Colorado University Athletics
CU GOLF: Recruit Paxton Wins Wyoming Match Play Title
June 14, 2024 | Men's Golf
The second three-time winner in the history of the event
HULETT, Wyo. — University of Colorado incoming freshman Parker Paxton claimed his third Wyoming State Match Play Championship here Thursday, becoming just the second three-time champion in the 48-year history of the event.
The Club at Devil's Tower, a 7,111-yard, par-72 course, has hosted the event the last five years; Paxton has technically owned it, as he won in 2021 as a 15-year old, and again in 2023 before completing the hat trick this year; he missed 2022 due to his brother Easton's wedding.
Paxton won the title on the second playoff hole over Taj Sutherland, the same player he defeated in 2023 and who won in '22. The match was the toughest of the five for the CU recruit, the only one that went the distance and then some; seeded No. 1 in the 32-man field after firing a 4-under 68 in the stroke play qualifier, he cruised to four wins by winning 28 holes and losing just nine (tying 22) en route to the championship match.
"It feels really good – it was the first time I had an opportunity to defend a title like this one," Paxton modestly said even though the Riverton (Wyo.) High School product has won four straight state high school titles. "I was very happy with the way I played all week. I stayed patient and stuck with my process, even when my back was against the wall in the championship match when I was two down with three to go. The pressure was amplified on those putts down the stretch, even the three-footers. I was happy to be able to get the job done."
After both birdied the par-5 No. 1 hole, Paxton took his first and only lead when he parred No. 2 and Sutherland bogeyed; the duo then parred No. 3 and birdied No.4 until Paxton bogeyed the 5th and the match was all square. It remained tied for the next two holes until he bogeyed No. 8, and Sutherland remained 1-up at the turn after both scored birdies on the 9th.
Both made par on Nos. 10, 11 and 12 to open the back nine, and when Sutherland made birdie on No. 13, he took a two-hole lead. But Paxton came right back and scored a par on No. 14 when Sutherland bogeyed, and then the reverse happened on the 15th, pushing Sutherland back up by two.
On the 198-yard par-3 16th, Paxton pulled back to within one when made par while Sutherland bogeyed. Then on the 457-yard, par-4 17th, Paxton birdied while Sutherland made bogey and the match was tied for the first time since the 7th hole. On the 404-yard, par-4 18th, both two-putted from about 20 feet out to force the playoff.
Back to the 537-yard, par-5 1st hole, both made birdie. Paxton drove the green in two, and his first putt from60 feet out stopped just three-feet short of the hole. Sutherland was just off the green and chipped to within seven-feet and made birdie from there, and it was off to the 425-yard, par-4 2nd hole. Paxton bombed his drive about 320 yards and then hit his 56-degree sand wedge to seven-feet, where he made birdie; Sutherland's birdie putt from 25 feet away was short and the match was over.
Thus, after he was down two with three to play, Paxton finished par-birdie-par-birdie-birdie to win and join Jeff George as the only three-time champion in the event; George won in 1978, 1980 and 1982. He joined Kamrin Allen as the only player to win in back-to-back years as well, as Allen defended his 2012 title in 2013, also at the Club at Devil's Tower.
Next up for Paxton will be the Wyoming State Amateur in Evanston, June 28-30. The winner will earn an automatic exemption into the U.S. Amateur in August; otherwise he plans on competing in the sectional qualifier at Columbine Country Club in Littleton on July 18.
NOTES: For the finalists, all six rounds are crammed into three days of competition … For the week, overall, Paxton won 33 holes, lost 13 and tied 33 … Paxton won the qualifier by three strokes with his 4-under 68; he had an eagle, five birdies and nine pars against four bogeys on Tuesday … Sutherland was the No. 3 seed.
The Club at Devil's Tower, a 7,111-yard, par-72 course, has hosted the event the last five years; Paxton has technically owned it, as he won in 2021 as a 15-year old, and again in 2023 before completing the hat trick this year; he missed 2022 due to his brother Easton's wedding.
Paxton won the title on the second playoff hole over Taj Sutherland, the same player he defeated in 2023 and who won in '22. The match was the toughest of the five for the CU recruit, the only one that went the distance and then some; seeded No. 1 in the 32-man field after firing a 4-under 68 in the stroke play qualifier, he cruised to four wins by winning 28 holes and losing just nine (tying 22) en route to the championship match.
"It feels really good – it was the first time I had an opportunity to defend a title like this one," Paxton modestly said even though the Riverton (Wyo.) High School product has won four straight state high school titles. "I was very happy with the way I played all week. I stayed patient and stuck with my process, even when my back was against the wall in the championship match when I was two down with three to go. The pressure was amplified on those putts down the stretch, even the three-footers. I was happy to be able to get the job done."
After both birdied the par-5 No. 1 hole, Paxton took his first and only lead when he parred No. 2 and Sutherland bogeyed; the duo then parred No. 3 and birdied No.4 until Paxton bogeyed the 5th and the match was all square. It remained tied for the next two holes until he bogeyed No. 8, and Sutherland remained 1-up at the turn after both scored birdies on the 9th.
Both made par on Nos. 10, 11 and 12 to open the back nine, and when Sutherland made birdie on No. 13, he took a two-hole lead. But Paxton came right back and scored a par on No. 14 when Sutherland bogeyed, and then the reverse happened on the 15th, pushing Sutherland back up by two.
On the 198-yard par-3 16th, Paxton pulled back to within one when made par while Sutherland bogeyed. Then on the 457-yard, par-4 17th, Paxton birdied while Sutherland made bogey and the match was tied for the first time since the 7th hole. On the 404-yard, par-4 18th, both two-putted from about 20 feet out to force the playoff.
Back to the 537-yard, par-5 1st hole, both made birdie. Paxton drove the green in two, and his first putt from60 feet out stopped just three-feet short of the hole. Sutherland was just off the green and chipped to within seven-feet and made birdie from there, and it was off to the 425-yard, par-4 2nd hole. Paxton bombed his drive about 320 yards and then hit his 56-degree sand wedge to seven-feet, where he made birdie; Sutherland's birdie putt from 25 feet away was short and the match was over.
Thus, after he was down two with three to play, Paxton finished par-birdie-par-birdie-birdie to win and join Jeff George as the only three-time champion in the event; George won in 1978, 1980 and 1982. He joined Kamrin Allen as the only player to win in back-to-back years as well, as Allen defended his 2012 title in 2013, also at the Club at Devil's Tower.
Next up for Paxton will be the Wyoming State Amateur in Evanston, June 28-30. The winner will earn an automatic exemption into the U.S. Amateur in August; otherwise he plans on competing in the sectional qualifier at Columbine Country Club in Littleton on July 18.
NOTES: For the finalists, all six rounds are crammed into three days of competition … For the week, overall, Paxton won 33 holes, lost 13 and tied 33 … Paxton won the qualifier by three strokes with his 4-under 68; he had an eagle, five birdies and nine pars against four bogeys on Tuesday … Sutherland was the No. 3 seed.
Thursday, March 26
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Tuesday, February 06
Tuesday, February 06