Meanwhile, at the CGA Senior Match Play, which is taking place simultaneously but at The Fox Hill Club in Longmont, Guy Mertz posted the low round — an even-par 70 — at his home course in the stroke-play qualifying round for the event.

Mertz, the 2010 CGA Senior Match Play champ, made two birdies and two bogeys on the day and earned the No. 2 seed in the match play portion of the championship, which starts on Tuesday. David Delich of The Broadmoor, a three-time winner of the event, will be the top seed in the 32-man bracket as the defending champion.

The only player besides Mertz to shoot under 76 Monday at Fox Hill was 2012 Senior Match Play winner Ray Makloski of Pueblo Country Club, who carded a 72.

At the Super-Senior Match Play at West Woods, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Olive (pictured) defeated 32nd seed Howard Hankey of Foothills Golf Course 6 and 5 in the round of 32. Gunderson, a two-time Super-Senior champion and the runner-up the last two years, beat Cliff Damato of Meridian Golf Club 3 and 2. Another two-time champ, Patrick Mooney of Colorado Golf Club, advanced with a 6 and 4 victory over Robert Walker of Boulder Country Club.

Olive, Gunderson and Mooney will be compete in round-of-16 matches on Tuesday.
 

CGA Super-Senior Match Play
At West Woods GC in Arvada
Round of 32

  John Olive, Broadmoor GC (1) def. Howard Hankey, Foothills GC (32), 6 and 5
  Patrick Mooney, Colorado GC (16) def. Robert Walker, Boulder CC (17), 6 and 4
  Steve Scheffel, Ptarmigan CC (8) def. Joe Morrill, Eagle Ranch GC (25), 4 and 3
  Pete Perry, South Suburban GC (9) def. Ken Tai, Perry Park CC (24), 4 and 2
  Don Alley, Antler Creek GC (4) def. Danny Wyrick, West Woods GC (29), Withdrew
  Lonnie Miller, Meridian GC (20) def. Rod Walters, Indian Tree GC (13), 1 up
  Larry Netherton, Highlands Ranch GC (5) def. Bill Hancock, Club at Flying Horse (28), 3 and 2
  Lee Hansen, Pinehurst CC (12) def. Terry Pettit, Ptarmigan CC (21), 7 and 6
  James W Brundige, Snowmass Club (31) def. Steve Ivy, Ptarmigan CC (2), Withdrew
  Randy Miller, Boulder CC (18) def. Mark Barkley, Clubcorp Colorado (15), 4 and 3
  Roger Gunderson, CommonGround GC (7) def. Cliff Damato, Meridian GC (26), 3 and 2
  Jeffrey English, CommonGround GC (23) def. Todd Wilcox, South Suburban GC (10), 1 up
  Frank Wilkinson, Lincoln Park GC (30) def. Jim Reynolds, Bear Creek GC (3), 1 up
  Doug Jones, Tiara Rado GC (19) def. Jim F Pierce, Heritage Eagle Bend (14), 3 and 2
  Fredrick Steffers, Eisenhower GC (6) def. Mike Giarratano, Highlands Ranch GC (27), 5 and 4
  Bruce Hayes, Heritage at Westmoor (22) def. Bob Cloud, Commonground GC (11), 5 and 4

