Thayer Plewe of Cortez, Colorado, shot an 8-under 64 in Wednesday’s first round, then held off the competition with an even-par 72 Thursday at the Junior PGA qualifier at UNM Championship. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal)
Thayer Plewe, a 17-year-old who has committed to the University of New Mexico, said he was excited to play in the Junior PGA Championship qualifier because he was going to be competing at his future home: UNM Championship Golf Course.
Plewe’s excitement resulted in a scintillating 8-under, bogey-free round on Wednesday, and then he was a grinder for an even-par round on Thursday to win the qualifier that takes the top two to compete in the event at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Palos Park, Illinois, on Aug. 2-5.
“I love this course,” Plewe said. “This course is awesome. They keep it in great condition. It’s always fun to come play a good tournament where it’s a good field on a good golf course.”
Grady Cox, who has captured two straight Class 4-A state titles as a freshman and sophomore for Belen, won a one-hole playoff against Ryan Lewis of El Paso to earn the second qualifying spot.
Cox, who shot a personal-best 3-under at UNM Championship on Thursday, finished at 2-under 142 in regulation.
Amara Montoya, a 14-year-old Jarales, N.M., resident who will be a freshman at St. Pius in the fall, shot 4-over 76 in each round to qualify second in the girls division by one shot lower than Rylee Salome, who won the Class 4A state title as a freshman for Belen last month, and Karen Tian of Santa Fe. Salome also won the U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier at UNM Championship Golf Course on June 14.
Cox and the rest of the boys field of 64 were chasing Plewe after his 8-under first round in wet conditions.
Plewe, a rising senior at Montezuma-Cortez High School in Colorado, started on No. 10 on Wednesday when there was a significant downpour of rain. His back nine began with moderate rainfall. He eagled No. 1 to start his back nine. He also had six birdies, closing out his round with one on No. 9 to carry a five-shot lead into the second round.
“It felt good to go out there and shoot a low round,” Plewe said. “Just putting it in play on every tee helped. By the end of the round I felt I could pretty much do anything. So, it’s a huge confidence boost, and when you have that much confidence you’re going to have a good round.”
Lobo fans will need to be patient to see Plewe in action in Albuquerque. After high school, Plewe will go on a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He is expected to begin at UNM in the fall of 2025.
“I chose UNM because the coaches are amazing,” Plewe said. “(Head coach Glen) Millican and (assistant Gustavo) Morantes, they’re awesome. Just great guys, great coaches, they know a ton about the game. … As soon as I stepped on campus for my visit, I felt good about it. When Millican gave me the offer I couldn’t refuse it.”
Plewe also had an offer from Colorado State.
He struggled during the majority of his front nine on Thursday, including a double bogey on No. 5 and bogeys on 4 and 8. But a sensational eagle on No. 9 helped him find some steadiness. He chipped in from about 30 feet out in front of a crowd outside the clubhouse.
“That was huge,” Plewe said. “I had a rough first eight holes. I doubled that easy hole. I was a bit frustrated. When I made the eagle it was a big turnaround. It steadied the ship a bit.”
Cox moved up the leaderboard in the second round, passing six others, as he was nine shots behind Plewe after shooting 1-over in the first round.
He said he did his best to treat the playoff as any other hole, but he was well aware what was on the line.
“I heard this one time: If you don’t feel pressure, you don’t care,” Cox said. “You will always feel pressure. I try to think of it as I’m more excited than the pressure.”
Cox parred the hole, while Lewis bogeyed.
Cox will be busy next month, leading up to the Junior PGA Championship.
He’s going to play in the Miami Optimist Junior Golf Championship July 26-29 at Trump National Doral in Miami.
Amara Montoya sinks a putt that earned her a qualifying bid to the Junior PGA nationals. She will be a freshman this fall at St. Pius. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal)
Montoya, who finished eight shots behind winner Raleygh Simpson from Kerrville, Texas, surprised herself a bit after qualifying.
