Dan Erickson’s first competitive round in his new home state of Colorado was a doozy.

The Texas A&M golfer, whose family moved to Loveland early this year, shot a 9-under-par 61 Monday and set the course record — by two strokes — in the first round of U.S. Amateur qualifying at Fort Collins Country Club.

The 19-year-old backed that up with a 3-under 67 in the afternoon, giving him a 12-under 128 total for the day, good for medalist honors out of a field that originally numbered 83.

The stakes were high on Monday as Pebble Beach Golf Links, site of the 2019 U.S. Open, will be hosting the U.S. Amateur Aug. 13-19.

Joining Erickson in earning berths Monday to the historic venue were Colorado State University golfer AJ Ott of Fort Collins, and University of Utah golfer Kyler Dunkle of Parker. (The qualifiers are pictured, from left: Ott, Erickson and Dunkle.)

“We grew up playing Pebble on the Wii and the Tiger Woods (video games) and stuff like that,” Ott noted with a smile. “That was always everyone’s favorite course. It will be really fun.”

Added Dunkle, the 2016 CGA Player of the Year and a former 5A state high school champion: “You’re going to basically the golf mecca. Pebble has had numerous U.S. Opens and other big tournaments. They have a PGA Tour stop there every year. The amount of history there … To be able to walk down those fairways and remember some of the shots hit — like Tiger’s 3-wood onto the green on No. 18 … That will be an experience itself. Being able to play the golf course, that will be really fun, knowing what’s happened there. One of the coolest things will be playing it this year and watching the U.S. Open there next year. It’s a special place, and to have the opportunity to go there will be really cool.”

It will be the second straight U.S. Amateur for Ott, who narrowly missed advancing to match play last year, and the third overall for Dunkle, who went to the match play round of 16 in 2016. Meanwhile, next month will mark the U.S. Amateur debut for Erickson. None of the three has had the pleasure of playing Pebble Beach.

Erickson (left), who claimed one individual victory in the spring portion of the college schedule, had a tap-in eagle on his first hole of the day Monday after hitting a 7-iron from 210 yards, and added nine birdies and two bogeys in round 1. By draining a 40-foot birdie on No. 18 — his fourth in a row — he shot the best score of his golf career and bettered his competitive best by three strokes.

“When we were playing the practice round yesterday and I birdied the first hole and chipped in for birdie on 2 I was like, ‘Oh man, what’s the course record?’ Now I guess I figured it out,” Erickson said with a smile. “That felt pretty good.

“I was driving it fantastic all day to put myself in good positions. I was hitting every drive almost perfect. I did everything pretty good obviously. Everything was just working. This course is great. I love every second of being out here. It was good all around.”

In the afternoon round, Erickson was a bogey-free 6 under par through 12 holes, making him a whopping 15 under for the day. But two double bogeys down the stretch, with a birdie sandwiched in between, left him at 12 under.

Coincidentally, the Fort Collins CC course record that Erickson bettered by two belonged to Dunkle, who shot a 63 in the first round of the Ram Masters tournament in 2015 while he was a CSU golfer before he transferred to Utah.

“That’s insane,” Dunkle said of someone shooting 61. “That’s golf. That’s an unbelievable score. Knowing historically some of the scores that have qualified here and even in CSU’s tournament, it’s really hard to see an individual take it over two or three rounds to 6 or 7 under and he shot 9 under in one round. That’s impressive.”

On Monday, Dunkle  (left) wasn’t quite as good, but shot consecutive 67s despite a balky putter. That left the 21-year-old in third place.

“I hit the ball great, unbelievably well,” said Dunkle, who’s been battling back problems but recently finished second in the Utah State Amateur. “Over 36 holes I missed three greens (in regulation). Proximity to the hole was awesome. I don’t want to even begin to count how many putts I had.”

But in the end, Dunkle, who now primarily lives in Salt Lake City, squeaked in for his third trip to the U.S. Am in the last four years.

He said when he advanced to the round of 16 in the 2016 national championship at Oakland Hills in Michigan, “that was by far the most fun I’ve ever had at a golf tournament. Being able to play these world-class golf courses under U.S. Open conditions is something not very many people get to do. The fact that I’ve done it twice and I get to go again, it’s awesome.”

Ott, who won the CGA Match Play last month, grew up in Fort Collins and plays Fort Collins CC regularly as a member of the CSU golf team. On Monday, he qualified for the U.S. Am at the site for the second straight year, this time finishing second. The 20-year-old posted rounds of 68-65, playing his final nine holes in 4 under par.

“Last year playing in the U.S. Am was a real confidence boost for me because I was close (to making match play),” Ott said. “I didn’t play my best and I missed the cut by one out there. The whole U.S. Am experience is cool. It means a lot to go back.

“I struggled so much my freshman year (at CSU), and to go out there (to the 2017 U.S. Amateur) and not play my best and still be right there to make match play, that was a huge confidence boost. I think that’s a big reason I improved my sophomore year.”

The scores on Monday were considerably lower than normal at the Fort Collins CC U.S. Amateur qualifier. Last year, 1-over-par 141 earned a spot in the national championship. This year, it took 6-under 134.

A second qualifying tournament for the U.S. Amateur will take place in Colorado on July 16 at Columbine Country Club.

U.S. Amateur Qualifying

At Par-70 Fort Collins CC
ADVANCE TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Dan Erickson, Loveland 61-67–128
AJ Ott, Fort Collins 68-65–133
Kyler Dunkle, Parker 67-67–134
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Cal McCoy, Highlands Ranch 68-67–135
Daniel Martinez, Austin, Texas 68-67–135

For all the scores from Fort Collins CC, CLICK HERE.

Having Pebble Beach Golf Links in the Monterey area of California serve as host will do that. And Spyglass Hill as the second stroke-play course isn’t bad either.

Pebble Beach GL, which will be home to the 2019 U.S. Open, will do the honors for the U.S. Am Aug. 13-19.

Two qualifying tournaments in Colorado will fill six spots in the 312-man international field. Fort Collins Country Club (on Monday, July 2) and Columbine Country Club in Columbine Valley (July 16) will hold 36-hole qualifiers, with the top three finishers at each site earning trips to “Pebble”. The qualifying fields number 83 at Fort Collins and 84 at Columbine.

Three golfers who qualified for the 2017 U.S. Am will be back hoping for a return trip: Colorado State University players AJ Ott and Jake Staiano, along with the University of Northern Colorado’s Li Chen — all of whom are in the field at Fort Collins CC.

Ott, winner of the CGA Match Play last week, finished a stroke out of a playoff for the final match play spots at last year’s U.S. Am. Staiano also went to the U.S. Amateur in 2015. Chen was the medalist in qualifying at Fort Collins CC last year.

