The Highlands Ranch resident and former University of Colorado golfer (left) cruised to a seven-stroke victory at the 57th Navajo Trail Open at Hillcrest Golf Club in Durango. The win was worth $5,500.
Tolan, who took a three-stroke lead into Sunday’s final round, shot rounds of 67-68-65 for a 13-under-par 200 total, the best in the history of the tourament. Wil Collins, winner of the 2005 Colorado Open, and former BYU golfer Justin Keiley shared second place at 207.
Among Tolan’s accomplishments in Colorado are winning the CoBank Colorado Open twice, qualifying for the 2002 U.S. Open as a 16-year old, earning the CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year Award in 2005 and winning the 2008 CGA Public Links title. And now, capturing the championship at the 2018 Navajo Trail Open.
Elsewhere in professional golf on Sunday:
— Ex-Buff Lee Keeps Rolling on Symetra Tour: Former University of Colorado golfer Esther Lee continued her strong play this spring on the Symetra Tour by finishing seventh at the Forsyth Classic in Decatur, Ill., tying her professional best.
It was Lee’s fourth top-10 showing on the Symetra circuit since May 1. That run has including finishes of seventh (twice), eighth and 10th.
In Illinois, Lee went 69-68-70 for a 9-under-par 207 total, which left her four strokes out of first place. Lee made four birdies and two bogeys in the final round.
— (Updated June 21: Former Coloradan Wins on PGA Tour Canada: George Cunningham, a former resident of Louisville and the grandson of the late Chuck Melvin, who played in six Colorado Cup matches, won on Sunday on PGA Tour Canada, at the GolfBC Championship in British Columbia. It was just his third professional start.
Cunningham, a 22-year-old who moved from Colorado to Arizona, posted rounds of 69-67-62-66 for a 20-under-par 264 total and a two-stroke victory.)
]]>The men’s regional field was announced on Friday, and UCCS is seeded No. 1 in the South Central Region, which will join with the West Region for a super-regional tournament that will be played May 7-9 in Amarillo, Texas. In all, there are four DII super-regionals on tap.
Other Colorado-based teams that earned spots in the 20-team field in Amarillo are RMAC tournament champion Colorado School of Mines (seeded sixth in the South Central Region), Colorado Christian (seventh) and Colorado State-Pueblo (eighth).
In addition, landing spots as individuals in Amarillo are former 5A state high school champion Grant Olinger of Colorado Mesa and Nicholas Tenuta of Regis.
In all, nationwide, 80 teams and 32 individuals will compete in four DII super-regionals.
At least three teams and the top two players not on those teams from each super-regional will advance to the NCAA DII Finals, set for May 21-25 in Muscle Shoals, Ala. An additional eight team berths will also be at stake nationwide.
Women’s Division II Super Regionals: Meanwhile, on Monday the NCAA also announced the Women’s NCAA DII super-regional fields, with one of the four tournaments being conducted in Colorado.
Hillcrest Golf Club in Durango and Fort Lewis College will host the West Regional May 7-9. Dallas Baptist University will be the top seed there, with RMAC champion Colorado-Colorado Springs being the only Colorado team in the 12-school field, seeded No. 12 and making its first NCAA super-regional appearance. Courtney Ewing of Colorado State-Pueblo will compete as an individual at the site.
Meanwhile, Colorado resident Alex Trask of William Jewell will play as an individual at the East Regional in Grand Rapids, Mich., also May 7-9.
The top three teams and the top three individuals not on one of those teams from each super regional will advance to the NCAA Division II Finals, set for May 16-19 in Houston.