“I didn’t think this day would come until my older high school years,” Montoya said. “I’m very glad.”
Montoya was also second after the first round behind Simpson, who shot even.
RESULTS
Boys 16-18
“1”,Thayer Plewe,”Cortez, CO”,64,72,136,”-8″
“2”,Grady Cox,”Rio Communities, NM”,73,69,142,”-2″
ALTERNATES – IN ORDER
“3”,Ryan Lewis,”El Paso, TX”,74,68,142,”-2″
“4”,Anthony Lara,”Anthony, TX”,75,68,143,”-1″
“5”,Clark Sonnenberg,”Albuquerque, NM”,69,79,148,”+4″
“6”,”Evaristo “”Vari”” Mariscal”,”Deming, NM”,72,76,148,”+4″
“7”,Eli Salazar,”Santa Fe, NM”,71,77,148,”+4″
DID NOT QUALIFY
“8”,Neil Parasher,”Albuquerque, NM”,75,74,149,”+5″
“9”,Angelo Martinez,”Albuquerque, NM”,76,75,151,”+7″
“10”,Jackson Hicks,”Roswell, NM”,73,78,151,”+7″
“11”,Matthew Ahlgrim,”Farmington, NM”,78,74,152,”+8″
“12”,Jacob Hernandez,”Deming, NM”,78,75,153,”+9″
“13”,Peyton Jones,”Roswell, NM”,83,71,154,”+10″
“14”,Skyler Woods,”Kirtland, NM”,77,77,154,”+10″
“15”,Jake Yrene,”Albuquerque, NM”,76,78,154,”+10″
“16”,Cristian Montoya,”Belen, NM”,79,76,155,”+11″
“17”,Andrew Hill,”Corpus Christi, TX”,78,77,155,”+11″
“18”,Nick Castro,”Colleyville, TX”,78,77,155,”+11″
“19”,Alfie Mellor,”Albuquerque, NM”,79,77,156,”+12″
“20”,Aden Morales,”El Paso, TX”,81,76,157,”+13″
“21”,Sage Rodriguez,”Albuquerque, NM”,80,78,158,”+14″
“22”,Kirin Hochenedel,”Albuquerque, NM”,81,79,160,”+16″
“23”,Adiance Cheromiah,”Laguna, NM”,80,81,161,”+17″
“24”,Isaiah Schmedes,”Tijeras, NM”,83,78,161,”+17″
“25”,Payton Black,”Rio Rancho, NM”,83,78,161,”+17″
“26”,David Garza,”Albuquerque, NM”,82,80,162,”+18″
“27”,Ardell John,”Kirtland, NM”,81,82,163,”+19″
“28”,Landen Lovato,”Albuquerque, NM”,84,80,164,”+20″
“29”,Fernando Jimenez,”El Paso, TX”,83,83,166,”+22″
“30”,Cade Freeze,”Albuquerque, NM”,88,80,168,”+24″
“31”,Thomas Trujillo,”Santa Fe, NM”,84,85,169,”+25″
“32”,Mateo Boucher,”Albuquerque, NM”,89,81,170,”+26″
“33”,Charlie Voita,”Farmington, NM”,89,81,170,”+26″
“34”,Zachary Griswold,”Durango, CO”,86,84,170,”+26″
“35”,Isaac Cota,”Albuquerque, NM”,86,84,170,”+26″
“36”,Damian Labrado,”El Paso, TX”,81,89,170,”+26″
“37”,Gabriel Knowshisgun,”Albuquerque, NM”,84,87,171,”+27″
“38”,Ryan Rasmussen,”Goodyear, AZ”,87,85,172,”+28″
“39”,Luke James,”Gallup, NM”,87,86,173,”+29″
“40”,”Ryan Aragon, Jr.”,”Albuquerque, NM”,87,86,173,”+29″
“41”,Grant McCleskey,”El Paso, TX”,92,84,176,”+32″
“42”,Brock Rice,”Albuquerque, NM”,85,91,176,”+32″
“43”,Bowen Jones,”Roswell, NM”,90,87,177,”+33″