Two former CGA Players of the Year will be competing in Fort Collins: Staiano (2017) and Kyler Dunkle (2016). Another, Michael Harrington (2014), will be at Columbine.

Among the others competing Monday will be 2017 CGA Match Play champ Chris Korte, 2018 Match Play runner-up Ross Macdonald; 2017 Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado Boys Player of the Year Davis Bryant, who was first alternate in U.S. Am qualifying in Fort Collins last year; 2016 CGA Amateur winner Colin Prater; and Hunter Paugh, who won a 5A state high school title at Fort Collins CC.

The competitors at Columbine, in addition to Harrington, will include three-time CGA Mid-Amateur champion Jon Lindstrom, two-time U.S. Open Sectional qualifier Josh Seiple and 2012 CGA Match Play champion Brian Dorfman.

For tee times at Fort Collins CC, CLICK HERE.

For tee times at Columbine CC, CLICK HERE.

Two Colorado residents with no first-hand experience of those years when the Colorado State men’s golf team DIDN’T win the Ram Masters Invitational led the way as CSU claimed the title in the event for the fourth consecutive year on Tuesday.

Sophomore AJ Ott of Fort Collins and junior Jake Staiano of Cherry Hills Village have known nothing but team success in the Rams’ home tournament each September at Fort Collins Country Club.

And so it was again on Tuesday. Not only did CSU win the Ram Masters for a fourth straight time, but it was by a whopping 19 strokes — and with a team score that demolished the old tournament record — set by the Rams in 2015 — by 16 shots. Colorado State finished at 17-under-par 823 as a team.

“My mentality — and (that of) other guys on the team — is keep the pedal down and don’t let up,” Ott said. “It’s tough because it’s golf, but everyone on our team likes to win big. That’s always a goal — to never let up. If we had a 14-stroke lead going into the day, just take the same mentality. I know I was firing at flags and trying to make birdies (in the final round). Once you get defensive out here, it just doesn’t help you.”

With that being the approach, CSU put four individuals into the top 10 in the 104-man field. Ott, the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s male player of the year in 2016, posted his best individual college showing ever by placing fourth — and that was despite a double bogey on his final hole, where he hit his approach from a fairway bunker far over the green and out of bounds. The left-hander finished at 4-under-par 206 after a final-round 70.

Staiano, despite battling his putter, placed fifth at 207 after closing with a 69. Colton Yates was sixth at 208, also after a 69. And 17-year-old freshman Parathakorn Suyasri checked in at eighth at 209 after carding a final-round 67. Rounding out CSU’s team was German Amateur champion Max Oelfke (21st at 213 after a 76 on Tuesday).

“I think we know this course so well, we have such an advantage out here,” said Staiano, a two-time U.S. Amateur qualifier. “Yesterday, I saw three, four, five times where I outplayed my competitors just because I knew the course and knew where to hit it and how aggressive to be and where to be aggressive and where not to be aggressive. The advantage we have here is 20 shots better” than opponents such as made up the field this year.

Missouri-Kansas City, with individual champion Francois Lagraulet checking in at a tournament-record 9-under 201, took second place team-wise on Tuesday at 842. Wyoming was third at 847 after early this month winning the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational at the Air Force Academy.

The University of Denver, in it season opener, placed sixth at 861 as two-time Colorado Open champion Brian Guetz has come on board as an assistant to head coach Erik Billinger. CGA Match Play champion Chris Korte led the way for the Pioneers with an 11th-place showing. (Billinger and Guetz are pictured at bottom, with Guetz at right.)

Northern Colorado, paced by Joshua Matz’s 12th-place finish, ended up ninth as a team at 870. The Air Force Academy was 15th at 884, with Tate Tatom the highest finisher at 12th.

As for CSU, Ott (left) has been emerging as a player early this season. After last season never placing better than 20th as a freshman, he finished 10th earlier this month at the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational and fourth on Tuesday.

“Last year I put a lot of pressure on myself coming in and trying to play well,” he said. “I think I learned I have to be more relaxed. Last year, honestly, I played pretty defensive and this year I’m going out and free-wheeling it and swinging hard.

“I think it’s helped me a lot to tone it back and take some pressure off myself and just go out and play and have fun because last year I didn’t have fun at all on the golf course. It was just kind of a pain having to wake up and play 36 holes. This year I’m more looking forward to it.”

CSU head coach Christian Newton has certainly taken notice.

“His growth has been tremendous,” he said of Ott. “He was a freshman who was extremely hard on himself and has high standards. So we really worked to try to be a little easier on ourselves because this is a hard game and if you don’t treat yourself good, you’ll be a shell of yourself if you want to play this the rest of your life. He’s embraced that. He’s been much easier on himself. He’s an intense competitor in general, but he’s been easier on himself, and it’s spun off into his golf game. And if you look at him physically, he’s bigger and stronger and his ball-striking is better. He already had a good short game. That’s a pretty good recipe (for improvement).”

Newton, who began his head coaching career at CSU in 2012 — the same year the Ram Masters Invitational made its debut, saw his Rams notch their sixth team victory of his tenure on Tuesday.

“It’s awesome anytime you can host your home event and win,” he said. “We’ve continued to upgrade the tournament and the field, but anytime you can win something four times in a row, obviously it’s really special and really awesome. They smashed the tourament record. I’m really proud of their play this week.

“Our guys are pretty good. We didn’t quite have all of our guns blazing down at Air Force (earlier this month, finishing second to Wyoming). But I thought we would play pretty good here. We’re really going toward an aggressive style of play — to just go out and believe and challenge the golf course. We hit drivers on a lot of places that people don’t and I encourage my guys to do that. I’m a little surprised by how much we won by against some legitimate programs that are probably going to be top 40 at the end of the year. So to win by that much is huge.”

Ram Masters Invitational
Sept. 18-19, 2017 (final) at Par-70 Fort Collins CC

1. (out of 19 teams) Colorado State 268-280-275–823
4. AJ Ott 67-69-70–206
5. Jake Staiano 66-72-69–207
6. Colton Yates 70-69-69–208
8. Parathakorn Suyasri 68-74-67–209
21. Max Oelfke 67-70-76–213
21. Cullen Plousha (competing only as individual) 70-70-73–213
28. Jack Ainscough (competing only as individual) 74-69-73–216
96. Pierce Aichinger (competing only as individual) 75-78-79–232 

6. Denver 289-285-287–861
11. Chris Korte 69-69-72–210
18. Jake Kelley 71-72-69–212
28. Isaac Petersilie 73-70-73–216
85. Eric Hagen 76-79-73–228
91. John Sand 82-74-74–230
77. Roy Kang (competing only as individual) 76-76-74–226
85. Michael Boyland (competing only as individual) 79-76-73–228

9. Northern Colorado 282-291-297–870
12. Joshua Matz 68-72-71–211
36. Andrew Romano 66-74-78–218
42. Sam Marley 74-69-76–219
66. Coby Welch 74-78-72–224
97. Marcus Tait 79-76-78–233

18. Air Force Academy 289-298-297–884
12. Tate Tatom 72-70-69–211
66. Bryant Falconello 71-78-75–224
77. Joseph Crisostomo 74-78-74–226
95. Todd Millard 79-73-79–231
101. Dane Hankamer 72-77-88–237
42. Andy Germann (competing only as individual) 72-71-76–219

Also
31. Coloradan Glenn Workman, Wyoming 73-74-70–217
73. Trevor Olowski, University of Colorado (competing only as individual) 76-70-79–225
 

In 2016 and ’17, a dozen players have qualified in Colorado for the U.S. Amateur. Eleven of the 12 have been college age or younger.

