Watts powers to title

Kent Denver golfer uses long drives to win by three strokes

Alan Pearce, Rocky Mountain News

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

PUEBLO - Andrea Watts said people told her to have fun playing in the state golf tournament, and she listened to them.

They also told the Kent Denver sophomore that she should be the Class 4A medalist, and Watts listened to that, too.

Watts shot a 4-over 75 Tuesday at Elmwood Golf Course, overcoming first-day leader Elizabeth Kresock and a four-stroke deficit to win the state title.

"In golf, four strokes is nothing," Watts said. "You can make that up on two holes."

Watts' two-day total of 152 topped Kresock, a freshman from Colorado Academy, as well as Maggie Boberg of Mullen and Amanda Bregar of Pueblo South. That trio tied for second place with 155s.

Playing in the lead threesome, Watts consistently outdrove her playing partners and didn't have the putting frustration she experienced Monday.

The only thing lacking in Watts' play was accuracy, partly a result of outdriving the fairways on doglegs. Watts also hit into sand traps on Nos. 2 and 3.

From the eighth hole, though, Watts was making par consistently. She drained a couple of long putts to save par and continued to wallop her drives.

On both of the par-5s on the back nine - holes of 465 and 451 yards - Watts' ball was pin-high after only two shots. However, Watts' shots did miss the greens.

"(It was) kind of disappointing that my approach shots weren't really on the ball," she said. "I could have cashed eagles, but my up-and-downs for birdie (on No. 15) really helped with (my) confidence. Having (played) a par 5, feeling like you didn't get up-and-down, you're still OK. It's a par 5."

Watts didn't even play it conservatively on the last hole. She pounded her drive 260 yards on the par-4 18th and needed an 81-yard sand-wedge shot to make the green. When she finished her putt, it also gave Kent Denver a well-earned team title.

The Sun Devils, coached by Marcy Bogner, totaled 479, an impressive 28 strokes better than host school Pueblo South. Beside Watts' 152, Kent Denver also got a 156 from freshman Olivia Garard, who finished fifth, and a 171 from another freshman, Grace Duboc.

Garard had tied Watts after Day 1 with a 77, but she had to play in a separate group Tuesday, which hurt a bit down the stretch. Garard played extremely well in the final holes of the front nine, but she had some bogey holes on the back nine.

"I wish I could have done better," Garard said. "My ego got in the way. I really wanted to try to play really well instead of playing conservative. Instead of going for the par, I went for the birdies."

Bregar had the opposite experience. With the weight of local expectations placed on her, the Pueblo South senior struggled with an 80 in her first round.

On Tuesday, Bregar decided to change her strategy and excelled. She birdied Nos. 15 and 16 and shot a 75, tying Watts for Tuesday's best round.

"I am elated," she said. "After the front, I just started going for things. I had a rough front and started shooting right for the pin, going for putts. I had nothing to lose."

Bregar is the daughter of Randal Bregar, Elmwood's head professional, and led a Colts charge into second place. Pueblo South's Meagan Chapman (eighth place), Ashlee Samuels and Bryanne Samuels also had rounds that counted for Colts coach Ray Mattarocci.

Kresock was the most excited golfer after the tournament's first day and held on to finish second. Her 73 on Monday was the first time she had broken 80 as a high school player. She had an 82 Tuesday.

"I'm definitely happy," she said. "It helped playing with Andrea and Maggie. I played with both of them at regionals and they're really nice girls. I like them and we had fun."

Carding a 76 and 79, Boberg continued to show the vast improvement in her short game while furthering the tradition of Mullen golf. She was one of only three golfers to break 80 in both rounds.

Boberg had her lag putts almost perfected and could have trimmed three or four strokes, but they stopped just an inch from the cup.

"I just feel like the whole season in general, I was really solid," she said.

Boberg said Mullen's goal is to take back the team title, but with young players leading Kent Denver and Colorado Academy, that will be a difficult task.