CGA Senior Match Play
At Par-70 Fox Hill Club in Longmont

ADVANCED TO MATCH PLAY
David Delich, Broadmoor GC (#1 seed as defending champ)
Guy Mertz, Fox Hill Club 34-36–70
Ray Makloski, Pueblo CC 36-36–72
Robert West, Cherry Creek CC 41-35–76
Mark Inboden, Raccoon Creek  37-39–76
Greg A Thiesen, Fox Hill Club, the 35-41–76
Jim Jagels, Hiwan GC 37-39–76
Harry Johnson, Eagle Ranch GC 40-37–77
Gary Driber, Ridge at Castle Pines North 37-40–77
Robert Polk, Colorado GC 41-37–78
Dennis Fields, Heritage at Westmoor 37-41–78
Owen Ellis, Flatirons GC 41-37–78
Bob Chandler, Foothills GC 42-37–79
Robin Bradbury, Heritage at Westmoor 36-43–79
Bradley Becker, Plum Creek GC 38-41–79
Kary Kaltenbacher, Glenmoor CC 38-42–80
Craig Kirscht, Buffalo Run 38-42–80
Richard Kelly, Foothills GC 38-42–80
Patrick Horvath, Murphy Creek GC 39-41–80
Michael E Larson, Boulder CC 37-43–80
Gary Fox, CC at Castle Pines 40-41–81
Jeff Slupe, Highland Meadows GC 40-41–81
Mark Armistead, Highlands Ranch GC 38-43–81
Bruce Hogg, Patty Jewett GC 40-41–81
John Ingram, Hiwan GC 40-41–81
Tom Sweetman, Omni Interlocken Resort 39-42–81
Jeff Oneth, Colorado GC 41-40–81
Brian Woody, Ridge @ Castle Pines N 39-43–82
Thomas Roos, Spring Valley GC 40-42–82
Jeff Anderson, Perry Park CC 40-42–82
Jim Fucillo, Inverness GC 39-43–82
Jay Gomer, Indian Peaks GC 37-46–83
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Steve Sullivan, Lone Tree GC 41-42–83
Frank Wilson, Lakewood CC 42-41–83
Mike Campbell, Aurora Hills GC 40-44–84
Randy Kippes, Saddle Rock GC 41-43–84
Pat Bowe, Commonground GC 40-44–84
Peter O’Connell, Commonground GC 42-42–84
Mike Portelance, Collindale GC 43-41–84
Paul Edwards, Meridian GC 40-44–84
John Sostman, Meadows GC 40-44–84
Steve Kass, Aurora Hills GC 40-44–84
Jay Orris, Boulder CC 44-41–85
Paul Karsen, Meridian GC 42-43–85
Louis Gerig, The Heritage @ Westmoor 44-41–85
Bobby Rennick, Ironbridge GC 43-43–86
Randall Dolan, Commonground GC 41-45–86
Ken Bailey, Telluride Ski & GC 43-43–86
Jerry Kaylor, Broadlands GC 39-48–87
Troy Tomsick, Indian Peaks GC 41-47–88
Mike Ballard, Collindale GC 42-46–88
Jeff Bowen, Riverdale GC 43-46–89
Doug Phelps, Foothills GC 41-48–89
Dennis Weber, Hyland Hills GC 45-46–91
Dave Bullock, Cherry Hills CC 42-54–96
Sean Forey, Bear Creek GC WD
Carl Peters, Twin Peaks GC WD
Steven Mace Feder, Cherry Creek CC DQ
Tony Urban, Saddle Rock GC WD
 

When the tournaments take place next week — May 23-26 — it will mark the first time that the Senior Match Play and Super-Senior Match Play take place at different sites. The Senior Match is set for The Fox Hill Club in Longmont, while the Super-Senior Match will take place at West Woods Golf Club in Arvada.

In addition, this will be the last year in which 50-year-olds will be eligible for the Senior Match Play and that 60-year-olds will be eligible for the Super-Senior Match Play. Starting in 2017, the age requirement for each event will go up by one year each year through 2021, when no one younger than 55 (Senior) and 65 (Super-Senior) will be allowed to compete.

As for this year, David Delich (pictured) will defend his championship and seek his fourth title in the Senior Match Play at The Fox Hill Club. Other former champions in the field include Harry Johnson (2013), Ray Makloski (2012), Guy Mertz (2010) and Robert Polk (2009). Mertz will be competing at his home club for next week’s event.

A stroke-play qualifiying round will be held Monday at Fox Hill to finalize the 32-man match play portion of the event, which will begin on Tuesday. As the defending champion, Delich will be the No. 1 seed.

In the Super-Senior event at West Woods, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer John Olive is scheduled to defend his title and will be the No. 1 seed in the 32-man bracket. No stroke-play qualifying round will be played, so the round-of-32 matches will be contested on Monday.

Other former Super-Senior champs in the field at West Woods include Roger Gunderson (2008 and ’09), the runner-up the last two years, and Patrick Mooney (2010 and ’13).

The championship matches for both the Senior Match Play and the Super-Senior Match Play are scheduled for May 26.
 

In a boys high school golf season that’s already featured its share of superlatives, three tournaments remain to add some more.

