By her best estimate, Becca Huffer believes she’s played in about a dozen USGA championships — which isn’t bad considering she’s only 21 years old and didn’t compete at all last summer due to tendinitis in her wrist.

If that’s the case, it’s safe to say that No. 13 is the sweetest of all. After earning spots in five U.S. Girls’ Juniors, two U.S. Women’s Amateurs and five U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, the Denver resident on Sunday landed a coveted berth in the U.S. Women’s Open, arguably the top women’s tournament in the world.

Huffer (pictured above), who just turned professional after playing golf for Notre Dame, easily gained medalist honors in the 36-hole Sectional Qualifying at the West Course at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. Her 3-over-par 145 total (70-75) was the only one under 150 out of a field that originally numbered 78.

“It’s awesome,” said the two-time state high school champion. “I couldn’t really ask for more.”

Asked if it was her biggest accomplishment in golf, Huffer said, “It’s hard to compare, but it’s definitely up there.”

Two other players joined Huffer in advancing to the U.S. Women’s Open, which will be played July 5-8 at Blackwolf Run in Kohler, Wis.

Kelly Jacques (pictured at left), who grew up in Longmont and is a two-time state high school champion like Huffer, went 73-78 for a 151 total to finish second. And Anya Sarai Alvarez of Tulsa, Okla., qualified at the Broadmoor for the Women’s Open for the second consecutive year. On Sunday, after she and Canadian amateur Jisoo Keel tied at 152, Alvarez made an 18-inch birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff to land the final qualifying spot. Last year, Alvarez made the cut in the U.S. Women’s Open at the Broadmoor.

Huffer, coming off a runner-up finish in her pro debut at the HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open on Friday, was part of the first group off on Sunday and finished with eight birdies in two rounds. And she managed her game well on the very challenging Broadmoor greens.

“It was pretty good all around,” said Huffer, who had played the West Course just twice before Sunday. “I was hitting it really well for my approach shots today. It’s a tough course so even if you hit a good shot you might leave yourself in a bad spot and have to deal with the greens. But I had a lot of easy birdie putts go in so that helped out.

“I just wanted to go out and make as few bogeys as possible and get some birdies. I was thinking if I could do around par to a few over (for the day), I’d be happy. It’s a tough course.”

Like Huffer, Jacques was just two days removed from a strong performance in the Colorado Women’s Open, where the Skyline High School graduate placed third for the second time. And, like Huffer, Jacques will be going to the U.S. Women’s Open for the first time.

“This is like a dream,” the 26-year-old said. “Oh my gosh, it’s so exciting. It’s such a goal. And it’s one step closer to actually playing out there (on the LPGA Tour) full-time. It’s going to be really cool to be able to get a taste of what my life will be like in a little bit.”

Jacques, a contestant on Golf Channel’s “Big Break Ireland” last year, has been playing on and off on the Symetra (Futures) Tour. But going to the U.S. Women’s Open might really be the big break she needs.

“I haven’t really done too much since high school,” she said of her golf accomplishments. “I had a decent college career (at Oklahoma), but I didn’t do great. I was never an All-American, a standout in the country. I always felt I had more in me.

“My game is finally getting to the point where I feel like I can compete with the best.”

On Sunday, Jacques made three birdies on the day and avoided any disasters; nothing worse than a bogey marred her card.

“I made a few mental mistakes and got tired in the middle of my second 18, but I bounced back from that, which I was proud of myself for,” Jacques said. “I stuck with it but I could have definitely just fallen off the train there. But I was hitting the ball really well. I probably only mishit a few shots. I just couldn’t drop any putts today.”

Meanwhile, Alvarez rebounded from a first-round 80 with a 72 to force the playoff she won. Alvarez qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open despite making a triple bogey and a double bogey in her first round Sunday.

The Broadmoor was one of 19 Sectional Qualifying sites for the U.S. Women’s Open. All told, the USGA received a record 1,364 entries for the Women’s Open.

