Optimist-ically Speaking

Several Coloradans posted top-25 finishes Thursday in the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Walker Franklin of Broomfield, who made a hole-in-one on the 13th hole on Wednesday, placed sixth out of 141 players in the boys 14-15 division. Franklin shot rounds of 76-68-74 for a 218 total. That left him four strokes out of first place.

In the same division, Jordan Jennings of Montrose was 12th at 223, while Connor Jones of Westminster was 20th at 226.

In the top 25 in the girls 13-14 tournament, Sofia Choi of Littleton was 13th out of 73 competitors with a 230 total (75-80-75), while Eva Pett of Denver was 17th at 233, and Emma Bryant of Aurora 23rd at 235.

The third of three weeks of Optimist tournaments will take place next week as boys 16-18 and girls 15-18 tee it up Sunday through Wednesday (July 30-Aug. 2).

Here are the scores for the local players the last two weeks at the Optimist:

JULY 25-27

Boys 14-15
6. Walker Franklin of Broomfield 76-68-74–218
12. Jordan Jennings of Montrose 71-74-78–223
20. Connor Jones of Westminster 77-71-78–226
44. Jack Hughes of Snowmass Village 77-76-80–233
44. Jack Pevny of Aspen 73-84-76–233
63. Brayden Weiss of Superior 75-82-83–240
73. Mario Dino of Denver 81-77-92–250
(Missed Cut)
100. Thomas Hicks of Greenwood Village 80-86–166
126. Tyler Tyson of Arvada 84-89–173
126. Dawson Hussong of Montrose 84-89–173

Girls 13-14
13. Sofia Choi of Littleton 75-80-75–230
17. Eva Pett of Denver 81-74-78–233
23. Emma Bryant of Aurora 78-80-77–235
27. Brittlynn O’Dell of Grand Junction 78-82-76–236
49. Katelyn Lehigh of Loveland 88-82-79–249
63. Anju Ogi of Arvada 90-92-81–263
71. Sydney Taylor of Fort Collins 97-109-105–311

JULY 20-23
Boys 12-13

“¨11. JGAC member Parker Paxton of Riverton, Wyo. 73-75-78–226″¨
30. Jake Chesler of Firestone 76-75-82–233″¨
56. Maxwell Lange of Golden 80-83-83–246
63. Traejan Andrews of Windsor 82-79-87–248
“¨74. Gage Messingham of Arvada 89-84-84–257

Girls 10-12
“¨23. Abigail Aeschleman of Highlands Ranch 82-87-89–258
“¨30. Bead Boonta of Centennial 99-88-88–275
“¨31. Timbre Shehee of Mead 96-87-95–278

Boys 10-11
“¨28. Austin Barry of Fort Collins 88-86-85–259
29. Kaden Devenport of Windsor 88-90-82–260
44. Jake Dost on Parker 105-99-97–301″¨