Rockville, Md., has treated Coloradans quite nicely in U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying in recent years.
In 2012, Shane Bertsch of Parker earned medalist honors at the site en route to playing in the U.S. Open.
And on Monday, Nick Mason of Denver made it to the U.S. Open for the first time by finishing tied for second in the Sectional Qualifier at Woodmont Country Club, where four players advanced to the second of golf’s men’s major championships.
That means two players with strong Colorado ties will be in the field when Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina hosts the U.S. Open June 12-15. Mason (pictured) will be joined there by Kent Denver High School graduate Kevin Stadler, who was exempt from qualifying by being in the top 60 in the world rankings as of May 26 (he’s currently 58th on that list).
A total of 10 Sectional Qualifying tournaments were held Monday across the U.S. They capped the U.S. Open qualifying process that started with a record total of 10,127 golfers signing up for the event — or its qualifiers.
Twenty-three players with major Colorado connections were among those competing at Sectionals.
Mason, who counts victories in the Hawaii State Open (including just last December) and the Nebraska Open among his golf accomplishments, shot rounds of 70 and 71 on Monday, giving him at 3-under-par 141 total. The only player who scored better out of the field of 59 was medalist Chad Collins of Cloverdale, Ind. (138). Former University of Colorado golfer Bob Kalinowski finished seventh in Rockville with a 144 total, falling three shots shy of the qualifying standard.
Mason, a 32-year-old former University of Hawaii-Hilo golfer, has competed in two PGA Tour events in his career — both the Sony Open in Hawaii — but missed the cut in both cases. He’s posted top-10 finishes in each of the last two HealthOne Colorado Opens, shooting 62 in the final round at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club last summer.
Mason was the medalist in a U.S. Open Local Qualifying tournament in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, on May 10.
As for Stadler, he’ll be competing in the U.S. Open for the first time since 2006. His exempt status this year is due largely to him collecting his first PGA Tour victory. In February, he outdueled Bubba Watson down the stretch in the Waste Management Phoenix Open near Stadler’s residence in Scottsdale, Ariz.
In his previous U.S. Open appearances, Stadler missed the cut in 2006 and finished 65th in 2004.
Here’s a roundup of how players with strong Colorado ties fared in U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying held Monday:
Daly City, Calif. (110 players for 5 spots) — Failed to Qualify: 15. Derek Tolan of Highlands Ranch 68-73–141; 33. Mark Hubbard of Denver 72-71–143; 46. Jon Lindstrom of Broomfield 70-75–145; 60. Derek Fribbs of Castle Rock 69-78–147; 73. Miles Philpy of Thornton 73-76–149; 85. David Schroeder II of Colorado Springs 75-76–151; 90. Alex Kephart of Colorado Springs 75-77–152; 105. Cameron Brown of Edwards 78-82–160; 110. Michael Baird of Castle Rock 83-WD.
Rockville, Md. (59 players for 4 spots) — Qualified for U.S. Open: 2. Nick Mason of Denver 70-71–141. Failed to Qualify: 7. former CU golfer Bob Kalinowski of Phoenix 73-71–144.
Memphis, Tenn. (145 players for 13 spots) — Failed to Qualify: 32. David Duval of Cherry Hills Village 68-72–140; 32. Riley Arp of Fort Collins 69-71–140; 32. former CSU golfer Martin Laird 67-73–140; 63. Zahkai Brown of Arvada 70-74–144; 103. former CU golfer Kevin Kring 74-76–150.
Creswell, Ore. (50 players for 2 spots) — Failed to Qualify: 15. Zen Brown of Arvada 75-73–148; 26. Matt Rutledge of Fort Collins 78-73–151; 30. Jim Knous of Basalt 75-77–152.
Columbus, Ohio (120 players for 16 spots) — Failed to Qualify: 56. Wyndham Clark of Lone Tree 72-74–146.
Springfield, Ohio (63 players for 3 spots) — Failed to Qualify: 34. Parker Edens of Greeley 73-74–147; 39. Brandon Bingaman of Montrose 78-71–149.
Houston (56 players for 3 spots) — Failed to Qualify: 42. A.J. Morris of Aspen 76-74–150.