Among the things we’ve seen in the last month and a half:

— Sophomore Oliver Jack from Kent Denver shot a stellar 9-under-par 63 at The Pinery Country Club in a Metro League tournament. That broke the school record of 64 posted by Kevin Stadler, who last year won an event on the PGA Tour.

— A couple of weeks later at a Jeffco 4A League event at Deer Creek Golf Club, Valor Christian senior Coby Welch did that one better by firing a 10-under-par 62 for his school’s record. With Welch leading the way, Valor recorded a team total of 22 under par for its top four golfers.

Like the PGA Tour says in a tagline about its players, “These Guys are Good.”

They’ll get to prove that one more time this season as this week’s regional state-qualifying tournament set the fields for the 5A, 4A and 3A state tournaments that are scheduled for Oct. 5-6. The 5A meet will be played at Fort Collins Country Club, the 4A at the Fox Hill Club in Longmont, and the 3A at Eagle Ranch Golf Course in Eagle. Eighty-four golfers will compete in each event, culminating a two-month-long season.

Here are some of the 5A state storylines:

— Two of the state qualifiers are in Pebble Beach, Calif., this weekend competing in the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach, a Champions Tour event that will be nationally televised Friday through Sunday (Sept. 25-27). Both Davis Bryant of Eaglecrest and Brock Dowdy of Denver East are paired with Tour professionals who are also from Colorado — Bryant with Mark Wiebe and Dowdy with Craig Stadler. Bryant and Gowdy represent First Tee chapters in Colorado — Bryant The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch and Dowdy The First Tee of Denver.

Before heading out to Pebble Beach, Bryant shot a 78 at regionals to advance to state, while Dowdy carded a 79 at the same course, Lone Tree Golf Club. Bryant qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur this year.

— AJ Ott (pictured above) of Fort Collins, who will play his college golf at Colorado State, is a good bet for four consecutive top-10 finishes at state, having gone sixth, sixth and 10th his first three years and now wrapping up his high school career at a state meet in his hometown. Ott, who placed third in this year’s AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior and second in a playoff at the CGA Junior Stroke Play, carded a 70 in the Central Regional at Lone Tree. Ott finished 13th this year at the Big “I” National Championship and 16th at the Junior America’s Cup.

— Isaac Petersilie of Coronado has had an outstanding run at state the past two years, winning the 4A title in 2013 and finishing runner-up in 5A last year while Coronado claimed the team championship. Petersilie, who’s committed to the University of Denver, posted a 78 in the Southern Regional at Colorado Springs Country Club. Earlier this year, he won the CGA Junior Stroke Play.

— Andrew McCormick of Regis Jesuit tied Arapahoe’s David Packer for the lowest round of anyone at a regional tournament — a 68. This year, McCormick finished runner-up in the CGA Junior Match Play.

— Nick Leibold of Heritage earlier this year won a prestigious national honor for leadership as the male recipient of the USGA-AJGA Presidents’ Leadership Award. The award recognizes one male and one female junior golfer who demonstrate leadership, character and community service through their involvement with the Leadership Links program, a joint initiative founded by the USGA and AJGA to further develop junior golfers through volunteerism. Leibold advanced to the state meet with a 79 at the Northern Regional at Broadlands Golf Course.

— Regis Jesuit had its string of four consecutive 5A state titles snapped last year by Coronado, to which the Raiders finished runner-up. Regis is back with a four-man team this year. Coronado will return with the top three players from last year’s championship team: Petersilie, Austin Burgess and Wes Moran.

As for the 4A state meet:

— Welch (left), the senior from Valor Christian who shot 62 earlier this month, has had a strong year, qualifying for the U.S. Junior Amateur, finishing seventh at the Junior America’s Cup and winning the CJGA 14-18 Junior Series Championship. Welch, who placed fourth at the 4A state tournament last year, has verbally committed to the University of Northern Colorado. He shot a 74 at the 4A Metro Regional at Spring Valley to advance to state.

— As a team, Valor will be shooting for its third consecutive 4A state title and its fifth since 2009.

— Jackson Solem of Silver Creek won the 4A Northern Regional at Quail Dunes with a 73. Solem finished third earlier this year in both the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior and the CGA Junior Stroke Play. Meanwhile, Silver Creek teams have won eight consecutive regional tournaments. This time at state, the Raptors will be competing in their hometown of Longmont.

