A field of 82 players will be vying for four spots into the national tournament, set for Oct. 7-12 at Capital City Club in Atlanta.
Jon Lindstrom of Broomfield, the winner of the last two CGA Mid-Amateurs and the U.S. Mid-Am Qualifying medalist last year, qualified for the 2017 event earlier this week as a co-medalist in Carson City, Nev.
But among those in the Murphy Creek field are 2016 qualifiers Chris Thayer of Golden and Wes Martin of Denver. Thayer advanced to match play at the national championship, losing in the round of 64.
Among the others scheduled to compete in Aurora are Steve Irwin of Arvada, who recently competed in his third U.S. Amateur; Kyle Danford of Fort Collins, who has qualified for two U.S. Ams in recent years; 2008 CGA Amateur champion Jonathan Marsico; 2015 CGA Match Play champion Nick Nosewicz of Aurora; two-time CGA Senior Player of the Year David Delich; and this week’s CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play champion Gary Albrecht.
After next year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur is held at Charlotte, N.C., Colorado Golf Club in Parker will host the national championship in 2019, with the dates set for Sept. 21-26.
The U.S. Mid-Amateur is limited to golfers at least 25 years old.
For Tuesday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.
Sometimes, a golfer just senses that he or she is destined to perform well on a given day.
Monday, it should be noted, was not one of those days for Steve Irwin.
In fact, the night before the Arvada resident competed in the U.S. Amateur qualifier at Fort Collins Country Club, the former University of Colorado golfer told his wife, Jessi, that he had few expectations.
“I told her that I’m just going to go up there and try to have some fun and just not think about it,” Irwin recalled.
And, of course, Irwin proceeded to not only qualify for his second U.S. Amateur, but shared medalist honors out of a field that originally numbered 78.
Irwin, 40, and home-course favorite Kyle Danford of Fort Collins CC, 32, tied for the best scores over 36 holes, and they were joined in earning spots in the national championship by another Fort Collins resident, 18-year-old Kyler Dunkle. (The qualifiers are pictured above, from left: Dunkle, Danford and Irwin.)
Those three will be among the 312 competitors in the U.S. Am, which is set for Aug. 17-23 in Olympia Fields, Ill.
Irwin, son of three-time U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin, and Danford will be going to their second U.S. Amateur, while Dunkle is headed for his first. Irwin competed in the 2011 championship thanks to qualifying for the U.S. Open that same year. And Danford played in the 2013 U.S. Am, also after qualifying at his home course.
“This was unexpected to say the least,” said Irwin, the 2004 CGA Player of the Year. “I definitely did not have much of a golf game today. Fortunately, I putted very, very well. I took advantage of the par-3s (with five 2s on his card) and holed one out for eagle. I was leaking some oil coming in (with bogeys on his 33rd, 34th and 35th holes of the day before a 4-foot birdie on his last), but I hit some good shots when I needed to.
“It took all my wits to gather some sort of golf swing for each and every shot.”
Irwin (left) and Danford matched 3-under-par 137 totals for 36 holes, with Irwin carding rounds of 67-70 and Danford going 69-68. Both players holed out shots at the par-5 first hole on Monday, Irwin in the morning from 111 yards and Danford in the afternoon from 50 yards. Irwin racked up 10 birdies and nine bogeys in addition to his eagle. Danford complemented his eagle with four birdies and three bogeys, but certainly didn’t feel in the zone.
“I really wasn’t comfortable most of the day,” Danford said. “I scored well. I got up and down a lot and had a lot of good par saves. I chipped in twice the last nine — one for eagle and one for par. It was a little struggle. I just had to grind it out the whole day.”
But just as his home course knowledge paid dividends two years ago in U.S. Amateur qualifying, likewise was the case on Monday.
“It’s tough playing against guys who play every day,” said Danford, whose wife gave birth to their fourth child just nine days before the qualifier. “But (playing at Fort Collins CC) definitely gives me an advantage. It can almost be a double-edged sword where you put too much pressure on yourself. But this year, I had a big break with where the pins were. I know how the greens react. These greens are tricky. I’ve been a member for 25 years now, so I know them, which is lucky. And I know where to miss off the tee box too.”
Two years ago, Danford struggled considerably in his first round of stroke play at the U.S. Amateur, shooting a 92. But he bounced back to fire a 73 in round 2.
“I kind of want a little redemption,” he said. “The nerves definitely got to me on that first round. It was a rough one, but it was fun (competing in the U.S. Am). Playing a course like that (The Country Club at Brookline, Mass.) was pretty special. It still gives me nightmares. But I bounced back the second day, which showed me I could hang in there with some of those guys. Getting another shot at it is all I can ask for.”
