It’s been an eventful last several months for the Colorado State University women’s golf team.

In May, CSU teammates Katrina Prendergast and Ellen Secor won the national title at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship. In July, the Rams hired a new head coach, Laura Cilek. Last week, Prendergast led after the first two rounds of the CoBank Colorado Women’s Open and ended up finishing second while competing against a field comprised mainly of pros. And on Wednesday, for the third consecutive year in Colorado, a pair of CSU teammates earned medalist honors in the Colorado-based qualifier for the U.S. Women’s Four-Ball.

And for the record, the college season hasn’t even begun.

CSU junior Jessica Sloot, from Fruit Heights, Utah, and sophomore teammate Haley Greb, from Pendleton, Ore., fired a 5-under-par 66 best-ball in Wednesday’s qualifying tournament at Fox Hollow Golf Course in Lakewood. That earned them the one available berth — out of an 11-team field — in the national Women’s Four-Ball, which will be played April 27-May 1 at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville, Fla. (The qualifiers are pictured, with Sloot at left.)

The last two years in the Colorado-based qualifying tournament, Prendergast and Secor were the medalists. And, as noted, they went on to win the national title in May, which makes them exempt from qualifying for the 2019 championship.

“Knowing that they won this event last year kind of drives us a little bit because we’re so competitive,” said Sloot, who will be going to her fifth USGA championship (second Four-Ball to go with three U.S. Girls’ Juniors). “We want to be there and able to push them a little harder and try to give them some competition at the national level.”

Said Greb, a former 5A state high school champion in Oregon: “We compete all the time in practice with those two. You could maybe call us the underdog, but in our minds we’re not. It’ll be fun. Hopefully we get there and maybe even see them in the championship (match). That would be pretty cool.”

Another set of college teammates — the University of Denver’s Mary Weinstein of Highlands Ranch and Annie Heck from Eagan, Minn. (together at left) — finished a stroke behind the two Rams, at 67. It’ll be the second time Weinstein has been first alternate in a Colorado qualifying tournament for this event, as she also was in that role in 2015 with Jaclyn Murray. The first alternates from Colorado last year — Hailey Schalk and Charlotte Hillary — ended up landing a spot in the national championship in May.

Sloot and Greb shot a best-ball score of even-par 35 on the front nine on Wednesday, but kicked it into gear with an eagle by Greb on the 455-yard, par-5 10th hole. There, she hit a 4-iron from the rough to 8 feet and sank the putt.

“I’ve probably never hit that good of a 4-iron in my life before,” said Greb, who will be going to her first USGA national championship. “That helped our momentum going into the back nine because we only shot even on the front. We needed to get after the back and that definitely helped us get going. It led to a strong finish.”

Indeed, the CSU teammates shot a 5-under-par 31 on the back nine despite both bogeying the last hole after each driving a ball into the left hazard.

“I always thought, ‘We’re not playing well right now, but it’s going to turn around. We’re going to get after it,'” Greb said. “Once we had something happen. it seems so much easier after that.”

In addition to the eagle, they made four best-ball birdies, with Sloot sinking putts of 55 feet on No. 14 and of 45 feet on No. 17. Both putts hit the back of the cup, popped up in the air and fell in, meaning both would have rolled well past had they not gone in.

“After nine I said to (Greb), ‘We’ve got to go low on this back nine.’ And we did just that,” said Sloot (left), who previously played in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball with Secor in 2016. “Us teammates, we’ve learned to ham and egg it really well. We play together all the time at practice, so playing with a teammate in this event helps out for sure.”
 

U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Qualifying
At Par-71 Fox Hollow GC in Lakewood
ADVANCE TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Haley Greb, Pendleton, Utah/Jessica Sloot, Fruit Heights, Utah 35-31–66
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Mary Weinstein, Highlands Ranch/Anni Heck, Eagan, Minn. 32-35–67
Paris Hilinski, La Quinta, Calif./Allyn Stephens, Houston 34-34–68

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.
 

The last two years the event was held in Colorado, Colorado State University teammates Katrina Prendergast and Ellen Secor earned the only national qualifying spot available, though the first alternates last year ended up getting into the national championship.

After being qualifying medalists a year ago at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve, Prendergast and Secor went on to win the U.S. Women’s Four-Ball title in May (READ MORE), meaning they’re exempt from qualifying for the 2019 championship. That event is set for April 27-May 1 at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville, Fla. (Prendergast and Secor are pictured with the trophy in a USGA photo.)

So when qualifying for the championship is held Wednesday (Sept. 5) at Fox Hollow Golf Course in Lakewood, a new medalist is guaranteed after two years of domination by Prendergast and Secor.

Eleven two-person teams will compete best-ball at Fox Hollow for one spot in the national championship.