Then there’s Steve Irwin.

On Thursday, the 42-year-old from Arvada and Lakewood Country Club struck a blow for the slightly older set by punching his ticket to the U.S. Am — and for the second time in three years, no less.

At Fort Collins Country Club, Irwin joined two Coloradans who play their college golf in the Centennial State, Li Chen of Broomfield and AJ Ott of Fort Collins, in advancing to the national amateur championship. (The qualifiers are pictured, from left, Ott, Irwin and Chen.)

Irwin, son of three-time U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin, earned his third trip to the U.S. Am by shooting rounds of 67-74 for a 1-over-par 141 total. It marked his second time in three years qualifying at Fort Collins CC. (“I may need to join up here. This course has been good to me,” he said.) Irwin also competed in the championship in 2011, when he was exempt after playing in that year’s U.S. Open.

“This will be No. 3. I’m pretty proud of that — especially at 42,” he said. “I’ve always thought the U.S. Amateur is one of the hardest tournaments to qualify for. There’s so many guys and so many great players — a lot of young guys that are playing every day. When you’re only taking two, maybe three, guys (at a given qualifying site), it’s always been one of those harder ones for me to qualify for. Now to do it a little later in my career — and also with all the other things I’ve got going in my life, it feels pretty good.”

Irwin (below), a former CGA Player of the Year and University of Colorado golfer who currently serves on the CGA Board of Governors, made six birdies and seven bogeys over the 36 holes. He got up and down from in front of the green on his final hole to avoid a playoff.

The reward is a trip to a USGA championship for the 13th time, by his reckoning. Give or take, there’s been one U.S. Junior Amateur, three USGA State Teams, five U.S. Mid-Amateurs, the U.S. Open, and now his third U.S. Amateur.

And this time around, he qualified despite playing much less golf than usual in the first half of the year.

“Golf most definitely has not been the focus this year. It hasn’t even been in the top five,” said Irwin, a guiding force — along with his dad — behind Hale Irwin Golf Services and Irwin Golf Management. “I’ve been busy with work, and been involved in an exciting new business venture. We’re getting ready to merge with another company, so I’ve been focused on that. Golf has been one of those things where I might go out for 20 minutes a couple nights a week and that’s about it. I don’t want to say it’s a surprise (to qualify) but it’s gratifying to know that when I focus on it for a little bit, I can still play a little bit.

“When you get on the golf course, your mind frees up a little, which happened in the first round today. The second round I was holding on for dear life. My swing felt like an unfolding lawn chair and I couldn’t make a putt. Other than that it was a good round.”

In all, 81 players teed it up Thursday for three spots in the U.S. Amateur, which is set for Aug. 14-20 at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Coincidentally, one of Hale Irwin’s 20 PGA Tour wins came at Riviera, in the 1976 Glen Campbell Los Angeles Open.

While this will be U.S. Am No. 3 for Steve Irwin, it will be the first for both Chen, a junior-to-be at UNC, and Ott, a sophomore at CSU.

Chen, twice a runner-up in the 5A state high school tournament when he played at Legacy, earned medalist honors on Thursday. He made seven birdies — including two runs of three straight — in a round of 5-under-par 65 in the morning, then carded a 72 in the afternoon for a 3-under 137 total. The 65 marked Chen’s best score ever for a round. He noted that he felt comfortable at Fort Collins CC after finishing 21st individually there at the Ram Masters Invitational college tournament last September.

“It was a great round this morning, but after the round I tried not to think about it as much,” said the 20-year-old, who’s the son of Windy He, a highly-regarded Colorado rules official. “Everybody knows on 36-hole days, you can shoot 65-85 pretty easy. I tried focus on the next round.”

Not only did Chen earn his first trip to a U.S. Amateur, but it’ll be his first USGA championship of any sort.

“To be honest, I don’t even know when and where (the 2017 U.S. Amateur) is,” he said. “But it’ll be a great experience. It shows me that over the last two years playing college, I’ve improved my game. It’s a great step up and a confidence boost to know I have the ability and skills to make it into a tournament of that size and level.”

Ott, who’s lived his entire life in Fort Collins, is very familiar with Fort Collins CC as CSU practices and qualifies for college tournaments there quite often and hosts the Ram Masters Invitational there each September. Ott figures he’s played the course roughly 50 times, and he used that course knowledge to record rounds of 71-70 to tie Irwin for second place at 141. Ott made three birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey on the day.

“(This course) has probably been my second home this year just being at CSU,” said the 19-year-old, who was the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s boys player of the year in 2016. “The Ram Masters is set up pretty similar to how they set this up.

“I had to qualify for just about every (college) event, so I was used to hitting the shots around here. I learned a lot this first year about the kind of shots to play on this course and I knew it would culminate with this tournament because this is a big one to get in. It’s definitely an advantage being here at home.”

It will be the second USGA championship for Ott, who competed in the 2014 U.S. Junior Amateur.

“It means a lot” to qualify for the U.S. Am, he said. “It’s something I’ve wanted to get in since I started playing when I was little. It’s going to be fun.”

Davis Bryant of Aurora, who won the Colorado Junior Amateur on Wednesday, was on pace to earn a U.S. Am berth, but an errant tee shot on his 36th hole led to a double bogey and he missed by one stroke at 142. He’ll be the first alternate.

Jackson Solem of Longmont, like Bryant a 2017 U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier, landed the second alternate position at 143. The former 4A state high school champion made two triple bogeys in his morning round of 73.

Last week, three other players qualified at Columbine Country Club for the U.S. Amateur. Jake Staiano of Cherry Hills Village was joined in advancing by incoming CSU golfer Parathakorn Suyasri and UCLA player Cole Madey. Like Ott, Staiano is a CSU golfer.

Earlier this week, former University of Colorado golfer Kenny Coakley qualified in Morton, Minn., for the U.S. Amateur. The Phoenix resident earned medalist honors at that qualifying site.

Coloradan Kyler Dunkle, who qualified at Fort Collins Country Club for the 2016 U.S. Am, where he advanced to the round of 16, will be competing at a Monday (July 17) qualifying tournament in Highland, Utah. Dunkle plays for the University of Utah.
 