U.S. Women’s Open Sectional Qualifying
At West Course at Broadmoor GC in Colorado Springs

(Par-71, 6,681 Yards)

a-indicates amateur

Qualified for U.S. Women’s Open
Becca Huffer, Denver, Colo. 70-75–145
Kelly Jacques, Longmont, Colo. 73-78–151
Anya Sarai Alvarez, Tulsa, Okla. 80-72–152

Alternates (in order)
a-Jisoo Keel, Canada 77-75–152
a-Alexandra Kaui, Kapolei, Hawaii 76-77–153

Failed to Qualify
Joy Trotter, Chino Hills, Calif. 79-75–154
Jessica Speechley, Australia 76-79–155
a-Calli Ringsby, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 79-76–155
Lanny Whiteside-Deroeck, Castle Rock, Colo. 78-77–155
Stacey Bieber, Canada 79-77–156
a-Alex Stewart, Oklahoma City, Okla. 76-82–158
Tamara Johns, Australia 78-80–158
McKenzie Jackson, Marana, Ariz. 80-78–158
Charlotte Mayorkas, Las Vegas, Nev. 80-78–158
a-Mariko Tumangan, San Jose, Calif. 76-83–159
a-Somin Lee, Denver, Colo. 84-75–159
Dorothy Delasin, San Francisco, Calif. 81-78–159
Alexandrea Schulte, Naples, Fla. 83-77–160
Jessica Wallace, Canada 82-78–160
a-Christina Hirano, Pinole, Calif. 80-80–160
Katie Kempter, Albuquerque, N.M. 77-84–161
a-Katelyn Wright, Incline Village, Nev. 79-82–161
a-Breanna Patz, Plainfield, Ind. 83-78–161
Ginny Brown, Austin, Texas 78-83–161
a-Taylor Schmidt, Canada 84-77–161
Ashley Tait, Littleton, Colo. 81-80–161
a-Shinwoo Lee, Aurora, Colo. 83-79–162
a-Paige Crawford, Colorado Springs, Colo. 81-81–162
a-Madeleine Sheils, Boise, Idaho 79-83–162
a-Giovana Maymon, Mexico 80-83–163
a-Lindsay McGetrick, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 84-79–163
Jody Fleming, Australia 86-78–164
a-Jennifer Hirano, Pinole, Calif. 86-78–164
Julie Tomlinson, Noblesville, Ind. 80-85–165
Tara Goedeken, Dodge City, Kan. 78-87–165
Courtney Mahon, Lee’s Summit, Mo. 81-84–165
a-Jennifer Yu, Huntington Beach, Calif. 85-81–166
a-Emily Collins, Colleyville, Texas 85-81–166
a-Juanita Rico, Laramie, Wyo. 86-80–166
a-Hannah Wood, Centennial, Colo. 82-84–166
a-Paige Spiranac, Monument, Colo. 82-85–167
Trisha Self, Littleton, Colo. 77-90–167
a-Maria Maymon, Mexico 84-83–167
a-Lauren Falley, Topeka, Kan. 79-88–167
a-Molly Dorans, Erie, Colo. 84-83–167
a-Katie Kim, Riverwoods, Ill. 87-81–168
Megan Godfrey, Homewood, Ill. 87-82–169
a-Dana Zamprelli, Larkspur, Colo. 83-86–169
Britney Hayes, Polson, Mont. 80-89–169
a-Kathleen Kershisnik, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 87-82–169
a-Allie Johnston, Castle Rock, Colo. 86-84–170
Kayla Stewart, Chattanooga, Tenn. 86-84–170
a-Rebekah Pruett, Niceville, Fla. 83-88–171
a-Katherine Scott, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 90-81–171
a-Sydney Macdonald, Canada 83-88–171
a-Nathalie Castillo, Sweden 85-87–172
a-Michelle Woods, Manhattan, Kan. 81-93–174
a-Kayla Riede, Dixon, Calif. 86-88–174
Catherine Matthews-Kane, Colorado Springs, Colo. 86-88–174
a-Samantha Stancato, Colorado Springs, Colo. 82-93–175
Shannon Hanley, Steamboat Springs, Colo. 84-92–176
a-Jessica Berve, Farmington, N.M. 86-90–176
a-Patricia Lee, Lone Tree, Colo. 89-87–176
a-Randi Stephens, Park City, Utah 89-91–180
a-Tori Glenn, Castle Rock, Colo. 92-92–184
a-Rachel Reiling, Littleton, Colo. 91-93–184
Jeana Cockrill, Scottsville, Ky. 101-109–210
Laura Korus, Parker, Colo. 78-WD
a-Naomi Ko, Canada 86-WD
a-Lindsay Cone, Killington, Vt. 119-WD
 

But this week could very well be the piece de resistance for women’s competitive golf in Colorado for 2012.

