The two-time CGA Mid-Amateur champion from Golden was involved in a playoff on Monday morning in Charlotte, N.C., to determine the final players to make match play at the U.S. Mid-Amateur.
And, with 16 golfers going for 12 spots, the chances appeared good for Thayer. After six players punched their tickets to match play with either birdies or pars on the first extra hole — and two golfers were eliminated with first-hole double bogeys — it was down to eight for two spots.
But Thayer sealed his fate with a second straight bogey in the playoff as six of the remaining golfers made par and advanced to match play.
Thayer had shot rounds of 73-74 over the weekend to tie for 53rd place out of 264 in the stroke-play portion of the event.
Thayer will now return to Colorado to defend his title Friday through Sunday at the CGA Mid-Amateur at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.
The Mid-Amateur is limited to players 25 and older.
Here are the round-by-round scores for the Coloradans who competed at the U.S. Mid-Amateur:
Failed to Advance to Match Play
Chris Thayer, Golden 73-74–147
Michael Harrington, Colorado Springs 74-76–150
Matt Evelyn, Denver 75-79–154
Brian Dorfman, Denver 84-76–160
For complete results, CLICK HERE.
Of the four Colorado residents who started the event, one — Chris Thayer of Golden — has a chance to advance. The two-time CGA Mid-Amateur champion finished tied for 53rd in the stroke-play portion of the championship. But considering that 16 players share that spot, and that only 64 golfers will make match play, a 16-for-12 playoff will determine who will make the bracket.
Thayer shot a 3-over-par 74 Sunday at Charlotte Country Club to post a 36-hole total of 5-over 147. Thayer made four birdies, five bogeys and a double bogey on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Michael Harrington of Colorado Springs (150 total), Matt Evelyn of Denver (154) and Brian Dorfman of Denver (160) saw their national championship end after two rounds of stroke play.
Stephen Behr of Florence, S.C., earned stroke-play medalist honors in the 264-man event, at 5-under 137.
After Monday’s playoff, the first round of match play will be conducted.
The Mid-Amateur is limited to players 25 and older.
Here are the round-by-round scores for the Coloradans competing at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur:
53. Chris Thayer, Golden 73
Failed to Advance to Match Play
MC. Michael Harrington, Colorado Springs 74-76–150
MC. Matt Evelyn, Denver 75-79–154
MC. Brian Dorfman, Denver 84-76–160
For complete results, CLICK HERE.
But for the 2018 national championship for male golfers 25 and older, four golfers from the Centennial State are figuratively holding the Colorado flag.
After Saturday’s opening round of the U.S. Mid-Am at Charlotte Country Club and Carolina Golf Club in North Carolina, two Coloradans are in position to make match play, while one other player is in the mix.
The top 64 golfers — out of 264 — after 36 holes of stroke play will earn spots in match play, which begins on Monday.
Chris Thayer (left) of Golden, a two-time CGA Mid-Amateur champion, led the way for the Colorado contingent by shooting a 2-over-par 73 at Carolina Golf Club, which left him in a share of 46th place. Thayer — who made four birdies, a bogey, a double bogey and a triple bogey — trails stroke-play co-leaders Stewart Hagestad of Newport Beach, Calif., and Bradford Tilley of Easton, Conn., by six.
Also in the top 64 after day 1 is 2014 CGA Player of the Year Michael Harrington of Colorado Springs, who posted a 74 and shares 63rd place. Harrington carded an eagle, two birdies, four bogeys and a triple bogey at Carolina Golf Club on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Matt Evelyn of Denver opened with a 75 and Brian Dorfman of Denver with an 84, both also at Carolina Golf Club.
Stroke play concludes on Sunday.
U.S. MID-AMATEUR
At Charlotte CC and Carolina Golf Club
46. Chris Thayer, Golden 73
63. Michael Harrington, Colorado Springs 74
91. Matt Evelyn, Denver 75
253. Brian Dorfman, Denver 84
For complete results, CLICK HERE.
The next day in North Palm Beach, Fla., friend Robbie Wight of West Palm Beach punched his ticket to the national Mid-Am.
With that, the two golfers were subsequently in contact with Matt Evelyn of Denver, Danny’s brother and Wight’s friend. “They’re like, ‘We’re making a practice round (plan for the U.S. Mid-Am) for a threesome and you’re the third so you’ve got to get in,'” Matt Evelyn noted.
And on Tuesday at Lone Tree Golf Club, Matt did just that, living up to his end of the bargain. The 33-year-old who plays out of Bear Creek Golf Club shot a 2-under-par 70 and scored one of the four spots available for the national championship that is limited to players 25 and older.
“It’s awesome,” he said of making the grade, particularly under the circumstances. “I’m ecstatic I got in. I’m looking forward to this.”
Out of a field that orginally numbered 84, all four qualifiers on Tuesday were from Colorado. Joining Evelyn were medalist Chris Thayer of Golden (2-under-par 68 at Lone Tree), Brian Dorfman of Denver (71) and Michael Harrington of Colorado Springs (71). (The qualifiers are pictured, from left: Thayer, Evelyn, Dorfman and Harrington.)
