For 2017, that time has arrived, including for some Coloradans aspiring to the big time.

The first of three stages of LPGA Tour qualifying will be held this week. And next week, qualifying for the Web.com Tour — the top level available in the U.S. directly through the Q-school process for males — will begin.

Qualifying for the European Tour begins next month and culminates in mid-November, while the PGA Tour Champions National Qualifying Tournament Finals are set for Nov. 28-Dec. 1 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

But for now, let’s take a quick look at what awaits players with strong Colorado ties at the early stages of LPGA and Web.com Q-school.

— Stage I of LPGA qualifying runs Thursday through Sunday (Aug. 24-27) in Rancho Mirage, Calif. A record-sized field of 362 golfers is expected to participate, and the top 90 finishers and ties will advance to Stage II, set for Oct. 19-22 in Venice, Fla. From there, the top performers will earn spots into Stage III, Nov. 29-Dec. 3 in Daytona Beach, Fla., where 20 players will land full LPGA Tour status for 2018.

Among the “locals” in the field for Stage I are Emily Gilbreth of Denver, winner of the CWGA Match Play this summer; University of Colorado golfer Brittany Fan, a senior who will continue to play for the Buffs this fall; former Buffs Esther Lee, Jamie Oleksiew and Natalie Vivaldi; Samantha Stancato and Paige Crawford of Colorado Springs; and former University of Denver player Mariell Bruun. Among those exempt into Stage II in October are former CU golfers Kristin Coleman and Emily Childs, along with former University of Northern Colorado player Carleigh Silvers.

— Web.com Tour Q-school includes four stages — although that can be a bit confusing as they’re called Pre-Qualifying, and First, Second and Third Stage.

Pre-Qualifying, a 54-hole tournament, is set for six sites, running either Aug. 30-Sept. 1 or Sept. 6-8. Roughly the top half of the fields are expected to advance to the First Stage, though the fields for later this month haven’t yet been announced.

The rest of the Web Q-school process goes like this:

First Stage (12 sites) — Between Sept. 26-Oct. 13.

Second Stage (5 sites) — Between Oct. 31-Nov. 7.

Final Stage — Dec. 7-10 in Chandler, Ariz.
 

Wyndham Clark has played a grand total of 17 official rounds of college golf — six tournaments.

But, despite a redshirt season as a true freshman, the Greenwood Village resident appears to be a quick learner, which should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed his career over the last five years.

Competing for one of the top programs in the country, Oklahoma State, Clark was more than a steady performer during the just-completed fall season. He was a standout.

The 19-year-old redshirt freshman shares the best scoring average for the Cowboys so far this season, with a 70.33. And that was while playing a schedule featuring some of the top tournaments of the fall.

Clark, a two-time 4A state high school champion at Valor Christian, has posted these individual finishes in four fall tournaments: 21st, fourth (Jack Nicklaus Invitational), fourth (U.S. Collegiate Championship) and second (Royal Oaks Intercollegiate). Oklahoma State won team titles in two of those events.

Five of Clark’s last eight tournament rounds have been in the 60s, including a fall-closing 65.

So where does that leave him in the overall scheme of college golf at its mid-season intermission?

He’s ranked sixth in the nation individually by Golfweek magazine, and 20th by Golfstat.

“(Senior Ian Davis) has really taken over and has been our best player this fall, but it’s been exciting to see Wyndham’s improvement,” first-year OSU men’s head coach Alan Bratton told Golfweek. “He had a rough first year (as a true freshman last season), but has played very well this fall. I think he’s just scratching the surface of what kind of player he can be.”

Considering the foundation Clark built in Colorado — and nationally — as a young player, his performance shouldn’t be a shock to anyone. After all, here’s a golfer who won the CGA Stroke Play at age 16, becoming that tournament’s youngest champion since Bob Byman won in 1971. Before turning 20, he’s competed in three U.S. Amateurs. And in his final high school tournament, he shot 64-64 at the 2011 4A state meet to win by eight strokes.

But as golfers make jumps from one level to another, it’s not always easy to predict how they’ll fare. Clark played in just two tournaments as a true freshman last season before redshirting. But he’s certainly broken from the gate very quickly in his second year in Stillwater.

While Clark has been the top college performer with strong Colorado ties so far this season, he’s certainly not alone in having had a strong fall.

Here are others who are ranked among the top 200 men’s college players in the nation: Colorado State junior Cameron Harrell (ranked 76th by Golfstat, 116th by Golfweek); University of Oklahoma senior Michael Schoolcraft, a former teammate of Clark’s at Valor Christian (112th by Golfweek, 167th by Golfstat); Air Force Academy senior Kyle Westmoreland (119th by Golfstat, 192nd by Golfweek); Colorado Mines junior Jordan Arndt (130th by Golfstat); Colorado Mesa freshman Colin Prater (131st by Golfstat).

And here are the locals in the nation’s top 200 on the women’s side: University of Denver senior Tonje Daffinrud (pictured at left) (25th by Golfstat, 31st by Golfweek); University of Colorado senior Jennifer Coleman (93rd by Golfweek, 150th by Golfstat); Pepperdine junior Somin Lee, a Denver resident (144th by Golfweek, 195th by Golfstat); CU sophomore Jamie Oleksiew (149th by Golfweek, 231st by Golfstat); CU senior Kristin Coleman (159th by Golfweek, 249th by Golfstat).

As for national team rankings, here’s the rundown for Colorado-based NCAA Division I men’s programs: Colorado (ranked 82nd by Golfstat, 84th by Golfweek); Colorado State (90th by Golfstat, 98th by Golfweek); Denver (115th by Golfstat, 118th by Golfweek); Air Force (125th by Golfweek, 158th by Golfstat); Northern Colorado (155th by Golfstat, 168th by Golfweek).

And for in-state NCAA Division I women’s programs: Denver (40th by Golfstat; 42nd by Golfweek); Colorado (49th by Golfstat; 51st by Golfweek); Colorado State (103rd by Golfstat; 111th by Golfweek); Northern Colorado (208th by Golfstat; 209th by Golfweek).

All the Colorado-based Division I college teams will begin their “spring” season in February, with the exception of the UNC men, who will resume tournament action in early March.