“44”,Zachary BlueEyes,”Kirtland”,89,88,177,”+33″
“45”,Andrew Stepien,”Albuquerque, NM”,89,90,179,”+35″
“46”,Elias Rose,”Albuqurque, NM”,94,86,180,”+36″
“47”,Josh James,”Albuquerque, NM”,96,88,184,”+40″
“48”,Emilio Brown,”Albuquerque, NM”,100,85,185,”+41″
“49”,Noah Pozernick,”Gallup, NM”,93,92,185,”+41″
“50”,Elliott Ochs,”Albuquerque, NM”,95,90,185,”+41″
“51”,Alex Marquez,”Rio Rancho, NM”,95,93,188,”+44″
“52”,Ian Pierce,”Albuquerque, NM”,93,96,189,”+45″
“53”,Michael Arrell,”Pueblo, CO”,96,93,189,”+45″
“54”,Troy Oswald III,”Roswell, NM”,97,94,191,”+47″
“55”,Nicholas Kasero,”Albuquerque, NM”,105,87,192,”+48″
“56”,Joshua Maez,”Alburquerque new mexico, NM”,103,90,193,”+49″
“57”,Ethan Lopez,”Albuquerque”,93,100,193,”+49″
“58”,Brett Wall,”Albuquerque, NM”,99,95,194,”+50″
“59”,Luke Brown,”Albuquerque, NM”,96,99,195,”+51″
“60”,Joseph Rondeau,”Albuquerque, NM”,109,88,197,”+53″
“61”,Benjamin Ogden,”Durango, CO”,104,94,198,”+54″
“62”,Bryson Kettler,”Corrales, NM”,100,98,198,”+54″
“63”,Justen Martinez,”Bosque farms, NM”,103,107,210,”+66″
“64”,Brennan Johnson,”Albuquerque, NM”,129,130,259,”+115″
“65”,B’Angelo Mason,”Albuquerque, NM”,147,131,278,”+134″
DID NOT FINISH
“WD”,Benjamin Hutchison,”Albuquerque, NM”,””
“WD”,Kyle Mathews,”Albuquerque, NM”,””
“WD”,Richie Reif,”Albuquerque, NM”,””
“JWD”,Joseph Garcia,”Albuquerque, NM”,”+5″
============================================================
Results for contest Boys 13-15 :
============================================================
“1”,Eli Salazar,”Santa Fe, NM”,71,77,148,”+4″
“2”,Angelo Martinez,”Albuquerque, NM”,76,75,151,”+7″
“3”,Cristian Montoya,”Belen, NM”,79,76,155,”+11″
“T4″,Isaiah Schmedes,”Tijeras, NM”,83,78,161,”+17″
“T4″,Payton Black,”Rio Rancho, NM”,83,78,161,”+17″
“6”,Thomas Trujillo,”Santa Fe, NM”,84,85,169,”+25″
“T7″,Isaac Cota,”Albuquerque, NM”,86,84,170,”+26″
“T7″,Damian Labrado,”El Paso, TX”,81,89,170,”+26″
“9”,Ryan Rasmussen,”Goodyear, AZ”,87,85,172,”+28″
“10”,Grant McCleskey,”El Paso, TX”,92,84,176,”+32″
“11”,Zachary BlueEyes,”Kirtland”,89,88,177,”+33″
“12”,Josh James,”Albuquerque, NM”,96,88,184,”+40″
“T13″,Elliott Ochs,”Albuquerque, NM”,95,90,185,”+41″
“T13″,Emilio Brown,”Albuquerque, NM”,100,85,185,”+41″
“15”,Ian Pierce,”Albuquerque, NM”,93,96,189,”+45″
“16”,Troy Oswald III,”Roswell, NM”,97,94,191,”+47″
“17”,Brett Wall,”Albuquerque, NM”,99,95,194,”+50″
“18”,Luke Brown,”Albuquerque, NM”,96,99,195,”+51″
“T19″,Bryson Kettler,”Corrales, NM”,100,98,198,”+54″