— Cole Krantz of Windsor, winner of the 2015 Colorado PGA Junior Championship, qualified for state with a 76 at the 4A Northern Regional at Quail Dunes.

And in the 3A tournament:

— Yale Kim from the Dawson School (3A) will be the only 2014 individual state champion back to defend his title as Pomona’s Grant Olinger (5A) and Pueblo South’s Taylor Rodriguez (4A) both graduated earlier this year. Kim shot a 74 at the 3A Northern Regional at Highland Meadows to punch his ticket to state.

— Sterling, the 2014 3A state team champion, will defend its title with a three-man contingent: Brayden Iambrecht, Bradon Baxter and Riley Schaefer.

— Jack, who shot that 63 at The Pinery earlier this season, fired a 70 at CommonGround to win the 3A Northern Regional title. He will lead the team from Kent Denver, which won an unprecedented seven straight Colorado state high school championships from 2006-12.

For Monday tee times for the three state tounaments, CLICK HERE.

Here’s a rundown on the teams and individuals that won regional state-qualifying tournaments this week:

5A Southern at Colorado Springs CC — Individual: David Packer, Arapahoe, 68. Team: Arapahoe 221.

5A Central at Lone Tree GC — Individual: Andrew McCormick, Regis Jesuit, 68. Team: Regis 215.

5A Northern at Broadlands GC — Individual: (tie) Daniel Pearson, Fairview, 73; Taron Ford, Prairie View, 73; and Reese Leiker, Heritage, 73. Team: (tie) Fossil Ridge and Heritage 228.

5A Western at Bookcliff CC — Individual: (tie) Austin Hardman, Mountain Vista, 71 and Danny Gallant, Monarch, 71. Team: (tie) Mountain Vista and Lakewood 223.

4A Southern at Shining Mountain GC — Individual: Matthew Casias, Pueblo South, 73. Team: (tie) Discovery Canyon and Pueblo West 238.

4A Metro at Spring Valley GC — Individual: Lenny Urbas, Evergreen, 73. Team: Valor Christian 225.

4A Northern at Quail Dunes — Individual: Jackson Solem, Silver Creek 73. Team: Silver Creek 233.

4A Western at Haymaker GC — Individual: Britt Walton, Steamboat Springs 71. Team: Durango (won playoff) and Steamboat Springs 223.

3A Southern at Hollydot — Individual: Hayden Wehe, Alamosa 72. Team: Alamosa 232.

3A Metro at CommonGround GC — Individual: Oliver Jack, Kent Denver, 70. Team: Kent Denver 223.

3A Northern at Highland Meadows GC — Individual: Harrison Turner, Resurrection Christian, 69. Team: Resurrection Christian 224.

3A Western at Steamboat Springs GC — Individual: Dominic Lanese, Aspen, 76. Team: Aspen 244.

All three players who qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur Monday at the Fox Hill Club in Longmont felt they had something to prove.

And though that “something” was different in each case, prove it they did.

Subin Lee of Englewood, Coby Welch of Highlands Ranch and Davis Bryant of Aurora landed the three available berths — out of a field of 71 — for the Junior Am, which is set for July 20-25 in Bluffton, S.C.

As for Monday being a proving ground of sorts:

— For Lee, it was a chance to take his next big step in golf, a game he’s played for only four years.

— For Welch, it was about prevailing in a playoff after being the odd man out a couple of times in sudden death recently.

— And for Bryant, it was an opportunity to go from a promising young junior golfer to making a definitive mark as a 15-year-old.

Lee, a 17-year-old senior-to-be at Cherry Creek High School, matched par over 36 holes with consecutive rounds of 70 to earn medalist honors by three strokes.

“This means a lot for me,” said Lee, who carded six birdies and six bogeys on Monday, in addition to chipping in for par from 30 yards on his 34th hole of the day. “For the Junior Am last year, I really wanted to qualify (but came up short). So winning this was kind of big for me.

“Today I was just trying to make pars and sometimes birdies would go in. I was pretty happy about that.”

Monday marked the second significant national tournament Lee has qualified for in June, coming on the heels of the golfer from CommonGround advancing to the Optimist Junior national championships.

