That goes with the territory when everyone left in the field has made the cut from the original 312 golfers to the 64 match play qualifiers.

Dan Erickson (left) of Loveland played solid in Wednesday’s round-of-64 match, but he didn’t go several under par at Pebble Beach Golf Links — which is what he would have needed to advance.

Erickson, a Texas A&M golfer whose family moved to Colorado earlier this year, fell to Pepperdine player Joshua McCarthy of Danville, Calif., 3 and 2 on Wednesday, seeing his run at the championship end.

Erickson was 1 over par for the 16 holes of the match, but McCarthy was 3 under.

The Coloradan, who shot a course-record 61 at Fort Collins Country Club in qualifying for the championship last month, was 1 up after making a birdie on No. 4 on Wednesday. And the match was all quare after nine.

But McCarthy, playing in his third straight U.S. Am, won 10 and 13 with birdies and 12 with a par to go 3 up with five holes left. After Erickson took 14 with a par and McCarthy 15 with a birdie, the latter closed out the match with a halved par on 16.

Here are the results for the local players who competed at the U.S. Amateur:

MATCH PLAY ROUND OF 64 (Wednesday)
Joshua McCarthy of Danville, Calif., def. Dan Erickson of Loveland, 3 and 2

STROKE PLAY (Monday and Tuesday)
Advanced to Match Play
24. Dan Erickson of Loveland 73-71–144
Failed to Advance to Match Play
182. CSU golfer Cullen Plousha 78-75–153
197. Austin Hardman of Highlands Ranch 78-76–154
210. AJ Ott of Fort Collins 79-76–155
257. Kyler Dunkle of Parker 78-80–158
280. Coby Welch of Highlands Ranch 82-79–161

For complete results, CLICK HERE.
 

It just happened to be the newest addition to the state among this week’s competitors.

Dan Erickson, a Texas A&M golfer whose family moved to Loveland early this year, shot an even-par 71 on Tuesday at Pebble Beach Golf Links to post a 1-over 144 total for the stroke-play portion of the event.

That was good for a 24th-place showing out of 312 players, which easily was good enough to make the 64-man match play field. The first round of match play will take place on Wednesday.

Erickson (left), who fired a course-record 61 at Fort Collins Country Club en route to qualifying for the U.S. Am last month, made four birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey on Tuesday at Pebble Beach.

Erickson finished seven strokes behind stroke-play medalists Daniel Hillier of New Zealand and Cole Hammer of Houston.

None of the other players with strong Colorado connections came within five strokes of making match play.

Here are the stroke-play scores for the local players at the U.S. Amateur:

Advances to Match Play
24. Dan Erickson of Loveland 73-71–144

Failed to Advance to Match Play
182. CSU golfer Cullen Plousha 78-75–153
197. Austin Hardman of Highlands Ranch 78-76–154
210. AJ Ott of Fort Collins 79-76–155
257. Kyler Dunkle of Parker 78-80–158
280. Coby Welch of Highlands Ranch 82-79–161

For complete results, CLICK HERE.
 

The Texas A&M golfer (left) shot a 1-over-par 73 at Spyglass Hill on Monday, which left him in 43rd place out of 312 players after one round of the 36-hole stroke-play portion of the event.

The Loveland resident, who made three birdies and four bogeys in round 1, trails co-leader Trevor Phillips of Inman, S.C. and Daniel Hillier of New Zealand by five strokes (relative to par) heading into Tuesday. After 36 holes, the top 64 players will advance to match play.

The other players with strong Colorado connections will need to rally on Tuesday if they hope to keep competing at Pebble Beach more than two days.

CGA Amateur champion Kyler Dunkle, who lived in Parker until recently, opened with a 6-over-par 78 at Spyglass, putting him in 202nd place. Dunkle struggled over the first eight holes, going 5 over par, but went 1 over for his last 10.

Austin Hardman of Highlands Ranch made three birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine at Spyglass, but also posted three double bogeys, also en route to a 78.

