The top 23 finishers and ties punched their tickets to the Second Stage, and the closest any Coloradan came to making the grade was Mike Schoolcraft of Denver, who closed with a 73 to post an even-par 288 total, good for 50th place. Schoolcraft’s final round featured an eagle on the 16th hole at Southern Dunes.

Former University of Colorado golfer Ethan Freeman was 6 under par through three rounds, but struggled to a 10-over-par 82 in Friday’s final round and finished 59th at 4-over 292. His final round included a quadruple bogey and a triple bogey.

The players with 72-hole scores of 279 or better advanced to the Second Stage.

Eleven more First Stage tournaments are scheduled for the first two weeks of October.

The Second Stage of Web Q-school will be held at five sites between Oct. 31-Nov. 7, and the Final Stage Dec. 7-10 in Chandler, Ariz.

Here are the scores for all the players with strong Colorado connections who competed this week:

Maricopa, Ariz. (Top 23 finishers and ties advance to Second Stage)
FAILED TO ADVANCE
50. Mike Schoolcraft, Denver 73-73-69-73–288
59. Ethan Freeman, Denver 70-68-72-82–292
63. Curtis Garver, Dolores 71-71-76-76–294
72. Luke Condon, Monte Vista 71-82-72-75–300
 

Through three rounds of a First Stage tournament, Freeman stands in 28th place in Maricopa, Ariz., where the top 23 finishers and ties after Friday’s final round will earn spots into the Second Stage of Q-school.

Freeman shot an even-par 72 on Thursday — making two birdies and two bogeys on the day — to end up at 6-under 210. That’s two shots back of the players who were tied for 23rd place through 54 holes.

Mike Schoolcraft of Denver sits at 215, tied for 47th place.

Eleven more First Stage tournaments are scheduled for early October.

The Second Stage of Web Q-school will be held at five sites between Oct. 31-Nov. 7, and the Final Stage Dec. 7-10 in Chandler, Ariz.

Here are the scores for all the players with strong Colorado connections who are competing this week in the 72-hole tournament:

Maricopa, Ariz. (Top 23 finishers and ties will advance to Second Stage)
28. Ethan Freeman, Denver 70-68-72–210
47. Mike Schoolcraft, Denver 73-73-69–215
59. Curtis Garver, Dolores 71-71-76–218
72. Luke Condon, Monte Vista 71-82-72–225
 

The Denver resident fired a bogey-free 4-under-par 68 in round 2 in Maricopa, Ariz., where the top 23 finishers and ties after four rounds will advance to the Second Stage of Q-school. Freeman (pictured), a two-time state high school champion, stands at 6-under 138 for two rounds.

One other Coloradan is under par after 36 holes — Curtis Garver of Dolores, who has posted back-to-back 71s and shares 38th place.

Eleven more First Stage tournaments are scheduled for early October.

The Second Stage of Web Q-school will be held at five sites between Oct. 31-Nov. 7, and the Final Stage Dec. 7-10 in Chandler, Ariz.

Here are the scores for all the players with strong Colorado connections who are competing this week in the 72-hole tournament:

Maricopa, Ariz. (Top 23 finishers and ties will advance to Second Stage)
20. Ethan Freeman, Denver 70-68–138
38. Curtis Garver, Dolores 71-71–142
60. Mike Schoolcraft, Denver 73-73–146
74. Luke Condon, Monte Vista 71-82–153
 

Freeman (pictured) made four birdies and two bogeys at Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa, Ariz., where the top 23 finishers and ties after four rounds will advance to the second stage of Q-school.

Also breaking par on Tuesday from Colorado were Luke Condon of Monte Vista and Curtis Garver of Dolores, who each shot 71. Mike Schoolcraft of Denver opened with a 73.

Eleven more First Stage tournaments are scheduled for early October.

The Second Stage of Web Q-school will be held at five sites between Oct. 31-Nov. 7, and the Final Stage Dec. 7-10 in Chandler, Ariz.

Here are the scores for all the players with strong Colorado connections who are competing this week (tournaments are 72 holes):

Maricopa, Ariz. (Top 23 finishers and ties will advance to Second Stage)
32. Ethan Freeman, Denver 70
38. Luke Condon, Monte Vista 71
38. Curtis Garver, Dolores 71
60. Mike Schoolcraft, Denver 73
 

Ethan Freeman of Denver, Cole Nygren of Longmont and Jimmy Makloski of Pueblo all punched their tickets to the “First Stage” of qualifying with their performances in 54-hole Pre-Qualifying tournaments.

