Sullivan dominates again, helping Cheyenne Mountain remain perfect in Metro events

For the third time in four Metro League golf tournaments, Kylee Sullivan emerged as the individual medalist. For the Cheyenne Mountain girls' golf team, it was the fourth individual win and the fourth team win in as many tries.

Sullivan shot a 76 on Thursday at the Cougar Classic, which was held at Kissing Camels Golf Club. Her score was nine strokes better than any other golfer and helped Cheyenne Mountain win the team title by 14 strokes.

“We've got our sights set on the next part of it, that's regionals,” Cheyenne Mountain coach Bill Paulson said. "We want to play well there and if we can accomplish what we want to do there, we'll set our sights on what we can do at state."

Palmer Ridge took second among 4A schools with a score of 267 and Lewis-Palmer was third at 274. Individually, Sullivan's teammate Katherine Kemp and Palmer Ridge's Audrey Meyer each scored an 85.

Palmer Ridge was the only school that had all four of its golfers score under 100.

“It was a good confidence builder for us,” Palmer Ridge coach Lauren Besler said.

Doherty was top among the 5A schools at 285.

The wins have given Sullivan and Cheyenne Mountain overwhelming leads for the 4A Metro League individual and team titles. With one tournament remaining, Sullivan leads Palmer Ridge's Maggie Geolat by 21 strokes. That means that Geolat would need to shoot in the 50s at the final Metro league tournament, the Fountain-Fort Carson Invitational on May 3 at Cheyenne Shadows Golf Club.

Cheyenne Mountain, meanwhile, increased its lead over Palmer Ridge for the 4A title to 58 strokes. Pine Creek leads the 5A Metro League race over Doherty by 42 strokes.

In addition to winning three of the four Metro League tournaments, Sullivan also won a pair of non-league tournaments this past week, the Lady Kadet Invitational and the Cheyenne Mountain Invitational. It was her win in the second that set the stage for Thursday's performance.

“I came out with more confidence after coming off a 73,” she said about her round Wednesday at the Country Club of Colorado. “It was really windy so it was hard to judge some of the clubs and stuff but I think I played pretty well.”

Starting at the third hole of the Kissing Camels Club's North Course on Thursday, Sullivan drove through the fairway before lofting a wedge to within 6 feet of the hole. She calmly drained a bending, side-hill putt for birdie.

On the next two holes, she holed difficult putts to save par. On the fourth, it was a downhill 12-footer and on the fifth she made a sweeping 8-footer.

After a birdie on the Par 5 sixth hole to go to 2-under par, she struggled with the wind with three straight bogeys. From there, she stayed at even par until a late double bogey.

The wind was a factor Thursday, particularly for those less experienced. The courses at Kissing Camels were in outstanding condition, but its location on the bluffs above the Garden of the Gods can be unforgiving in certain conditions.

“If you got on the North Course at the wrong time, it was tough sledding,” Paulson said. “I mean the wind and you get out there and it's exposed.

“Kylee can handle that stuff because – it's Kylee.”