                          73-79-77—229


Kyle Pearson, Meridian GC                                   77-74-78—229


Taylor Rodriguez, Walking Stick GC                    76-75-79—230


Ryan James Zetwick, CC at Castle Pines            74-78-81—233


Charlie Schneider, The Links GC                        77-75-82—234

RELATED LINKS

Denver University to Host Summer Golf Camp

America’s Junior National Golf Team

Terry’s Kids are Winners

Chris Duthie is a contributor to Colorado AvidGolfer, the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it. It publishes eight issues annually and proudly delivers daily content via www.coloradoavidgolfer.com.