U.S. Amateur Qualifying
At Par-70 Fort Collins CC
QUALIFIED FOR U.S. AM
Li Chen, Broomfield 65-72–137
Steve Irwin, Arvada 67-74–141
AJ Ott, Fort Collins 71-70–141
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Davis Bryant, Aurora 71-71–142
Jackson Solem, Longmont 73-70–143

For complete results, CLICK HERE.

And two other Coloradans — Jake Staiano (2015) and Wyndham Clark (2016) — have likewise earned spots in the 64-man match play field in the 312-player event.

All those golfers began their U.S. Amateur journey with a 36-hole qualifying tournament in Colorado. Two of those qualifying events are on tap in the next two weeks as Columbine Country Club will host one on Monday (July 3) and Fort Collins Country Club one on July 13.

In each case, the top three finishers out of a field of 80-plus players will earn berths to the U.S. Am, scheduled for Aug. 14-20 at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

The qualifying field for Monday at Columbine features 2016 CGA Amateur champion Colin Prater, who earned a U.S. Am berth at Columbine last year. Also set to compete are 2017 CGA Match Play winner Chris Korte; former U.S. Am qualifiers Staiano, Chris Thayer, Spencer Painton and Jeff Chapman; Josh Seiple, the 2016 CGA Match Play runner-up who recently advanced to the round of 32 at the British Amateur; and 2015 CGA Match Play champ Nick Nosewicz.

At Fort Collins CC on July 13, 2016 U.S. Am qualifiers Tristan Rohrbaugh and Colton Yates are in the field. Also scheduled to play are Steve Irwin, who’s twice competed in the U.S. Amateur and once in the U.S. Open; 2017 U.S. Junior Amateur qualifiers Jackson Solem and Davis Bryant; and former 5A state high school champion Hunter Paugh.

For pairings, click on the following: COLUMBINE CC, FORT COLLINS CC.

 It took a while to get in the groove, but suffice it to say the Rams have now mastered the Ram Masters Invitational.

Each of the first two years the Colorado State University men’s golf team hosted the tournament at Fort Collins Country Club, 2012 and ’13, it suffered through consecutive runner-up finishes — by one stroke each year, no less.

But since then, the Rams have run off team victories in the event three straight years, including on Tuesday in the fifth time the tournament was conducted.

“This is obviously very special to win three in a row here, and against a really good field,” said CSU head coach Christian Newton, whose Rams notched their fifth team victory since he arrived in Fort Collins in 2012. “We had the biggest field we’ve ever had with 100 players. It was awesome to see the guys come out and compete and defend their home turf.”

With senior Blake Cannon (pictured above getting a victory shower) shooting a bogey-free 6-under-par 64 in the final round and becoming the first CSU player to claim an individual college title since Cameron Harrell in 2013, the Rams rallied on Tuesday to earn a seven-stroke victory over Nevada.

After entering the day four strokes out of the lead, CSU shot a 3-under-par 277 to post a 4-over-par 844 total for 54 holes. Air Force, which shared the 36-hole lead, finished fourth in the 18-team field at 858, while Northern Colorado (879) was 11th, Denver (887) 15th and CSU’s second squad (893) 16th.

Three members of CSU’s title-winning team — Jake Staiano, AJ Ott (left, with Newton) and Jimmy Makloski — are products of Colorado junior golf. A week after placing fourth in the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitatational, Staiano finished 17th individually on Tuesday at 5-over-par 215. Ott, a freshman, was 32nd at 218, and Makloski was 70th at 227.

“I can tell I’ve come a long way,” said Staiano, who posted rounds of 73-71-71. “Last week at Air Force I didn’t have my A-plus game, but to still be able to get a top-5 was nice. And I can tell it’s carrying over.

“We have so many good guys on this team. We have eight or 10 guys who can play, who can really compete on any given week. For us to put that together feels really good.”

Cannon (left), a product of Scottsdale, Ariz., who spent a season and a half at Arizona State before transferring to CSU, earned his first individual college victory. And he was impressive doing it, with his 64 on Tuesday missing Kyler Dunkle’s single-round tournament record by just a stroke. Cannon carded six birdies and no bogeys on a course that certainly wasn’t set up easy. After all, the next-best score on Tuesday was a 67. All told, Cannon’s 7-under-par 203 total was four better than runners-up Brenden Bone (below) of Air Force and Kaleb Gorbahn of Nevada.

“To get my first win, in my senior year, it feels pretty good,” said Cannon, who played in the U.S. Amateur last month. “I’ve been waiting for it for a while. I’ve come close a few times. It’s nice to finally pull through and get it.

“Honestly, I was struggling with a bunch of different injuries between my back and neck so my expectations weren’t overly high this week. But it felt a little better than I expected. All around, I’ve been striking it so well. I just needed my putting and chipping to come around a little bit, and it finally did. Once those synched up, I was able to really take off.”

Said Newton of Cannon’s performance: “For Blake to come out and play today flawlessly was awesome. We haven’t had somebody win a tournament (individually) in three years, so I’m very happy and real proud of him.”

But it was the whole team — Cannon, Colton Yates, Staiano (left), Ott and Makloski — starting out on a torrid pace that set the tone for the team victory. Collectively, the five golfers played the first four holes in 8 under par on Tuesday. And at one point on the front nine, the Rams were 11 under par as a team for the day. So for almost the entire final round, they were the team to beat. And no opponent came close to matching their 277 final-round total.

Yates, who qualified for the U.S. Amateur at Fort Collins Country Club this summer, joined Cannon in the top five individually, placing fourth at 208 despite a triple bogey on the ninth hole Tuesday.

“You never take for granted winning,” Newton said. “You never know when the next one might come. I hope these boys enjoy it. It obviously means a lot.

“The course is tough — firm and fast — and it’s not like we usually see it. So it’s nice to see them have success in a real major-championship-type setup. It was awesome.”
 