It will be the fifth U.S. Mid-Amateur — and 12th USGA championship — for Harrington, the second Mid-Am for Thayer, and the first for both Evelyn and Dorfman. Thayer is a two-time and Harrington a one-time CGA Mid-Amateur champion. Dorfman won the CGA Match Play in 2012 and was a semifinalist in that event this year.
Thayer, playing in the final group of the day on Tuesday, made five birdies, with the only blemish on his card being a bogey on No. 18, where he missed a 5-foot par putt.
Indeed, all of the qualifiers stumbled a bit coming in on Tuesday. Evelyn bogeyed the 17th hole before parring 18. Dorfman double bogeyed 17 but birdied 18. And Harrington hit a ball out of bounds and triple bogeyed 17 before parring 18. But it didn’t change the bottom line — qualifying for the national championship — for any of them.
For Thayer, it’ll be his second U.S. Mid-Am since 2016, and he advanced to the match play round of 64 two years ago. He’s also competed in a U.S. Amateur and a U.S. Junior Am.
“It feels really good,” the 38-year-old said of qualifying for another national championship. “I think I’m going to feel more comfortable at it after making match play two years ago. I got beat in the first round but played well. That’s kind of how it goes. It’s good to play in these. … There’s obviously a ton of good players at the Mid-Am.”
Thayer has been named the CGA Mid-Amateur Player of the Year each of the past three seasons, while Harrington was both the overall CGA Player of the Year and the Mid-Am POY in 2014.
Now 46, Harrington last competed in a USGA championship in 2015 as he played very little golf in 2016 and ’17 due to elbow surgery and a job change. But the Colorado Springs resident is 100 percent now and has proven he can make noise at the U.S. Mid-Am, having advanced to match play in each of his previous four trips to the event, and making it as far as the quarterfinals once and the round of 16 on another occasion.
“I feel like I’m just as good today as I was years ago,” he said. “My wedge play is better. I’m a better driver of the ball. I’m hitting my irons good. My short game is probably not quite as good as it was back then, but I feel like it’s coming around. I went two years without playing very much. I’m just a little bit off.
“But I really feel like my game is in good shape and I feel I have room for improvement. I’ve shot some very low rounds recently, but I feel like I could have been a couple lower. So I know there’s still more room there.”
On Tuesday, Harrington carded six birdies and was 4 under par through 16 before his problems at 17.
“For me, my mind was pretty solid for 16 holes today,” he said. “You have that charging mentality in your head. ‘Go make birdies, go make birdies, go make birdies.’ That’s a fun way to play. I’d make a par and be a little bit disappointed.”
While Harrington’s six birdies on Tuesday were impressive, Dorfman really went to town, making birdie eight times without ever having seen the course before Tuesday. Playing in the same threesome as Evelyn and 2017 U.S. Mid-Am qualifying medalist Ryan Axlund of Denver, Dorfman shot under par despite two double bogeys and three bogeys.
“I’d never played the golf course before, so I was a little bit lost,” the 28-year-old from Cherry Creek Country Club said. “But it helped having Matt playing really well so I could kind of feed off of him.
“I’m so excited. I’ve never played in a Mid-Am. Playing golf with mid-ams is one of my favorite things. I’m really looking forward to go play.”
Tuesday marked just the second tournament Dorfman has competed in in 2018, following the CGA Match Play.
“I play once a week” in casual rounds, he said. “I wish I could more. Now I may have an excuse to play a little more. I’m going to gear it up a little — definitely.”
Evelyn, meanwhile, went birdie-eagle on the fourth and fifth holes on Tuesday to spark his round. On the 554-yard fifth hole, he hit an 8-iron second shot from 197 yards to 40 feet and sank the eagle putt. But he also three-putted four times, accounting for all of his bogeys and keeping him from potentially claiming medalist honors.
Nevertheless, Evelyn is headed for his first USGA championship after losing out in a playoff in this qualifying tournament last year and being the first alternate.
“This is something I’ve always wanted to do,” said Evelyn, who has won a couple of club championships at Bear Creek Golf Club. “It’s really special.”
On Tuesday, Jeff Chapman of Lone Tree eagled the fifth hole of a three-man playoff to earn the first alternate position after bogeying his final hole of regulation to shoot 72. Jason Browder of Gunnison bogeyed the seventh hole for the second alternate spot.
Amazingly, Chapman was also in the first alternate in U.S. Mid-Am qualifying in 2016 and 2013 and was the second alternate in 2015. He qualified for the national Mid-Am in 2012.
Next year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur will be played at Colorado Golf Club in Parker.
U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifying
At Par-72 Lone Tree GC
ADVANCE TO U.S. MID-AM
Chris Thayer, Golden 34-34–68
Matt Evelyn, Denver 35-35–70
Brian Dorfman, Denver 36-35–71
Michael Harrington, Colorado Springs 34-37–71
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Jeff Chapman, Lone Tree 35-37–72
Jason Browder of Gunnison 38-34–72
For all the scores from Tuesday, CLICK HERE.
