At 8,000 feet, the Golfweek Red Sky Classic towers above the college golf calendar

Golf

Upgraded Sept. 22, 2026, 8:31 a.m. ET

WOLCOTT, CO– The views at Red Sky Golf Club will take your breath away. The elevation will, too.

The 17th edition of the Golfweek Red Sky Classic started Monday, and the competition uses a few of college golf’s most magnificent views. Red Sky Ranch, which has 2 champion golf courses that have to do with two-and-a-half hours west of Denver off Interstate 70, is located high in the Rocky Mountains.

How high? The clubhouse sits at 7,665 feet, an elevation that puts the Golfweek Red Sky Classic in a various stratosphere as the highest-elevation college golf occasion in the nation. The 16th tee box at the Fazio Course reaches simply above 8,000 feet, while the 6th green on the opposite side of the golf course is right above 7,200 feet. One golf course and almost 1,000 feet of elevation modification in between the backs of the course.

That simply contributes to the obstacle of what is coming among the greatest occasions every fall.

“At the end of the day, it’s just numbers,” stated Miami coach Janice Olivencia. “We try to simple it out as much as possible. There are a lot of variables. A lot of factors.”

Miami’s school rests just 10 feet above water level, yet the Hurricanes shot 11-under 277 in the opening round and path just protecting champ Southern California after Monday. USC opened in 22-under 266, getting where it ended in 2015 after a record-setting efficiency to win.

Olivencia stated a few of the elements that enter into determining range consist of how high or low a gamer is releasing their shot and the sensation of being comfy striking a club that at sea level has no service reaching it performs in the mountains. Gamers are attempting to keep it easy today, even with a couple of more estimations that enter into striking each shot.

USC coach Justin Silverstein stated his gamers are including approximately 5 percent for much shorter clubs and approximately 15 percent range for shots struck with longer ones. In 2015, Silverstein stated his group was striking chance ats 7,700 feet in the indoor center to prep for Red Sky. It settled, which strategy appears to be working after 18 holes this year, too, even if they did so a little less than in 2025.

The Fazio Course is a mountainous test with elevation modifications on almost every hole. The course does not get simpler when reaching the greens, however, as slick, swelling putting surface areas challenge gamers after striking their technique shots.

Include the greatest elevation of any course in college golf, it produces a test unlike any other that the 20 groups in the field will deal with all season.

Golf Colorado’s Maya McVey with an unbelievable scorecard

Maya McVey had a round she will always remember Monday.

The senior at Colorado had a blemish-free scorecard in the opening round. She had no bogeys, yes, however more excellent is that she had 18 pars in an opening 72.

“I honestly can’t believe it,” McVey stated at scoring after the round.

Golf A launching to keep in mind for USC’s Kaili Xiao

USC’s Kaili Xiao fidgeted on her very first tee shot of the day. She made bogey on the very first hole, however that was the only error of the whole round.

The freshman, making her college golf launching, rattled off 8 birdies after the opening bogey to shoot 7-under 65. She had 6 of those birdies on the back 9, getting back in 30 to lead the Trojans after the preliminary.

USC holds the leading 3 areas on the leaderboard. Jasmine Koo completed at 7 under, too, while Kylie Chong signed for 6-under 66. Koo and Chong connected for medalist honors in 2015 at 13 under.

Cameron Jourdanis an assistant editor of Golfweek, covering college and amateur golf, the PGA Tour and plenty more. Follow Cameron on X/Twitter (@Cam_Jourdan) or Instagram (@GolfweekJourdan).