Freeman (pictured) and Nygren tied for 20th place at 1-under-par 215 in Woodland, Calif., where the top 37 finishers and ties advance to the First Stage. Freeman, a two-time state high school champion who played his college golf at the University of Colorado, made four birdies in a round of 71 on Friday. Nygren, a former Cal Poly golfer, carded a 70 after a three-birdie day.

Makloski had a close call in advancing, though he came into the final day in 11th place. The former Colorado State University golfer struggled to an 8-over-par 80 in Friday’s final round in St. Augustine, Fla., and tied for 36th place at a site where the top 37 and ties earn berths into First Stage. Makloski made two birdies, five bogeys, a double bogey and a triple bogey on Friday and posted a 7-over 223 total.

Last week, four other Coloradans advanced through Pre-Qualifying to the First Stage: Jacob Lestishen of Lone Tree, Steven Kupcho of Westminster, Luke Condon of Monte Vista and Curtis Garver of Dolores.

The First Stage of Web Q-school will take place at 12 sites between Sept. 26-Oct. 13, the Second Stage at five sites between Oct. 31-Nov. 7, and the Final Stage Dec. 7-10 in Chandler, Ariz.

Here are the scores for all the players with strong Colorado connections who competed this week (all tournaments are 54 holes):

Woodland, Calif. (Top 37 finishers and ties will advance to First Stage)
EARN BERTHS INTO FIRST STAGE
20. Ethan Freeman, Denver 71-73-71–215
20. Cole Nygren, Longmont 71-74-70–215

St. Augustine, Fla. (Top 37 finishers and ties will advance to First Stage)
EARNS BERTH INTO FIRST STAGE
36. Jimmy Makloski, Pueblo 71-72–143
 

The 2016 CoBank Colorado Open low amateur shot 72 Thursday in St. Augustine, Fla., where the top 37 finishers and ties after three rounds will punch their tickets to the “First Stage” of the qualifying process. Maklowski stands at 1-under-par 143 and in a tie for 11th place with one round remaining.

Meanwhile, at another Pre-Qualifying tournament in Woodland, Calif., two Coloradans remained on pace to advance to the First Stage, but they have less room to spare going into day 3.

Former University of Colorado golfer Ethan Freeman shares 23rd place at even-par 144 after carding a 1-over 73 on Thursday. And Cole Nygren of Longmont is another stroke back — in 31st place — after a second-round 74 in which he played his last four holes in 3 under. If the tournament would have ended on Thursday, 145 and better would advance.

Last week, four Coloradans advanced through Pre-Qualifying to the First Stage: Jacob Lestishen of Lone Tree, Steven Kupcho of Westminster, Luke Condon of Monte Vista and Curtis Garver of Dolores.

The First Stage of Web Q-school will take place at 12 sites between Sept. 26-Oct. 13, the Second Stage at five sites between Oct. 31-Nov. 7, and the Final Stage Dec. 7-10 in Chandler, Ariz.

Here at the scores for all the players competing this week with strong Colorado connections (all tournaments are 54 holes):

Woodland, Calif. (Top 37 finishers and ties will advance to First Stage)
23. Ethan Freeman, Denver 71-73–144
31. Cole Nygren, Longmont 71-74–145

St. Augustine, Fla. (Top 37 finishers and ties will advance to First Stage)
11. Jimmy Makloski, Pueblo 71-72–143
 

Jimmy Makloski of Pueblo, a former Colorado State University golfer, made two birdies and one bogey and shares 12th place in a Pre-Qualifier in St. Augustine, Fla. He trails leader Franck Medale of Jacksonville, Fla., by three strokes. The top 37 finishers and ties will advance from the site to the “First Stage” of the qualifying process.

Meanwhile, in Woodland, Calif. — another site where 37 and ties move on after 54 holes — Ethan Freeman of Denver and Cole Nygren of Longmont also posted 71s and share 20th place. Freeman, a two-time state high school champion who played at the University of Colorado, racked up four birdies. Nygren, who placed fourth at the CGA Amateur last month, had six. Eddie Olson of Aptos, Calif, opened with a 63 to take the lead in the tournament, which concludes on Friday.

Last week, four Coloradans advanced through Pre-Qualifying to the First Stage: Jacob Lestishen of Lone Tree, Steven Kupcho of Westminster, Luke Condon of Monte Vista and Curtis Garver of Dolores.