But in the bigger picture, it shouldn’t be forgotten that the 2019 U.S. Mid-Am national championship will be held at Colorado Golf Club in Parker, with CGA-owned CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora serving as the second course for the stroke-play portion of the event. The dates for that championship are Sept. 14-19, 2019.
For the record, that will be just the second U.S. Mid-Am — which is limited to players 25 and older — ever conducted in Colorado, with Cherry Hills Country Club having hosted the 1983 championship.
As for this year, Charlotte will host the U.S. Mid Am Sept. 22-27. At Tuesday’s qualifying tournament, the 78 contestants will be vying for four spots in the national championship.
Several players who competed in the 2017 U.S. Mid-Am are in the Lone Tree field. That includes five-time national Mid-Am qualifier — and three-time CGA Mid-Amateur champion — Jon Lindstrom, who went to the match play round of 64 last year; 2017 Colorado-based qualifying medalist Ryan Axlund; Pete Mangold; and Walter Koelbel.
Also scheduled to play on Tuesday are 2012 CGA Match Play champion and 2018 Match Play semifinalist Brian Dorfman; 2014 and 2017 CGA Mid-Amateur winner Chris Thayer; four-time CGA Mid-Am champ Keith Humerickhouse; two-time U.S. Amateur qualifier Kyle Danford; 2014 CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year Michael Harrington; Denver City Amateur champion Jeff Chapman; and Alex Kephart.
For Tuesday’s pairings at Lone Tree, CLICK HERE.
Korte, who just graduated from the University of Denver, was one of two former champions to win two matches on Wednesday and earn quarterfinal berths in the CGA’s oldest championship. Likewise advancing was 2012 champion Brian Dorfman of Cherry Creek Country Club.
Korte (left) defeated 2016 CGA Amateur champion Colin Prater of The Broadmoor Golf Club 3 and 1 in the round of 16. The former DU golfer made an eagle, seven birdies and nine pars in the 17 holes of a match in which he never trailed.
Meanwhile, Dorfman was 2 down to former University of Colorado golfer Brennan Dolan of Walnut Creek Golf Preserve through 15 holes, but won three of the last four to prevail in 19 holes in the round of 16. Earlier in the day, Dolan had beaten another former champion, 2015 winner Nick Nosewicz of Meadow Hills Golf Course, 2 up.
Joining Korte and Dorfman in the quarterfinals will be Colorado State University teammates AJ Ott of Ptarmigan Country Club and Jake Staiano of Glenmoor Country Club; stroke-play medalist Jackson Solem of The Fox Hill Club, a DU teammate of Korte last season; University of Colorado golfer Ross Macdonald of the Country Club at Castle Pines; former CSU-Pueblo golfer Jake Ice of Walking Stick Golf Course; and Josh Hill of Guilford College and the Omni Interlocken Resort.
In Thursday’s quarterfinals, Korte will face Macdonald, Staiano will play Hill, Solem will take on Dorfman, and Ott will meet Ice. Then the semifinals await on Thursday afternoon, setting the stage for Friday’s 36-hole final.
For results from the CGA Match Play, CLICK HERE.
]]>Also advancing to the round of 32 were each of the top seven seeds, including stroke-play medalist Jackson Solem of The Fox Hill Club.
Korte, the former University of Denver golfer who has won both the CGA Amateur and the CGA Match Play, defeated 64th-seeded Blake Schneiter, 1 up on Tuesday.
Nick Nosewicz (left) of Meadow Hills Golf Course, the Match Play winner in 2015, posted a 4-and-2 win over Justin Weir of CommonGround Golf Course.
And 2012 champion Brian Dorfman of Cherry Creek Country Club beat former University of Colorado golfer John Luoma of Colorado Golf Club, 6 and 5.
Joining those three top-10 seeds in making the round of 32 were Solem, the DU golfer who’s seeded second and beat Freddie Gluck 3 and 2; the third and fourth seeds, AJ Ott of Ptarmigan Country Club and Colorado State University teammate Jake Staiano of Glenmoor Country Club; Jay Livsey of Lakewood Country Club (No. 5); and Jack Castiglia (No. 6)
Among those falling on Tuesday was 2017 CGA Match Play runner-up Kyle Pearson, who lost 3 and 2 to Pierce Aichinger of Glenmoor Country Club.
Wednesday will feature both the rounds of 32 and 16. Then the quarterfinals and semifinals are scheduled for Thursday, setting the stage for Friday’s 36-hole final.
For all the scores from Ravenna, CLICK HERE.
]]>The year it was first held, William McKinley was president of the U.S., Butch Cassidy allegedly was in on a train robbery in Montana, and Queen Victoria passed away.
The 113th CGA Match Play will be held next week — July 8-12 — at Bear Creek Golf Club in west Denver.
The championship has been contested every year since 1901. That not only makes it the oldest continuously held statewide golf tournament in Colorado, but one of the oldest in the nation.