Two significant events are on the agenda.

The HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open, with a total purse of $73,000, will be held Wednesday through Friday at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver. Then on Sunday, the West Course at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs will host the 36-hole U.S. Women’s Open Sectional Qualifying.

Many of the top female players with strong Colorado ties will compete in both events. That list includes former University of Denver golfer Katie Kempter, who competed on the LPGA Tour in 2010; recent CWGA Players of the Year Becca Huffer (2008) and Somin Lee (2011); and Jessica Wallace (pictured), who just completed her University of Colorado golf career.

Here’s a look at what’s in store in each of this week’s events:

— Colorado Women’s Open: Cindy Figg-Currier, who won a tournament on the LPGA Tour in 1997 and finished third at last year’s Women’s Open, is among the headliners in this year’s field.

Meanwhile, four players who just wrapped up their college careers will be making their pro debuts at Green Valley Ranch: Huffer (Notre Dame), Wallace (CU), Kayla Mortellaro (Idaho) and Brittany Penny (Grand Canyon).

Huffer, a two-time Colorado state high school champion at Littleton, won her first college tournament as a senior at Notre Dame. She finished second in the Colorado Women’s Open as an amateur in 2008 and ninth in 2010.

Wallace spent only her junior and senior seasons at CU after transferring from Pepperdine, but that didn’t keep her from tying the program record for college victories, with two, including one as a senior.

Meanwhile, Mortellaro won an impressive three times as a senior, including her second consecutive Western Athletic Conference championship.

Lee, who just completed her freshman season at Pepperdine, placed sixth in the Colorado Women’s Open last spring. She also finished sixth earlier this month at the NCAA West Regional that was hosted by Colorado National Golf Club in Erie.

Also playing in the Colorado Women’s Open is Anya Sarai Alvarez, who made the cut in the U.S. Women’s Open that was held at the Broadmoor last year.

Between the championship and pro-am competitions, the pros will be playing for $64,000 in prize money at the Colorado Women’s Open, while there will be another $9,000 of prizes available for the amateurs.

Last year’s Colorado Women’s Open proved memorable as 2010 PGA Championship winner Martin Kaymer caddied for his girlfriend Allison Micheletti, and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member Jody Conradt made a hole-in-one.

— U.S. Women’s Open Sectional Qualifying: For the third consecutive year, the Broadmoor will host one of the Sectional qualifiers for the most prestigious event in women’s golf, the U.S. Women’s Open. Of course, the Broadmoor’s East Course was the site of the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open itself. But Sunday’s 36-hole qualifier will be held on the West Course.

Besides Kempter, Huffer, Lee and Wallace, among the 76 competitors vying for three spots in the national championship are Alvarez, last year’s qualifying co-medalist at the Broadmoor, and CU golfer Alex Stewart. Stewart, who just completed her sophomore season, is No. 36 in the World Amateur Golf Women’s Rankings.

In all, the USGA received a record 1,364 entries for the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open, which will be played July 5-8 in Kohler, Wis. The Broadmoor is one of 19 sites for Sectional qualifiers this year.

————

2012 HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open

When: Wednesday through Friday (May 30-June 1). Tee times Wednesday and Thursday run from 7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

Where: Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver (4900 Himalaya Road).

Format: 54 holes of stroke play. Most of the professionals will play with amateur partners, competing simultaneously in the championship and in a best-ball pro-am team event. A cut will be made after round 2.

Purse: $73,000 total — including the pro-am — with $64,000 going to the pros and $9,000 in prizes to the amateurs.

Field: Approximately 116 players for the championship, 150 overall.

LPGA Champion in Field: Among those entered is Cindy Figg-Currier, winner of an LPGA event in 1997 and more than $1.9 million in her LPGA career.

Tee Times: CLICK HERE. 

Fan Information: The tournament is open to spectators free of charge.