Faith Mewmaw showed steady improvement at the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 4A Girls Golf State Championship.
Playing on the par-72 Colorado National Golf Club in Erie, Mewmaw shot 35-over-par 107 in her second round to finish 76-over-par in the two-round tournament.
Mewmaw, an Animas High School sophomore who represented Durango High School’s girls golf team, built upon a 41-over showing Monday. She had a birdie and one par Monday. Though she didn’t record a birdie Tuesday, she played a more steady round and avoided any double-digit scores. She had two pars Tuesday.
It was a big improvement for Mewmaw, who shot back-to-back rounds of 118 at state as a freshman. A year ago, she finished in last place of the state tournament at 92-over-par. This year, Mewmaw was 61st out of 87 golfers.
“She played with a lot more maturity this year,” DHS head coach Kirk Rawles said. “She was solid for the most part. There were a few blowup holes, but she kept it steady. She didn’t putt well today but that happens. Otherwise, she probably has one of her better rounds of the entire season.”
Mewmaw played through gusty winds and rain on the back-nine of her second round Monday. Still, she found a par on her second-to-last hole of that round and also dropped in a 30-foot putt for birdie from just off the fringe.
Loveland sophomore Lauren Lehigh won the state tournament at 8-over-par. She posted 7-over in her second round Tuesday but held on for a one-stroke win ahead of teammate Aili Bundy, who tied for second along with Glenwood Springs’ Lauren Murphy. Bundy made the biggest move Tuesday with a round of 3-over to finish the tournament 9-over.
Windsor’s Jessica Zapf finished fourth at 10-over after consecutive rounds of 5-over. Golden’s Sydney Prey fell from second Monday to fifth Tuesday after a round of 11-over. She finished at 14-over.
Lehigh made four birdies Monday but didn’t find any Tuesday. In Monday’s round, she hit 13 of 14 fairways but hit only seven fairways Tuesday. Still, her tournament-best round of 73 on Monday put her in position for the championship.
Behind Lehigh and Bundy, Loveland ran away with the Class 4A state title at 43-over. Windsor was second at 70-over. Golden and Glenwood Springs tied for third at 85-over.
Mewmaw was the lone DHS girls golfer to qualify for state each of the last two years. Rawles was encouraged by a strong turnout of 18 girls on this year’s team, and he believes their hard work will pay off in the form of more state qualifiers to join Mewmaw next season.
“It will be nice to have more players around Faith,” Rawles said. “We had 18 girls committed to each other, and I was encouraged by that volume. This summer, they will continue to work hard.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