While the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, Masters and PGA Championship — along with the British Open — all weren’t held various years because of World War I and/or II, the CGA Match Play has never missed a beat. It’s been contested each year without fail since Frank Woodward defeated H.K.B. Davis Sr., 3 and 2 in the finals in 1901.
The Match Play actually predates the CGA by 14 years, but the association’s first official function when it was founded in 1915 was becoming the administrator of the event.
Over the first 112 years, the champions have included the very famous and the obscure.
Four members of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame have their names on the Richard C. Campbell CGA Match Play trophy — N.C. “Tub” Morris (1924 and ’27), Charles “Babe” Lind (1946), Hale Irwin (1966) and Steve Jones (1980). Between them, Irwin and Jones went on to win the U.S. Open four times.
“I look back at all those (Colorado amateur) events I was fortunate enough to play and have some success in as really the groundwork that got me started into the golf scene,” Irwin said last year. “Colorado golf is where it all started.”
Other current PGA Tour players who have won the CGA Match Play are Brandt Jobe (1984, ’85, ’88) and fellow Kent Denver High School alum Kevin Stadler (1999 and 2002).
The championship has seen everything from a couple of 12-and-11 routs in the 36-hole final match, to one finale that lasted more than 40 holes, as Sam Valuck needed 42 to overcome future state senator Les Fowler in the 1961 title match at Cherry Hills.
Dr. Larry Bromfield has been by far the most successful player in CGA Match Play history, having won an amazing eight times from 1912-28. Next best are Mark Crabtree, Larry McAtee and Walter Fairbanks, with four titles each.
This year’s Match Play will be contested at Bear Creek, which has hosted the championship 13 previous times since 1986.
Former Georgetown University golfer Brian Dorfman of Cherry Creek Country Club will defend his 2012 title, and last year’s runner-up, Colorado State University golfer Parker Edens, is also back. (Dorfman is pictured above in front of the Match Play trophy.)
Likewise in the field are former University of Colorado golfer Derek Fribbs, who last month won the CGA Public Links Championship after shooting a final-round 62; 2012 CGA Stroke Play champion and 2013 Publinks runner-up Steven Kupcho; 2012 U.S. Amateur match play qualifier Mike Schoolcraft; and 2004 Match Play winner Steve Irwin.
As the defending champ, Dorfman will be the No. 1 seed, with a single round of stroke play on Monday setting up the rest of the 64-man match play bracket.
Brian Dorfman played 110 holes of golf in three days — all in the heat of high-level competition, and all while walking, not riding — but it proved very much worth the effort.
The former Georgetown University golfer, who plays out of Cherry Creek Country Club, went a full 36 holes Friday in the finals of the CGA Match Play Championship at The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden. And that was after going 38 holes in two matches on Wednesday and 36 in another two on Thursday.
But Dorfman said he wasn’t fatigued, and he showed it down the stretch in Friday’s 2-up title-clinching victory over Parker Edens of Greeley Country Club.
In one of the tightest final matches in the 112-year history of the CGA Match Play, neither player led more than 1 up until the 36th hole, when Edens conceded a 5-foot eagle putt to Dorfman to account for the final margin.
“It was an incredible match. I could not have played any better. I can say that flat out,” said Dorfman, who shot a 5-under-par 66 in the afternoon round, counting concessions. “I did my best on every shot and I made a lot of clutch putts.”
It was the third time in the last four years that the CGA Match Play final has gone the distance — a full 36 holes. In 2009, Steve Ziegler defeated Tom Gempel 1 up, and last year Michael Lee beat Jonathan Marsico by the same score.
Edens, a Colorado State University golfer who caddied for Lee as he won the title last year, led 1 up after 18 holes, having shot a 4-under-par 31 on the back nine — concessions included — in the morning round. And he also was 1 up after Dorfman bogeyed the 25th hole.
But Dorfman, who just wrapped up his Georgetown University golf career, birdied the next three holes, with the 10-footer at the 26th hole being conceded after Edens missed his par putt. Dorfman went ahead for good after getting up and down from the bunker on the 27th hole for birdie.
Dorfman saw the following hole — No. 10 at Rolling Hills — as being crucial to his win. After Edens (pictured at left) put his approach shot on the par-4 4 feet from the cup in the afternoon round, Dorfman drained a 40-foot birdie putt which forced Edens to work just to get a halve on the hole.
“After I made that bomb putt on 10, I knew it was my match to lose because I was feeling it, playing well, and I had my putter working,” said the 22-year-old Dorfman, a Greenwood Village resident. “When I have that going, I’m tough to beat.”
As it turned out, the two players matched scores for eight straight hole (Nos. 28-35), leaving Dorfman 1 up heading into the par-5 18th.
“Everybody kept telling me it’s going to be a match of runs,” said Edens, a 2010 U.S. Amateur qualifier. “(They said) he’s going to go on a run or I’m going to go on a run. Really, neither of us went on runs. If you won two holes in a row you were very lucky.”
Dorfman agreed it was a battle of attrition.
