There was plenty at stake and every stroke made a difference on a tightly packed leaderboard at U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifying Wednesday at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in Westminster.

When everything sorted itself out, two former Colorado 5A state high school champions and two international players landed spots in the national Women’s Am, which will be held Aug. 6-12 in Kingston Springs, Tenn.

With the top four finishers out of a field of 50 at Walnut Creek advancing, University of Colorado golfer Gillian Vance from Lakewood and University of Denver player Mary Weinstein from Highlands Ranch made the grade along with Sara Camarena of Mexico and Annabelle Ackroyd of Canada.

It was the second USGA championship in two days for which Ackroyd qualified in Colorado. She advanced to the U.S. Girls’ Junior Tuesday at Colorado National Golf Club in Erie.

This will be the second straight U.S. Women’s Amateur for Weinstein and the first for Vance.

“We had a great season as a team for CU this past year (finishing 19th in the NCAA Finals),” Vance said. “That was fun, but this is like a whole new level for me. I feel like I’ve really done something for myself. I’m just on Cloud Nine right now.”

Added Weinstein: “It means so much” to go back to a second straight Women’s Amateur. “Last year didn’t go as well as I had hoped and planned (she failed to make match play). This year I went in with a different mindset and I really wanted to qualify so I could do my best and make up for last year. It really did mean a lot for me to make it this year.”

Camarena earned medalist honors Wednesday at Walnut Creek with a bogey-free 2-under-par 70. Vance and Ackroyd tied for second place at 71. (The top qualifiers are pictured, from left: Vance, Camarena and Ackroyd.)

Vance made two birdies and one bogey on the day, avoiding a playoff by sinking a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 17. 

“I was kind of missing a lot of putts all day,” she said. “I had a lot of birdie chances and kept leaving them just short or burning edges. I finally made one on 17. That gave me the boost I needed because 72 was a playoff. 

“This was very much one of my better (recent rounds). I’ve only gone under par once in a collegiate event in three years.”

Meanwhile, Ackroyd rallied on Wednesday after being 4 over par through four holes by playing the next five holes in 5 under, including making an eagle on No. 6. And, after a bogey on No. 16, she birdied the 18th.

Three players finished tied for fourth place at even-par 72, forcing a three-person-for-one spot playoff. Kelsey Webster of Boulder, who will be a CU teammate of Vance starting in the fall, was eliminated on the first extra hole as she missed the green in regulation and made bogey.

On No. 11, the second playoff hole, Weinstein (left) drained a 40-foot birdie that was matched by Jessica Sloot of Fruit Heights, Utah, a Colorado State University golfer who holed a 20-footer to extend the playoff. Then on the third hole of the playoff, on No. 12, Sloot hit her tee shot into a bunker on the par-4 and missed a 7-foot par putt, making bogey. Weinstein two-putted for 20 feet for par to advance.

“To qualify for the U.S. Women’s Am two years in a row is amazing for me,” said Weinstein, a former Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado Girls Player of the Year who will be a junior at DU in the fall. “It’s one of the top tournaments on my entire schedule this year.”

Weinstein played her final seven holes of regulation in 2 under par, including making a 15-foot putt for birdie on 17.

Sloot will be the first alternate from the Walnut Creek site and Webster the second.

The upcoming U.S. Women’s Amateur will be the fourth USGA championship for Vance and the third for Weinstein. Both qualifiers from Colorado are 20 years old.

“This is one of my biggest accomplishments (in golf),” said Vance, a senior-to-be at CU. “I’m am just so excited. I’m not really sure what’s going to happen the next couple of years with golf and I’m trying to figure it out right now. This was a really good boost that I needed. I’m going to have so much fun out there, and I know that. My family, I don’t think we’ve gotten to do something like this since junior golf, so it will be a really good time.

“We got to nationals (as a team for CU), which was so much fun. It’s just been an incredible year, especially getting to go to the U.S. (Women’s) Amateur. Now it’s just icing on the cake.”

U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifying
At Par-72 Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in Westminster

ADVANCE TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Sara Camarena, Mexico City 70
Gillian Vance, Lakewood 71
Annabelle Ackroyd, Canada 71
Mary Weinstein, Highlands Ranch 72
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Jessica Sloot, Fruit Heights, Utah 72
Kelsey Webster, Boulder 72

For all the scores from Wednesday’s qualifyng tournament, CLICK HERE.
 

Coloradan Mary Weinstein, a University of Denver golfer, falls into that category, as does Colorado State University player Katrina Prendergast, who this spring teamed up with Ellen Secor to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball national title. Prendergast also competed in the 2016 U.S. Women’s Am.

In all, a field of 50 at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in Westminster will vie for four spots in the U.S. Women’s Amateur, which is scheduled for Aug. 6-12 in Kingston Springs, Tenn.