Dunkle, the 2012 5A state high school champion, likewise had a certain home-course advantage on Monday. As a Colorado State University golfer, he plays Fort Collins CC on a regular basis, perhaps 50 times by now.
“It’s kind of a home-field advantage for me just because CSU gets to play here every day,” said Dunkle, who made five birdies and three bogeys on Monday. “On some of the greens, you know what some putts are going to do. It’s nice because you’re a little more comfortable and have a feel for the kind of tee shots you need to hit. I think that definitely helped.
“I didn’t do anything incredible today, but I didn’t make too many mistakes.”
The result is that he’s headed for his first USGA championship. It’s just another step in a solid summer for Dunkle, who teamed up with his dad to win the CGA Father/Son title and later advanced to the quarterfinals of the CGA Match Play Championship.
“I found how to work hard,” Dunkle said of his recent strong play. “When you put that work in, the results will show. I feel like I’m in a groove for sure. I’ve been playing really well.”
However Dunkle and Irwin and Danford made it happen on Monday, the payoff was large.
“It’s the biggest amateur tournament in the world,” Irwin said of the U.S. Amateur. “To get through like this is something I’ve never done before so that’s definitely something very exciting for me.”
Monday marked the second and final Colorado-based U.S. Amateur qualifier. Last week at Columbine Country Club, Spencer Painton of Aurora, David Oraee of Greeley and Canadian Tyler Saunders advanced to the national championship.
U.S. Amateur Qualifying
At Par-70 Fort Collins CC
QUALIFIED
Kyle Danford, Fort Collins, Colo., 69-68–137
Steven Irwin, Arvada, Colo., 67-70–137
Kyler Dunkle, Fort Collins, Colo., 69-69–138
ALTERNATES (in order)
Ryan McCullough, Las Vegas, Nev., 74-67–141
Sam Nichamin, Avon, Colo., 72-70–142
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Ryan Axlund, Denver, Colo., 71-71–142
Steven Kupcho, Westminster, Colo., 72-71–143
Joshua Seiple, Castle Rock, Colo., 72-71–143
Sam Marley, Centennial, Colo., 74-69–143
Wade Petersilie, Colorado Springs, Colo., 74-70–144
Jimmy Makloski, Pueblo, Colo., 73-71–144
Daniel Pearson, Longmont, Colo., 73-71–144
Tanner Jenson, Parker, Colo., 74-70–144
Ethan Freeman, Denver, Colo., 71-73–144
Andrew Romano, Lone Tree, Colo., 65-80–145
Behrod Keshtavar, Erie, Colo., 74-72–146
Kamrin Allen, Sheridan, Wyo., 72-75–147
Wyndham Clark, Stillwater, Okla., 73-74–147
Sean Kato, Greeley, Colo., 75-72–147
Cole Nygren, San Luis Obispo, Colo., 79-70–149
Sunwoo Choi, Usaf Academy, Calif., 79-70–149
Griffin Barela, Lakewood, Colo., 79-70–149
Alan Berry, Littleton, Colo., 75-75–150
Jonathan Doern, Denver, Colo., 77-73–150
Blake Cannon, Mesa, Ariz., 76-75–151
Matthew Goddard, Fort Collins, Colo., 75-76–151
Marc Shirazi, Greeley, Colo., 72-79–151
Ben Sherlund, Denver, Colo., 75-76–151
Jack Cummings, Arvada, Colo., 82-71–153
Jeff Tyrrell, Casper, Wyo., 79-74–153
Damon Dageenakis, Erie, Colo., 75-79–154
Luke Travins, Colorado Springs, Colo., 78-76–154
Pierce Trumper, Fort Collins, Colo., 77-77–154
Josh Caridi, Fort Collins, Colo., 78-77–155
Dylan Mitchell, Breckenridge, Colo., 81-74–155
Steven Montabone, Fort Collins, Colo., 76-79–155
Adam Pladson, Aurora, Colo., 81-74–155
Aaron Purviance, Winston Salem, N.C., 77-79–156
Sam Taylor, Nederland, Colo., 79-77–156
Cameron Connor, Boulder, Colo., 80-77–157
Eric Brown, Lake Charles, La., 80-77–157
Dylan Wonnacott, Longmont, Colo., 79-79–158
Ryan Zetwick, Castle Rock, Colo., 77-82–159
Weston Moran, Colorado Springs, Colo., 74-85–159
Drew Trujillo, Montrose, Colo., 80-79–159
Grant Dinkel, Boulder, Colo., 81-78–159
John Jarmul, Englewood, Colo., 76-83–159
Austin Burgess, Colorado Springs, Colo., 83-77–160
Connor Miele, Billings, Mont., 77-84–161
Will Fowler, Lakewood, Colo., 77-86–163
Jackson Vacek, Lafayette, Colo., 84-80–164
Johan Werge, San Luis Pototsi, 78-86–164
Colby Bundy, Ft Collins, Wyo., 82-83–165
Kyle Thurman, Boulder, Colo., 85-81–166
Harris Butler, Englewood, Colo., 87-81–168
Samuel Toillion, Longmont, Colo., 78-91–169
John Kane, Centennial, Colo., 85-85–170
Anthony Spikes, New York, N.Y., 86-85–171
Arnold Hoy, Castle Rock, Colo., 79-93–172
Jason Ward, Ft. Collins, Colo., 90-85–175
Kevin Koelbel, Centennial, Colo., 79-WD
