Clark, 16, Wins CGA Stroke Play in Playoff After Knous Shoots 60

Colorado Avid Golfer

BOULDER — It was a day of attention-grabbing feats Sunday in the final round of the 74th Colorado Golf Association Stroke Play Championship.

First, Colorado School of Mines golfer Jim Knous made everyone at Boulder Country Club take notice by bettering the course record by two shots, posting a 10-under-par 60.
Then, after draining a 30-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to beat Knous, Wyndham Clark of Cherry Hills Country Club became the youngest winner of the CGA Stroke Play since 1971. Clark claimed the title at 16 years and 8 months. Bob Byman of Boulder won the ‘71 Stroke Play championship before he was 16½.

Clark thought he was cruising to victory as he walked up his final hole of regulation, but after he plugged his second shot in a greenside bunker on the par-4 18th, his dad informed him that someone had shot 60.
Clark could have avoided a playoff by getting up and down for par, but with the bad lie, he failed to get his ball out of the sand. And after his next shot rolled 7 feet past the flag, Clark needed to sink a side-hill bogey putt to force sudden death.
Knous lipped out a 20-foot birdie attempt on the first playoff hole, but both players posted pars. On the second extra hole, the 18th, Knous pulled his tee shot into the trees. After Clark hit his approach 30 feet left of the flag, Knous punched out to the fairway, then left his third shot 30 feet above the hole. Knous just missed his par attempt, then Clark clinched the victory by holing his birdie putt.

During regulation play, Knous chipped in twice and carded an eagle and eight birdies. He bettered the previous competitive course record of 62, set by Trey Maples in the 1992 CGA Stroke Play. Hale Irwin, current BCC director of golf Kevin Bolles and former BCC assistant professional Mark Trauner also shot 62 at the course.
Knous started the day 10 strokes out of the lead and overtook 11 of the 12 of the players in front of him.

Clark, meanwhile, closed with an even-par 70 on Sunday, which left him tied with Knous at 7-under-par 273. Joshua Mathis of Colorado Springs Country Club, who held at least a share of the lead after each of the first three rounds, posted a 72 on Sunday to place third at 275. Mike Schoolcraft, a teammate of Clark on the 4A state-champion high school team from Valor Christian, finished fourth at 278 after going 69-67 on the weekend.
Clark’s victory was his second in a CGA championship, following his 2009 Junior Stroke Play title. It also capped a big week for the high school junior-to-be, who qualified for his first U.S. Amateur on Tuesday.

Clark added to his already-impressive golf resume. In his career, he’s won two American Junior Golf Association tournaments, a 4A state high school individual championship and the CGA Junior Stroke Play title. He’s also advanced to the round of 16 at the U.S. Junior Amateur, placed third in the Junior PGA Championship and in the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships, and is ranked among the top 20 junior players in the nation.
CGA Stroke Play Championship Results
At Par-70 Boulder CC
x-indicates won on second hole of playoff

x-Wyndham Clark, Cherry Hills CC, 70-67-66-70–273
Jim Knous, GC at Ironbridge, 73-71-69-60–273
Joshua Mathis, Colorado Springs CC, 65-68-70-72–275
Mike Schoolcraft, Cherry Hills CC, 72-70-69-67–278
Steve Irwin, Lakewood CC, 68-69-69-73–279
Cody Kent, Plum Creek G & CC, 71-69-72-67–279
Matt Schovee, Cherry Hills CC, 69-72-69-69–279
Jon Lindstrom, Heritage at Westmoor, 69-70-70-71–280
Steve Ziegler, Ranch CC, 72-68-72-69–281
Rob Clever, Saddleback GC, 69-73-70-70–282
Keenan Holt, Hillcrest GC, 71-70-71-71–283
Mark Hubbard, Pinehurst CC, 70-73-69-71–283
David Schroeder, Broadmoor GC, 68-75-71-69–283
Scott Mendelsohn, Highlands Ranch GC, 74-67-74-68–283
Zahkai Brown, Indian Tree GC, 69-72-72-72–285
Derek Fribbs, Plum Creek G & CC, 72-76-68-69–285
Branson Real, Wray CC, 72-72-73-68–285
Zach Zaremba, Desert Hawk GC, 73-74-69-69–285
Nicholas Allen, Raccoon Creek GC, 69-77-70-69–285
David Holtgrewe, Cherry Hills CC, 74-72-70-69–285
Danny Hahn, CommonGround GC, 71-73-71-71–286
Justin Spray, CC of Colorado, 72-75-69-70–286
Alex Buecking, Columbine CC, 71-72-71-73–287
Jonathan Park, CommonGround GC, 77-67-68-75–287
Danny Riskam, Meridian GC, 69-69-78-71–287
Sean Thomas, Indian Tree GC, 71-73-73-70–287
Taylor Stamp, Broadmoor GC, 73-72-73-72–290
Bryan Kruse, Heritage at Westmoor, 73-70-76-71–290
Sebastian Heisele, Colorado National GC, 73-71-75-73–292
Tad Willenbrock, Glenmoor CC, 71-74-74-73–292
Devin Schreiner, Hillcrest GC, 71-74-78-70–293
Ryan Boshoven, Plum Creek G & CC, 75-70-71-77–293
Kaleb Mahanes, Fox Hill CC, 73-75-72-73–293
Michael Tilghman, Castle Pines GC, 70-72-79-72–293
Kory Harrell, Eisenhower GC, 72-75-73-74–294
Bobby McCracken, Fossil Trace GC, 73-74-73-74–294
David Delich, Broadmoor GC, 72-76-74-73–295
Adam Joiner, Aspen Glen Club, 74-74-74-73–295
Mike Larson, Boulder CC, 76-70-79-74–299
Mike Schroetlin, Loveland GC, 70-78-80-76–304
Troy Sidabras, Collindale GC, 71-72-78-DQ