Also in the field at Walnut Creek are each of the top eight finishers from last week’s CGA Women’s Stroke Play: Kristin Glesne (1); Erin Sargent (2), a 2015 U.S. Women’s Am qualifier; Kelsey Webster (3); Weinstein (4); Anna Kennedy (T5); Jaclyn Murray (T5); Jaylee Tait (T7), a 2014 U.S. Women’s Am qualifier; and Caroline Jordaan (T7).

Likewise scheduled to compete on Wednesday are present or recent past girls state high school champions Hailey Schalk, Amy Chitkoksoong and Lauren Lehigh.

University of Colorado golfer Kirsty Hodgkins, a standout from Australia, is also in the qualifying field.

NCAA individual champion Jennifer Kupcho from Westminster, who went to the match play round of 64 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur last year, is exempt from qualifying in 2018.

For Wednesday’s tee times from Walnut Creek, CLICK HERE.
 

The standards were high on Monday as CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora hosted a qualifying tournament for the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

How high?

For those who shot even-par? Not good enough.

Fire a 70? Still not up to snuff.

Only the four players who shot in the 60s at CommonGround earned berths into the U.S. Women’s Am, which will be played Aug. 7-13 at San Diego Country Club, where Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Jill McGill won her Women’s Amateur national championship in 1993.

Easily making the grade on Monday was University of Colorado golfer Brittany Fan, who earned medalist honors with a 7-under-par 65. Joining her in San Diego will be 12-year-old Alexa Pano of Lake Worth, Fla., winner of Drive Chip & Putt national titles each of the last two years; Mary Weinstein of Highlands Ranch and the University of Denver, the first Colorado resident to qualify in the state for the U.S. Women’s Am since 2015; and Colorado State University golfer Katrina Prendergast, who advanced from the Colorado qualifier for the second straight year. Pano carded a 67 on Monday, Weinstein eagled the final hole for a 68 and Prendergast posted a 69.

(The qualifiers are pictured, from left, Fan, Pano, Prendergast and Weinstein.)

“There were some low scores out there today,” said the 19-year-old Weinstein, who recently transferred from NCAA Division II Regis University to Division I DU. “I feel like if you just hit it in the right spots, you have a lot of birdie chances.”

In all, 42 players were vying for the four national spots.

It will be the second U.S. Women’s Am for Fan, Prendergast and Pano, and the first for Weinstein.

Fan, the Hawaiian who paired up with CU teammate Esther Lee and went to the round of 16 after being the stroke-play co-medalists at the 2017 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship, made a 15-foot eagle on the 11th hole on Monday, and added six birdies and one bogey.

“I played in the Women’s Amateur a few years ago (in 2013), and it’s a really fun event. It’s really good competition,” said Fan, the low amateur in the 2013 CoBank Colorado Women’s Open and the runner-up in the 2015 CWGA Match Play.

The last time Fan (left) competed in the U.S. Women’s Am, she advanced to the round of 32, where she lost to that year’s NCAA champion, Annie Park.

“I’m much stronger mentally now,” said Fan, a 21-year-old senior-to-be who plans to go to LPGA Q-school later this year. “When I went and lost my last match, I was playing Annie Park. At the time I had no idea who that was. Some spectator asked me heading up to the first tee, ‘Who are you playing?’ I was like, ‘Some girl named Annie Park.’ I had no idea. He was like, ‘OK, good luck with that.’ I was like, ‘What does that mean?’ I got a little intimidated.

“But I think mentally I’ve made the biggest adjustment from fall to spring (of her junior season at CU). It was a complete reset mentally because I had a rough fall season. I basically learned how to control my mind. I’m still working on it of course, but it’s much better now.”

Indeed, Fan didn’t finish worse than 18th individually in any of CU’s spring tournaments this year.

Pano, who played in the U.S. Women’s Am last year after being an alternate in qualifying at Fort Collins Country Club, went bogey-free on Monday and played her final 11 holes in 5 under par. The result was a return trip to the national championship, which isn’t something many 12-year-olds accomplish. Overall, it will be Pano’s fourth USGA championship.

“It’s another honor,” said Pano, who will be a home-schooled eighth-grader in the fall. “The U.S. Am was one of my favorite tournaments last year and I’m glad I got to experience it.”

Weinstein, the 2016 Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s Girls Player of the Year who won the 5A state high school title at CommonGround, supplemented her eagle with five birdies and three bogeys on Monday.

“I didn’t think I was going to shoot this low today because of how I was playing in general, but I’m happy I did,” Weinstein said. “I was actually not putting well today except for a couple of holes that I really needed. I made (the 20-foot eagle) putt on the last hole, which was really awesome. ” (Weinstein four-putted that same hole during the final round when she won the 2016 5A state title.)

