Catalina Foothills senior golferΒ Gavin CohenΒ won the 2016 Division II state championship last week at the Randolph Golf Complex. He shot 71-71, earning the title by two strokes, leading the Falcons to the team championship, by one stroke. Cohen, who accepted a golf scholarship from Arizona coachΒ Jim AndersonΒ more than a year ago, becomes part of one of Tucsonβs top sports legacies. He is the 30thΒ Tucsonan to win a state golf title, an impressive list that includesΒ Tucson HighβsΒ Bob GaonaΒ in 1958 and otherΒ such notable golfers as Palo VerdeβsΒ Ben Kern, 2001; CDOβsΒ Mark Udall, 1968; SabinoβsΒ Willie Wood, 1978-79; andΒ Brian Kontak, 1989; and current college golfersΒ Gentry HicksΒ of CDO (now at Utah);Β Chris MeyersΒ of CDO (now at Stanford);Β Billy ComeauxΒ of Sabino (now at Grand Canyon); andΒ Jaime WaltmireΒ of CDO (now at Western New Mexico). Winning a state golf championship has not been a clear route to the PGA Tour. The only Arizona state champions in history who became PGA Tour regulars were Phoenix CamelbackβsΒ Billy Mayfair, Phoenix Brophy PrepβsΒ Ted PurdyΒ and current Tour regularΒ Charlie BeljanΒ of Mesa Red Mountain. Cohen started playing at 9, stopped playing baseball at 12 to concentrate on golf, and has worked on his game at his home course, Ventana Canyon. Of the Tucson champs who stayed with the game, Gaona and Wood became Champions Tour regulars, Kern is a club pro in Texas. Others, such as SabinoβsΒ Chase Hite, played golf for the Utah Utes and is now convention sales manager for the Venetian and Palazzo resorts in Las Vegas.Β John ButteryΒ of CDO, who played golf for the UA, is now COO for Lithium ion Battery/InduraPower after earning an MBA from the UAβs Eller Business College. Β
Catalina Foothills' Cohen joins elite group with state golf championship
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
Greg Hansen
Columnist
- Updated
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