Ram Masters Invitational
Sept. 19-20, 2016 at Par-70 Fort Collins CC

1. Colorado State 284-283-277–844
1. Blake Cannon 70-69-64–203
4. Colton Yates 68-69-71–208
17. Jake Staiano 73-71-71–215
32. AJ Ott 73-74-71–218
70. Jimmy Makloski 76-77-74–227

4. Air Force Academy 281-282-295–858
2. Brenden Bone 69-68-70–207
9. Sunwoo Choi 65-70-77–212
28. Todd Millard 73-70-74–217
65. Joshua Wu 74-78-74–226
76. Bryant Falconello 77-74-77–228

11. Northern Colorado 286-292-301–879

21. Li Chen 71-71-74–216
46. Coby Welch 76-70-75–221
52. Joshua Matz 73-73-76–222
65. Andrew Romano 72-78-76–226
89. Philip Lee 70-84-79–233

15. Denver 299-296-292–887
21. Chris Korte 74-72-70–216
52. Jake Kelley 71-75-76–222
65. Isaac Petersilie 79-74-73–226
76. Petter Mikalsen 75-80-73–228
89. Troy Dangler 79-75-79–233

16. Colorado State B 302-304-287–893
34. Max Oelfke 69-78-72–219
34. Logan Iverson 76-71-72–219
70. Alec Bone 79-75-73–227
76. Kyle Kidd 78-80-70–228
95. Pierce Aichinger 79-80-78–237

Also
21. Victor Bjorlow, Colorado 75-70-71–216
41. Sam Marley, UNC 69-79-72–220
41. Tate Tatom, Air Force 72-74-74–220
64. Ryan Schmitz, Colorado 76-72-77–225
70. Eric Hagen, DU 76-78-73–227
82. Turner Howe, Air Force 76-80-74–230
82. Jack Li, Colorado 77-74-79–230
87. Kade Crossland, Colorado 79-73-80–232
87. Coloradan Glenn Workman, Wyoming 76-78-78–232
 

The Falcons posted rounds of 281 and 282 on Monday to finish 36 holes at 3-over-par 563. That leaves them atop the 18-team field along with Wichita State.

Sunwoo Choi was a big reason for AFA’s strong play on Monday as the senior backed up a first-round 65 with a 70 to lead the individual competition by two over five players who share second place. Among those five are teammate Brenden Bone (69-68) and Colorado State’s Colton Yates (68-69).

Host CSU, the two-time defending team champion, holds fourth place at 567, four strokes behind the co-leaders. Northern Colorado (578) is eighth, and Denver (595) 15th.

Ram Masters Invitational
Sept. 19-20, 2016 at Par-70 Fort Collins CC

T1. Air Force Academ 281-282–563
1. Sunwoo Choi 65-70–135
2. Brenden Bone 69-68–137
21. Todd Millard 73-70–143
64. Bryant Falconello 77-74–151
71. Joshua Wu 74-78–152

4. Colorado State 284-283–567
2. Colton Yates 68-69–137
8. Blake Cannon 70-69–139
24. Jake Staiano 73-71–144
42. AJ Ott 73-74–147
79. Jimmy Makloski 76-77–153

8. Northern Colorado 286-292–578
17. Li Chen 71-71–142
32. Joshua Matz 73-73–146
32. Coby Welch 76-70–146
59. Andrew Romano 72-78–150
82. Philip Lee 70-84–154

15. Denver 299-296–595
32. Jake Kelley 71-75–146
32. Chris Korte 74-72–146
79. Isaac Petersilie 79-74–153
82. Troy Dangler 79-75–154
88. Petter Mikalsen 75-80–155

17. Colorado State B 302-304–606
42. Max Oelfke 69-78–147
42. Logan Iverson 76-71–147
82. Alec Bone 79-75–154
91. Kyle Kidd 78-80–158
94. Pierce Aichinger 79-80–159

Also
27. Victor Bjorlow, Colorado 75-70–145
32. Tate Tatom, Air Force 72-74–146
49. Sam Marley, UNC 69-79–148
49. Ryan Schmitz, Colorado 76-72–148
64. Jack Li, Colorado 77-74–151
71. Kade Crossland, Colorado 79-73–152
82. Coloradan Glenn Workman, Wyoming 76-78–154
82. Eric Hagen, DU 76-78–154
89. Turner Howe, Air Force 76-80–156

Kyler Dunkle may no longer be a member of the Colorado State University men’s golf team, but he sure hasn’t forgotten how to play Fort Collins Country Club, one of CSU’s home courses.

Dunkle, who recently transferred to the University of Utah from CSU, used his knowledge of Fort Collins CC to qualify for the U.S. Amateur at the site for the second straight year on Monday.

And this time around, the golfer from Parker went so far as to earn medalist honors out of a field of 71.

“I’ve played here a lot, and I think that’s why I’m so comfortable here,” said Dunkle, who finished fourth after an opening-round 63 last fall at CSU’s Ram Masters Invitational at Fort Collins CC. “This course is awesome. The greens are always in great shape. The staff does an incredible job of keeping it in awesome shape. It makes it fun for us to go play because you know if you’re on the green and you hit a good putt, it’s going to go where you hit it.”

A day after winning the CGA Western Chapter Championship in Eagle, Dunkle parlayed his good play into a four-shot “victory” at Fort Collins CC.

The 2012 5A state high school champion made 13 birdies over two rounds and finished with a 6-under-par 134 total. He carded rounds of 66-68.

“The last three days have been really fun,” Dunkle said. “I’ve been playing a lot of really good golf.”

Joining Dunkle (left), 19, in advancing to the U.S. Am were fellow Parker resident Tanner Jenson and Colton Yates of Scottsdale, Ariz., a CSU teammate of Dunkle’s last season. Jenson, who carded six birdies on the day, went 70-68, while Yates had 10 birdies while going 71-69.

Like his former teammate, Yates used his extensive knowledge of Fort Collins Country Club to his advantage on Monday.

“Obviously I know this course really well,” he said. “It is an advantage because I feel comfortable on every tee shot, I know where everything is. The greens, obviously it’s a huge advantage knowing the breaks.”

Yates, who has been battling sickness the last several days, admitted he didn’t have his best stuff on Monday, but grinded out the rounds, with the key being back-to-back birdies he made on his 32nd and 33rd holes of the day after double-bogeying hole 31. Had he not made both of those birdies, at best he would have been in a playoff for the final national berth.

“If I wouldn’t have made back-to-back birdies, I probably would have been out of it because I was starting to feel the sickness,” he said. “I wasn’t feeling great and 36 holes isn’t particularly easy.”

With Blake Cannon having previously qualified for the U.S. Amateur, three Rams from last season are now headed for arguably the world’s top amateur championship.

It will be the second U.S. Am for Dunkle and the first for Jenson and Yates. Jenson, 23, will be a senior on the Utah State golf team, while, Yates, 20, will be a junior at CSU.

“It’s unbelievable,” Jenson said of qualifying for the U.S. Am. “It’s something you look forward to your whole life. If you get that chance to play in one USGA event as an amateur, it’s something special. It’s something I’ll cherish for a long time.”

Jenson is in the midst of a college golf career which was interrupted after his freshman season by a two-year Mormon mission in Chile. In South America, the Chaparral High School graduate never played a round of golf in those two years, but he hit a few balls occasionally.

“They had one driving range (open to the general public),” he said. “It was like a field. They give you one golf club that’s like from 1990 right? And you hit all your balls with that one club. I went there about five times in my two years there. Surprisingly, it didn’t take me that long (to regain his golf form once he returned to the U.S.). I birdied my first hole coming back. That was pretty cool. It only took me a few weeks or a month to get back to where I was. I felt I actually improved by the time the summer was over compared to before I left.”

