The Hale Irwin Elite Player Program reaches an early milestone this fall with the naming of its fifth class.
Designed to nurture the budding careers of exceptionally promising junior golfers in the state, the Irwin Elite Player Program grants those selected — all age 18 and under, of either gender — free unlimited use of the practice range and Kids Course at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora — and of the championship course on a space-available basis.
CommonGround, a public facility that opened in 2009, is owned and operated by the CGA, which adminsters the program.
The 2017 Elite Player class features a record 18 golfers — 12 boys and six girls — including a dozen returnees from 2016.
Two junior golfers selected will be in their fifth year with the program, dating back to its inception: Christian Agelopoulos and Roger Nakagawa, both of Denver. Another program participant, Ryan Sangchompuphen of Denver, will be starting his fourth year. Traejan Andrews of Windsor, Jack Castiglia of Lakewood and Cade Kilkenny of Centennial will be going into their third years.
The 2017 group includes two Kent Denver students who notched big victories in 2016: Oliver Jack, the 3A boys state high school individual champion, and Charlotte Hillary, who captured the girls title in the final major of the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado season, the Junior Tour Championship.
Hale Irwin Elite Player Program candidates are evaluated based on their golf skill and their character, as exhibited through community service, academic performance and general demeanor.
The group will meet monthly to work on VISION54 programs with highly respected instructor Elena King, and will also participate in workshops on fitness and nutrition. Additionally, the Elite Players volunteer with CGA Community and Wellness Programs and at JGAC 10 & under tournaments.
The Irwin Elite Player Program has produced some of the best young players Colorado has had to offer in recent years. Included have been numerous golfers currently playing with — or having committed to — NCAA Division I golf programs: Jennifer Kupcho (Wake Forest), Hannah Wood (Oklahoma), Jake Staiano (Colorado State), Spencer Painton (Colorado), Coby Welch (Northern Colorado), Ross Macdonald (Colorado), Calli Ringsby (Stanford), Delaney Elliott (Montana State) and Jack (verbally committed to Colorado). In addition, JGAC female Player of the Year Mary Weinstein went through the program. Kupcho (16th) and Wood (84th) are currently in the top 100 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings. (Part of the 2016 Irwin Elite Player class is pictured above.)
Appropriately, the Irwin Elite Player Program is named in honor of the most successful golfer with Colorado roots. A Boulder High School and University of Colorado graduate, Irwin has won five USGA championships: three U.S. Opens and two U.S. Senior Opens. Overall, he’s claimed 20 titles on the PGA Tour and a record 45 on the PGA Tour Champions circuit, and he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1992.
In Colorado, Irwin claimed the 1962 CGA Junior Match Play title, the 1963 state high school championship, three straight CGA Amateurs (1963, ’64 and ’65) and the CGA Match Play in 1966. He won the NCAA individual title in 1967 while competing for CU.
Steve Irwin, Hale’s son and one of the top amateur players in the state, serves on the CGA board of governors and was instrumental in the establishment of the Elite Player Program. The visionary behind the program was another CGA governor, former Cherry Hills Country Club head professional Clayton Cole.
Here’s a rundown of all 18 junior players who have been selected to partcipate in the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program for 2017:
Christian Agelopoulos of Denver, a freshman at Colorado Academy — 2017 will mark his fifth year in the program. … Was a JGAC Academic All-Star in 2016.
Traejan Andrews of Windsor, an eighth-grader at Winograd K-8 — 2017 will mark his third year in the program. … Was a JGAC 11-13 All-Star and Academic All-Star in 2016. … Notched two wins in 11-13 Junior Series events.
Chunya Bead Boonta of Aurora, a sixth-grader at Thunder Ridge Middle School — 2017 will mark her second year in the program. .. Recorded four third-place finishes in JGAC events in 2016.
Supawich Beam Boonta of Aurora, a freshman at Eaglecrest High School — 2017 will mark his second year in the program. … Was a JGAC 14-18 All-Star in 2016. … Finished second on JGAC 14-18 Series points list after a season which featured two second-place finishes and two fourths.
Jack Castiglia of Lakewood, a sophomore at Lakewood High School — 2017 will mark his third year in the program. … Posted five top-10 finishes in JGAC events in 2016. … Named a JGAC Academic All-Star.
Sofia Choi of Littleton, a seventh-grader at Falcon Bluffs Middle School — 2017 will mark her first year in the program. … Named a JGAC 11-13 All-Star and Academic All-Star. … Finished second in the JGAC 11-13 Series points standings after recording five wins in 2016.
Merielle Gojo of Cherry Hills Village, an eighth-grader at West Middle School — 2017 will mark her first year in the program. … Earned JGAC 11-13 All-Star and Academic All-Star status in 2016. … Finished fourth in the JGAC 11-13 Series points standings after two victories in 2016.
Charlotte Hillary of Cherry Hills Village, a freshman at Kent Denver — 2017 will mark her first year in the program. … Won the final major of the 2016 JGAC girls season, the Junior Tour Championship, giving her three JGAC wins in 2016. … Named a JGAC Tour All-Star and Academic All-Star in 2016.
Oliver Jack of Cherry Hills Village, a junior at Kent Denver — 2017 will mark his second year in the program. … Won the 3A boys state high school individul title at the end of September. … Has committed to play college golf at CU.
Cade Kilkenny of Centennial, a sophomore at Cherry Creek High School — 2017 will mark his third year in the program. … Posted six top-10 finishes in JGAC events in 2016.
Katelyn Lehigh of Loveland, a seventh-grader at Bill Reed Middle School — 2017 will mark her second year in the program. … Named a JGAC 11-13 All-Star and Academic All-Star in 2016. … Finished first in the JGAC 11-13 Series point standings following a season that included four wins and four runner-up finishes.
Lauren Lehigh of Loveland, a sophomore at Loveland High School — 2017 will mark her second year in the program. … Earned JGAC Tour All-Star and Academic All-Star status in 2016. … Finished third on the 2016 JGAC Tour points list after a year which featured a win and eight other top-three finishes in JGAC events.
Parker McNitt of Highlands Ranch, a junior at Heritage High School — 2017 will mark his first year in the program. … Named a 2016 JGAC Academic All-Star.
Roger Nakagawa of Denver, a junior at Thomas Jefferson High School — 2017 will mark his fifth year in the program. … Teamed with fellow Irwin Elite Player Kailer Rundiks to win the JGAC 14-18 Team Event in 2016. … Selected as a 2016 JGAC Academic All-Star.
Kailer Rundiks of Denver, a junior at East High School — 2017 will mark his second year in the program. … Teamed with fellow Irwin Elite Player Roger Nakagawa to win the JGAC 14-18 Team Event, marking one of his three top-10s in 2016 JGAC events. … Competed with 1982 Masters champion Craig Stadler in the pro-junior portion of the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach in September. … Named a JGAC Academic-All-Star in 2016.
Ryan Sangchompuphen of Denver, an eighth-grader at the Denver School of the Arts — 2017 will mark his fourth year in the program. … Earned JGAC 11-13 All-Star status in 2016. … Finished third on JGAC 11-13 Series points list. … Posted two firsts and two seconds in 2016 JGAC events.
Jeffrey Zhou of Greenwood Village, an eighth-grader at Kent Denver — 2017 will mark his first year in the program. … Named a JGAC 11-13 All-Star in 2016. … Finished second on JGAC 11-13 Series points list after recording three wins and six other top-10 finishes.
Ben Zimmerman of Englewood, a freshman at Kent Denver — 2017 will mark his first year in the program. … Finished 10th in the 3A state high school tournament as a freshman. … Named a JGAC Academic All-Star in 2016.