The First Stage will take place at 12 sites between Sept. 26-Oct. 13, the Second Stage at five sites between Oct. 31-Nov. 7, and the Final Stage Dec. 7-10 in Chandler, Ariz.

Here at the scores for all the players competing this week with strong Colorado connections (all tournaments are 54 holes):

Woodland, Calif. (Top 37 finishers and ties will advance to First Stage)
20. Ethan Freeman, Denver 71
20. Cole Nygren, Longmont 71

St. Augustine, Fla. (Top 37 finishers and ties will advance to First Stage)
12. Jimmy Makloski, Pueblo 71
 

And it’s not over yet.

The Highlands Ranch resident, a fifth-year senior at the University of Oregon, finished second Wednesday in the Men’s NCAA Division I Regional tournament in Baton Rouge, La. And the Ducks, the defending national champions, qualified for the NCAA Finals by placing third in the 14-team field. The top five team finishers and the top individual not on those teams from each regional advance to the Finals, set for May 26-31 in Sugar Grove, Ill.

Clark (pictured), who won the Pac-12 Conference individual title on April 30 at Boulder Country Club, made a run at the victory on Wednesday. With the No. 1-ranked (Clark) and No. 2 (Sam Burns of host LSU) college golfers in the nation battling it out for the indiviudal win, Clark made up four strokes in the final round, but ended up one behind Burns.

Clark, the Pac-12 Player of the Year who won the CGA Amateur in 2010 as a 16-year-old, shot a 1-under-par 71 in the final round, giving him a 3-under 213 total. He made just one bogey in his final 35 holes. Burns, who opened with a 65, ended up at 212 after a final-round 75. He struggled on his final nine holes, posting a 5-over 41, but parred his final two holes to secure the win at LSU’s home course. The Tigers also won the team title.

The finish gives Clark a remarkable 11 top-10 finishes in a dozen tournaments as a senior. He owns three wins, four seconds, one third, a fifth, a sixth, a 10th and a 13th.

Meanwhile, the University of Colorado — the only Colorado-based school which earned a berth in the DI regionals — finished 12th out of 13 teams in the West, Lafayette, Ind., Regional. It marked the fifth consecutive year that the Buffs have qualified for the NCAA Regionals but failed to advance to the NCAA Finals. They missed by 28 strokes this time around. CU — whose No. 1 player, Jeremy Paul, turned pro a month ago — last made it to nationals as a team in 2002.

Junior Yannik Paul (75-78-72–225) finished 31st individually to lead the Buffs. Coloradan Ethan Freeman concluded his college career by placing 59th at 232.

Elsewhere, Coloradan Josh Seiple, like Clark a former Valor Christian High School golfer, also will be going to the NCAA Finals. His University of Mississippi team advanced by finishing fourth in the Austin, Texas Regional. Individually, Seiple placed 25th, going 73-74-70 for a 4-over-par 217 total.

Also in Austin, Jake Staiano of Colorado State, another former Valor golfer, finished 38th while competing only as an individual. The sophomore went 73-74-74–221.

MEN’S NCAA DIV. I REGIONALS

May 15-17, 2017 (final) in West Lafayette, Ind.
12. (out of 13 teams) Colorado 304-308-298–910
31. Yannik Paul 75-78-72–225
49. Victor Bjorlow 77-78-74–229
59. Ethan Freeman 77-76-79–232
63. John Souza 75-85-73–233
67. Spencer Painton 78-76-80–234

May 15-17, 2017 (final) in Baton Rouge, La.
2. Coloradan Wyndham Clark, Oregon 72-70-71–213

May 15-17, 2017 (final) in Austin Texas
25. Coloradan Josh Seiple, Mississippi 73-74-70–217
38. Jake Staiano, Colorado State 73-74-74–221
 

The Pac-12 Player of the Year shot a 2-under-par 70, giving the University of Oregon senior a 2-under 142 total heading into Wednesday’s final round. The only player ahead of him is Sam Burns from host LSU, who leads by five after rounds of 65-72.

Perhaps not coincidentally, Clark (pictured) and Burns are ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the nation among men’s college golfers.

Clark — who won the Pac-12 individual title in Boulder on April 30, giving him three wins on the season — started Tuesday with a bogey on his first hole, but made three birdies and 14 pars the rest of the way. All his birdies came on par-5s.

The top five team finishers and the top individual not on those teams will advance to the NCAA Finals, set for May 26-31 in Sugar Grove, Ill. Clark’s Oregon squad is tied for fourth after two rounds.