As for his fellow Parker resident Dunkle, making it to the U.S. Amateur twice as a teenager is no small feat.

“It’s awesome” to go to the U.S. Am two straight years, Dunkle said. “Obviously last year when I went I didn’t play my best golf (finishing near the bottom of the field at the national championship). So it will be fun to see if I can prove myself and play a little better and represent myself and (the University of) Utah at the U.S. Am.”

On Monday, Dunkle birdied the first three holes and the last two (from tap-in range) in the morning round, and two of his first three in the afternoon. He won the qualifier by four despite bogeying two of his last three holes.

“I was able to get off to quick starts, which really helped me confidence-wise,” he said.

All told, 312 players will compete in the U.S. Amateur, which this year is set for Aug 15-21 at Oakland Hills in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., a course that’s hosted six U.S. Opens, three PGA Championships and a Ryder Cup.

“I think everybody does their research (about the national site),” Dunkle said. “It’s going to be a really fun experience. Last year Olympia Fields was awesome (for the U.S. Am). It was by far one of the coolest courses I’ve played. I’m really excited to see what Oakland Hills has to offer because of the sheer history that it has. You think about the names that have been there. It will be fun to walk down the fairways that some of the really good players have walked.”

The second and final U.S. Open qualifier in Colorado will be held July 25 at Columbine Country Club, where another three spots into the national championship will be at stake.

For interactive scores from Monday, CLICK HERE.
 

U.S. Amateur Qualifying
At Par-70 Fort Collins CC

QUALIFIED FOR U.S. AMATEUR
Kyler Dunkle, Parker, Colo. 66-68–134
Tanner Jenson, Parker, Colo. 70-68–138
Colton Yates, Scottsdale, Ariz. 71-69–140
ALTERNATES (in order)
Ben Albin, Santa Fe, N.M. 72-69–141
Isaac Petersilie, Colorado Springs, Colo. 70-71–141
DID NOT QUALIFY
Dominic Kieffer, Fort Collins, Colo. 70-72–142
Cole Nygren, Niwot, Colo. 75-68–143
Jackson Solem, Longmont, Colo. 71-72–143
Jon Lindstrom, Broomfield, Colo. 74-70–144
Ryan Axlund, Denver, Colo. 74-70–144
Brenden Bone, Bluffdale, Utah 70-75–145
Jimmy Makloski, Pueblo, Colo. 71-74–145
Steven Irwin, Arvada, Colo. 68-78–146
Nathaniel Goddard, Fort Collins, Colo. 75-72–147
John Murdock, Laramie, Wyo. 76-72–148
Dylan Wonnacott, Longmont, Colo. 76-72–148
AJ Ott, Fort Collins, Colo. 77-71–148
Pierce Aichinger, Englewood, Colo. 70-78–148
John Souza, Phoenix, Ariz. 75-73–148
Chris Korte, Littleton, Colo. 71-78–149
Connor Klein, Lone Tree, Colo. 73-76–149
Michael Tait, Littleton, Colo. 75-74–149
Josh McLaughlin, Loveland, Colo. 76-74–150
Eric Hill, Fort Collins, Colo. 73-77–150
Joshua Hill, Superior, Colo. 75-75–150
Alex Kephart, Colorado Springs, Colo. 77-73–150
Jack Cummings, Arvada, Colo. 74-76–150
Josh Seiple, Castle Rock, Colo. 77-73–150
Cooper Taylor, Superior, Colo. 80-71–151
Andrew Romano, Lone Tree, Colo. 74-77–151
Quintin Pope, Cheyenne, Wyo. 77-74–151
Alec Bone, Bluffdale, Utah 74-77–151
Cole Krantz, Windsor, Colo. 77-74–151
Andrew Howe, Longmont, Colo. 76-76–152
Josh Caridi, Fort Collins, Colo. 74-78–152
Cameron Connor, Boulder, Colo. 71-82–153
Pierce Trumper, Fort Collins, Colo. 75-78–153
Matthew Goddard, Fort Collins, Colo. 81-73–154
Glenn Workman, Pueblo West, Colo. 80-74–154
Troy Dangler, Grand Junction, Colo. 77-78–155
Frederick Gluck, Boulder, Colo. 80-75–155
Ryan Zetwick, Castle Rock, Colo. 80-75–155
Luke Travins, Colorado Springs, Colo. 77-78–155
Thomas Downing, Holliston, Mass. 83-72–155
Keegan Sheard, Wheat Ridge, Colo. 80-76–156
Neil Tillman, Arvada, Colo. 79-78–157
Damon Dageenakis, Erie, Colo. 81-76–157
Sam Taylor, Nederland, Colo. 85-73–158
PJ Collier, Houston, Texas 77-81–158
Ji Jang, Aurora, Colo. 79-79–158
Curt Ozmina, Ft Collins, Colo. 79-79–158
Tyler Kahn, Castle Rock, Colo. 81-77–158
Doug Manske, Littleton, Colo. 84-75–159
Samuel Scheer, Steamboat Springs, Colo. 82-77–159
Jared Edeen, Cheyenne, Wyo. 79-80–159
Brett Krantz, Windsor, Colo. 83-76–159
William Myer, Denver, Colo. 78-82–160
Ross Macdonald, Castle Rock, Colo. 78-82–160
Kevin Liao, Littleton, Colo. 77-84–161
Tyler Bricker, Fort Collins, Colo. 83-81–164
Matthew Gutowski, Louisville, Colo. 78-86–164
Brett Hawley, Westminster, Colo. 77-88–165
Samuel Toillion, Longmont, Colo. 80-85–165
Nathaniel Wood, Grand Junction, Colo. 84-82–166
Robb Bierbaum, Arvada, Colo. 80-86–166
John Amato, Lakewood, Colo. 88-82–170
Daniel Garbee, Arvada, Colo. 85-85–170
Joel Poorman, Boulder, Colo. 78-WD
Adam Pladson, Aurora, Colo. 79-WD
Wilson Belk, Colorado Springs, Colo. 78-WD
Behrod Keshtavar, Erie, Colo. 87-WD
 

The Centennial State will host two 36-hole U.S. Amateur qualifying tournaments, Monday (July 18) at Fort Collins Country Club and July 25 at Columbine Country Club. Seventy-seven players are in the field in Fort Collins and 80 at Columbine. At each site, three spots into the 312-player national championship will be at state.

The 2016 U.S. Amateur will be contested Aug. 15-21 at Oakland Hills in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., a course that’s hosted six U.S. Opens, three PGA Championships and a Ryder Cup.

