AURORA – Davis Mack didn’t always take golf seriously. But he got nudged to the sport by a volleyball coach of all things.
Rey Reyes pulled Mack, a senior at Manitou Springs High School, aside one day and told him that golf was something he should consider if he wasn’t going to play football. At the time, football wasn’t an option because Mack was too small.
So he figured, what the heck. He joined the golf team and began working with Reyes on a regular basis at Murphy Creek Golf Course.
Last year, Reyes passed away after a battle with cancer. And twice since his death, Mack has battled Murphy Creek well enough to qualify for the Class 3A state golf tournament. Mack shot a 6-over-par 78 to finish fourth at the Region 2 tournament, punching his ticket to Spring Valley Golf Club in two weeks.
Kent Denver’s Brendan Archer shot 72 to win the region and the Sun Devils also claimed the team championship.
But one battled the windy elements and the wave of emotions quite like Mack.
“This was the course where we practiced a lot – my brother (Christian) and I,” Mack said. “It means a lot to shoot really well here and play in his name.”
He carries a piece of his old coach with him in every round that he plays. On his shoes, he writes “RR” in sharpie to honor Reyes.
And that way, Reyes is with him every step of his journey.
On a day where the wind howled and shots were pushed way offline, Mack maintained a lot of composure.
After watching two hitters in his group lose balls drastically to the right on the par-3 seventh, Mack made a more conservative play and hit 7-iron. He found the greenside bunker and nearly holed his second shot for birdie before tapping in for a comfy 3.
He made two birdies on the day and just one double-bogey which was no easy task. And this is now the second year in a row that Mack has played his regional round at Murphy Creek. Qualifying last year was a pivotal point in his passion for golf. When he got to Dos Rios in Gunnison for his practice round, it helped him embrace the game and realize he wanted it to be a part of his life.
“Playing in that practice round with Coach (Ken) Vecchio and (Ken’s son Brian), I had a blast,” Mack said. “I had to keep grinding and play this sport the best I can and keep having fun.”
He’ll get that chance again in two weeks at state. What helped him get to the point he played today was his desire to keep shooting lower rounds than his most previous number.
And it doesn’t hurt to have the memory of his departed coach with him every step of the way.
“It’s very much a spiritual thing,” Mack said.
Those same shoes with the same “RR” inscribed on them will head to Spring Valley, meaning Coach Reyes will once again be with Mack every step of the way.
Class 5A Southern Regional
Arapahoe and Fairview qualified as teams with the Warriors getting the team win. Will Kates and Grant Juergens both scored in red numbers to finish No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.
Class 5A Northern Regional
Fossil Ridge’s Austin Barry fended off Brighton’s Kyle Leydon to win the individual title while Grandview and Fossil Ridge took first and second, respectively, in the team standings.
Liberty’s Hayden Woelk finished third and will head to the 5A state tournament at the Colorado Springs Country Club. He’ll have some team support as fellow Liberty senior Alex Lund also qualified.
Class 4A Region 1
Noah Wagner fired a 69 at Walking Stick to win his region and help Pueblo West also claim the team championship.
Falcon finished second thanks to Reese Knox and Benjamin Campbell finishing in the top four.
Coronado’s Noah Keller shot 82 to also qualify for the 4A tournament at City Park in Denver.
Class 4A Region 2
Defending 4A champion Cheyenne Mountain will bring a full team to City Park to defend its title. The Red-Tailed Hawks had all four players finish in the top eight to win the Region 2 title.
Evergreen freshman Tyler Long went 2-under on the back nine to shoot 70 to win medalist honors.
Cheyenne Mountain’s Thomas Herholtz took second with Campbell Grage right behind him. Greg Lewis, William Simpfendorfer and Joseph Graff IV all qualified to give Lewis-Palmer a team at City Park.
Palmer Ridge and Air Academy will also send multiple players to the state tournament, which begins on Oct. 4.