With at least the top 100 players and ties after four rounds advancing to Stage II — set for Oct. 15-18 in Venice, Fla. — Paige Crawford of Colorado Springs leads the local contingent. She made six birdies on Friday and shot a 2-under-par 70 at the Dinah Shore Course, giving her a 1-under 143 total, good for a share of 35th place.

Other locals in the top 100 with two rounds remaining are Ashley Tait of Littleton (145, 61st place), former Coloradan Elizabeth Wang (also at 145), University of Colorado golfer Robyn Choi (146, 78th place) and former Buff Brittany Fan (147, 100th place).

Celina Yuan of Australia holds the 36-hole lead at 9-under 135.

The field will be cut after 54 holes to a minimum of the low 125 players and ties.

This year in the LPGA qualifying process, a Q-Series replaces the third and final stage. There, a maximum of 108 players will compete in two 72-hole stroke-play tournaments held on consecutive weeks Oct. 22-Nov. 3 at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. Scores will be cumulative over the two weeks.

Amateurs who earn their cards can defer their acceptance of LPGA membership until July 1, 2019.

Here are the round-by-round scores for the players with strong Colorado connections:

35. Paige Crawford of Colorado Springs 73-70–143
61. Ashley Tait of Littleton 71-74–145
61. Amateur Elizabeth Wang, who grew up in Colorado 76-69–145
78. University of Colorado golfer/amateur Robyn Choi 74-72–146
100. Former CU golfer Brittany Fan 74-73–147
121. Amateur Emily Gilbreth, a former Denver resident 76-72–148
142. Hannah Wood of Highlands Ranch 71-78–149
169. Former CU golfer Natalie Vivaldi 72-78–150
210. Amateur Jaylee Tait of Littleton 77-75–152
273. Samantha Stancato of Colorado Springs 76-80–156

For complete results, CLICK HERE.

Rookie pro Hannah Wood of Highlands Ranch tied for third place on Wednesday in Palm Desert, Calif.

Wood, winner of the 2014 CWGA Stroke Play who wrapped up her University of Oklahoma career in the spring, shot rounds of 74-69-69 for a 4-under-par 212 total, which left her three strokes behind champion Kendra Dalton of Wake Forest, N.C.

The showing was worth $1,300 for Wood (left), who placed 67th at the Women’s NCAA Division I Championships in May.

This week marked Wood’s second top-five showing in three pro events. She placed fifth in the Michigan PGA Women’s Open in late June.

Former University of Colorado golfer Brittany Fan won The Cactus Tour event two weeks ago in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Elsewhere in mini tour events this week, former Longmont resident Cole Nygren tied for fifth on Thursday in the Golden State Tour’s Yolo Fliers Club Pre-Q Shootout in Woodland, Calif.

Nygren, winner of the All Pro Championship at the inaugural Major Series of Putting last Halloween in Las Vegas, went 67-71 for a 6-under-par 138 total, a showing worth $685. Maxwell Cohen of Los Angeles won the event by nine strokes with a 126 total.

Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster has this NCAA Regional thing down pat.

The Wake Forest junior won a Women’s NCAA Division I Regional tournament for the second straight year on Wednesday, this time in Tallahassee, Fla. It guaranteed her a spot in the NCAA Finals May 18-23 in Stillwater, Okla., though Wake Forest later won the final available team berth to nationals by defeating Clemson on the first hole of a playoff. Appropriately, Kupcho sank the clinching putt in the playoff.

“I was just fighting for the team and knew the team needed every single one of my strokes,” Kupcho told WakeForestSports.com. “I think that’s what was pushing me. It is so exciting to have the team qualify. My freshman and sophomore years I went by myself, so I really wanted the team to be with me and I’m glad to make the last putt.”

Kupcho (pictured) finished second individually in last year’s national championships after leading by two strokes going into her next-to-last hole. In her first two appearances in the NCAA Finals, Kupcho has placed sixth and second individually.