Alex Kephart, Colorado Springs, Colo., 77-WD
James Jones, Centennial, Colo., 80-WD
Joshua Hill, Superior, Colo., 82-WD
Brian Craig, Aurora, Colo., 79-WD
Kyle Koelbel, Centennial, Colo., 78-WD
Jd Kiesewetter, Usaf Academy, Texas, 76-WD
Nick Leibold, Littleton, Colo., 78-WD
Nicolas Karavites, Englewood, Colo., 77-WD
Taylor Montgomery, Henderson, Nev., 73-WD
“It’s cool,” he said of the experience. “You go there and you get all this kind of special treatment and you’re with all the top (amateur golfers) in the nation.”
Less than a week removed from whetting his USGA appetite by advancing to match play at the U.S. Amateur Public Links, the Colorado State University golfer qualified Monday for another USGA championship, the U.S. Amateur.
The Colorado Springs resident, who will turn 20 later this month, earned medalist honors in Monday’s 36-hole qualifying tournament at Fort Collins Country Club, where the field originally numbered 77.
Harrell, fellow Colorado Springs golfer Alex Kephart and Fort Collins Country Club member Kyle Danford all punched their tickets to the U.S. Amateur, which will be played Aug. 12-18 at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. (Pictured above, from left, are Danford, Kephart and Harrell.)
Harrell eagled a hole in the morning — the 569-yard 15th with a 5-foot putt — and shot rounds of 67-68 for the only sub-par total of the day, a 5-under 135. Kephart, 26, and Danford, 30, each went 71-69 for even-par 140 totals. No one else in the field was under 144.
While Kephart and Danford will be making their USGA championship debuts, Harrell gained plenty of valuable experience last week at the U.S. Publinks, where he made it to the round of 64 in Lorton, Va.
“I’ve really shown myself a lot that I can compete with those players and at that level,” said Harrell, who supplemented his eagle with seven birdies on Monday. “It gives me that much more confidence going into the last two years of college and (eventually going) pro even.
“This summer I’ve met all my goals except (going to) the U.S. Open Sectional. So I feel my game has been really good. Definitely things feel a lot more comfortable and I can really see the game coming around. It feels really good to have that confidence.”
Harrell and Danford used their considerable knowledge of Fort Collins Country Club to their advantage. Harrell has played the course often during his two years as a CSU golfer, and Danford grew up at the club and became a member himself six years ago.
Despite all his years playing the course — he’s a five-time club champion there — Danford felt his situation was a mixed bag.
“I had an advantage on my home course, but the disadvantage is expectations are a little too high,” he said. “We’ve had the (CGA Stroke Play and Mid-Amateur) here and I did OK in those, but I think it helps and hurts you at the same time.”
On Monday, after starting the day with nine straight pars, Danford eagled the 569-yard first hole with a 30-foot putt. He didn’t make his first birdie until his 26th hole of the day, but that kind of opened the floodgates as he holed five birdie putts in his last 11 holes.
Danford worried whether that would be enough, but at the end it sent him to his first USGA championship.
“It’s huge,” the former Fort Lewis College golfer said. “It’s the biggest amateur tournament in the world. To play in any USGA event is something special and something not a lot of people get to do.”
Kephart finds himself in the same boat — set for his USGA championship debut. A four-time CGA Father/Son champion with his dad Gary, Kephart estimates he’s tried 20 USGA qualifiers before finally succeeding on Monday.
“It’s unbelievable,” the former University of Colorado-Colorado Springs golfer said. “I was in a playoff last year in the Mid-Am (qualifying), but I’ve never made it to a USGA event, so it’s unbelievable. I don’t know words to describe it.”
Kephart doesn’t know Fort Collins CC as well as Danford and Harrell, but he did play in the CGA Stroke Play there last year.
“I had a lot of confidence here,” he said. “I’ve had a rough summer, so to kind of have it turn around like it did today is pretty spectacular. I putted great. I consider myself a great putter on fast greens and these are the fastest greens I’ve played on all year. It was a very good day putting.”
