Pueblo South’s Rodriguez comes back to win 4A boys golf title
PUEBLO — There was no mystery to which team was going to win the Class 4A state boys golf championship.
Valor Christian was dominant in the first round and then cruised to the title by 23 strokes Tuesday at Walking Stick Golf Course.
Pueblo South finished as the state runner-up — and it was the Colts’ Taylor Rodriguez who provided the drama in the final round.
The senior overcame a two-stroke deficit to win the individual gold medal by two strokes over Valor’s Jake Staiano. Rodriguez was a measure of consistency carding back-to-back rounds of 69.
“The key (Tuesday) was just mentally staying in the right frame of mind,” Rodriguez said. “I was just taking it one shot at a time and I was just staying hungry out there and wanting to win.”
Rodriguez’s three under par final round was highlighted by five birdies. In the process, Rodriguez became the first boys state golf champion in the school’s history. South opened in 1959.
“It feels great,” Rodriguez said about making school history. “I’m really happy.”
Veteran South coach D.J. Johnson praised Rodriguez.
“It was a real exciting round,” Johnson said. “Taylor is a very hard worker and he’s just a really steady player and he’s mentally and emotionally strong, and that helped (Tuesday), especially since there was a 15- to 20-mph wind blowing all day long. His mental toughness really helped in this final round.”
Most of the round Tuesday, Rodriguez was blistering and he led by as much as four strokes with two holes to play.
“In 17, I hit in the left bunker and I just wanted to give myself a chance at par,” Rodriguez said. “I was nervous at 18, but I was able to get the job done. This feels great (to be a state champion). I’m happy I could represent Pueblo and my family and my high school so well.”
The 5-foot-5, 150-pound admitted having the state tourney at Walking Stick definitely benefited him.
“I play Walking Stick a lot more than I play Elmwood (Golf Course in Pueblo),” Rodriguez said. “I’m really comfortable out there. I’ve been playing Walking Stick ever since I was little. That really helped me a lot because I knew the course so well. The guys from Valor are all very good players, but fortunately I was able to fend them off and get the win.”
Rodriguez is a four-time state qualifier, finishing ninth as a sophomore, and 11th last season. His sophomore year he also was a key member of the Colts’ state-championship winning team.
“This season the biggest difference was I got a lot stronger in the offseason by going to the gym and getting more athletic and I hit the ball a lot further off the tee,” Rodriguez said.
