GRAND JUNCTION — The Miles Kuhl redemption tour came to a joyous conclusion Tuesday.
The Fairview senior — who twice came up tantalizingly close to winning a Class 5A individual state championship each of the past two seasons — held off a determined pack of pursuers in the final round at picturesque Bookcliff Country Club.
Kuhl had been super close to a state championship before, as he was the 5A runner-up in 2023 while tying for third place last season. This year, he finished 8-under-par 133 for the two-day tournament, giving him a one-shot win over sophomore teammate Ash Edwards.
“I had the hunger, so I was going to do whatever I could do to win it,” said Kuhl, who is headed to San Diego State. “This was all out of past experience, really. I’ve been in every podium spot now, 1-2-3.”
Kuhl credited his ball striking, which limited his trouble and resulted in just two bogeys over two full rounds.
He made three birdies on the front nine and three on the back nine, including a confident birdie putt on No. 18 that sealed the victory.
Edwards, the first-day leader by a stroke, had a chance to tie with an eagle on No. 18, but instead made par to finish in second, a big jump from his sixth-place finish last season.
Kuhl said the two wouldn’t have participated in an individual playoff if one was necessary.
“We decided over dinner last night that we’d take the tie and leave,” he said.
Edwards collected nine birdies in the opening round to take a lead, but found more trouble on the second day. He made his only birdie of the front nine on No. 7 to keep himself in contention, but a bogey on No. 10 dropped him three strokes off the pace set by his teammate.
Edwards pulled himself back a bit and overcame late charges from Cherokee Trail’s Brayden Forte, Columbine’s Connor Young, and last season’s state champion, Gavin Amella of Castle View, to finish second.
Erie was the only Boulder area team with enough qualifiers for a team score, and the Tigers finished in fifth place. They were paced by senior Cole Reseigh in 20th place (with a two-day total of 146), while junior Mason Bahr shot 147 to tie for 24th and senior Noah Haas finished in 38th.
Boulder sophomore Pierce Johnson improved by four strokes from his first to his second round to finish alone in 18th place at 144 over two days, while teammate Anton Taranda took 80th.
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