Monday marked the second and final 2013 U.S. Amateur qualifying tournament held in Colorado. Last week at Columbine Country Club in Littleton, Wyndham Clark of Greenwood Village, Gus Lundquist of Parker and Chris Thayer of Denver earned spots in the national championship.
U.S. Amateur Qualifying
At Par-70 Fort Collins CC
QUALIFIED FOR U.S. AMATEUR
Cameron Harrell, Colorado Springs, Colo., 67-68–135
Alex Kephart, Colorado Springs, Colo., 71-69–140
Kyle Danford, Fort Collins, Colo., 71-69–140
ALTERNATES (in order)
Minkyu Jeon, Lakewood, Colo., 75-69–144
Derek Fribbs, Boulder, Colo., 70-74–144
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Collin Pratt, Santa Fe, N.M., 76-68–144
Michael Lee, Greeley, Colo., 75-70–145
Benjamin Krueger, Colorado Springs, Colo., 75-72–147
Michael Wilhelm, Highland Beach, Fla., 75-72–147
Nicholas Nosewicz, Aurora, Colo., 76-71–147
Andrew Cornella, Colorado Springs, Colo., 77-71–148
David Holtgrewe, Cherry Hills Village, Colo., 74-74–148
Brendan Connolly, Castle Rock, Colo., 75-73–148
Jakob Rudosky, Cortez, Colo., 76-72–148
Steven Montabone, Fort Collins, Colo., 75-73–148
Christopher Good, Denver, Colo., 73-76–149
Jake Staiano, Englewood, Colo., 72-77–149
Andrew Romano, Littleton, Colo., 71-79–150
Cole Nygren, Longmont, Colo., 77-73–150
Eric Hallberg, Parker, Colo., 74-77–151
Palmer Giro, Ft. Collins, Colo., 74-77–151
Andrew Howe, Longmont, Colo., 72-79–151
Drew Trujillo, Montrose, Colo., 77-75–152
Jonathan Dresnick, Miami, Fla., 76-76–152
Tyler Harrison, Rye, Colo., 79-74–153
Colin Prater, Colorado Springs, Colo., 72-82–154
Nathaniel Goddard, Fort Collins, Colo., 77-77–154
Sean Kato, Greeley, Colo., 79-76–155
Dylan Wonnacott, Longmont, Colo., 77-78–155
David Oraee, Greeley, Colo., 76-79–155
Chris Korte, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 80-75–155
Taylor Murtland, Wheatland, Wyo., 78-77–155
Wesley Martin, Denver, Colo., 79-76–155
A. J. Ott, Fort Collins, Colo., 81-74–155
James Kurtenbach, Denver, Colo., 76-80–156
Matt McClure, Marana, Ariz., 80-76–156
Kevin Wohlfarth, Thornton, Colo., 76-81–157
Todd Millard, Longmont, Colo., 82-75–157
Joel Poorman, Boulder, Colo., 82-75–157
Josh McLaughlin, Fort Collins, Colo., 75-83–158
Garrett Harrison, Grand Junction, Colo., 79-79–158
Grant Dinkel, Boulder, Colo., 82-76–158
Tyler Bricker, Fort Collins, Colo., 80-79–159
Michael Glaesel, Arvada, Colo., 80-79–159
Garrett Jones, Arvada, Colo., 81-78–159
John Gorell, Colorado Springs, Colo., 77-82–159
Bryan Bane, Austin, Texas, 82-78–160
James Jones, Centennial, Colo., 78-82–160
Ryan Smith, Snowmass Village, Colo., 79-82–161
Bo Baker, Cedaredge, Colo., 79-83–162
Richard Bratton, Casper, Wyo., 81-81–162
Ryan Burke, Longmont, Colo., 85-78–163
Luke Condon, Monte Vista, Colo., 82-81–163
Blake Young, Trinidad, Colo., 86-78–164
Jackson Stimple, Colorado Springs, Colo., 81-83–164
Austin Raap, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 83-82–165
Douglas Rouse, Evergreen, Colo., 81-86–167
Matthew Goddard, Fort Collins, Colorado, 89-78–167
Marcel Quitoriano, Thornton, Colo., 87-81–168
Benjamin Moore, Englewood, Colo., 84-87–171
Michael Duffy, Yarmouth Port, Mass., 92-82–174
Alan Berry, Littleton, Colo., 81-97–178
Greg Rodgers, Denver, Colo., 94-86–180
Arnold Hoy, Castle Rock, Colo., 85-DQ
Mason Munn, Windsor, Colo., 88-NC
Wyatt Anderson-Meier, Belle Fourche, S.D., 78-NC