Meanwhile, the University of Colorado, the only Colorado-based team to qualify for the Men’s DI Regionals, fell into last place in the team standings in the West Lafayette, Ind., Regional. Barring a near-miracle, the Buffs won’t reach their goal of qualifying for the NCAA Finals for the first time since 2002.

CU — whose No. 1 player, Jeremy Paul, turned pro a month ago — stands at 36-over-par 612 for two rounds. It trails leader New Mexico by 42 strokes. More importantly, the Buffs are 33 strokes out of the fifth-place spot, the last one that will advance to Finals. Ethan Freeman and Yannik Paul are leading the way individually for CU, at 9-over-par 153.

And at the Austin, Texas Regional, two former Valor Christian teammates who last week advanced to U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying are tied through two rounds. Jake Staiano of Colorado State and Josh Seiple of Mississippi have matched rounds of 73-74 for 5-over-par 147s, good for 26th place.

Seiple’s Ole Miss squad is in good position to advance to Finals as a team as it’s in third place.

MEN’S NCAA DIV. I REGIONALS

May 15-17, 2017 in West Lafayette, Ind.
13. (out of 13 teams) Colorado 304-308–612
53. Ethan Freeman 77-76–153
53. Yannik Paul 75-78–153
58. Spencer Painton 78-76–154
63. Victor Bjorlow 77-78–155
75. John Souza 75-85–160

May 15-17, 2017 in Baton Rouge, La.
2. Coloradan Wyndham Clark, Oregon 72-70–142

May 15-17, 2017 in Austin Texas
26. Jake Staiano, Colorado State 73-74–147
26. Coloradan Josh Seiple, Mississippi 73-74–147
 

On a day that featured a squall of snow in the afternoon, and sleet and wind chills that dipped into the mid-20s in the evening, perhaps it wasn’t surprising that a few Colorado kids warmed up in the cold.

Wyndham Clark of Highlands Ranch, the top-ranked men’s college player in the nation, withstood the conditions Friday at Boulder Country Club to stand 2 under par through 34 holes before play was suspended due to darkness. That was good for a share of the individaul lead with Washington’s Carl Yuan almost halfway through the Men’s Pac-12 Conference Championship.

Also in the top 10 competing in a field that includes three of the top eight teams in the nation are two other former Colorado state high school champions. The host University of Colorado’s Ethan Freeman shares sixth place at 2 over par through 34 holes, while junior teammate Spencer Painton is tied for 10th place at 5 over through 36 holes. (Clark is pictured above in green, with Freeman in gold.)

“Ethan and I for sure in high school golf have experienced stuff like these (weather conditions),” said Clark, who played the first two rounds with Freeman. “State always seemed to be 30-something degrees and maybe a snowstorm. We’ve definitely gotten our fair share of practice in this sort of thing. For guys from USC who have never seen worse weather than about 60 degrees, this is definitely a rude awakening. So it’s certainly an advantage for us.”

But that didn’t make it any more fun for the local guys.

“I’ve never played a tournament in snow,” Painton (left) said after rounds of 73-72 for a 5-over-par 145 total. “I’ve practiced in snow, but this crazy.”

CU, hosting its first men’s conference championship since 1972, sits in sixth place out of 12 teams, with one round scheduled for Saturday and another on Sunday. The Buffs are 33 over par and trail Clark’s Oregon squad — the defending NCAA champ — by 17 strokes.

That bad news is that four groups didn’t finish their second rounds on Friday, and the championship is not official until 36 holes are complete. With snow covering the ground at BCC at 9 p.m. Friday and more of the white stuff in the forecast overnight and on Saturday, the weekend is certainly problematic. If the course is ready on Saturday — which is a very big if — the second round will resume at 10 a.m. and the third at noon.

But on Friday, competitors were just trying to make the best of a bad situation. The first-round start was delayed 30 minutes by frost, and then there was a 32-minute suspension when snow started falling in the early afternoon.

“Even though you’re cold too, you have that advantage (of having more exposure to low temperatures as a Coloradan),” said Freeman, a two-time 3A state high school champ. “It just helps you push forward a little bit. The California schools had to (adjust) to the altitude and it’s cold and it’s windy. We’re already at our altitude yardages, so for us it’s one less thing to worry about, which is a big advantage.”

And it didn’t hurt for Freeman to be paired Friday with Clark, who is a friend. Clark sets a high stardard, having won the 2010 CGA Amateur at Boulder CC as a 16-year-old and capturing two individual college titles this season. The former Big 12 Player of the Year at Oklahoma State is certainly in position to notch his 10th top-10 finish of the season.