Also advancing to the Women’s Finals on Wednesday was the University of Colorado women’s team, and Coloradan Hannah Wood, the latter by virtue of her University of Oklahoma squad landing the sixth and final team berth in the Austin, Texas Regional. It will be the senior’s final college event.

After two straight years of missing qualifying for nationals by one stroke, CU turned the tables on Wednesday, earning the sixth and final berth in the San Francisco Regional by one stroke over a pair of opponents. The payoff is the Buffs’ first NCAA Finals since 2012 — and just their second ever.

Wednesday’s individual victory was the sixth of Kupcho’s college career and the third of this season. Kupcho, the third ranked women’s amateur in the world, will represent the U.S. in both the Curtis Cup and the Arnold Palmer Cup in coming months.

Kupcho — who shot a 64 on Tuesday, her personal best in competition — backed that up with a 5-under-par 67 on Wednesday. That left her with a 15-under-par 201 total, which matches the 54-hole women’s Wake Forest scoring record, set by the Coloradan last season.

Kupcho eagled the 524-yard fourth hole on Wednesday and added five birdies and two bogeys. She finished a stroke better than Lauren Stephenson of Alabama.

Meanwhile, as a team Wake Forest outscored Clemson by 10 in the final round and prevailed in the playoff to advance its entire squad to nationals.

In San Francisco, Colorado (at left in a CUBuffs.com photo) shot a 1-under-par 287 in Wednesday’s final round, leaving the Buffs at 5-over-par 869. That was good for sixth place — the last position to advance to Finals. Oklahoma State and San Diego State checked in at 870 and North Carolina at 871.

“We have been on the other side of the bubble the last two years and it feels good to be on this side,” CU coach Anne Kelly told CUBuffs.com.

Senior Brittany Fan led the way for CU individually, tying for sixth place. She went 66-75-70 for a 5-under 211 total. Patty Tavatanakit of UCLA earned the individual title at 208.

In Austin, Wood finished 56th individually with a 227 total, but the senior’s Oklahoma team will move on with its sixth-place showing.

A mysterious virus affected many players and coaches at the Austin Regional. That included Colorado State University coach Annie Young, who was hospitalized.

Here are the scores for all the Colorado-based teams and local players who competed this week:

Women’s NCAA Division I Regionals
May 7-9, 2018 (Final)
At San Francisco
6. (out of 18 teams) Colorado 284-298-287–869
6. Brittany Fan 66-75-70–211
13. Robyn Choi 73-73-69–215
17. Kirsty Hodgkins 71-74-71–216
74. Gillian Vance 74-77-77–228
77. Alisha Lau 76-76-77–229

At Tallahassee, Fla.
12. (out of 18 teams) Denver 297-290-293–880
34. Sophie Newlove 74-72-72–218
40. Mary Weinstein 74-74-71–219
40. Jessica Dreesbeimdieke 76-73-70–219
54. Lauren Whyte 73-71-80–224
87. Camille Enright 76-79-80–235
Also
1. Coloradan Jennifer Kupcho, Wake Forest 70-64-67–201

At Austin, Texas
24. Katrina Prendergast, CSU 73-71-75–219
56. Coloradan Hannah Wood, Oklahoma 78-71-78–227
69. Ellen Secor, CSU 82-74-76–232
72. Coloradan Anna Kennedy, BYU 76-78-79–233
 

The fields and seedings were unveiled in an hourlong special on the Golf Channel on Wednesday evening.

The University of Colorado will be seeded seventh out of 18 teams at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. And the University of Denver is the No. 13 seed at Seminole Golf Course in Tallahassee, Fla.

It’s the 17th consecutive season advancing to NCAA Regionals for DU, which this year made it as an at-large pick after placing second in the Summit League Championships in the wake of winning the previous 14 straight conference titles.

Meanwhile, CU made the NCAA Regionals for the fifth straight year and for the eighth time in the last 10 seasons. Five Pac-12 teams will compete in San Francisco, including top-seeded UCLA.

There will be four Women’s NCAA D-I Regional tournaments, and the top six team finishers — and three individuals not on those teams — from each will advance to the NCAA National Championships, set for May 18-23 in Stillwater, Okla. CU last played in the national finals in 2012, while DU last made it in 2009. The Buffs missed advancing to finals by one stroke each of the last two years.