Colorado State University golfers Cullen Plousha and AJ Ott shot 7-over-par 78 and 8-over 79, respectively, at Pebble Beach Golf Links. And, after being even par through his first eight holes at Spyglass, Coby Welch of Highlands Ranch went 10 over for his last 10 to shoot 82.

Here are the scores for the local players at the U.S. Amateur:

43. Dan Erickson of Loveland 73 (+1, SH)
202. Kyler Dunkle of Parker 78 (+6, SH)
202. Austin Hardman of Highlands Ranch 78 (+6, SH)
236. CSU golfer Cullen Plousha 78 (+7, PB)
256. AJ Ott of Fort Collins 79 (+8, PB)
283. Coby Welch of Highlands Ranch 82 (+10, SH)

For complete results, CLICK HERE.

After all, you have to finish in the top 64 out of a field of 312 in the 36-hole stroke-play portion of the event.

This year, the Colorado contingent fell short of the mark. None of the seven players with strong Centennial State connections extended his stay past Tuesday in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

AJ Ott of Fort Collins just missed out, finishing one stroke out of a playoff for the final match-play berths. The Colorado State University golfer shot rounds of 73-72 at Riviera Country Club and Bel-Air Country Club to post a 5-over-par 145 total, good for a share of 70th place. But playing his final eight holes in 3 over par — despite a birdie on 18 — proved costly.

Two former University of Colorado golfers were next best among locals. Former CGA Player of the Year Steve Irwin of Arvada bounced back from a first-round 79 with a 1-over-par 71 on Tuesday at Bel Air, finishing with a 150 total. And Kenny Coakley of Phoenix also checked in at 150 after consecutive 75s.

Steve Irwin’s dad, three-time U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin, was among the spectators at the U.S. Am. Hale won the first of his two U.S. Senior Opens at Riviera CC, in 1998.

Oklahoma State golfer Hayden Wood, son of former PGA Tour player and 1984 Colorado Open winner Willie Wood, earned medalist honors by going 64-67 for a 9-under-par 131 total in stroke play.

Match play will begin on Wedesday.
 

U.S. Amateur
In Pacific Palisades, Calif.
FAILED TO ADVANCE TO MATCH PLAY
70. AJ Ott of Fort Collins 73-72–145
154. Steve Irwin of Arvada 79-71–150
154. Former CU golfer Kenny Coakley 75-75–150
199. Li Chen of Broomfield 77-75–152
233. Jake Staiano of Cherry Hills Village 77-77–154
233. CU golfer John Souza 77-77–154
279. CSU golfer Parathakorn Suyasri 79-79–158

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.
 

The Colorado State University golfer shot a 3-over-par 73 at Riviera Country Club — a PGA Tour venue — and shares 97th place out of 312 competitors at the halfway point of the stroke-play portion of the championship.

The Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s male player of the year in 2016, Ott made two birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey on Monday.

Only the top 64 players after Tuesday’s second round of stroke play will advance to match play, which begins on Wednesday. After Monday’s opening round, the 64th position fell at 2 over par.

Meanwhile, former University of Colorado golfer Kenny Coakley started with a 75, good for 152nd place. The rest of the local contingent shook out this way: CSU golfer Jake Staiano, CU player John Souza and the University of Northern Colorado’s Li Chen all had 77s, leaving them in 212th place; and Steve Irwin of Arvada and incoming CSU golfer Parathakorn Suyasri carded 79s for a share of 262nd place.

University of Oregon golfer Norman Xiong, of San Diego, Oklahoma State’s Hayden Wood, of Edmond, Okla., and Virginia Tech’s Mark Lawrence Jr., of Richmond, Va., shot 6-under-par 64s to lead the way after Monday.

Players will switch courses for the second round — going from Riviera to Bel-Air Country Club or vice-versa.

U.S. Amateur
In Pacific Palisades, Calif.
97. AJ Ott of Fort Collins 73 (Riviera)
152. Former CU golfer Kenny Coakley 75 (Riviera)
212. Jake Staiano of Cherry Hills Village 77 (Riviera)
212. Li Chen of Broomfield 77 (Riviera)
212. CU golfer John Souza 77 (Bel-Air)
262. Steve Irwin of Arvada 79 (Riviera)
262. CSU golfer Parathakorn Suyasri 79 (Bel-Air)

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.
 