Four players tied for second place at 3-over-par 143, putting them into a playoff for the final two national berths. Welch, winner of the 2014 CJGA Tournament of Champions, chipped in from 17 feet for birdie on the second extra hole to advance.

“That felt good, especially after making two bogeys on my last three holes (of regulation, with a birdie in between),” Welch said. “That was my chip. I always do good on those chips.

“I thought my (approach) shot was all over the pin, but it came up short. I was like, ‘All right, I’m going to chip this one in and win it right here.’ That was my shot.” (Welch, in red, is pictured at left celebrating afterward.)

As for Bryant, after keeping his hopes alive by making a 15-foot par putt on the second playoff hole, he gained the last national spot when he drained a 10-foot birdie putt (below) on his 39th hole of the day. He had missed a similar birdie putt on the same hole to start the playoff.

“I said, ‘I can’t give up until the last putt drops,'” said Bryant, the boys 14-15 Colorado/Wyoming district champ in the Optimist Junior tourney. “I just kept believing. It was a great day of golf, so much fun.

“This is definitely my biggest accomplishment in golf. It’s going to be a very fun ride home for sure.”

Like many in the field, Bryant had plenty of support at Fox Hill. His dad, Matt, the general manager and director of golf at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver, followed him all day. And LindaSue Chenoweth, the 2014 women’s club champion at Fox Hill and a former chief operations officer for the Colorado Open Golf Foundation, served as Bryant’s caddie.

“That was a little home-course advantage, which was nice,” Davis Bryant said after a day which included four birdies, 29 pars and six bogeys.

It will be the first USGA championship for all three qualifiers. Welch, 17, is a senior-to-be at Valor Christian, and Bryant is a sophomore-to-be at Eaglecrest.

Jackson Solem, competing in his hometown of Longmont, and Ji Jang of Aurora ended up as the first and second alternates at Fox Hill, respectively, after being the odd men out in the playoff.
 

U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifying
At Par-70 Fox Hill Club in Longmont

Qualified for National Championship
Subin Lee, Englewood, Colo. 70-70–140
Coby Welch, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 72-71–143
Davis Bryant, Aurora, Colo. 72-71–143

Alternates (In Order)
Jackson Solem, Longmont, Colo. 69-74–143
JI Jang, Aurora, Colo. 71-72–143

