Girls Golf: Top Talents Taking Aim at Repeat Feats

AURORA – Throughout the history of high school girls golf in Colorado, there have only been three three-time individual state champions.

But a new narrative is forming.

After last year’s showing at the four CHSAA State Championships all of which were won by underclassmen — there’s a chance that four more may emerge.

Valor Christian’s Ella Scott (5A), Air Academy’s Landry Frost (4A), Timnath’s CheyAnne Schrick (3A) and Colorado Academy’s Sophia Lee (2A), all won state championships last year and have the opportunity to win two or – in some cases – three more.

But it won’t be easy. The girls golf season is in full swing, with players pointing towards the May 18 and 19 state championships at ThornCreek Golf Course in Thornton (5A), The Bridges in Montrose (4A), Foothills Golf Course in Littleton (3A) and the Lone Tree Country Club (2A).

Since girls golf was returned to the CHSAA lineup in 1990, with individuals recognized as champions for the first time, only Holy Family’s Hailey Schalk (2017-19), Mullen’s Ashley Tait (2002, 2004 and 2005) and Cherry Creek’s Lynn Ann Moretto (1995-97) have stamped their names in the history books on three lines.

But the current wave has a chance to change that.

In 5A, Valor Christian’s Scott overcame what she deemed as an unsatisfactory performance during her freshman outing at state, finishing 11th, to storm back and claim the individual crown as a sophomore with a 148. She began seeing a sports psychologist, who taught her how to stay in the moment on the course and stay positive, no matter where a shot may land.

That’s made all the difference.

“My freshman year, I felt like I was better than how I played and how I finished, but I just kind of kept that in the back of my mind,” Scott said. “I think I had a really bad finish on like the 17th hole freshman year. I five-putted.

“I knew in the back of my mind, I was like, ‘OK, I could win the state championship as an individual.’ And of course, with my team, but it wasn’t really anything that I really took seriously. It was kind of like, ‘Oh, this is like my goal. This is my dream. I hope to accomplish this.’ But I didn’t really know how real it was. When I won, it just felt kind of crazy.”

Air Academy’s Frost, in 4A, set the lofty goal for herself to win the crown as a freshman, and thanks to her two-day, 151-stroke performance, she was able to get it done. She said her love of the game is what continually motivates her to work harder and even this season, after a summer of constant tournaments, she’s seen herself improve even more.

“I think it just proved to myself that I can put in the work and it can pay off,” she said. “That’s really driven my growth this year as well to continue. I started the day with a two-stroke lead, and then in the middle of the round, I lost it. I had two double bogeys back-to-back, and that was tough mentally. However, I just stayed within my process and I kept being aggressive to my targets and staying within myself. I fought back and ended up winning by one stroke.”

Timnath’s then-sophomore CheyAnne Schrick, meanwhile, carded a 150 to claim the 3A gold, something that she attributed to exhaustive preparation before each tournament. She said she’s been able to rely on her chipping and putting, along with her consistency, to carry her to victory.

She finished fourth as a freshman.

“I was just going out there (in the offseason) and practicing different scenarios, playing in the wind and the rain and snow and everything we’ve got to deal with during spring golf,” Schrick said. “Freshman year, I really proved to myself that I definitely could get there, so sophomore year, it felt really good to win. It was one of my big goals that I achieved.”

Colorado Academy’s Sophia Lee rounded out the incredible underclassmen with her 146 for victory in the newly-formed 2A classification, saying her ball striking and her consistency were what led her to the pinnacle as a freshman.

“I mapped out the (Pueblo Country Club) course, so I kind of had a good idea of what club I wanted to hit on a certain hole if it was tricky,” Lee said. “I would just say I was staying in the moment, staying present, trying not to get too wrapped in the leaderboard or what other people in my group were doing.”

She, too, believes her game has improved since a year ago, and hopes she can become one of the first — if not the first — four-time winners. Frost may be there right beside her in two years’ time.