This will mark Weinstein’s first individual USGA championship, but she’s no stranger to playing well in big national/international tournaments. Last summer, for instance, the former Hale Irwin Elite Player finished fifth in the Optimist International Junior and 15th in the Junior PGA Championship.

“I’m only playing in about four tournaments this summer,” she said. “When I was younger, I could qualify for (Junior Worlds), Optimist, all of these out-of-state tournaments. There’s only so many USGA qualifiers as a woman that you can play in, so I put a lot of emphasis on this tournament.”

Prendergast was 2 over par through five holes on Monday, but chalked up six birdies in her final 13 holes. Like Fan, Prendergast made the Sweet 16 at the 2017 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball, with Prendergast teaming with CSU teammate Ellen Secor, who also has qualified for the U.S. Women’s Am.

“It means a lot” to return to the Women’s Amateur, said the 19-year-old Prendergast. “I missed the cut (to make match play) last year by one, so hopefully I can kind of redeem myself and make the cut and see how far I can get.” 

U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifying

At Par-72 CommonGround GC in Aurora

ADVANCE TO U.S. WOMEN’S AM

Brittany Fan, Pearl City, Hawaii 34-31″“65

Alexa Pano, Lake Worth, Fla. 35-32″“67

Mary Weinstein, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 35-33″“68

Katrina Prendergast, Sparks, Nev. 37-32″“69

ALTERNATES (In Order)

Sydney Youngblood, Durant, Okla. 34-36″”70

Erin Sargent, Longmont, Colo. 34-37″”71

FAILED TO QUALIFY

Sadie Englemann, Austin, Texas 35-36″“71

Destiny Lawson, Ocala, Fla. 36-36″“72

Emily Gilbreth, Houston, Texas 35-37″“72

Sydney Smith, Las Vegas, Nev. 36-37″“73

Calli Ringsby, Denver, Colo. 36-37″“73

Kylee Sullivan, Colorado Springs, Colo. 37-36″“73

Anna Kennedy, Parker, Colo. 37-36″“73

Shelby Poynter, Scottsbluff, Neb. 38-36″“74

Delaney Elliott, Superior, Colo. 37-37″“74

Gillian Vance, Lakewood, Colo. 36-38″“74

Alexandria Trask, Commerce City, Colo. 37-38″“75

Madison McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 38-37″“75

Alex Darwin, Albuquerque, N.M. 36-39″“75

Samantha Lee Barker, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 37-38″“75

Annie Nelson, Bismarck, N.D. 39-36″“75

Shania Berger, Albuquerque, N.M. 39-37″“76

Jaylee Tait, Littleton, Colo. 37-39″“76

Laura Gerner, Kaysville, Utah 39-37″“76

Val Cruz, Thornton, Colo. 39-38″“77

Caitlyn Skavdahl, Casper, Wyo. 39-38″“77

Morgan Sahm, Centennial, Colo. 41-36″“77

Maddie Kern, Westminster, Colo. 41-37″“78

Amy Chitkoksoong, Aurora, Colo. 42-36″“78

Jacquelin Biggs, Englewood, Colo. 40-38″“78

Margaret Cowart, New Braunfels, Texas 38-40″“78

Jordan Shackelford, Austin, Texas 38-40″“78

Tori Glenn, Castle Pines, Colo. 43-36″“79

Sydney Gillespie, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 39-40″“79

Jaclyn Murray, Grand Junction, Colo. 40-39″“79

Aili Bundy, Fort Collins, Colo. 41-38″“79

Larissa Steinfeldt, Lakewood, Colo. 40-40″“80

Klara Castillo, Waco, Texas 41-40″“81

Kimberly Moore, Fort Collins, Colo. 40-42″“82

Jamie Zook, Colorado Springs, Colo. 41-41″“82

Delaney Benson, Littleton, Colo. 47-41″“88

Ashley Mayhall, Valencia, Calif. NS

This year, the field for the Women’s Am qualifier is about a third smaller than last year — but so are the number of national berths at stake.

CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora is scheduled to host the qualifying tournament on Monday (July 10), when 42 competitors are scheduled to compete for four spots in the national championship, set for Aug. 7-13 at San Diego Country Club. That course is where Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Jill McGill won her U.S. Women’s Amateur in 1993.

Several players who have qualified for the U.S. Women’s Am in recent years are in the field, including Colorado State University golfer Katrina Prendergast (2016 qualifier), Erin Sargent of Longmont (2015) and Jaylee Tait of Littleton (2014).

Also scheduled to compete are 2016 Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado girls player of the year Mary Weinstein, 2017 U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifiers Jaclyn Murray and Shelby Poynter, 5A state high school champion Amy Chitkoksoong, University of Colorado teammates Gillian Vance and Brittany Fan, and Stanford golfer Calli Ringsby.

Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster is exempt from qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Am based on her spot in the women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings (now 11th).

Ellen Secor, a CSU teammate of Prendergast, qualified earlier this week for the U.S. Women’s Am. The Portland resident made the grade by shooting an even-par 72 and tying for fifth place in a qualifying tournament in Cameron Park, Calif.

To view Monday’s pairings at CommonGround, CLICK HERE.
 

There were competitors from five nations — Australia, the Philippines, Spain, Mexico and, of course, the U.S. As for Americans, players were on hand from Tennessee, Maryland, Texas, Florida, California, Washington, New Mexico, Utah, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Nevada and Colorado.

Given that, it wasn’t surprising to emerge with six qualifiers hailing from five different states and one foreign country.

A Colorado resident, per se, wasn’t among the national qualifiers, but two golfers who played for Colorado-based colleges last season were represented.

Former University of Colorado golfer Alexis Keating and current Colorado State player Kartina Prendergast were among the six competitors who qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Keating, who wrapped up her CU career in May, shot a 1-under-par 70 to finish third, while Prendergast, playing one of CSU’s home courses, posted a 72, good for fifth place.

Also advancing to the U.S. Women’s Am — which will be held Aug. 1-7 at Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pa. — were 17-year-old Kaitlin Milligan of Norman, Okla., who earned medalist honors with a 3-under-par 68; University of Arkansas golfer Jordy LaBarbera of Allen, Texas (69), Samantha Martirez from the Philippines (71), and San Diego State golfer Sirene Blair from South Jordan, Utah (73).

(The qualifiers are pictured above, from left, Milligan, LaBarbera, Keating, Martirez, Prendergast and Blair.)

Keating, who has finished fifth individually in each of the last two ultra-competitive Women’s Pac-12 Championships, has come close to qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Am before. And given that she’s planning to turn pro in time for next month’s first stage of LPGA qualifying, advancing to the national amateur this time was particularly sweet.

“It means a lot, especially with this being possibly the last amateur hurrah,” said Keating, who lives in Elma, Wash., but has been working at Boulder Country Club since graduating. “I’m planning on going to Q-school. It means a lot, having mom on the bag (caddying on Thursday). That was fun.”

In a round steadier than most, Keating finished with two birdies, a bogey and 15 pars at Fort Collins CC.

“The putts weren’t really dropping in the beginning, but I kind of had to stay patient and wait it out,” said Keating, a 21-year-old whose only previous USGA championship experience was the final U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links in 2014, when it was held in Washington, about 40 minutes from her home.

Prendergast traveled back to Fort Collins from her home in Reno, Nev., to compete at a site with which she’s familiar. The CSU sophomore-to-be estimates she had played Fort Collins Country Club six or seven times before Thursday’s qualifier.

“I’m most comfortable at this course” compared to other qualifying sites, the 18-year-old said. “It was nice to come back here. It’s a great course.”

Prendergast, runner-up in the Mountain West Conference Championships as a freshman, made the turn in 3 over par on Thursday, but made three birdies and went 2 under on the back to earn a U.S. Women’s Am spot in her first attempt at qualifying.

“It’s awesome,” she said. “I went to the (U.S. Girls’ Junior) last year and I had a lot of fun with that. It’s good to be able to go this one too.”

All told, 59 golfers competed Thursday in Fort Collins.

It will be the first U.S. Women’s Amateur for all of Thursday’s qualifiers except for LaBarbera, who advanced to nationals and made match play in 2014. LaBarbera is the younger sister of CSU women’s assistant coach Jessa LaBarbera.

Jordy LaBarbera was 3 over par after seven holes on Thursday, but played her last 11 in 5 under. That included a 40-foot eagle on No. 10 and making birdies on three of her last four holes, including a 25-footer on No. 18.

“The eagle put me in a different mindset,” she said.

Like LaBarbera, Milligan eagled the 480-yard, par-5 10th hole. In Milligan’s case, she chipped in from 50 feet there, then birdied the next two holes. She shot her 68 despite finishing with two straight bogeys. “I’m really excited” about qualifying, said Milligan, who has verbally committed to play college golf at Oklahoma beginning in a year. “It means a lot. I didn’t realize how big of a deal it is until recently.”

This week was not only Milligan’s first time trying to qualify for the Women’s Amateur, but her first time playing golf in Colorado.

“We were hoping it would be a little cooler than it was in Oklahoma. And yes it is — a lot,” she said.

The Women’s Am will be the fourth USGA championship for Milligan following two U.S. Girls’ Juniors and one U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball.

Like Milligan, this was Martirez’s first time playing in Colorado. She was 3 over par through nine, but played the back side in 3 under.

Asked how she felt about qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Am in her first attempt, the future California Baptist golfer said, “Oh my God, I’m really excited about it.”