Also headed for Regionals are CSU teammates Katrina Prendergast and Ellen Secor — both of whom will compete as individuals at University of Texas Golf Club in Austin, Texas. Coloradans playing for out-of-state team qualifiers include Wake Forest junior Jennifer Kupcho, the 2018 U.S. Curtis Cupper who will seek her second straight individual Regional title in Tallahassee, Fla.; Oklahoma senior Hannah Wood, who will be in Austin; and BYU sophomore Anna Kennedy, who will join Wood, Prendergast and Secor in Austin. Oregon State, coached by Colorado native and former DU player Dawn Shockley, is the 14th seed at the Madison, Wis., Regional.

In all, 72 teams and 24 individuals make up the Women’s NCAA DI Regional fields.
 

And Ott and Staiano weren’t the only Coloradans to notch top-five individual finishes Sunday in conference championships. Hannah Wood of Centennial, a senior at the University of Oklahoma, placed fourth in the Women’s Big 12 Championship in Dallas.

CSU, which is expected to land an at-large berth into the NCAA Regionals, finished second to UNLV out of 11 teams in the MWC tournament, with the Rebels prevailing by 11 strokes. The Rams posted a 3-over-par 867 total.

CSU was the only team in the field to put three players in the top 10. Ott, Staiano and Oelfke tied at 1-under-par 215, 15 strokes behind individual champion Shintaro Ban of UNLV. Ott went 66-75-74, Staiano 71-72-72 and Oelfke 76-68-71. It was the second top-five individual finish this season for each of those three Rams.

Meanwhile, in her final Big 12 tournament, Wood shared fourth place. The Coloradan went 73-75-71 for a 3-over-par 219 total, which left her six strokes behind individual winner Celia Barquin Arozamena of Iowa State.

It was Wood’s fourth top-six individual showing of the season and tied for her season best showing.

In Short: In the Women’s ACC Championship, Coloradan Jennifer Kupcho shares fourth place individually heading into Monday’s final round in Greensboro, N.C. Kupcho, a Wake Forest junior named to the U.S. Curtis Cup team this past week, has shot rounds of 72-70 and stands at 2-under-par 142, five strokes back of leader Leona Maguire of Duke. … If the University of Denver women want to win their 15th consecutive conference title, they’ll have to rally to do it. The Pioneers trail North Dakota State by 10 strokes after Sunday’s first round of the 54-hole Summit League tournament in Nebraska City. DU’s Sophie Newlove shares the first-round lead at 1-under-par 71. … The University of Colorado women are tied for third place after round 1 of the Pac-12 tournament in Seattle. The Buffs trail leader UCLA by four strokes. … Colin Prater of Colorado-Colorado Springs, the 2016 CGA Amateur champion, opened with a bogey-free 8-under-par 63 and leads by three after the opening round of the Men’s Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament in Chandler, Ariz.

Men’s Mountain West Conference Championship
April 20-22, 2018 (final) in Bremerton, Wash.
2. Colorado State 284-293-290–867
5. AJ Ott 66-75-74–215
5. Jake Staiano 71-72-72–215
5. Max Oelfke 76-68-71–215
27. Jack Ainscough 74-78-73–225
41. Parathakorn Suyasri 73-82-74–229

10. Air Force Academy 305-303-309–917
37. Anson Kuznik 76-75-77–228
43. Andy Germann 76-77-78–231
47. Bryant Falconello 74-81-78–233
47. Tate Tatom 82-75-76–233
52. Joshua Wu 79-76-81–236

Also
17. Coloradan Glenn Workman, Wyoming 73-69-78–220
27. Coloradan Tristan Rohrbaugh, Boise State 72-74-79–225

Women’s Big Sky Championship
April 20-22, 2018 (final) in Boulder City, Nev.
9. (out of 12 teams) Northern Colorado 315-305-307–927
12. Nicole Polivchak 76-71-76–223
31. Beah Cruz 80-74-77–231
42. Morgan Sahm 80-80-78–238
44. Marisa Hisaki 83-80-76–239
53. Aili Bundy 79-83-82–244