“T19″,Benjamin Ogden,”Durango, CO”,104,94,198,”+54″
“21”,Justen Martinez,”Bosque farms, NM”,103,107,210,”+66″
“22”,Brennan Johnson,”Albuquerque, NM”,129,130,259,”+115″
“23”,B’Angelo Mason,”Albuquerque, NM”,147,131,278,”+134″
============================================================
Results for contest Boys 16-18 :
============================================================
“1”,Thayer Plewe,”Cortez, CO”,64,72,136,”-8″
“2”,Grady Cox,”Rio Communities, NM”,73,69,142,”-2″
“3”,Ryan Lewis,”El Paso, TX”,74,68,142,”-2″
“4”,Anthony Lara,”Anthony, TX”,75,68,143,”-1″
“5”,Clark Sonnenberg,”Albuquerque, NM”,69,79,148,”+4″
“6”,”Evaristo “”Vari”” Mariscal”,”Deming, NM”,72,76,148,”+4″
“7”,Neil Parasher,”Albuquerque, NM”,75,74,149,”+5″
“8”,Jackson Hicks,”Roswell, NM”,73,78,151,”+7″
“9”,Matthew Ahlgrim,”Farmington, NM”,78,74,152,”+8″
“10”,Jacob Hernandez,”Deming, NM”,78,75,153,”+9″
“11”,Peyton Jones,”Roswell, NM”,83,71,154,”+10″
“12”,Skyler Woods,”Kirtland, NM”,77,77,154,”+10″
“13”,Jake Yrene,”Albuquerque, NM”,76,78,154,”+10″
“14”,Andrew Hill,”Corpus Christi, TX”,78,77,155,”+11″
“15”,Nick Castro,”Colleyville, TX”,78,77,155,”+11″
“16”,Alfie Mellor,”Albuquerque, NM”,79,77,156,”+12″
“17”,Aden Morales,”El Paso, TX”,81,76,157,”+13″
“18”,Sage Rodriguez,”Albuquerque, NM”,80,78,158,”+14″
“19”,Kirin Hochenedel,”Albuquerque, NM”,81,79,160,”+16″
“20”,Adiance Cheromiah,”Laguna, NM”,80,81,161,”+17″
“21”,David Garza,”Albuquerque, NM”,82,80,162,”+18″
“22”,Ardell John,”Kirtland, NM”,81,82,163,”+19″
“23”,Landen Lovato,”Albuquerque, NM”,84,80,164,”+20″
“24”,Fernando Jimenez,”El Paso, TX”,83,83,166,”+22″
“25”,Cade Freeze,”Albuquerque, NM”,88,80,168,”+24″
“26”,Mateo Boucher,”Albuquerque, NM”,89,81,170,”+26″
“27”,Charlie Voita,”Farmington, NM”,89,81,170,”+26″
“28”,Zachary Griswold,”Durango, CO”,86,84,170,”+26″
“29”,Gabriel Knowshisgun,”Albuquerque, NM”,84,87,171,”+27″
“30”,Luke James,”Gallup, NM”,87,86,173,”+29″
“31”,”Ryan Aragon, Jr.”,”Albuquerque, NM”,87,86,173,”+29″
“32”,Brock Rice,”Albuquerque, NM”,85,91,176,”+32″
“33”,Bowen Jones,”Roswell, NM”,90,87,177,”+33″
“34”,Andrew Stepien,”Albuquerque, NM”,89,90,179,”+35″
“35”,Elias Rose,”Albuqurque, NM”,94,86,180,”+36″
“36”,Noah Pozernick,”Gallup, NM”,93,92,185,”+41″
“37”,Alex Marquez,”Rio Rancho, NM”,95,93,188,”+44″
“38”,Michael Arrell,”Pueblo, CO”,96,93,189,”+45″
“39”,Nicholas Kasero,”Albuquerque, NM”,105,87,192,”+48″