Among those in the field at Fort Collins CC are two 2015 U.S. Amateur qualifiers, Kyler Dunkle of Fort Collins and Steve Irwin of Arvada, who went to his second U.S. Am last summer. Also entered there are 2016 CGA Match Play winner Nathaniel Goddard of Fort Collins and runner-up Josh Seiple of Castle Pines; 2015 CGA Stroke Play champ Chris Korte of Littleton; and last year’s CGA Mid-Amateur winner Jon Lindstrom of Broomfield.

Meanwhile, on July 25 at Columbine, the competitors will include four-time U.S. Amateur qualifier Wyndham Clark of Lone Tree and Colorado State golfer Jake Staiano, who finished eighth in the stroke-play portion of the 2015 U.S. Am and advanced to the round of 64 in match play. Likewise set for Columbine are incoming University of Colorado golfer Spencer Painton, who also qualified for the U.S. Am last year; two-time U.S. Amateur qualifier Gus Lundquist; and 2013 qualifier and 2014 alternate Chris Thayer.

For July 18 tee times from Fort Collins CC, CLICK HERE.

There were competitors from five nations — Australia, the Philippines, Spain, Mexico and, of course, the U.S. As for Americans, players were on hand from Tennessee, Maryland, Texas, Florida, California, Washington, New Mexico, Utah, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Nevada and Colorado.

Given that, it wasn’t surprising to emerge with six qualifiers hailing from five different states and one foreign country.

A Colorado resident, per se, wasn’t among the national qualifiers, but two golfers who played for Colorado-based colleges last season were represented.

Former University of Colorado golfer Alexis Keating and current Colorado State player Kartina Prendergast were among the six competitors who qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Keating, who wrapped up her CU career in May, shot a 1-under-par 70 to finish third, while Prendergast, playing one of CSU’s home courses, posted a 72, good for fifth place.

Also advancing to the U.S. Women’s Am — which will be held Aug. 1-7 at Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pa. — were 17-year-old Kaitlin Milligan of Norman, Okla., who earned medalist honors with a 3-under-par 68; University of Arkansas golfer Jordy LaBarbera of Allen, Texas (69), Samantha Martirez from the Philippines (71), and San Diego State golfer Sirene Blair from South Jordan, Utah (73).

(The qualifiers are pictured above, from left, Milligan, LaBarbera, Keating, Martirez, Prendergast and Blair.)

Keating, who has finished fifth individually in each of the last two ultra-competitive Women’s Pac-12 Championships, has come close to qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Am before. And given that she’s planning to turn pro in time for next month’s first stage of LPGA qualifying, advancing to the national amateur this time was particularly sweet.

“It means a lot, especially with this being possibly the last amateur hurrah,” said Keating, who lives in Elma, Wash., but has been working at Boulder Country Club since graduating. “I’m planning on going to Q-school. It means a lot, having mom on the bag (caddying on Thursday). That was fun.”

In a round steadier than most, Keating finished with two birdies, a bogey and 15 pars at Fort Collins CC.

“The putts weren’t really dropping in the beginning, but I kind of had to stay patient and wait it out,” said Keating, a 21-year-old whose only previous USGA championship experience was the final U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links in 2014, when it was held in Washington, about 40 minutes from her home.

Prendergast traveled back to Fort Collins from her home in Reno, Nev., to compete at a site with which she’s familiar. The CSU sophomore-to-be estimates she had played Fort Collins Country Club six or seven times before Thursday’s qualifier.

“I’m most comfortable at this course” compared to other qualifying sites, the 18-year-old said. “It was nice to come back here. It’s a great course.”

Prendergast, runner-up in the Mountain West Conference Championships as a freshman, made the turn in 3 over par on Thursday, but made three birdies and went 2 under on the back to earn a U.S. Women’s Am spot in her first attempt at qualifying.

“It’s awesome,” she said. “I went to the (U.S. Girls’ Junior) last year and I had a lot of fun with that. It’s good to be able to go this one too.”

All told, 59 golfers competed Thursday in Fort Collins.

It will be the first U.S. Women’s Amateur for all of Thursday’s qualifiers except for LaBarbera, who advanced to nationals and made match play in 2014. LaBarbera is the younger sister of CSU women’s assistant coach Jessa LaBarbera.

Jordy LaBarbera was 3 over par after seven holes on Thursday, but played her last 11 in 5 under. That included a 40-foot eagle on No. 10 and making birdies on three of her last four holes, including a 25-footer on No. 18.

“The eagle put me in a different mindset,” she said.

Like LaBarbera, Milligan eagled the 480-yard, par-5 10th hole. In Milligan’s case, she chipped in from 50 feet there, then birdied the next two holes. She shot her 68 despite finishing with two straight bogeys. “I’m really excited” about qualifying, said Milligan, who has verbally committed to play college golf at Oklahoma beginning in a year. “It means a lot. I didn’t realize how big of a deal it is until recently.”

This week was not only Milligan’s first time trying to qualify for the Women’s Amateur, but her first time playing golf in Colorado.

“We were hoping it would be a little cooler than it was in Oklahoma. And yes it is — a lot,” she said.

The Women’s Am will be the fourth USGA championship for Milligan following two U.S. Girls’ Juniors and one U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball.

Like Milligan, this was Martirez’s first time playing in Colorado. She was 3 over par through nine, but played the back side in 3 under.

Asked how she felt about qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Am in her first attempt, the future California Baptist golfer said, “Oh my God, I’m really excited about it.”

Blair, the 2014 Utah Golf Association Women’s Player of the Year, is also heading to her first U.S. Women’s Am.

“It’s amazing,” said the 21-year-old, who has played in multiple U.S. Girls’ Juniors. “I have a couple of friends who have gone to the tournament and they both say it’s such a great event. It’s great to represent Utah and show off all the skills I’ve been working on.”

