The Durango High School boys golf team fared well at the Piedra Vista 2019 Boys Fall Invitational on Monday at Piñon Hills Golf Club in Farmington, as the Demons finished second overall with a team score of 58-over par 346.
Piedra Vista won with a 39-over par 327, and Aztec finished in third at 88-over.
DHS went to the tournament in preparation for next week’s Colorado High School Activities Association’s Class 4A state tournament, and it was an ideal way to keep two of the three Demons’ state qualifiers fresh after last week’s regional.
Quinn Yost of Piedra Vista edged Levi Tichi by one stroke for the individual title, as Yost shot a 3-over 75 for the day, while Tichi finished in second at 4-over 76 in a round that saw him hit a hole-in-one.
Durangos Levi Tichi reacts after his hole-in-one during Monday’s Piedra Vista Fall Invitational. It was the second hole-in-one of the year for DHS. Video courtesy Kirk Rawles. #copreps pic.twitter.com/UMKFSzDXNQ
— Brendan Ploen (@BrendanPloen) October 1, 2019
Tichi, who qualified for state along with his older brother, Luke, recorded Durango’s second hole-in-one of the season, after Luke Ford managed to pull off the feat at Cobble Creek in August.
Tichi was 3-over on the front nine but was at even-par through the first six holes before a double-bogey on the seventh hole and a bogey on the ninth ended the streak. On the back nine, he recorded back-to-back birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 and recorded the hole-in-one on the par-3 15th.
Ethan Whidden, the third state qualifier, and Sten Joyner tied for sixth overall at 12-over after they each fired an 84. Michael Marquez also had a strong day, as he finished at 14-over to finish in ninth, while Anthony Flint was 18-over and tied for 13th.
Head coach Kirk Rawles said Monday’s one-day tournament was key for keeping up the high level of competition heading into state.
“We wanted to use this event to stay in the moment and not lose a week of competition,” Rawles said. “It worked well for that. In prior years, with a two-week window between regionals and state, the feedback was that we just didn’t have that edge. Today was all about keeping that edge sharp and I think we’re a little more focused before we head to state.”
Durango will practice the rest of the week, and Rawles said the Demons will likely play one final practice round at Dalton Ranch Golf Club on Thursday.
The Class 4A state tournament will be held Monday and Tuesday at The Bridges Golf Course in Montrose.
bploen@durangoherald.com