Blair, the 2014 Utah Golf Association Women’s Player of the Year, is also heading to her first U.S. Women’s Am.

“It’s amazing,” said the 21-year-old, who has played in multiple U.S. Girls’ Juniors. “I have a couple of friends who have gone to the tournament and they both say it’s such a great event. It’s great to represent Utah and show off all the skills I’ve been working on.”

U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifying

At Par-71 Fort Collins CC

QUALIFIED FOR U.S. WOMEN’S AM
Kaitlin Milligan, Norman, Okla. 35-33–68
Jordy LaBarbera, Allen, Texas 37-32–69
Alexis Keating, Elma, Wash. 35-35–70
Samantha Martirez, Philippine 38-33–71
Katrina Prendergast, Sparks, Nev. 38-34–72
Sirene Blair, South Jordan, Utah 37-36–73
ALTERNATES (in order)
Alexa Pano, Lake Worth, Fla. 37-37–74
Kala Keltz, Montrose, Colo. 37-37–74
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Princess Mary Superal, Philippine 40-34–74
Bryana Nguyen, Columbia, Md. 36-38–74
Allie Andersen, The Woodlands, Texas 40-34–74
Sarah Rippberger, Albuquerque, N.M. 37-37–74
Shania Berger, Albuquerque, N.M. 37-37–74
Erin Sargent, Longmont, Colo. 35-39–74
Jaylee Tait, Littleton, Colo. 36-38–74
Delaney Elliott, Superior, Colo. 39-35–74
Morgan Sahm, Centennial, Colo. 37-38–75
Jordan Remley, Lakewood, Colo. 38-37–75
Janet Moore, Centennial, Colo. 37-38–75
Carly Dehlin, Draper, Utah 38-38–76
Rosana Gomez Valdor, Spain 39-37–76
Gillian Vance, Lakewood, Colo. 38-38–76
Mary Weinstein, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 39-37–76
Kristen Cline, Socorro, N.M. 39-37–76
Caroline Jordaan, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 39-38–77
Evelyn Arguelles, Mexico 40-37–77
Anna Kennedy, Parker, Colo. 38-40–78
Taylor Dorans, Erie, Colo. 40-38–78
Emily Gilbreth, Bellaire, Texas 38-40–78
Sarah Greene, Albuquerque, N.M. 36-42–78
Jaclyn Murray, Aurora, Colo. 41-37–78
Alexis Sadeghy, Edmond, Okla. 39-40–79
Annie Young, Fort Collins, Colo. 41-38–79
Julienne Soo, Australia 40-39–79
Sarah Jo Pravecek, Omaha, Neb. 41-39–80
Tori Glenn, Castle Pines, Colo. 40-40–80
Sara Camarena, Austin, Texas 40-40–80
Amy Chitkoksoong, Aurora, Colo. 38-42–80
Mariah Ehrman, Westminster, Colo. 43-38–81
Rachel Hardy, Houston, Texas 45-37–82
Courtney Ewing, Pueblo West, Colo. 44-39–83
Klara Castillo, Waco, Texas 43-40–83
Hannah More, Littleton, Colo. 42-42–84
Madison McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 44-40–84
Margaret Cowart, Austin, Texas 44-40–84
Momo Sakuragi, Japan 43-41–84
Emilee Strausburg, Lakewood, Colo. 43-42–85
Lydia Kim, Spokane, Wash. 41-44–85
Ashlyn Kirschner, Arvada, Colo. 43-42–85
Jamie Zook, Colorado Springs, Colo. 43-42–85
Kelly Moran, Boulder, Colo. 42-43–85
Jacquelin Biggs, Englewood, Colo. 42-45–87
Shelby Poynter, Scottsbluff, Neb. 45-42–87
Megan McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 44-43–87
Katie Perkins, St. George, Utah 47-41–88
Michelle Romano, Lone Tree, Colo. 45-44–89
Forre Zook, Colorado Springs, Colo. 44-48–92
Calli Gallacher, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 42-52–94
Megan Vernon, Conifer, Colo. 50-46–96
Clare Dittemore, Roseburg, Ore. WD
Haley Dunn, Layton, Utah WD
Laura Gerner, Kaysville, Utah WD
Madison Rhodes, Memphis, Tenn. WD
Haley Thiele, Wahoo, Neb. WD
Emma Whitaker, Wichita, Kan. WDU.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifying

At Par-71 Fort Collins CC

QUALIFIED FOR U.S. WOMEN’S AM
Kaitlin Milligan, Norman, Okla. 35-33–68
Jordy LaBarbera, Allen, Texas 37-32–69
Alexis Keating, Elma, Wash. 35-35–70
Samantha Martirez, Philippine 38-33–71
Katrina Prendergast, Sparks, Nev. 38-34–72
Sirene Blair, South Jordan, Utah 37-36–73
ALTERNATES (in order)
Alexa Pano, Lake Worth, Fla. 37-37–74
Kala Keltz, Montrose, Colo. 37-37–74
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Princess Mary Superal, Philippine 40-34–74
Bryana Nguyen, Columbia, Md. 36-38–74
Allie Andersen, The Woodlands, Texas 40-34–74
Sarah Rippberger, Albuquerque, N.M. 37-37–74
Shania Berger, Albuquerque, N.M. 37-37–74
Erin Sargent, Longmont, Colo. 35-39–74
Jaylee Tait, Littleton, Colo. 36-38–74
Delaney Elliott, Superior, Colo. 39-35–74
Morgan Sahm, Centennial, Colo. 37-38–75
Jordan Remley, Lakewood, Colo. 38-37–75
Janet Moore, Centennial, Colo. 37-38–75
Carly Dehlin, Draper, Utah 38-38–76
Rosana Gomez Valdor, Spain 39-37–76
Gillian Vance, Lakewood, Colo. 38-38–76
Mary Weinstein, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 39-37–76
Kristen Cline, Socorro, N.M. 39-37–76
Caroline Jordaan, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 39-38–77
Evelyn Arguelles, Mexico 40-37–77
Anna Kennedy, Parker, Colo. 38-40–78
Taylor Dorans, Erie, Colo. 40-38–78
Emily Gilbreth, Bellaire, Texas 38-40–78
Sarah Greene, Albuquerque, N.M. 36-42–78
Jaclyn Murray, Aurora, Colo. 41-37–78
Alexis Sadeghy, Edmond, Okla. 39-40–79
Annie Young, Fort Collins, Colo. 41-38–79
Julienne Soo, Australia 40-39–79
Sarah Jo Pravecek, Omaha, Neb. 41-39–80
Tori Glenn, Castle Pines, Colo. 40-40–80
Sara Camarena, Austin, Texas 40-40–80
Amy Chitkoksoong, Aurora, Colo. 38-42–80
Mariah Ehrman, Westminster, Colo. 43-38–81
Rachel Hardy, Houston, Texas 45-37–82
Courtney Ewing, Pueblo West, Colo. 44-39–83
Klara Castillo, Waco, Texas 43-40–83
Hannah More, Littleton, Colo. 42-42–84
Madison McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 44-40–84
Margaret Cowart, Austin, Texas 44-40–84
Momo Sakuragi, Japan 43-41–84
Emilee Strausburg, Lakewood, Colo. 43-42–85
Lydia Kim, Spokane, Wash. 41-44–85
Ashlyn Kirschner, Arvada, Colo. 43-42–85
Jamie Zook, Colorado Springs, Colo. 43-42–85
Kelly Moran, Boulder, Colo. 42-43–85
Jacquelin Biggs, Englewood, Colo. 42-45–87
Shelby Poynter, Scottsbluff, Neb. 45-42–87
Megan McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 44-43–87
Katie Perkins, St. George, Utah 47-41–88
Michelle Romano, Lone Tree, Colo. 45-44–89
Forre Zook, Colorado Springs, Colo. 44-48–92
Calli Gallacher, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 42-52–94
Megan Vernon, Conifer, Colo. 50-46–96
Clare Dittemore, Roseburg, Ore. WD
Haley Dunn, Layton, Utah WD
Laura Gerner, Kaysville, Utah WD
Madison Rhodes, Memphis, Tenn. WD
Haley Thiele, Wahoo, Neb. WD
Emma Whitaker, Wichita, Kan. WD

Sixty-five players will vie for six spots in the national championship, which this year is scheduled for Aug. 1-7 at Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pa.

Erin Sargent of Longmont, the girls 4A state high school champion, will be attempting to qualify for her second straight U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Also in the field are former University of Colorado golfer Alexis Keating, who placed fifth at the last two Women’s Pac-12 Championships; girls Colorado Junior Amateur and 5A state high school champ Mary Weinstein; 2014 U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifier and 2016 CWGA Match Play runner-up Jaylee Tait; and Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore.

For tee times on Thursday, CLICK HERE.

On Friday, the 16-year-old from Westminster earned a berth in her third USGA championship of the year — and second through a qualifying tournament held at CommonGround.

Kupcho made an eagle and five birdies Friday in a round of 4-under-par 69 to claim medalist honors in U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifying at CommonGround.

That means the junior-to-be at Jefferson Academy High School will end up competing this summer at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, the U.S. Girls’ Junior and the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Not bad for someone who hadn’t had the pleasure of a USGA championship before this year.

“I wanted to qualify for all three that I could, so I’m pretty excited to get to go,” Kupcho said.

