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Aspen, Basalt finish 1-2 at Cotton Ranch

Jon Maletz
The Aspen Times
Aspen, CO Colorado

GYPSUM, Colo. – Coulter Young pulled out his 5wood and didn’t let his ego get involved Thursday at Cotton Ranch Golf Club in Gypsum, Aspen head coach Mary Woulfe said. The strategy paid off on a course where narrow fairways and daunting hazards abound.

The sophomore, an honorable mention all-conference selection in 2008, fired a 4-over par round of 76 to log a top-five individual finish and help the Skiers best all other 3A schools. Teammates Jesse Beetham and Tommy Doyle shot 87 and 89, respectively, on a day when inflated scores littered the leaderboard. Steamboat Springs’ Kaelen Gunderson carded a 73 to earn medalist honors.

Senior Jim Knous finished with 84 for Basalt, which finished second to their upvalley rivals. Patrick Hall carded an 86 while freshman Dylan Rakowski wound up with 89.



“Coulter was really focused,” Woulfe said. “He’s a grinder. He never gives up, and that’s how he plays good golf. He was really patient today with his game. He was taking some bogeys in places he didn’t want, but he waited and waited for his opportunities and took advantage when he had them.” Knous, who shined in a team qualifier earlier in the week at the Roaring Fork Club, couldn’t shake his early-season struggles in tournament play. The Longhorns’ No. 1 has posted a score above 80 in three of five tournaments this season.

“He’s certainly capable of shooting good scores, but for whatever reason he kept hitting it in the junk today,” Basalt head coach Steve Knous said of his son. “Every hole has long grass, and very rugged terrain everywhere. He seemed like he was having a hard time keeping it out of there, as was virtually every kid.




“I know he was disappointed, but 84 is not a total embarrassment, either. … That’s a good score for that golf course.”

Basalt tees off next Wednesday at Devil’s Thumb Golf Course in Delta, while the Skiers play Monday at the Glenwood Springs Golf Club. Aspen sophomore Bobby Moyer fired a 7-over 77 to win medalist honors last season in Glenwood.

jmaletz@aspentimes.com