“40”,Joshua Maez,”Alburquerque new mexico, NM”,103,90,193,”+49″
“41”,Ethan Lopez,”Albuquerque”,93,100,193,”+49″
“42”,Joseph Rondeau,”Albuquerque, NM”,109,88,197,”+53″
DID NOT FINISH
“WD”,Benjamin Hutchison,”Albuquerque, NM”,””
“WD”,Kyle Mathews,”Albuquerque, NM”,””
“WD”,Richie Reif,”Albuquerque, NM”,””
“JWD”,Joseph Garcia,”Albuquerque, NM”,”+5″
============================================================
Results for contest Girls 13-15:
============================================================
“1”,Amara Montoya,”Jarales, NM”,76,76,152,”+8″
“2”,Callia Ward,”Albuquerque, NM”,78,81,159,”+15″
“T3″,Chloe Sirkin,”Colleyville, TX”,79,81,160,”+16″
“T3″,Eleanor Warden,”Las Cruces, NM”,80,80,160,”+16″
“5”,Nahomy Labrado,”EL Paso, TX”,83,78,161,”+17″
“6”,Natalie Lewis,”El Paso, TX”,88,81,169,”+25″
“7”,Reia Armendariz,”Murphy, TX”,85,85,170,”+26″
“8”,Adelyn Haas,”Albuquerque, NM”,83,89,172,”+28″
“9”,Faith Hendren,”El paso, TX”,89,88,177,”+33″
“10”,Alyssandra Rodriguez,”Albuquerque, NM”,86,92,178,”+34″
“11”,Sofia Chavez,”El Paso”,91,99,190,”+46″
“12”,Giulia Baccante,”Santa Fe, NM”,104,101,205,”+61″
“13”,Dallas Dan,”Kirtland, NM”,111,97,208,”+64″
“T14″,Olivia Long,”Albuquerque, NM”,115,94,209,”+65″
“T14″,Reese Brown,”Albuquerque, NM”,108,101,209,”+65″
“16”,Elysse Woods,”Kirtland, NM”,113,101,214,”+70″
“17”,Kendall Trujillo,”Albuquerque, NM”,115,104,219,”+75″
“18”,Ryanne Covel,”Albuquerque, NM”,110,116,226,”+82″
“19”,Savanna Mirelez,”Rio Rancho, NM”,116,114,230,”+86″
“20”,Audrina Duran,”El Paso, TX”,131,124,255,”+111″
DID NOT FINISH
“WD”,Nicole Iniakov,”Prunedale, CA”,””
“JWD”,Eliana Saga,”Stevenson Ranch, CA”,”+9″
“JWD”,Dresden Bounds,”San Antonio, TX”,””
============================================================
Results for contest Girls 16-18:
============================================================
“1”,Raleygh Simpson,”Kerrville, TX”,72,72,144,”E”
“2”,Rylee Salome,”Los Lunas, NM”,77,76,153,”+9″
“3”,Karen Tian,”Santa Fe, NM”,78,75,153,”+9″
“4”,Anya Parasher,”Albuquerque, NM”,77,79,156,”+12″
“5”,Annie Yost,”Farmington, NM”,79,80,159,”+15″
“6”,Alexis Reyes,”El Paso, TX”,77,82,159,”+15″
“7”,Sarah Grenemyer,”Albuquerque, NM”,87,77,164,”+20″
“8”,Madison Armijo,”Albuquerque, NM”,86,85,171,”+27″
“9”,Brooklynn Maes,”Las Cruces, NM”,89,83,172,”+28″
“10”,Olivia Zamarripa,”Albuquerque, NM”,89,83,172,”+28″
“11”,Marissa Armendariz,”Murphy, TX”,95,82,177,”+33″
“12”,Gianna Nilvo,”Los Lunas, NM”,99,85,184,”+40″