All in all, it was a great day for Jennifers Friday at CommonGround, where a field of 40 was competing. Also punching their tickets to the national Women’s Amateur — set for Aug. 5-11 in Charleston, S.C. — were University of Colorado golfer Jennifer Coleman (a bogey-free 71), Korea’s Jennifer Yang (sister of University of Denver golfer Andy Yang, 71) and Hannah Wood of Centennial (72). Yang also qualified in Colorado for the 2012 U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Wood, a member of the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program at CommonGround, prevailed in a one-hole playoff over 2013 CWGA Junior Match Play champion Sydney Merchant of Morrison to claim the fourth and final national berth. Ironically, Wood lost in a one-hole playoff at CommonGround for the last spot in U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifying. On Friday, Wood birdied three of the last four holes of regulation to force the playoff, while Merchant played her last eight holes in 5 under par.

As for Kupcho, in the last two months, she’s finished third in U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links qualifying at Ute Creek, second in U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifying at CommonGround, and now first at U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifying at CommonGround.

“Me and my brother (2012 CGA Player of the Year Steven Kupcho) are kind of having competitions, so when I’m qualifying for stuff it’s pretty exciting,” Jennifer said. “I wanted to qualify, then I let him see what he can do. It’s more of a bragging kind of thing, then we get to go to USGA events.”

Jennifer Kupcho said she’s had trouble with CommonGround in previous years, but she seems to be over that in 2013. On Friday, she rolled in a 45-foot birdie putt on No. 10 and generally excelled with the flat stick in her hand.

“My putting was really, really good,” Kupcho said. “I made basically everything I looked at. I probably made five putts over 10 or 15 feet. … I had a few putting struggles (earlier) but I got it in gear last night and played well today.”

U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifying
At Par-73 CommonGround GC in Aurora
x-won one-hole playoff

QUALIFIED FOR U.S. WOMEN’S AMATEUR
Jennifer Kupcho, Westminster, Colo. 35-34–69
Jennifer Yang, Republic of Korea 36-35–71
Jennifer Coleman, Rolling Hills Estate, Calif. 35-36–71
x-Hannah Wood, Centennial, Colo. 39-33–72

ALTERNATES (In Order)
Sydney Merchant, Morrison, Colo. 39-33–72
Gigi Stoll, Beaverton, Ore. 38-35–73

FAILED TO QUALIFY

Melissa Martin, Grand Junction, Colo. 39-34–73
Dominique Galloway, Rio Rancho, N.M. 39-35–74
Lou Danienlla Uy, Phillipines 40-34–74
Shinwoo Lee, Aurora, Colo. 39-36–75
Mariah Montoya, Lubbock, Texas 37-38–75
Lauren Falley, Topeka, Kan. 39-37–76
Calli Ringsby, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 38-39–77
Kristen Coleman, Rolling Hills Estate, Calif. 38-39–77
Samantha Barker, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 39-39–78
Patricia Lee, Commerce City, Colo. 38-41–79
Megan McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 39-40–79
Anna Young, Canada 41-38–79
Tori Glenn, Castle Rock, Colo. 40-39–79
Marilyn Hardy, Houston, Texas 40-39–79
Mackenzie Cohen, Centennial, Colo. 43-37–80
Jisoo Keel, Canada 39-41–80
Darian Zachek, Deming, N.M. 41-39–80
Sarah Jo Pravacek, Omaha, Neb. 38-42–80
Janet Moore, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 41-40–81
Amy Hodgkinson, Longmont, Colo. 40-41–81
Bryce Schroeder, Pueblo, Colo. 42-39–81
Samantha Stancato, Colorado Springs, Colo. 40-41–81
Kelly Moran, Boulder, Colo. 42-39–81
Devin Dougherty, Woodland, Calif. 43-38–81
Alexandria Trask, Denver, Colo. 43-39–82
Kristen Cline, Socorro, N.M. 42-40–82
Kathleen Kershisnik, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 40-44–84
Callie Hodgkinson, Longmont, Colo. 41-45–86
Mikayla Tatman, Longmont, Colo. 41-46–87
Taylor Dorans, Erie, Colo. 46-43–89
Emily Fuchs, Cameron, Texas 49-40–89
Jessica Heard, Clinton, Okla. 45-47–92
Shannon Lubar, Littleton, Colo. WD
Anna Laura Gomez Moreno, Mexico WD
 

Out of the original field of 32 golfers, there were 20 Coloradans entered, compared with two Canadians, a Korean and a Kansan.

But at the end of the day, those numbers meant little as the four U.S. Women’s Amateur berths went to the two Canadians, the Korean and the Kansan.

Actually, a Coloradan tied for the fourth-lowest score, but Shinwoo Lee of Aurora wasn’t at the club when a playoff for the final spot was going to take place. So with that, Lauren Falley of Topeka, Kan., who shot a 76 like Lee, earned the national berth.