“It was very stressful all day, especially because it’s not like pars were winning (m)any holes,” he said. “You’ve got to make birdies out here. To do that you have to hit it in the fairway, you have to hit it in the right spot on the green. And that doesn’t even mean you’ll make birdie. You’ve got to hit a great putt and a lot of time it will break 4-5 feet. It was very stressful, and it wasn’t like either of us had a big lead we could ride on.”
On the 36th hole, a long drive left Dorfman just 175 yards to the pin on the 512-yard par-5. His 8-iron approach covered the flag, finishing just 5 feet past the hole. And when Edens failed to hole a pitch shot from in front of the green, he conceded to Dorfman.
All week, the 18th hole at Rolling Hills was very good to Dorfman (pictured at left with the Match Play trophy in the background). In fact, including his stroke-play round, this is how he played the par-5: birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie, birdie, eagle.
In the final hole Friday, Dorfman actually almost holed out his second shot. His ball hit a couple of inches from the cup before finishing 5 feet past.
“I knew I had a little bit of adrenaline, so I knew it wouldn’t be a problem (going with an 8-iron from 175),” he said. “I just took an easy swing and it came out perfect. After I hit that shot I knew I had it.”
Despite his 31 on the back nine of the first round — and several clutch putts down the stretch — Edens was disappointed his ball-striking didn’t match what he did earlier in the week. He was the co-medalist in stroke play, and only one of his previous matches went past the 16th hole.
“I just didn’t play as well as I had all week,” Edens said. “I didn’t hit it that well today. I was not very pleased with how I drove the ball. I just wasn’t able to give myself very many opportunities at birdie because I’m hitting from the rough, and you can’t spin it much around here hitting from the rough.
“But it was a great week. It’s a great accomplishment just to be the runner-up.”
Dorfman, a Cherry Creek High School graduate, claimed his second CGA championship title, having also won the 2008 CGA Junior Match Play. He also won two college tournaments during his 2011-12 senior season at Georgetown.
“This is probably the biggest tournament I’ve ever won,” he said of the Match Play. “It’s definitely the biggest trophy and it’s got the most history. It’s 112 years old. It’s an incredible tournament. So it means a lot.”
CGA Match Play Championship
At The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden
(Seeds in Parentheses)
36-HOLE FINAL
Brian Dorfman, Cherry Creek CC (3) def. Parker Edens, Greeley CC (1), 2 up
SEMIFINALS
Parker Edens, Greeley CC (1) def. David Schroeder II, Broadmoor GC (28), 3 and 2
Brian Dorfman, Cherry Creek CC (3) def. Brandon Bingaman, Black Canyon Golf Club @ Montrose (7), 1 up
QUARTERFINALS
Parker Edens, Greeley CC (1) def. Andrew Cornella, The Club at Flying Horse (8), 5 and 4
David Schroeder II, Broadmoor GC (28) def. Jonathan Park, Green Valley Ranch GC (4), 5 and 4
Brandon Bingaman, Black Canyon Golf Club @ Montrose (7) def. Steven Kupcho, Commonground Golf Course (47), 2 and 1
Brian Dorfman, Cherry Creek CC (3) def. Michael Harrington, Garden of the Gods Club (6), 2 up
ROUND OF 16
Parker Edens, Greeley CC (1) def. Sean Forey, Rolling Hills, The Club at (49), 4 and 3
Andrew Cornella, The Club at Flying Horse (8) def. Kory Harrell, Pine Creek GC (9), 3 and 1
Jonathan Park, Green Valley Ranch GC (4) def. Ben Krueger, Pine Creek GC (20), 4 and 3
David Schroeder II, Broadmoor GC (28) def. Cameron Harrell, Pine Creek GC (21), 5 and 4
Steven Kupcho, Commonground Golf Course (47) def. Lanny Cameron, Mariana Butte Golf Course (34), 3 and 2
Brandon Bingaman, Black Canyon Golf Club @ Montr (7) def. Brendan Connolly, Ridge at Castle Pines North (10), 3 and 1
Brian Dorfman, Cherry Creek CC (3) def. Ryan Schmitz, Colorado GC (19), 5 and 4
Michael Harrington, Garden of the Gods Club (6) def. Nick Berry, Meadows GC (22), 5 and 3
ROUND OF 32