“Wyndham is a great guy,” Freeman said. “We’ve been friends forever. It’s fun competing with a good friend and also one of the best guys in the conference. You also know he’s going to be near the lead. It helps you to stay focused and know every shot really counts out there.”

Both Clark and Freeman played well during the most difficult conditions late in the day. Clark birdied three of four holes in the stretch from No. 12 through 15 in the evening, while Freeman was 3 under from 10 through 13.

“Obviously I would have loved to have finished (the second round) and be in the spot I am, just in case we can’t finish (the 72-hole tournament),” Clark said. “But I wouldn’t want to have finished and make bogeys coming in.

“It’s awesome that we’re in the lead. Oregon has never won a Pac-12 Championship (aside from divisional titles), so that’s something that’s on our minds to try and win the first championship.

“(Winning individually) would be awesome too — the cherry on top.”

As for host CU, coach Roy Edwards was happy to be in the middle of the pack after a rough start to the day. The Buffs’ six players went a combined 21 over par from the third through eighth holes of the day. They struggled somewhat on the same stretch (3-8) in round 2 — going 15 over — but other than that they very much held their own.

“I felt good,” Edward said. “We were a little tight this morning, which I expected a little bit because it’s a golf course we play all the time and it’s the Pac-12 Championship. We got off to a bit of a rough start, but since then the team’s played well.”
 

New TPC Colorado G.M. Collins, a Former Pac-8 South Champion, on Hand: Among the spectators Friday at Boulder Country Club was Coloradan Larry Collins, the Pac-8 South co-champion in 1977 as a University of Southern California golfer. Collins (left), a former director of golf at Boulder Country Club and for the last 18 years the director of golf at the 27-hole Omni Interlocken Golf Club in Broomfield, on Friday was named the general manager at the under-construction TPC Colorado course in Berthoud. The semi-private TPC Colorado is expected to open in the spring of next year and is said to be in the running to host a Web.com Tour event in the future.

Collins worked in the TPC network earlier in his career, as head professional at TPC Southwind, TPC Sawgrass and the former TPC at Star Pass.

State and Regional Golf Associations Pitch In: Eight state and regional golf associations, plus the USGA and the PGA of America, are helping out in various capacities at this weekend’s Pac-12 tournament at Boulder CC. The CGA and the CWGA are among them, along with folks from Northern California, Utah, Arizona, Southern California, Nebraska and the Pacific Northwest.

Notable: Senior Jeremy Paul, who holds the CU career scoring average record, was on hand Friday at Boulder Country Club less than two weeks after the school announced that he had turned pro, foregoing his eligibility for the 2017 Pac-12 tournament and the NCAA Championship. Paul missed the cut in a Web.com tournament last week… Sophomore Nathan Wunderli of Utah made a hole-in-one on the 204-yard sixth hole during the second round on Friday afternoon.

Men’s Pac-12 Championship
April 28-30, 2017 at Par-70 Boulder CC
Team Scores
1. Oregon +16
2. Washington +19
3. Stanford +26
4. California +31
4. Southern California +31
6. Colorado +33
7. UCLA +35
8. Arizona State +36
9. Arizona +41
10. Washington State +46
11. Oregon State +52
12. Utah +56

CU Individuals
6. Ethan Freeman +2 through 34 holes
10. Spencer Painton +5 through 36
25. Yannik Paul +7 through 36
42. John Souza +10 through 36
49. Wilson Belk +11 through 36
58. Victor Bjorlow +13 through 36

Also
T1. Coloradan Wyndham Clark, Oregon -2 through 34
67. Coloradan Kyler Dunkle, Utah +15 through 36

For live scoring from the Pac-12 meet, CLICK HERE.
 

UNC Third at Big Sky Tourney: Also starting Friday was the Men’s Big Sky Championship in Boulder City, Nev., and after round 1 the University of Northern Colorado holds third place in the eight-team field.

The Bears shot an 18-over-par 306 on Friday, leaving them three strokes behind leader Weber State.

UNC’s Joshua Matz shares the individual lead with Kyler Dearden of Weber State as both matched pars with 72s.

The tournament continues through Sunday.

Men’s Big Sky Championship
April 28-30, 2017 in Boulder City, Nev.
3. (out of 8 teams) Northern Colorado 306
T1. Joshua Matz 72
4. Coby Welch 74
16. Andrew Romano 79
25. Sam Marley 81
30. Li Chen 83