“13”,Maddison Long,”Albuquerque, NM”,96,91,187,”+43″
“14”,Caytlin Petrova,”Albuquerque, NM”,99,91,190,”+46″
“15”,Hallie Vigil,”Albuquerque, NM”,105,90,195,”+51″
============================================================
Results for contest Girls Qualifier:
============================================================
Qualifiers: 2 Alternates: 5
QUALIFIERS
“1”,Raleygh Simpson,”Kerrville, TX”,72,72,144,”E”
“2”,Amara Montoya,”Jarales, NM”,76,76,152,”+8″
ALTERNATES – IN ORDER
“3”,Rylee Salome,”Los Lunas, NM”,77,76,153,”+9″
“4”,Karen Tian,”Santa Fe, NM”,78,75,153,”+9″
“5”,Anya Parasher,”Albuquerque, NM”,77,79,156,”+12″
“6”,Annie Yost,”Farmington, NM”,79,80,159,”+15″
“7”,Callia Ward,”Albuquerque, NM”,78,81,159,”+15″
DID NOT QUALIFY
“8”,Alexis Reyes,”El Paso, TX”,77,82,159,”+15″
“9”,Chloe Sirkin,”Colleyville, TX”,79,81,160,”+16″
“10”,Eleanor Warden,”Las Cruces, NM”,80,80,160,”+16″
“11”,Nahomy Labrado,”EL Paso, TX”,83,78,161,”+17″
“12”,Sarah Grenemyer,”Albuquerque, NM”,87,77,164,”+20″
“13”,Natalie Lewis,”El Paso, TX”,88,81,169,”+25″
“14”,Reia Armendariz,”Murphy, TX”,85,85,170,”+26″
“15”,Madison Armijo,”Albuquerque, NM”,86,85,171,”+27″
“16”,Brooklynn Maes,”Las Cruces, NM”,89,83,172,”+28″
“17”,Olivia Zamarripa,”Albuquerque, NM”,89,83,172,”+28″
“18”,Adelyn Haas,”Albuquerque, NM”,83,89,172,”+28″
“19”,Marissa Armendariz,”Murphy, TX”,95,82,177,”+33″
“20”,Faith Hendren,”El paso, TX”,89,88,177,”+33″
“21”,Alyssandra Rodriguez,”Albuquerque, NM”,86,92,178,”+34″
“22”,Gianna Nilvo,”Los Lunas, NM”,99,85,184,”+40″
“23”,Maddison Long,”Albuquerque, NM”,96,91,187,”+43″
“24”,Caytlin Petrova,”Albuquerque, NM”,99,91,190,”+46″
“25”,Sofia Chavez,”El Paso”,91,99,190,”+46″
“26”,Hallie Vigil,”Albuquerque, NM”,105,90,195,”+51″
“27”,Giulia Baccante,”Santa Fe, NM”,104,101,205,”+61″
“28”,Dallas Dan,”Kirtland, NM”,111,97,208,”+64″
“29”,Olivia Long,”Albuquerque, NM”,115,94,209,”+65″
“30”,Reese Brown,”Albuquerque, NM”,108,101,209,”+65″
“31”,Elysse Woods,”Kirtland, NM”,113,101,214,”+70″
“32”,Kendall Trujillo,”Albuquerque, NM”,115,104,219,”+75″
“33”,Ryanne Covel,”Albuquerque, NM”,110,116,226,”+82″
“34”,Savanna Mirelez,”Rio Rancho, NM”,116,114,230,”+86″
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“35”,Audrina Duran,”El Paso, TX”,131,124,255,”+111″
DID NOT FINISH
“WD”,Nicole Iniakov,”Prunedale, CA”,””
“JWD”,Eliana Saga,”Stevenson Ranch, CA”,”+9″
“JWD”,Dresden Bounds,”San Antonio, TX”,””
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