Parker Edens, Greeley CC (1) def. Richard Bradsby, Lakewood CC (32), 1 up
Sean Forey, Rolling Hills, The Club at (49) def. Cameron Brown, Sonnenalp GC (48), 5 and 3
Andrew Cornella, The Club at Flying Horse (8) def. Nick Tarasiewicz, Patty Jewett GC (40), 3 and 2
Kory Harrell, Pine Creek GC (9) def. Ethan Freeman, Glenmoor CC (24), 4 and 2
Jonathan Park, Green Valley Ranch GC (4) def. Nick Zinanti, Elmwood GC (29), 20 holes
Ben Krueger, Pine Creek GC (20) def. Chris Shaw, Collindale GC (52), 5 and 4
David Schroeder II, Broadmoor GC (28) def. Jordan Burgess, Highland Hills Golf Course (5), 4 and 2
Cameron Harrell, Pine Creek GC (21) def. Will Fowler, Rolling Hills, the Club at (53), 4 and 3
Lanny Cameron, Mariana Butte Golf Course (34) def. David Oraee, Highland Hills Golf Course (2), 3 and 2
Steven Kupcho, Commonground Golf Course (47) def. John Ahern, Bear Creek GC (15), 3 and 1
Brandon Bingaman, Black Canyon Golf Club @ Montr (7) def. Cody Kent, Red Hawk Ridge GC (39), 3 and 1
Brendan Connolly, Ridge at Castle Pines North (10) def. David Ramsden-Wood, Denver Athletic Club (42), 2 up
Brian Dorfman, Cherry Creek CC (3) def. Drew Trujillo, Bridges G&CC (30), 24 holes
Ryan Schmitz, Colorado GC (19) def. Ben Lyons, South Suburban Golf Course (51), 19 holes
Michael Harrington, Garden of the Gods Club (6) def. Andy Yang, Highlands Ranch GC (27), 3 and 1
Nick Berry, Meadows GC (22) def. Grant Suggs, Collindale Golf Club (54), 4 and 3
ROUND OF 64
Parker Edens, Greeley CC def. Braden Baer, Ranch CC 7 and 5
Richard Bradsby, Lakewood CC def. Blair Matthews, CommonGround GC 19 holes
Sean Forey, Rolling Hills, The Club at def. Danny Hahn, CommonGround GC 20 holes
Cameron Brown, Sonnenalp GC def. Scott Radcliffe, Rolling Hills, the Club at 2 and 1
Andrew Cornella, The Club at Flying Horse def. Gus Lundquist, The Club at Pradera 1 up
Nick Tarasiewicz, Patty Jewett GC def. Charles Santaularia, CommonGround GC 1 up
Kory Harrell, Pine Creek GC def. Andy Dannewitz, Meadow Hills GC 5 and 3
Ethan Freeman, Glenmoor CC def. Alex Kephart, Eisenhower GC 3 and 1
Jonathan Park, Green Valley Ranch GC def. Steve Connell, Riverdale GC 2 and 1
Nick Zinanti, Elmwood GC def. John Luoma, Colorado GC 3 and 1
Chris Shaw, Collindale GC def. George Bollinger III, Red Rocks CC 20 holes
Ben Krueger, Pine Creek GC def. Aaron Spear, Broadlands GC 5 and 4
Jordan Burgess, Highland Hills GC def. Brett Housman, Elmwood GC 20 holes
David Schroeder II, Broadmoor GC def. Charles Castellano, CommonGround GC 4 and 3
Will Fowler, Rolling Hills, the Club at def. Spencer Sheets, Glenmoor CC 1 up
Cameron Harrell, Pine Creek GC def. Grant Javernick, Meadow Hills GC 1 up
David Oraee, Highland Hills GC def. Steve Sullivan, CC at Castle Pines 3 and 2
Lanny Cameron, Mariana Butte Golf Course def. Dean Clapp, Meadow Hills GC 1 up
John Ahern, Bear Creek GC def. Derek Fribbs, Colorado National GC 3 and 2
Steven Kupcho, CommonGround GC def. Danny Riskam, Columbine CC 6 and 5
Brandon Bingaman, Black Canyon Golf Club at Montrose def. Michael Love, The Club at Pradera 2 and 1
Cody Kent, Red Hawk Ridge GC def. Chun-Ji Kim, Highlands Ranch GC 3 and 2
Brendan Connolly, Ridge at Castle Pines North def. Tristan Sanders, CommonGround GC 1 up
David Ramsden-Wood, Denver Athletic Club def. Michael Tilghman, Castle Pines GC 4 and 2
Brian Dorfman, Cherry Creek CC def. Harry Johnson, Eagle Ranch GC 3 and 2
Drew Trujillo, Bridges G&CC def. Dallas Perrault, Heritage at Westmoor 3 and 2
Ben Lyons, South Suburban GC def. Jonathan Dresnick, Deering Bay Y&CC 4 and 2
Ryan Schmitz, Colorado GC def. Steve Irwin, Lakewood Country Club 1 up
Michael Harrington, Garden of the Gods Club def. Erik Helton, Buffalo Run GC 7 and 6
Andy Yang, Highlands Ranch GC def. Caleb Barker, Perry Park CC 1 up
Grant Suggs, Collindale Golf Club def. Wes Martin, The Courses at Hyland Hills 1 up
Nick Berry, Meadows GC def. Stephen Fernandes, Meridian GC 6 and 5
STROKE PLAY
Advanced to Match Play
David Oraee, Highland Hills GC, 35-34–69
Parker Edens, Greeley CC, 36-33–69