Among those scheduled to play on Wednesday are Coloradans Hailey Schalk and Charlotte Hillary, two of the top girls players in the state, who made it to the U.S. Women’s Four-Ball in May after having been the first alternates in qualifying. The two ended up advancing to match play in the national event, losing 1 down in the round of 32.

Also in the field at Fox Hollow are two sister teams — Lauren and Katelyn Lehigh and Caroline and Marie Jordaan — along with two sets for college teammates (Mary Weinstein and Anni Heck from the University of Denver and Haley Greb and Jessica Sloot from CSU).

For Wednesday’s pairings, CLICK HERE.
 

At stake will be three spots in the national championship, which is set for Sept. 17-22 at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis.

Among those signed up to compete at Fox Hollow are 2015 qualifiers Moore and Jeff Reich, along with 2016 U.S. Senior Open qualifier John Hornbeck of Saratoga, Wyo. David Delich of Colorado Springs and Harry Johnson of Edwards, both of whom advanced to the U.S. Senior Amateur in 2013 and ’14, are also in the field, along with Olive and fellow former CGA senior champions Robert Polk of Parker and Tom Musselman.

Only players 55 and older can compete in the U.S. Senior Amateur.

For Thursday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.
 

Two players who are no strangers to golf’s major championships punched their tickets to another one on Tuesday.

Ron Vlosich of Lakewood and Steve Schneiter of Sandy, Utah earned the two qualifying spots available at Lakewood’s Fox Hollow Golf Course for the U.S. Senior Open. 

Schneiter, the 1995 PGA Professional National Champion, fired a 5-under-par 66 on Tuesday despite never having seen the course before, while Vlosich carded a 67. 

The Senior Open will be played July 10-13 at Oak Tree National Golf Club in Edmond, Okla.

Schneiter, 50, has competed in a dozen PGA Championships, plus last month’s Senior PGA Championship. 

Vlosich, 57, has qualified for a U.S. Open, a PGA Championship, three previous U.S. Senior Opens and two Senior PGAs. 

“It’s always special” playing in major championships, said Vlosich, a five-time Colorado PGA Player of the Year. “Those guys are just so good compared to what I am. So there’s no way to win the tournament, but to go is pretty cool. To participate is always nice. You hope you get a few good rounds in.

“I’m almost ready to quit trying to qualify for them just because I’ve done them. Let somebody else do them. I’m not trying to rack up 10 U.S. Senior Opens and make the cut three times in 10 years. That’s great you’re making it but …”

For the record, Vlosich (pictured above and at left with Schneiter) has made the cut in the 2007 U.S. Senior Open, and at the 2010 Senior PGA Colorado Golf Club hosted.

Vlosich, a former head professional at Green Gables Country Club who now teaches periodically at the Meadows Golf Club, recorded six birdies and two bogeys Tuesday at Fox Hollow. He qualified despite three-putting his 17th hole (for a par) and hitting into a hazard and needing to sink a 6-foot putt for a bogey on No. 18. On the other hand, he also drained a 60-foot birdie putt on No. 14.

“There are a lot of wedges (for approach shots at Fox Hollow), but you’ve got to get it in hole,” Vlosich said. “And everybody is over 50 and has a lot of those demons — not only the physical ailments but the mental demons. I’ve got them both. Everybody is fighting through those.”

Despite not seeing the course beforehand, Schneiter made nine birdies on Tuesday, offset by a double bogey and two bogeys. His flight from Salt Lake City on Monday was delayed by eight hours, so he didn’t arrive in Denver until 11:30 p.m.

Asked if he was surprised by shooting a 66 after going in “blind”, Schneiter said, “Not really. Sometimes that might be better.” Nevertheless, the double bogey he took — on No. 14, where his ball went left into an environmentally sensitive area — was a direct result of not knowing the course.

But the golfer who has won state opens in Arizona, Wyoming and Idaho bounced back nicely with birdies on his final two holes on Tuesday.

“I figured 5 under or better was what I needed to do,” Schneiter said. “But I wanted to go as low as I could go — 5 under or better. I try not to limit myself.”

Certainly the bottom line — qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open in his first attempt — was satisfying.

“It’s nice,” said Schneiter, runner-up in the 1991 Colorado Open. “I never played in a U.S. Open, so this will be fun.”

Amateur Brian Harris of Denver beat out Mike Zaremba of Pueblo West for the first alternate spot on Tuesday after both players shot 69.

A total of 77 players competed on Tuesday. Doug Rohrbaugh of Ironbridge Golf Club, who qualified for the U.S. Senior Open each of the last two years, shot a 73 at Fox Hollow. And Texan David Ogrin, winner of a PGA Tour event in 1996, carded a 77.