The former University of Colorado golfer, who won the Colorado Open in 1996, has competed in three Web.com Tour events this year, with a best finish of 33rd in the United Leasing & Finance Championship in April.

Last year at the Colorado Open, Kaye (pictured) finished at 20-under-par 268, three strokes behind champion Neil Johnson of River Falls, Wis.

Also in the field this week at Green Valley Ranch are Steven Fox of Hendersonville, Tenn., who won the 2012 U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills Country Club south of Denver.

Michael Weaver of Fresno, Calif., who lost to Fox in the title match of the U.S. Am at Cherry Hills, also is competing in the Colorado Open. The two will be paired together for the first two rounds — along with Cherry Hills PGA head professional John Ogden — and will tee off at 1:05 p.m. on No. 1 on Thursday and at 8 a.m. on No. 10 on Friday.

This will mark the second year that the Colorado Open has featured a $250,000 purse, with $100,000 going to the winner — or low professional. In 2015, the purse was $100,000, with the winner receiving $23,000.

This week’s 156-person field will include seven former champions, including Coloradans Zahkai Brown of Arvada (2013), Derek Tolan of Highlands Ranch (2009 and ’12), Ben Portie of Westminster (2011), Scott Petersen of Parker (2000) and Kaye.

Among the other players entered are Nick Karavites of Cherry Hills Village, who won the PNC Father/Son Challenge with stepfather David Duval in December; former CU golfer David Oraee, who just won the Wyoming State Open; father and son Doug and Tristan Rohrbaugh; 2016 CGA Player of the Year Kyler Dunkle; 2016 Colorado PGA Professional champion Geoff Keffer; Nick Mason of Denver, who’s competed in five PGA Tour events since 2010; and 2017 CoBank Colorado Senior Open champion Jeff Gallagher.

3 Coloradans Qualify for Open Monday at Legacy Ridge; Medalists Shoot 62: The fourth and final qualifier for the CoBank Colorado Open was held on Monday at Legacy Ridge Golf Course in Westminster, and among the 15 players who earned spots in the field at GVR were three Colorado amateurs.

Dylan Wonnacott of Longmont shot a 7-under-par 64 to advance, while Cole Nygren of Longmont and Neil Tillman of Arvada each posted a 68.

Bryan Fox of Roswell, Ga., and Eric Kline of Ponca City, Okla., each fired a sizzling bogey-free 9-under-par 62 to share medalist honors on Monday.

For all the qualifying scores from Legacy Ridge on Monday, CLICK HERE.

————————————————————————————————–
 

Here are the essentials regarding the 2017 CoBank Colorado Open:

What — 53rd CoBank Colorado Open.

Where — Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver (4900 Himalaya Road).

When — Thursday through Sunday (July 20-23).

Live Scoring — CLICK HERE. 

Admission — Free.

Field — 156 players, with a cut to the low 60 and ties after 36 holes.

Purse — $250,000, with $100,000 going to the champion (or top professional). The purse has more than doubled from 2015, with first place more than quadrupling, from $23,000 two years ago.

PGA Tour Winner Entered — Former University of Colorado golfer Jonathan Kaye (2 victories).

Former Champions in Field — Neil Johnson of River Falls, Wis. (2016), Ian Davis of Edmond, Okla. (2014), Zahkai Brown of Arvada (2013), Derek Tolan of Highlands Ranch (2009 and ’12), Ben Portie of Westminster (2011), Scott Petersen of Parker (2000), Jonathan Kaye of Boulder (1996).

Thursday Tee Times — CLICK HERE.  “¨

“¨For More Information — Visit the CoBank Colorado Open website (CLICK HERE). 

Last summer, in his first U.S. Amateur, Kyler Dunkle of Parker shot 86-85 in stroke play and finished 311th out of 312 competitors at Olympia Fields in Illinois.