Jordan Burgess, Highland Hills GC, 34-36–70
Brian Dorfman, Cherry Creek CC, 37-33–70
Michael Harrington, Garden of the Gods Club, 37-33–70
Jonathan Park, Green Valley Ranch GC, 35-35–70
Brandon Bingaman, Black Canyon Golf Club @ Montr, 37-34–71
Kory Harrell, Pine Creek GC, 35-36–71
Wes Martin, The Courses at Hyland Hills, 37-34–71
Spencer Sheets, Glenmoor CC, 34-37–71
George Bollinger III, Red Rocks CC, 35-36–71
Brendan Connolly, Ridge at Castle Pines North, 35-36–71
Andrew Cornella, The Club at Flying Horse, 37-34–71
Jonathan Dresnick, Deering Bay Y&CC, 36-35–71
John Ahern, Bear Creek GC, 36-36–72
Danny Hahn, CommonGround GC, 35-37–72
Scott Radcliffe, Rolling Hills, the Club at, 37-35–72
Danny Riskam, Columbine CC, 36-36–72
Ryan Schmitz, Colorado GC, 37-35–72
Cameron Harrell, Pine Creek GC, 35-38–73
Charles Santaularia, CommonGround GC, 37-36–73
David Schroeder II, Broadmoor GC, 36-37–73
Nick Berry, Meadows GC, 37-36–73
Michael Tilghman, Castle Pines GC, 38-35–73
Andy Yang, Highlands Ranch GC, 37-36–73
Ethan Freeman, Glenmoor CC, 37-36–73
Chun-Ji Kim, Highlands Ranch GC, 36-37–73
Ben Krueger, Pine Creek GC, 36-37–73
Nick Zinanti, Elmwood GC, 35-38–73
Blair Matthews, CommonGround GC, 41-33–74
Drew Trujillo, Bridges G&CC, 36-38–74
Richard Bradsby, Lakewood CC, 37-37–74
Lanny Cameron, Mariana Butte Golf Course, 37-37–74
Dean Clapp, Meadow Hills GC, 36-38–74
Dallas Perrault, Heritage at Westmoor, 39-35–74
John Luoma, Colorado GC, 37-37–74
Cody Kent, Red Hawk Ridge GC, 38-37–75
Caleb Barker, Perry Park CC, 37-38–75
Stephen Fernandes, Meridian GC, 38-37–75
Aaron Spear, Broadlands GC, 38-37–75
Nick Tarasiewicz, Patty Jewett GC, 37-38–75
Grant Javernick, Meadow Hills GC, 42-33–75
Alex Kephart, Eisenhower GC, 41-34–75
David Ramsden-Wood, Denver Athletic Club, 37-38–75
Charles Castellano, CommonGround GC, 37-38–75
Cameron Brown, Sonnenalp GC, 38-38–76
Sean Forey, Rolling Hills, The Club at, 40-36–76
Derek Fribbs, Colorado National GC, 36-40–76
Steve Irwin, Lakewood CC, 37-39–76
Steven Kupcho, CommonGround GC, 40-36–76
Ben Lyons, South Suburban GC, 39-37–76
Will Fowler, Rolling Hills, the Club at, 34-42–76
Chris Shaw, Collindale GC, 39-37–76
Andy Dannewitz, Meadow Hills GC, 36-41–77
Michael Love, The Club at Pradera, 39-38–77
Gus Lundquist, The Club at Pradera, 40-37–77
Tristan Sanders, CommonGround GC, 39-38–77
Grant Suggs, Collindale GC, 36-41–77
Brett Housman, Elmwood GC, 40-37–77
Erik Helton, Buffalo Run GC, 41-36–77
Harry Johnson, Eagle Ranch GC, 40-38–78
Steve Connell, Riverdale GC, 41-37–78
Braden Baer, Ranch CC, 38-40–78
Steve Sullivan, CC at Castle Pines, 43-35–78
Failed to Qualify
Paul Erdman, Colorado National GC, 40-38–78
Mike Chavez, Applewood GC, 38-40–78
Ryan Boshoven, Boomerang GL, 41-37–78
Derik Brady, Black Bear GC, 39-39–78
Stu Allen, Fox Hollow GC, 39-40–79
Mark Anderson, Columbine CC, 43-36–79
Lamar Carlile, City Park GC, 39-40–79
Clint Miller, Meadow Hills GC, 38-41–79
Drew Vance, Raccoon Creek GC, 35-44–79
Tyler Winslow, Lake Valley GC, 39-40–79
Jim Fucillo, Eisenhower GC, 40-39–79
Mark Bedinger, Rolling Hills, the Club at, 39-40–79
Alex Leonida, Inverness GC, 40-40–80
James Clements, Broadlands GC, 37-43–80
David Lysaught, Pinehurst CC, 39-41–80
Phil Schneider, Lakewood CC, 38-42–80
Kyle Thurman, Broadlands GC, 38-42–80
Dillon Mcdonald, Red Sky GC, 41-39–80
Brian Thomas, Saddle Rock GC, 42-39–81
John Gorell, Patty Jewett GC, 44-37–81
David Yamamoto, CommonGround GC, 39-42–81
Preston Parsons, Colorado GC, 45-37–82
Chad Gonzalez, Pinery CC, 45-38–83
Aj Morris, Maroon CC, 41-42–83
Kevin McGuire, The Club at Cordillera, 43-41–84
Mark Brown, Highlands Ranch GC, 41-43–84
Joey Muckler, Meridian GC, 44-40–84
Bert Sartori, Green Valley Ranch GC, 41-43–84
Matt Reinick, Heritage at Todd Creek GC, 40-44–84
Michael Olson, Broadlands GC, 47-39–86
Grant D Wozencroft, Highlands Ranch GC, 44-44–88
Nash Bledsoe, Quail Dunes GC, 42-46–88
Parker Edens has never had much success in match-play tournaments, but in a way he’s experienced what it’s like to win the CGA Match Play Championship.
