Petersilie, Weinstein Win Junior Stroke Play Titles

Close finishes produce great champions

Jeff Florence

On Wednesday, June 17 the sun was shining with blue skies overhead, but there was still pressure in the air- and it was rising fast. The boys and girls CGA Junior Stroke Play Championships came down to the final putts.

At Raccoon Creek Golf Course in Littleton, 17-year-old Isaac Petersilie beat AJ Ott by one stroke after a sudden-death playoff to win the 39th Junior CGA Stroke Play Championship. Petersilie played 5 under par on the last nine holes, including the playoff, to overcome a 4-stroke deficit. The champion ended up shooting an 8-under, 208 during the three-day event, (69-70-69).

Both players settled for birdie on the final hole in regulation, each missing eagle attempts. On the first playoff hole, Petersilie sank a 15-foot birdie putt to give himself the win after Ott missed a similar putt.

Entering play on the final day, Petersilie found himself one stroke behind Ott. A contrast to 2014 when Petersilie led entering the final day after rounds of 68-69 at Indian Tree. But a 76 on day three dropped him to fourth place overall last year.

Petersilie, who won the 2013 4A state high school championship, will be a senior at Coronado High School. He has committed to play college golf at the University of Denver in 2016. Ott will play at Colorado State University in 2016 following his senior year at Fort Collins High School.

A similar pressure sat over the par-72 Heritage at Westmoor course in Westminster. Mary Weinstein (pictured above) held off Gillian Vance to win the 37th Junior Play Championship on the girls’ side with a three-day score of 4-over, 220 (70-71-79).

After making birdie on the 18th hole, Weinstein thought she was headed for a playoff and even but her glove back on leaving the green preparing for the playoff. Vance had a 4-foot par putt on 17 that she would miss and make bogey.

Entering play on Wednesday, Weinstein held a 6-stroke lead. But an 8 on the 11th hole followed by bogeys on 12 and 13 had given Vance a one stroke advantage entering the last two holes. But Vance's bogey on 17 and Weinstein's birdie on 18 gave Weinstein the one stroke victory.

Weinstein, a senior-to-be at Regis Jesuit High School, has played on back-to-back 5A girls state championship teams. Vance won her own 5A state high school title last month and has signed to play with the University of Colorado.

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