After qualifying for the championship for the second straight year, suffice it to say this week was a much different story. The former 5A state high school champion finished 41st out of 312 in stroke play at Oakland Hills in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and not only advanced to match play, but made it to the final 16 of arguably the world’s top amateur golf championship.

But as will be the case with 63 of the 64 match-play qualifiers, his U.S. Am experience ended with a loss. The offseason transfer from Colorado State to Utah fell to University of Southern California golfer Jonah Texeira in the round of 16, 6 and 5. Texeira, who won the 2011 Junior America’s Cup individual title at Hiwan Golf Club, has beaten two CSU players from last season — Colton Yates and Dunkle — in match play. Both Dunkle and Yates qualified for the championship at Fort Collins Country Club.

After winning two 1-up matches, Dunkle never led against Texeira, who birdied three of the first seven holes, plus eagled a par-4. Dunkle was 5 over par through the 13 holes of the match.

It marks the second straight year a Coloradan has made it to the final 16 as then-University of Colorado golfer David Oraee did so last year.

In Dunkle’s round of 32 match, he won his second straight 1-up decision, this one over Canadian Garrett Rank. Dunkle prevailed despite being 4 over par for the round. As with his first match, he was 3 up on the back nine before a tough stretch (3 over in the last four holes) left him holding off his opponent on the 18th hole.

Also In the round of 32, Wyndham Clark of Highlands Ranch fell 2 and 1 to Jimmy Stanger of Tampa, Fla., the 2016 Southern Amateur champion. Clark, the University of Oregon-bound golfer who was playing in his fifth U.S. Amateur, led just briefly in the match, after making birdie on the third hole. He lost despite being 1 under par for 17 holes, with his lone bogey of the day coming on the final hole of the match.

Here are the stroke-play scores, and positions, of all the players with strong Colorado ties among the original field of 312:

Advanced to Match Play
6. Wyndham Clark of Highlands Ranch 69-68–137 (lost in R32)
30. CSU player Colton Yates 71-69–140 (lost in R64)
41. Kyler Dunke of Parker 69-72–141 (lost in R16)

Failed to Advance to Match Play
126. Colin Prater of Colorado Springs 75-70–145
126. CSU player Blake Cannon 77-68–145
212. Tanner Jenson of Parker 73-76–149
224. Tristan Rohrbaugh of Carbondale 77-73–150
261. Former CU golfer John Hayes 83-69–152

For all the U.S. Amateur results, CLICK HERE.
 

Wyndham Clark of Highlands Ranch, competing in his fifth U.S. Amateur, won a match at the event for the first time, defeating William Gordon of Davidson, N.C., 3 and 2 in Wednesday’s round of 64. A day after tying for sixth place out of 312 players in stroke play, Clark never trailed after evening the match on the second hole on Wednesday. He was 3 under par for 16 holes and 3 under for his final eight holes.

Also advancing Wednesday was Kyler Dunkle (pictured) of Parker, who scored a 1-up victory over Brandon Kida of Layton, Utah. Coincidentally, Dunkle will play college golf beginning this fall at the University of Utah, where Kida just wrapped up his college career.

Dunkle was 2 down on the front nine, but won the ninth, 10th, 11th and 13th holes to go ahead for good. Though Dunkle bogeyed his last four holes, he went into that stretch with a big enough lead (3 up) to hold off Kida.

In Thursday’s round of 32, Dunkle will face Canadian Garrett Rank, while Clark will play Jimmy Stanger of Tampa, Fla., who won the Southern Amateur last month. The winners will advance to the final-16 matches on Thursday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Colorado State University golfer Colton Yates lost in Wednesday’s round of 64 to University of Southern California golfer Jonah Texeira, 2 and 1. Yates led Texeira, the individual champion at the 2011 Junior America’s Cup at Hiwan Golf Club, 2 up after seven holes. But Yates lost three of the next four holes, making five consecutive bogeys during a mid-round stretch, and never regained the lead.