“That’s not what I was expecting,” Falley said.

One of the Canadians, highly acclaimed Nicole Zhang, landed medalist honors with an even-par 72, while countrywoman Anna Young tied for second at 74 with Korean-born Jennifer Yang, a University of Washington golfer. Falley, an Oklahoma State golfer, shared fourth place with Lee but gained the final berth due to Lee’s absence come playoff time.

All four qualifiers punched their tickets to the Women’s Am, which will be played Aug. 6-12 in Cleveland. (The qualifiers are pictured above, from left, Falley, Yang, Young and Zhang.)

While Young, Yang and Falley qualified for their first U.S. Women’s Amateur, Zhang brought a little star power to Thursday’s qualifying tournament. This will not only be her third consecutive Women’s Am — she made match play two years ago — but she also competed in the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open immediately following her senior year of high school. She’s also played a couple of U.S. Girls’ Juniors.

“It’s definitely special (to go to USGA championships),” Zhang said. “I feel like they’re the best-run tournaments in the world. And I really enjoy traveling to the events. They always choose really great golf courses, and it’s fun to see all my friends again.”

Zhang was the top-ranked freshman in the country during her first and only season (2010-11) playing at Notre Dame, but after not competing last season, she’s transferred to Northwestern.

On Thursday, Zhang used a stellar start to carry her to medalist honors. With four birdies, she was 4 under par through 11 holes. But a double bogey and a couple of bogeys down the stretch left her at even par overall.

Yang likewise started fast — 2 under through four holes — while both Young and Falley finished with a flurry, playing the last four holes in 2 under.

While both Young and Yang are from out of state, this is the second time each has qualified in Colorado for a USGA championship. Last year, Young went to Valley Country Club to earn a spot in the U.S. Girls’ Junior. And last month, Yang went to Spring Valley Country Club to land a berth in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, where she advanced to the final 16.

“It’s a really big deal” to make it to the U.S. Women’s Amateur, said Yang, whose brother Andy plays golf for the University of Denver. “It’s nice.”

Young, who is transferring from the University of Tulsa to the University of Florida, likewise is relishing her first trip to the Women’s Am.

“It will be awesome,” she said. “I’m super excited. Hopefully it will be one of many for the next couple of years. I’m really excited to go.”

For Falley, this is not only her first U.S. Women’s Amateur, but her first USGA championship of any sort.

“It’s pretty exciting,” said the 2008 Kansas 4A state high school champion. “I’ve been trying to qualify ever since I was little for the U.S. Girls’ and all that, so it’s kind of a chip off the shoulder finally to do it.”

U.S. Women’s Amateur Sectional Qualifying
At Par-72 Pinery CC in Parker

ADVANCE TO U.S. WOMEN’S AMATEUR
Nicole Zhang, Calgary, Canada – 33-39–72
Jennifer Yang, Seattle, Wash. – 35-39–74
Anna Young, Canada, Saskatchewan, Canada – 38-36–74
Lauren Falley, Topeka, Kan. – 39-37–76

ALTERNATES (In order)
Shinwoo Lee, Aurora, Colo. – 38-38–76
Samantha Stancato, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 38-39–77

FAILED TO QUALIFY
Calli Ringsby, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. – 38-39–77
Somin Lee, Denver, Colo. – 38-39–77
Amy Hodgkinson, Longmont, Colo. – 39-39–78
Juanita Rico, Laramie, Wyo. – 37-41–78
Allie Johnston, Castle Rock, Colo. – 37-42–79
Paige Crawford, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 38-41–79
Maggie Yuan, Draper – 39-40–79
Paige Spiranac, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 39-41–80
Marilyn Hardy, Houston, Texas – 40-40–80
Christina Spinzig, Evergreen, Colo. – 39-43–82
Kathleen Kershisnik, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 42-40–82
Megan McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. – 43-39–82
Patricia Lee, Lone Tree, Colo. – 38-45–83
Kelly Moran, Boulder, Colo. – 40-43–83
Jessie Joachim, Hudson, Colo. – 42-42–84
Taylor Buck, Littleton, Colo. – 41-43–84
Anna Christenson, Denver, Colo. – 40-44–84
Dominique Dinallo, Pueblo, N.M. – 40-45–85
Jennifer Kempton, Littleton, Colo. – 43-43–86
Emily Woodard, Cheyenne, Wyo. – 45-47–92
Ryan Ashburn, Largo, Fla. – 47-46–93
Stacey Blunt, Federal Way, Wash. – 47-46–93
Kaylee Koeppen, Scottsbluff, Neb. – WD
Molly Dorans, Erie, Colo. – WD
Emily Talley, Boulder, Colo. – NS
Janet Moore, Greenwood Village, Colo. – WD