At Elmwood G.C., Pueblo, par 71

Team scores - Kent Denver 239-240 479, Pueblo South 253-254 507, Colorado Academy 252-257 509, Windsor 259-275 534, Cherokee Trail 276-277 553, Cañon City 278-284 562, Rifle 291-280 571.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Andrea Watts, Kent Denver......77-75 - 152

Maggie Boberg, Mullen......76-79 - 155

Amanda Bregar, Pueblo South......80-75 - 155

Elizabeth Kresock, Colorado Academy......73-82 - 155

Olivia Garard, Kent Denver......77-79 - 156

Katie Taylor, Sand Creek......82-80 - 162

Kylie Napikoski, Cherokee Trail......81-83 - 164

Meagan Chapman, Pueblo South......82-83 - 165

Dana Anderson, Mountain View......82-87 - 169

Erica Schlomer, Windsor......82-88 - 170

Grace Duboc, Kent Denver......85-86 - 171

Meranda Baker, Broomfield......92-81 - 173

Chance Forbes, Evergreen......89-84 - 173

Megan Faucett, Alamosa......87-87 - 174

Heather Hansen, Cherokee Trail......88-86 - 174

Courtney Engle, Colorado Academy......88-87 - 175

Emma Watson, Cedaredge......90-85 - 175

Gloria Leem, Roosevelt......84-91 - 175

Amber Nicholson, Moffat County......89-86 - 175

Meghan Innes, Moffat County......87-88 - 175

Lisa Jones, Pueblo East......86-89 - 175

Amber Trimble......87-89 - 176

Sharde Albers, Ralston Valley......93-83 - 176

Kris Zeschin, Kent Denver......89-88 - 177

Ashley Chastain, Rifle......87-90 - 177

Emily Hauptli, Glenwood Springs......90-87 - 177

Rachel Means, Florence......90-89 - 179

Janean Jubic, Pueblo West......89-90 - 179

Hillary Hoffer, Colorado Academy......91-88 - 179

Lisa Richards, Glenwood Springs......91-88 - 179

Jordan Dew, Canon City......90-90 - 180

Jessica Nisbet, Windsor......87-94 - 181

Annika Amundson, Cheyenne Mountain......92-89 - 181

Molly Dorans, Broomfield......87-94 - 181

Kaeli West, Windsor......90-93 - 183

Cassie Dixon, Trinidad......93-90 - 183

Kaity Sisk, Centaurus......97-86 - 183

Chelsea Hedrick, Eagle Valley......94-90 - 184

Alicia Hayhurst, Canon City......90-95 - 185

Sara Marks, Conifer......91-95 - 186

Emily Hill, Yuma......95-93 - 188

Jessica Shuck, Pine Creek......97-91 - 188

Bryanne Samuels, Pueblo South......92-96 - 188

Katie Matsunaka, Pine Creek......97-91 - 188

Melissa Johnson, Ft. Morgan......93-96 - 189

Ashlee Samuels, Pueblo South......91-98 - 189

Lauren Dusin, Greeley Central......89-102 - 191

Kacie Cain, Salida......101-90 - 191

Eva Heitschmidt, Yuma......96-95 - 191

Tessa Sullivan, Montrose......96-95 - 191

Julie Wattier, Gunnison......91-101 - 192

Haley Robinson, Pueblo Centennial......98-95 - 193

Gabrielle Tomaselli, Pine Creek......98-97 - 195

Trisha Wailes, Rifle......99-97 - 196

Brittany Johnson, Golden......92-104 - 196

Sawyer Bisel, Cañon City......98-99 - 197

Courtney Burgan, Liberty......101-97 - 198

Kori Kosht, Rifle......105-93 - 198

Jennifer Ingrum, Mullen......99-100 - 199

Jamie Patrick, Canon City......101-99 - 200

Heidi Reitmeier, Mountain View......98-105 - 203

Abby Laverenz, Burlington......100-103 - 203

Cara Jorgensen, Fountain-Fort Carson......110-94 - 204

Leslie Tucker, Pueblo Centennial......104-101 - 205

Lyndsey Ivan, Rye......107-103 - 210

Leah Neumann, Elizabeth......108-106 - 214

Kaylee Moore, Cherokee Trail......107-108 - 215

Crystal Samples, Brush......109-110 - 219

Danelle Govea, Alamosa......105-116 - 221

Chelsea Bowsher, Monte Vista......112-116 - 228

Jessica Woodruff, Montrose......DQ-95 - DQ

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