Here are the stroke-play scores, and positions, of all the players with strong Colorado ties among the field of 312:

Advanced to Match Play
6. Wyndham Clark of Highlands Ranch 69-68–137 (won in R64)
30. CSU player Colton Yates 71-69–140 (lost in R64)
41. Kyler Dunke of Parker 69-72–141 (won in R64)

Failed to Advance to Match Play
126. Colin Prater of Colorado Springs 75-70–145
126. CSU player Blake Cannon 77-68–145
212. Tanner Jenson of Parker 73-76–149
224. Tristan Rohrbaugh of Carbondale 77-73–150
261. Former CU golfer John Hayes 83-69–152

For all the U.S. Amateur round-of-64 results, CLICK HERE.

A year after David Oraee placed second and Jake Staiano was eighth in stroke play, Wyndham Clark of Highlands Ranch pulled off the feat by finishing sixth Tuesday in the U.S. Am at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Clark, Kyler Dunkle of Parker and Colorado State University golfer Colton Yates were among the 64 players who advanced to the match-play portion of the event.

Clark, who will play his final season of college golf at the 2016 national champion University of Oregon after spending his previous years at Oklahoma State, is competing in his fifth U.S. Amateur. He followed up his first-round 69 with a 2-under-par 68 on Tuesday, leaving him at 3-under 137, four strokes behind medalist Alex Smalley of Wake Forest, N.C. Clark (pictured) carded four birdies and two bogeys in Tuesday’s round.

Dunkle rebounded from a 4-over-par 39 on his front nine Tuesday to post a 2-under 33 on his back nine. He overcame back-to-back double bogeys, posting five birdies and three bogeys and finishing stroke play at 141, good for a share of 41st place.

Yates — a resident of Scottsdale, Ariz., and a CSU teammate of Dunkle before the Coloradan transferred to Utah this offseason — fired a 1-under 69 on Tuesday and tied for 30th place at 140. He carded four birdies and three bogeys in round 2.

The match play round of 64 will take place on Tuesday.

Here are the scores, and positions, of all the players with strong Colorado ties among the field of 312:

Advanced to Match Play
6. Wyndham Clark of Highlands Ranch 69-68–137
30. CSU player Colton Yates 71-69–140
41. Kyler Dunke of Parker 69-72–141

Failed to Advance to Match Play
126. Colin Prater of Colorado Springs 75-70–145
126. CSU player Blake Cannon 77-68–145
212. Tanner Jenson of Parker 73-76–149
224. Tristan Rohrbaugh of Carbondale 77-73–150
261. Former CU golfer John Hayes 83-69–152

For all the U.S. Amateur scores, CLICK HERE.
 

Wyndham Clark (pictured) of Highlands Ranch and Kyler Dunkle of Parker fired 1-under-par 69s on Monday, leaving them tied for 31st place after the first day of stroke play. If they can stay in the top 64 after two rounds, they’ll make the 64-man match-play bracket.

Clark, who will play his senior season at the 2016 national champion University of Oregon after spending his first three college seasons at Oklahoma State, didn’t start out well Monday as he was 3 over par through six holes. But he rebounded to shoot a 4-under-par 31 on the back nine despite a bogey on No. 18. Clark is competing in the U.S. Amateur for the fifth — and likely last — time.

Dunkle took the opposite route to his 69 as he was 4 under par through five holes, then went 3 over par the rest of the way on Monday.

Meanwhile, Colorado State University golfer Colton Yates carded a 1-over-par 71 on Monday, leaving him in 86th place after day 1. Yates made four birdies on Monday, but also suffered two double bogeys.

Dawson Armstrong of Brentwood, Tenn., holds the stroke-play lead after Monday’s 6-under-par 64.

The final round of stroke play is scheduled for Tuesday, with match play beginning on Wednesday.

Here are the scores, and positions, of all the players with strong Colorado ties among the field of 312:

31. Wyndham Clark of Highlands Ranch 69
31. Kyler Dunke of Parker 69
86. CSU player Colton Yates 71
156. Tanner Jenson of Parker 73
220. Colin Prater of Colorado Springs 75
263. Tristan Rohrbaugh of Carbondale 77
263. CSU player Blake Cannon 77
307. Former CU golfer John Hayes 83

For all the U.S. Amateur scores, CLICK HERE.