Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Karsten Simmons prepares to tee off during the Kokopelli Classic in Gilbert, Arizona on March 18.
WORLAND - Now that the worst of winter is behind us, Worland's Karsten Simmons is back out on the golf course, and competed in his first tournament of 2018. As part of the Rocky Mountain Junior Golf Tour, Simmons traveled to Gilbert, Arizona, to play in the Kokopelli Classic at the Kokopelli Golf Club on March 17-18.
Simmons battled it out in the 16- to 19-year-old age division and got his season in the RMJGT off to a nice start, shooting 81, 82 – 164 to finish in third place.
Not only was the Kokopelli Classic Simmons' first competition of 2018 but it was also his first since the RMJGT Cup tournament in Las Vegas on Nov. 26, 2017. Considering the winter's rust and the fact that the Worland eighth-grader held his own against high school and college level competition, 2018 could shape up fairly nicely for Simmons.
"Another exciting golf trip complete for Karsten. Overall another successful outcome and a huge success with all the adversity," said Randy Simmons, Karsten's father.
The wind gave each golfer at the Kokopelli Classic fits for both days of the tournament, but Simmons sat in second place with a two-stroke lead over third place Caden Truelick heading into the 18th hole of the final round. Unfortunately for Simmons, he double-bogeyed the hole which put him in a tie with Truelick; to which he lost the tiebreaking scorecard playoff and wound up placing third.
Dallon Bennett, a freshman golfer at Benedictine University at Mesa won the tournament, shooting an 82, 77 – 159.
With his golf schedule underway, Simmons figures to be in plenty more tight battles. Two of his bigger tournaments will be coming up this spring, first will be a qualifying tournament for the Junior World Championship in San Diego, California, and the second another qualifying tournament this time for the Optimist Junior Championship in Palm Garden, Florida.
"Karsten has a pretty tight schedule coming up with plenty of Colorado golf and two qualifiers in June. We look forward to another exciting season," said Randy Simmons.