The Colorado State University golfer, who plays out of Greeley Country Club, lost in the first round of last year’s CGA Match Play, but he caddied for Michael Lee, who won the title.
This year, Lee couldn’t defend his championship in the 112th Match Play, but Edens has an opportunity to win the trophy a year after caddying for the champ.
Edens, the top seed in the event, and third-seeded Brian Dorfman of Cherry Creek Country Club advanced to the finals Thursday with two more victories at The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden. They’ll go head-to-head over 36 holes on Friday with the title on the line.
“Last year was my first time playing in this thing,” said Edens, a qualifier for the 2010 U.S. Amateur. “I lost in the first round, then I caddied for Mike and he went all the way. I’ve seen it done. Hopefully we can get it done tomorrow.
“Mike plays at Mines (which is based in Golden) and they get to play out here (at Rolling Hills) a lot. So I’ve talked to him every night about different tee shots and different holes and what he thinks. To know somebody that knows the course pretty well helps.”
Edens, a junior-to-be on the CSU golf team, posted a 5-and-4 quarterfinal victory Thursday over Andrew Cornella of The Club at Flying Horse, then cooled off red-hot David Schroeder of the Broadmoor Golf Club with a 3-and-2 win in the semifinals. (Edens is pictured above teeing off, with Schroeder watching.)
Meanwhile, Dorfman, a two-time tournament winner at Georgetown University last season, scored a 2-up quarterfinal victory over 2009 CGA Mid-Amateur champion Michael Harrington of Garden of the Gods Club, then won 1-up over Black Canyon Golf Club’s Brandon Bingaman, a Colorado Mesa University golfer.
“I actually work full-time now and haven’t been able to practice as much as I’d like,” said Dorfman (pictured at left), the 2008 CGA Junior Match Play champ. “But I’ve been hitting it good, and I’ve been getting better as the week goes on.”
In both his victories Thursday, Dorfman birdied the par-5 18th, the same hole he eagled to force extra holes in his 24-hole round-of-32 victory over Drew Trujillo on Wednesday.
“That was an incredible match,” said Dorfman, who just completed his senior season at Georgetown, though he won’t graduate until December. “That’s probably the best match I’ve ever had. But this one (in the semifinals) is probably second. I shot 3 under par and it went to the end, so it was really hard. But I played great.”
Dorfman never trailed in Thursday’ semifinals, but he didn’t go ahead for good until Bingaman bogeyed No. 17 after missing the green on the par-3.
As for Edens, after being the co-medalist in stroke play, he has had only one of his five matches go beyond the 16th hole.
In the semifinals, he faced Schroeder — the 2011 CGA Stroke Play runner-up who won his previous matches this week on hole 14 twice, 15 once and 16 once. But Edens was likewise riding a wave of momentum, and when he made four birdies in five holes starting on No. 8, he built a comfortable lead he wouldn’t relinquish.
“I’ve been on a huge roll,” Edens said, despite playing poorly over the weekend and taking second at the Dick Billehus Invitational in Greeley. “I played the practice round (at Rolling Hills) and didn’t know if I was going to like the course at all. Then on Monday I came out and shot a bogey-free 2 under. I fell in love with it on Monday. I’ve just been hitting it real well and putting lights out — best I’ve ever putted.”
Indeed, Edens has made just six bogeys in six rounds this week.
CGA Match Play Championship
At The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden
(Seeds in Parentheses)
QUARTERFINALS
Parker Edens, Greeley CC (1) def. Andrew Cornella, The Club at Flying Horse (8), 5 and 4
David Schroeder II, Broadmoor GC (28) def. Jonathan Park, Green Valley Ranch GC (4), 5 and 4
Brandon Bingaman, Black Canyon Golf Club @ Montrose (7) def. Steven Kupcho, Commonground Golf Course (47), 2 and 1
Brian Dorfman, Cherry Creek CC (3) def. Michael Harrington, Garden of the Gods Club (6), 2 up
SEMIFINALS
Parker Edens, Greeley CC (1) def. David Schroeder II, Broadmoor GC (28), 3 and 2
Brian Dorfman, Cherry Creek CC (3) def. Brandon Bingaman, Black Canyon Golf Club @ Montrose (7), 1 up