Also
29. Coloradan Kiselya Plewe, Weber State 76-76-77–229
31. Coloradan Delaney Elliott, Montana State 78-76-77–231
36. Coloradan Jaylee Tait, Montana State 84-76-74–234

Women’s Pac-12 Championship
April 22-24, 2018 in Seattle
3. (out of 11 teams; four strokes behind leader) Colorado 291
7. Brittany Fan 70
9. Robyn Choi 71
27. Kirsty Hodgkins 75
27. Alisha Lau 75
52. Gillian Vance 82

Women’s Summit League Championship
April 22-24 in Nebraska City
2. (out of 8 teams; 10 strokes behind leader) Denver 301
T1. Sophie Newlove 71
10. Lauren Whyte 75
12. Jessica Dreesbeimdieke 77
16. Camille Enright 78
18. Mary Weinstein 79

Men’s RMAC Championship
April 22-24, 2018 in Chandler, Ariz.
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Regis 272
T2. Colorado School of Mines 276
T2. Colorado State-Pueblo 276
4. Colorado-Colorado Springs 281
5. Colorado Christian 292
6. Colorado Mesa 293
7. Fort Lewis 294
8. South Dakota School of Mines 320

TOP 5 INDIVIDUALS
1. Colin Prater, UCCS 63
2. Nic Beno, CO School of Mines 66
T3. Neil Tillman, CSU-Pueblo 67
T3. George Markham, CO School of Mines 67
T3. Nicholas Tenuta, Regis 67
T3. Fraser Hughes, CSU-Pueblo 67

Women’s RMAC Championship
April 22-24, 2018 in Chandler, Ariz.
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Colorado-Colorado Springs 293
2. Colorado State-Pueblo 305
3. Colorado Mesa 307
4. Regis 315
5. Metro State 323
6. Fort Lewis 327
7. Colorado Christian 339
8. Black Hills State 351
9. Adams State 353
10. South Dakota School of Mines 364
11. Chadron Statte 394

TOP 5 INDIVIDUALS
1. Karen Valcarce, Westminster College (Utah) 71
2. Julia Baroth, Colorado-Colorado Springs 72
T3. Courtney Ewing, CSU-Pueblo 73
T3. Alex Darwin, Colorado-Colorado Springs 73
T3. Ashlyn Kirschner, Colorado Mesa 73
T3. Timbrelee McNair, Colorado-Colorado Springs 73

That was apparent again on Sunday when the University of Oklahoma senior finished fifth individually out of 87 players at the 2018 Clover Cup in Mesa, Ariz. Wood (pictured in a University of Oklahoma photo) also helped OU claim its second team title of the season and fourth consecutive top-two finish.

Wood, the 2014 CWGA Stroke Play champion, carded rounds of 73-71-73 for a 1-over-par 217 total, which left her six strokes behind teammate Julienne Soo, who earned the individual title.

Sunday’s showing was Wood’s third top-six individual finish this season and the 12th top-10 of her college career. She has just a few college tournaments remaining in her career — the Clemson Invitational, Big 12 Championship and the NCAA Regionals and possibly the NCAA Finals.
    

The Big 12 announced on Wednesday that Wood and Texas’ Sophie Schubert shared the conference’s Women’s Golf of the Month honor for November.

Wood, who qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open last year, earned the award thanks to finishing a season-best fourth place individually in early November at the Battle at the Beach in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

The University of Oklahoma senior, who won the CWGA Stroke Play in 2014, posted a three-round total of 4-under-par 209, helping the Sooners place second in the team standings, three shots behind winner UCLA.

The showing by Wood (pictured in a Big 12/OU graphic) was her second individual top-10 of the fall schedule as she placed sixth in the Schooner Fall Classic in September.

Wood was one of two Coloradans to finish in the top five at the Battle at the Beach as Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster was the individual runner-up at 7-under 206. Kupcho was recognized as the ACC’s co-Women’s Golfer of the Month for October.
 

Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster and Wake Forest closed out the fall portion of the college schedule by placing second in the Battle at the Beach in San Jose del Cabo in Mexico, while Hannah Wood of Highlands Ranch and Oklahoma tied for fourth, a season-best showing for her.

Kupcho was 4 under par for the first 14 holes of her final round, but bogeyed two of her last four and finished a stroke behind champion Lilia Vu of UCLA. The Coloradan carded a 2-under-par 69 on Sunday for a 7-under 206 total (67-70-69).

In four fall tournaments, Kupcho posted three top-six finishes: a win, a second and a sixth.

Wood went 70-69-70 for a 4-under 209 total. She made two birdies and a bogey on Sunday.

Wood recorded two top-six finishes in three fall tournaments: a fourth and a sixth.
 

Sixty-four players are scheduled to compete in the 36-hole qualifier, with the top two finishers earning spots to the national Women’s Open, set for July 13-16 at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J.

Among those 64 are Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster and Hannah Wood of Highlands Ranch, two college golfers who earned spots in arguably the biggest tournament in women’s golf a year ago. Both players fell short of making the 36-hole cut in the U.S. Women’s Open, Wood by three shots and Kupcho by seven.

Kupcho, a three-time CWGA Player of the Year, has won three individual titles this college season while at Wake Forest and is currently No. 13 in the women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking. Wood, the 2014 CWGA Stroke Play champion who plays her college golf at the University of Oklahoma, is No. 129 in the women’s WAGR.

Also scheduled to play in Wednesday’s qualifier are Lucy Li of Redwood Shores, Calif., the 14-year-old who made the cut in the 2017 ANA Inspiration, the first major of the LPGA Tour season; 2013 CoBank Colorado Women’s Open champion Becca Huffer of Denver, who played in the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open; up-and-coming University of Colorado freshman Robyn Choi (No. 155 in the world among women amateurs); Utah’s Sirene Blair (No. 132); three-time state high school champion and CWGA Stroke Play winner Ashley Tait; former University of Northern Colorado golfer Carleigh Silvers, who qualified for the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open.

More than half of Wednesday’s field are amateurs.

All told, 25 qualifying tournaments will be held for the 72nd U.S. Women’s Open.

Birdie Kim won the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open at Cherry Hills Country Club after competing in a qualifying tournament that year.

Riverdale Dunes hosted the 1993 U.S. Amateur Public Links and two Web.com Tour events during the ’90s.

For U.S. Women’s Open pairings from Riverdale Dunes, CLICK HERE.

The Wake Forest sophomore (pictured) finished Tuesday’s second round of the Athens (Ga.) Regional where she started it — in the lead. Kupcho fired a 2-under-par 70, which means she’ll take a one-stroke lead into Wednesday’s final round. The three-time CWGA Player of the Year stands at 6-under 138 for 36 holes.

Already winner of two individual college titles this season, Kupcho recorded four birdies and two bogeys on Tuesday. With her Wake Forest squad unlikely to qualify as a team for the NCAA Finals — it’s in 15th place, and only the top six finishers will advance to the Finals, set for May 19-24 at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill. — Kupcho will probably need to earn an individual berth. The top three individuals not on a qualifying team will advance to Rich Harvest Farms, and she’s obviously in good position to move on.

At other Women’s NCAA DI Regionals, the University of Colorado remains within striking distance of a team berth into Finals. The Buffs are in ninth place in Columbus, Ohio, five strokes out of the crucial sixth position. Brittany Fan is leading CU individually as she’s in 22nd place.

In the Albuquerque Regional, the University of Denver is in 14th place, 18 strokes out of the sixth spot. Mariell Bruun is pacing DU, standing 38th individually.

Meanwhile, Coloradan Hannah Wood, like Kupcho a U.S. Women’s Open qualifier last year, is in 19th place individually in the Lubbock (Texas) Regional. The Oklahoma junior has carded rounds of 75-72.

