No matter what day, what course, or the conditions, the Durango boys golf team has found itself at the top of every leaderboard this season.
The latest example was on Thursday in Montrose at Black Canyon Golf Course. Demons golf head coach Kirk Rawles brought some players further down the depth chart and Durango still won the tournament.
“It's pretty cool just to give some other guys a chance to go and play,” Rawles said. “It's great to see the team do that well.”
The tournament at Montrose was in a different format than a usual high school tournament. The teams competed not in stroke play but using the Stableford scoring system.
Instead of going by stroke play, the Stableford scoring system awards players with points on each hole. If a player gets a par, they get three points. A bogey is two points, a double bogey is one point and a triple bogey or worse is zero points. A birdie was worth five points, according to Rawles.
Rawles said it’s a good system for kids to be more aggressive and not worry as much about blowup holes. The Demons usually play in this format once a year at this tournament in Montrose. Rawles said Montrose is centrally located for all the teams that compete so it works out well. Durango brought eight golfers.
Over a dozen schools competed and the Demons came in first with 127 points from their top three players. Grand Junction was in second with 125 points and Fruita Monument came in third with 122 points.
Durango sophomore Hayes Malone tied for first with 44 points with Eagle Valley’s Brooks Wenninger. Demons junior Wynn Daniels tied for third with 43 points. Durango senior Ro Rypkema tied for ninth with 40 points. Rawles said Malone shot an 80 if it was normal stroke play rules.
The Demons are back in action on Monday at Piñon Hills Golf Course in Farmington. Then, Durango hosts its second tournament of the year at Dalton Ranch Golf Club on Tuesday. Rawles said about 13 teams will be there. New Mexico schools like Farmington, Aztec, Piedra Vista and Kirtland will compete. No New Mexico schools were at the first Durango tournament because the golf season in New Mexico didn’t start until Sept. 1.
Top 4A teams in Colorado like Grand Junction and Fruita Monument will be at Dalton Ranch on Tuesday. Grand Junction is ranked third in 4A and Durango is ranked fourth. Rawles is excited for his team to compete against Grand Junction and he thinks it’ll help them prepare for regionals and states.
Golf on Tuesday starts at 9:30 a.m. and it’s a shotgun start for the players. Supporters are encouraged to come watch the golf at Dalton Ranch.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
