Cristoffer Rudosky was in a tight spot entering the 17th hole during the Class 4 Western Regional Tournament on Tuesday.
Checking the live updates, he and head coach Micah Rudosky believed him to be sitting around 15th place.
After a double-bogey on the 17th hole, Rudosky shot a birdie for the 18th and final hole, but his final score of 81 left him just short of making the cut to move on to the state tournament.
“Cristoffer was in a playoff for the twelfth spot,” said coach Rudosky. “And he ended up in the thirteen spot. He was one shot from making it.”
Rudosky was the lone Montezuma-Cortez golfer to travel to Steamboat Springs for the regional round at Haymaker Golf Course, and after just missing the state tournament, the Panthers’ season was over.
“I enjoyed the season,” said coach Rudosky. “I enjoyed working with the kids. It’s just that we didn’t have the team that we’ve had in the past. And every school goes through it, they go through ups-and-downs.”
Rudosky had noted prior to the season that he expected it to be a rebuilding year, and with many young and inexperienced players, he approached it differently.
“I wasn’t really needing them to go out there and shoot a certain number,” Rudosky said. “I wanted them to go out and enjoy a round of golf. Because if they’re going to have a little bit of fun then they’re going to come back, and if they’re feeling a lot of pressure and not having fun, then I believe our program would suffer.”
Rudosky continued, saying, “We want to win. But playing to your ability is all that we ask - That you go out and enjoy the game and try to get a little bit better each and every time.”
The Panthers’ golfers showed improvements throughout the year.
Cristoffer Rudosky placed in the majority of the competitions, sophomore Luke Gross shot a hole-in-one and juniors Braden Keetch and Forrest Gomez showed strides.
While it may have been a rebuilding season, Rudosky is optimistic about next season, with a number of players returning and a new group of incoming freshmen.
“We’ve got some kids coming into the program that will be freshman next year that have a drive and are out playing and working at it,” Rudosky said.
“And I think we’re going to be...well,” he said smiling as he paused. “We’re going to be quite a bit better next year.”