U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifying

At Par-71 Fort Collins CC

QUALIFIED FOR U.S. WOMEN’S AM
Kaitlin Milligan, Norman, Okla. 35-33–68
Jordy LaBarbera, Allen, Texas 37-32–69
Alexis Keating, Elma, Wash. 35-35–70
Samantha Martirez, Philippine 38-33–71
Katrina Prendergast, Sparks, Nev. 38-34–72
Sirene Blair, South Jordan, Utah 37-36–73
ALTERNATES (in order)
Alexa Pano, Lake Worth, Fla. 37-37–74
Kala Keltz, Montrose, Colo. 37-37–74
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Princess Mary Superal, Philippine 40-34–74
Bryana Nguyen, Columbia, Md. 36-38–74
Allie Andersen, The Woodlands, Texas 40-34–74
Sarah Rippberger, Albuquerque, N.M. 37-37–74
Shania Berger, Albuquerque, N.M. 37-37–74
Erin Sargent, Longmont, Colo. 35-39–74
Jaylee Tait, Littleton, Colo. 36-38–74
Delaney Elliott, Superior, Colo. 39-35–74
Morgan Sahm, Centennial, Colo. 37-38–75
Jordan Remley, Lakewood, Colo. 38-37–75
Janet Moore, Centennial, Colo. 37-38–75
Carly Dehlin, Draper, Utah 38-38–76
Rosana Gomez Valdor, Spain 39-37–76
Gillian Vance, Lakewood, Colo. 38-38–76
Mary Weinstein, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 39-37–76
Kristen Cline, Socorro, N.M. 39-37–76
Caroline Jordaan, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 39-38–77
Evelyn Arguelles, Mexico 40-37–77
Anna Kennedy, Parker, Colo. 38-40–78
Taylor Dorans, Erie, Colo. 40-38–78
Emily Gilbreth, Bellaire, Texas 38-40–78
Sarah Greene, Albuquerque, N.M. 36-42–78
Jaclyn Murray, Aurora, Colo. 41-37–78
Alexis Sadeghy, Edmond, Okla. 39-40–79
Annie Young, Fort Collins, Colo. 41-38–79
Julienne Soo, Australia 40-39–79
Sarah Jo Pravecek, Omaha, Neb. 41-39–80
Tori Glenn, Castle Pines, Colo. 40-40–80
Sara Camarena, Austin, Texas 40-40–80
Amy Chitkoksoong, Aurora, Colo. 38-42–80
Mariah Ehrman, Westminster, Colo. 43-38–81
Rachel Hardy, Houston, Texas 45-37–82
Courtney Ewing, Pueblo West, Colo. 44-39–83
Klara Castillo, Waco, Texas 43-40–83
Hannah More, Littleton, Colo. 42-42–84
Madison McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 44-40–84
Margaret Cowart, Austin, Texas 44-40–84
Momo Sakuragi, Japan 43-41–84
Emilee Strausburg, Lakewood, Colo. 43-42–85
Lydia Kim, Spokane, Wash. 41-44–85
Ashlyn Kirschner, Arvada, Colo. 43-42–85
Jamie Zook, Colorado Springs, Colo. 43-42–85
Kelly Moran, Boulder, Colo. 42-43–85
Jacquelin Biggs, Englewood, Colo. 42-45–87
Shelby Poynter, Scottsbluff, Neb. 45-42–87
Megan McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 44-43–87
Katie Perkins, St. George, Utah 47-41–88
Michelle Romano, Lone Tree, Colo. 45-44–89
Forre Zook, Colorado Springs, Colo. 44-48–92
Calli Gallacher, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 42-52–94
Megan Vernon, Conifer, Colo. 50-46–96
Clare Dittemore, Roseburg, Ore. WD
Haley Dunn, Layton, Utah WD
Laura Gerner, Kaysville, Utah WD
Madison Rhodes, Memphis, Tenn. WD
Haley Thiele, Wahoo, Neb. WD
Emma Whitaker, Wichita, Kan. WDU.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifying

At Par-71 Fort Collins CC

QUALIFIED FOR U.S. WOMEN’S AM
Kaitlin Milligan, Norman, Okla. 35-33–68
Jordy LaBarbera, Allen, Texas 37-32–69
Alexis Keating, Elma, Wash. 35-35–70
Samantha Martirez, Philippine 38-33–71
Katrina Prendergast, Sparks, Nev. 38-34–72
Sirene Blair, South Jordan, Utah 37-36–73
ALTERNATES (in order)
Alexa Pano, Lake Worth, Fla. 37-37–74
Kala Keltz, Montrose, Colo. 37-37–74
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Princess Mary Superal, Philippine 40-34–74
Bryana Nguyen, Columbia, Md. 36-38–74
Allie Andersen, The Woodlands, Texas 40-34–74
Sarah Rippberger, Albuquerque, N.M. 37-37–74
Shania Berger, Albuquerque, N.M. 37-37–74
Erin Sargent, Longmont, Colo. 35-39–74
Jaylee Tait, Littleton, Colo. 36-38–74
Delaney Elliott, Superior, Colo. 39-35–74
Morgan Sahm, Centennial, Colo. 37-38–75
Jordan Remley, Lakewood, Colo. 38-37–75
Janet Moore, Centennial, Colo. 37-38–75
Carly Dehlin, Draper, Utah 38-38–76
Rosana Gomez Valdor, Spain 39-37–76
Gillian Vance, Lakewood, Colo. 38-38–76
Mary Weinstein, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 39-37–76
Kristen Cline, Socorro, N.M. 39-37–76
Caroline Jordaan, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 39-38–77
Evelyn Arguelles, Mexico 40-37–77
Anna Kennedy, Parker, Colo. 38-40–78
Taylor Dorans, Erie, Colo. 40-38–78
Emily Gilbreth, Bellaire, Texas 38-40–78
Sarah Greene, Albuquerque, N.M. 36-42–78
Jaclyn Murray, Aurora, Colo. 41-37–78
Alexis Sadeghy, Edmond, Okla. 39-40–79
Annie Young, Fort Collins, Colo. 41-38–79
Julienne Soo, Australia 40-39–79
Sarah Jo Pravecek, Omaha, Neb. 41-39–80
Tori Glenn, Castle Pines, Colo. 40-40–80
Sara Camarena, Austin, Texas 40-40–80
Amy Chitkoksoong, Aurora, Colo. 38-42–80
Mariah Ehrman, Westminster, Colo. 43-38–81
Rachel Hardy, Houston, Texas 45-37–82
Courtney Ewing, Pueblo West, Colo. 44-39–83
Klara Castillo, Waco, Texas 43-40–83
Hannah More, Littleton, Colo. 42-42–84
Madison McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 44-40–84
Margaret Cowart, Austin, Texas 44-40–84
Momo Sakuragi, Japan 43-41–84
Emilee Strausburg, Lakewood, Colo. 43-42–85
Lydia Kim, Spokane, Wash. 41-44–85
Ashlyn Kirschner, Arvada, Colo. 43-42–85
Jamie Zook, Colorado Springs, Colo. 43-42–85
Kelly Moran, Boulder, Colo. 42-43–85
Jacquelin Biggs, Englewood, Colo. 42-45–87
Shelby Poynter, Scottsbluff, Neb. 45-42–87
Megan McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 44-43–87
Katie Perkins, St. George, Utah 47-41–88
Michelle Romano, Lone Tree, Colo. 45-44–89
Forre Zook, Colorado Springs, Colo. 44-48–92
Calli Gallacher, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 42-52–94
Megan Vernon, Conifer, Colo. 50-46–96
Clare Dittemore, Roseburg, Ore. WD
Haley Dunn, Layton, Utah WD
Laura Gerner, Kaysville, Utah WD
Madison Rhodes, Memphis, Tenn. WD
Haley Thiele, Wahoo, Neb. WD
Emma Whitaker, Wichita, Kan. WD