Failed to Qualify
Isaac Petersilie, Colorado Springs, Colo. 73-71–144
Cole Krantz, Windsor, Colo. 74-71–145
Aj Ott, Fort Collins, Colo. 72-73–145
Troy Dangler, Grand Junction, Colo. 73-73–146
Griffin Barela, Lakewood, Colo. 74-72–146
Daniel Pearson, Longmont, Colo. 75-72–147
Sam Taylor, Nederland, Colo. 73-75–148
Josh Caridi, Fort Collins, Colo. 77-72–149
Timothy Amundson, Littleton, Colo. 74-75–149
Barrett Jones, Edwards, Colo. 74-76–150
Glen-Michael Mihavetz, Montrose, Colo. 76-74–150
Chadd Vasquez, Colorado Springs, Colo. 74-76–150
Hunter Paugh, Fort Collins, Colo. 74-78–152
Cooper Taylor, Superior, Colo. 80-72–152
Jake Gannon, Longmont, Colo. 72-80–152
Carlos Vazquez, Atizapan Estado, Mexico 73-79–152
Kyle Pearson, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 76-76–152
Ryan Zetwick, Castle Rock, Colo. 81-72–153
Kevin Liao, Littleton, Colo. 77-77–154
David Leede, Greenwood Village, Colo. 77-77–154
Will Firestone, Steamboat Springs, Colo. 79-76–155
Jackson Crist, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 79-76–155
Roger Nakagawa, Denver, Colo. 78-77–155
Lenny Urbas, Evergreen, Colo. 77-78–155
Chase Federico, Pueblo, Colo. 81-75–156
Oliver Jack, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 78-78–156
Will Hazen, Aspen, Colo. 79-77–156
Austin Hardman, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 80-76–156
Zachary Gomez, Westminster, Colo. 75-81–156
Andrew McCormick, Denver, Colo. 78-79–157
Tyler Zhang, Lone Tree, Colo. 82-76–158
Ryan Pearson, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 84-74–158
Cade Kilkenny, Centennial, Colo. 80-78–158
Matthew Heesemann, Johnstown, Colo. 74-84–158
Brittain Walton, Steamboat Springs, Colo. 81-78–159
Luke Travins, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80-79–159
Zachary Zurcher, Parker, Colo. 78-81–159
Nick Leibold, Littleton, Colo. 77-83–160
Ryan Kropp, Brighton, Colo. 82-79–161
Braden Bentley, Colorado Springs, Colo. 83-78–161
Jaxon Franklin, Broomfield, Colo. 81-80–161
Nicholas Michas, Golden, Colo. 77-86–163
Bennett Rogers, Centennial, Colo. 85-78–163
Jack Castiglia, Lakewood, Colo. 78-85–163
Nishant Datta, Broomfield, Colo. 85-79–164
Ethan Ashbrook, Santa Maria, Calif. 81-83–164
Ivan Richmond, Estes Park, Colo. 82-82–164
Reese Leiker, Littleton, Colo. 85-80–165
Logan Gorman, Colorado Springs, Colo. 82-83–165
Cole Chalmers, Denver, Colo. 81-84–165
Mathew Casias, Pueblo, Colo. 81-84–165
Jack Marty, Longmont, Colo. 83-86–169
Kyle Huber, Larkspur, Colo. 87-83–170
Brandon Bervig, Colorado Springs, Colo. 82-88–170
Preston Ewing, Pueblo West, Colo. 85-86–171
Christopher Dennis, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 84-88–172
Charlie Schneider, Lone Tree, Colo. 88-84–172
Luke Thomson, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 86-87–173
Hayden Smith, Greenwood Village, Colo. 83-95–178
Josh Pusar, Castle Rock, Colo. 88-90–178
Cameron Nagel, Fort Collins, Colo. 91-93–184
Hill Washburne, Dallas, Texas 86-WD–WD
Evan Malloy, Denver, Colo. WD
Ryan Zoellner, Centennial, Colo. WD
Trevor Olkowski, Grand Junction, Colo. WD
Hunter Tuite, Englewood, Colo. WD
 

The conditions at The Fox Hill Club took their toll, but after the competition was over, Josh Seiple of Castle Rock and Michael Decker of Pebble Beach, Calif., didn’t seem any worse for the wear.

No doubt that had something to do with them being the two players who earned spots in the U.S. Junior Am.

“This means a lot,” said Seiple, a 16-year-old junior-to-be at Valor Christian High School. “It was one of my goals going into the summer, so I’ll definitely be excited” for the national championship.

Seiple and the 17-year-old Decker shared medalist honors in Sectional Qualifying at The Fox Hill Club with 3-over-par 143 totals. (Seiple is at right in photo with Decker.)

Both will advance to the U.S. Junior Amateur, scheduled for July 16-21 at The Golf Club of New England in Stratham, N.H.

Seiple, winner of the AJGA Aspen Junior Golf Classic earlier this month, shot a 69 in the morning — one of just two sub-par rounds posted Monday — and backed it up with an afternoon 74. Decker, a U.S. Amateur qualifier last year, went 72-71 to tie for the best score out of Monday’s field, which originally numbered 55.

Both players had caddies, which was no small matter when playing 36 holes, mostly in triple-digit temperatures.

“I’m not used to this,” said Decker, who played in the Longmont qualifier while visiting family in Denver. “I kept reminding (my caddie) to make me hydrate every hole, keep me focused, keep me energized. I was about to collapse after the first 18. I’m used to 60-, 70-degree weather. One hundred is not my cup of tea.”

The qualifying results from Monday continue a stellar last month of golf for Seiple. Late in May, he finished sixth in the Future Collegians World Tour Tour Championship in Florida. Early this month, he won the AJGA event in Aspen. Then at The Fox Hill Club, he qualified for his first USGA championship.

Perhaps the most notable thing about Seiple’s performance Monday was that he was the co-medalist after never having seen the course before. Fortunately, though, Seiple’s caddie was Tyler Engel, a CU golfer who knows The Fox Hill Club well.