U.S. Senior Open Qualifying

At Par-71 Fox Hollow GC (Canyon/Meadow) in Lakewood

ADVANCE TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Steve Schneiter, Sandy, Utah, 32-34–66
Ron Vlosich, Lakewood, Colo., 34-33–67

ALTERNATES (In Order)
Brian Harris, Denver, Colo., 34-35–69
Michael Zaremba, Pueblo West, Colo., 35-34–69

FAILED TO QUALIFY
Michael Grob, Billings, Mont., 33-37–70
Ken Cosper, Fort Collins, Colo., 40-31–71
Rick Dewitt, Arvada, Colo., 35-36–71
Mike Northern, Colorado Springs, Colo., 36-35–71
Robert Polk, Parker, Colo., 38-34–72
Tom Krystyn, Denver, Colo., 39-33–72
Patrick Murphy, Broomfield, Colo., 37-35–72
Audie Dean, Centennial, Colo., 36-36–72
Dale Smigelsky, Fort Collins, Colo., 37-35–72
Kenneth Krieger, Cheyenne, Wyo., 37-35–72
Thomas Roos, Centennial, Colo., 38-35–73
David Delich, Colorado Springs, Colo., 37-36–73
Sean Forey, Morrison, Colo., 37-36–73
Doug Rohrbaugh, Carbondale, Colo., 37-36–73
Gregg Jones, Colorado Springs, Colo., 37-36–73
Tom Nosewicz, Aurora, Colo., 36-37–73
Marshall Clark, Denver, Colo., 35-39–74
James Reynolds, Centennial, Colo., 37-37–74
Steve Norman, Colorado Springs, Colo., 38-36–74
Mike Musgrave, Fort Collins, Colo., 40-34–74
Tom Krause, Centennial, Colo., 38-36–74
Matt Hall, Grand Junction, Colo., 38-37–75
Charlie Post, Castle Rock, Co., 41-34–75
Mark Bassett, Colorado Springs, Colo., 39-36–75
Mark Armistead, Lone Tree, Colo., 38-37–75
Quentin Sasser, Salt Lake City, Utah, 38-37–75
Thomas Carricato, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 37-38–75
John Hull, Clayton, Mo., 38-37–75
James Lemar, Littleton, Colo., 37-38–75
Grant Porter, Castle Pines, Colo., 37-39–76
Zane Zwemke, Aurora, Colo., 35-41–76
John Ward, Denver, Colo., 36-40–76
Rob McLelland, Aurora, Colo., 39-37–76
Mark Crabtree, Lakewood, Colo., 37-39–76
Richard Kelly, Golden, Colo., 39-37–76
Thomas Walter, Franktown, Colo., 37-39–76
John Karamigios, Lakewood, Colo., 39-37–76
Glen Barrett, Colorado Springs, Colo., 41-35–76
Thomas White, Bozeman, Mont., 38-38–76
Robert Cloud, Denver, Colo., 41-35–76
John Sostmann, Littleton, Colo., 39-38–77
David Ogrin, New Braunfels, Texas, 39-38–77
Ron Stelten, Palm Desert, Calif., 39-38–77
William Oshields, Aurora, Colo., 41-37–78
Owen Ellis, Boulder, Colo., 40-39–79
Bruce Hogg, Colorado Springs, Colo., 40-39–79
Dean Sessions, Westminster, Colo., 38-41–79
Jeff Seltz, Arvada, Colo., 40-39–79
Tom Schultz, Trinidad, Colo., 39-41–80
Paul Lobato, Denver, Colo., 38-42–80
Van McCarlie, Provo, Utah, 40-40–80
Mr. Harry Johnson, Edwards, Colo., 42-39–81
Mark Runyan, Centennial, Colo., 41-40–81
Rick Ellefson, Castle Rock, Colo., 42-39–81
Thomas Taylor, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 40-41–81
Rustin Triplette, Holyoke, Colo., 41-40–81
Perry Holmes, Denver, Colo., 40-42–82
Eric Hoos, Denver, Colo., 38-45–83
Leonard Zeggert, Morrison, Colo., 42-42–84
Jack Rule, Lone Tree, Colo., 43-42–85
Chuck Fisher, Westminster, Colo., 42-44–86
Robert Beiersdorf, Castle Rock, Colo., 46-41–87
Greg Parson, Littleton, Colo., 40-50–90
John Henderson, Colorado Springs, Colo., DQ
Mark Barkley, Highlands Ranch, Colo., WD
Kary Kaltenbacher, Englewood, Colo., NS
Robert Cooley, Parker, Colo., WD
Stephen Bell, Denver, Colo., WD
John Hoge, Parker, Colo., NC
Greg Hall, Wichita, Kan., NC
John Bevere, Colorado Springs, Colo., NS
Bob Kearney, Houston, Texas, NS
Michael Prostrollo, Aurora, Colo., NC