At the Women’s Division II Regionals, two Coloradans are in the top 10 individually. Alex Trask of William Jewell College is sixth in Canton, Ohio, and Mary Weinstein of Regis University is ninth in Wichita Falls, Texas. The top three teams and top three individuals not on those teams from each regional will advance to the DII nationals, scheduled for May 17-20 in Findlay, Ohio.

At the Women’s NCAA Division III Finals in Houston, Coloradan Mackenzie Cohen holds 10th place after an opening round of 76.

And at the Men’s NCAA Division II Regionals in Stockton, Calif., four Coloradans are in the top 10 individually with one round remaining. Trevor McKune of Colorado Mesa (66-68–134) holds third place and trails leader Trevor Lampson of California Baptist by three. Jake Ice of Colorado State-Pueblo (136) and Colin Prater of Colorado-Colorado Springs (136) share sixth place and Tanner Comes of UCCS (138) is eighth. Colorado State-Pueblo is the top Colorado-based team, sitting in 10th place. At least the top three teams and the top two individuals not on those teams will advance from the South Central/West Regional to the DII national finals, set for May 22-26 in Kissimmee, Fla.
 

WOMEN’S NCAA DIV. I REGIONALS

May 8-10, 2017 in Athens, Ga.
1. Coloradan Jennifer Kupcho, Wake Forest 68-70–138

May 8-10, 2017 in Columbus, Ohio
9. (out of 18 teams) Colorado 313-299–612
22. Brittany Fan 77-74–151
28. Kirsty Hodgkins 80-72–152
33. Robyn Choi 75-78–153
53. Esther Lee 81-75–156
93. Lauryn Keating 90-83–173

May 8-10, 2017 in Albuquerque, N.M.
14. (out of 18 teams) Denver 305-300–605
38. Mariell Bruun 75-74–149
45. Jessica Carty 76-74–150
60. Jessica Dreesbeimdieke 75-78–153
71. Sophie Newlove 80-75–155
77. Lauren Whyte 79-77–156

May 8-10, 2017 in Lubbock, Texas
19. Coloradan Hannah Wood, Oklahoma 75-72–147
36. Katrina Prendergast, Colorado State 74-76–150
49. Former CU golfer Natalie Vivaldi, San Diego State 74-79–153
68. Former DU golfer Elyse Smidinger, Oregon State 78-78–156

WOMEN’S NCAA DIV. II REGIONALS
May 8-10, 2017 in Wichita Falls, Texas
9. Mary Weinstein, Regis 75-75–150

May 8-10, 2017 in Canton, Ohio
6. Colorado resident Alex Trask, William Jewell College 73-76–149

WOMEN’S NCAA DIV. III FINALS
May 9-12, 2017 in Houston
10. Coloradan Mackenzie Cohen, Rhodes College 76
59. Coloradan Madison McCambridge, Wisconsin-Stout 83

MEN’S NCAA DIV. II REGIONALS
May 8-10, 2017 in Stockton, Calif.
10. (out of 20 teams) Colorado State-Pueblo 283-286–569
6. Jake Ice 69-67–136
41. Roy Carlsen 69-73–142
48. Neil Tillman 72-71–143
77. GJ Kuhn 73-75–148
96. Jacob Allenback 73-78–151

11. Colorado School of Mines 290-280–570
30. George Markham 71-70–141
30. Tim Amundson 74-67–141
61. Taylor MacKay 69-76–145
61. Nic Beno 76-69–145
93. Eric Marshall 76-74–150

12. Colorado-Colorado Springs 293-278–571
6. Colin Prater 70-66–136
8. Tanner Comes 69-68–137
77. Zach Berhost 78-70–148
104. Ji Jang 76-78–154
104. Blake Young 80-74–154

20. Colorado Christian 285-298–583
48. Chase Carlson 70-73–143
48. Jack Cummings 73-70–143
77. Josh Gardella 69-79–148
85. Hayden Nicholaides 73-76–149
104. Andrew Kennedy 75-79–154

Also
3. Trevor McKune, Colorado Mesa 66-68–134
61. Jordan McBrayer, Regis 74-71–145