“I just got back from a tournament in Florida so I didn’t have time to play a practice round,” Seiple said. “But my caddie plays this course all the time for his college golf team. I just trusted him. I had high expectations for qualifying, but not shooting under par in my first round. Maybe the second, but not the first.”

Seiple finished with 30 pars, two birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey over his two rounds. Decker, who three-putted three of his first four holes for bogeys on Monday, chalked up 23 pars, five birdies and eight bogeys.

For Decker, earning a spot was a sweet moment after what happened to him in a U.S. Junior Amateur qualifying tournament in Chicago last year.

“It’s kind of a sensitive topic,” he said. “I was clearly in (line for a national berth) and we had a big break on 16 — a three-group backup — and a laid down. I woke up 30 minutes later. I hadn’t hit a ball. I duck hook it out of bounds and finished 4 over for my last three and missed it in a playoff.

“This year it’s my last year (to play in the U.S. Junior Am), so I was going to make it. It was redemption.”

Alec Bone of Phoenix (76-69–145) and recent CGA Junior Stroke Play champion Jimmy Makloski of Pueblo (70-76–146) garnered the first and second alternate spots, respectively, on Monday.
 

U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifying
At Par-70 Fox Hill Club in Longmont

ADVANCE TO U.S. JUNIOR AMATEUR
Joshua Seiple, Castle Rock, Colo. – 69-74–143
Michael Decker, Pebble Beach, Calif. – 72-71–143

ALTERNATES (in order)
Alec Bone, Phoenix, Ariz. – 76-69–145
Jimmy Makloski, Pueblo, Colo. – 70-76–146

FAILED TO QUALIFY
Ethan Freeman, Littleton, Colo. – 75-72–147
Gus Lundquist, Parker, Colo. – 74-74–148
Kevin Wohlfarth, Thornton, Colo. – 75-74–149
Wilson Belk, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 75-74–149
Colin Prater, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 70-79–149
Jake Kelley, Littleton, Colo. – 74-75–149
Pierce Aichinger, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. – 74-76–150
Jack Adolfson, Niwot, Colo. – 74-76–150
Andrew Romano, Littleton, Colo. – 74-76–150
Ethan Yamada, Arvada, Colo. – 74-77–151
Jake Staiano, Cherry Hills, Colo. – 74-79–153
Johan Werge, San Luis Potosi – 78-75–153
Jack Cummings, Arvada, Colo. – 75-79–154
Dylan Wonnacott, Longmont, Colo. – 77-77–154
Ross Macdonald, Castle Rock, Colo. – 82-73–155
Christopher Korte, Littleton, Colo. – 75-80–155
Grant Rogers, Boulder, Colo. – 81-74–155
Li Chen, Westminster, Colo. – 82-73–155
Austin Rowe, Columbine Vallley, Colo. – 78-77–155
Brenden Bone, Phoenix, Ariz. – 74-82–156
Andrew Howe, Longmont, Colo. – 79-77–156
Billy Ramsey, Littleton, Colo. – 78-78–156
Tyler Bricker, Fort Collins, Colo. – 76-83–159
Alec Poorman, Boulder, Colo. – 78-82–160
John Hadfield, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 78-82–160
Daniel Pearson, Longmont, Colo. – 82-78–160
Josh Mclaughlin, Fort Collins, Colo. – 80-81–161
Randy Urso, Aurora, Colo. – 82-79–161
Gary Schlatter, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. – 75-87–162
Benjamin Moore, Englewood, Colo. – 79-83–162
Matthew Bell, Fort Collins, Colo. – 85-78–163
Dylan Mitchell, Breckenridge, Colo. – 83-80–163
Samuel Theil, Evergreen, Colo. – 82-81–163
Hayden Nicholaides, Englewood, Colo. – 81-82–163
Sam Lange, Golden, Colo. – 83-80–163
Hayden Plewe, Cortez, Colo. – 81-83–164
Jackson Solem, Longmont, Colo. – 84-80–164
Austin Hardman, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 79-86–165
Eli Schoenbeck, Pueblo West, Colo. – 82-87–169
Trevor Mckune, Littleton, Colo. – 81-88–169
Matthew Vacek, Lafayette, Colo. – 85-87–172
Dylan Rakowski, Carbondale, Colo. – 91-83–174
Robert Morris Pettit, Basalt, Colo. – 92-91–183