Cool under pressure, Kim becomes 3A boys golf state champion
STERLING — A span of 36 holes over two days wasn’t enough to decide the 3A Boy’s Golf state championship at the Northeastern 18 in Sterling. Instead it took a four-hole, three-way playoff for eventual individual champion Yale Kim of Dawson School to separate himself from a tightly knot-field.
“I had a lot of experience playing tournaments,” said Kim, a sophomore. “So I knew that I had to keep my composure and play my game to win.”
Sterling finished with a combined final score of 27 over par to capture the team title. Kent Denver finished second, with an overall score of 32 over par.
Kim, a model of consistency over the two-day tournament, made four straight pars in the playoff to capture the title over Vail Christian senior Cooper Gould and Sterling senior Trey Lambrecht.
All three finished the regulation tournament with a score of two over par.
“Watching him make four pars in a row, in a sudden-death playoff. Just consistent, consistent, consistent,” said Dawson golf coach Arnold Lewis of Kim. “He just outlasted everybody. All day long he just seemed relaxed, and confident, and positive. He’s a champion. I’m so proud of him.”
Unflappable under pressure, Kim shot 35 on the front nine and 38 on the back nine both days. He held a one-stroke lead as late as 16 on Tuesday, but bogeyed the long par-five to drop into a three-way tie.
Lambrecht, who entered the day with a three stroke lead after shooting 68 on Monday, ran into some trouble early with bogeys on one and two to start the round. He continued dropping strokes throughout the round before a pressure-packed birdie putt on 18, set up by an aggressive tee shot over and through some trees, thrust him back into a tie for the lead.
“My coach told me I had to make three to get into the playoff and win it for the team. I’ve played here a few times and usually my line isn’t quite as aggressive, but we were playing a little downwind and I was hitting my driver good all day,” said Lambrecht. “I caught it pretty flush and was able to hit a nice little wedge in there and make that.”
Though Lambrecht didn’t capture the individual title he was craving, he took solace in the fact that he was able to lead Sterling to the overall team championship.
“It was tough playing with the lead. I’ve been in the lead a couple times, but nothing this big,” said Lambrecht. “It was definitely a learning experience. But to make birdie on 18, essentially win it for the team, that was cool. I’ve never really had a clutch putt on that level.
“All in all it was positive week.”
In the end, it was Gould and Kim going head-to-head over the final three playoff holes. The two traded three straight pars, fist-bumping and congratulating each other after a particularly nice putt by Gould came up just short.
Kim’s birdie putt on the fourth playoff hole lipped out, and just when it looked like the day might continue, Gould’s three-footer for par just burned the edge.
And after a long tournament, and even longer season, Kim, who broke 80 for the first time just a few weeks ago, was suddenly the 3A state champion.
“I had a bit of a slump in the beginning of the year where my average score was about an 81. So I was a little frustrated, but I kind of knew that when the time came I’d play great,” said Kim. “I believed in that.”
A native of South Korea whose parents still live there, Kim said he can’t wait to share the news.
“They’ll probably find out this moment. They’ll be texting right now,” said Kim. “I’m proud to represent South Korea. My friends and family, they always say, ‘You’re going to do it. You’re going to win something big.’
“I trusted in that, and I think I finally did.”
