by Gary Baines
There’s no mistaking the home of Jim Moore.
Driving through a bucolic neighborhood north of Chicago, his is the house with the wooden bench on the front porch with large green letters engraved in it: EVANS SCHOLARS.
It only seems appropriate. For the man who in 2007 became the Western Golf Association’s first 40-year employee, what could be more fitting? The Illinois-based WGA administers the Evans Scholarship, which for the last 84 years has sent deserving caddies to college with tuition and housing costs fully paid.
There are now about 10,000 alumni of the program, including roughly 430 from the University of Colorado. The WGA partners with the CGA and CWGA in supporting the Evans Scholarship at CU, which is a flagship program for both golf associations.
As the educational director for the Evans Scholars Foundation for almost 20 years — and the assistant educational director under Roland “Mac” McGuigan for 22 years before that — Moore has had an impact on countless Scholars over the last 4 1/2 decades.
Coincidentally, the CU Evans Scholars chapter was founded in 1967, the same year Moore was hired by the WGA. It’s one of 14 Evans Scholar houses now in operation, but as the only one outside of the Midwest, the CU Scholars felt much of their connection to the program through their interaction with Moore and McGuigan.
How indelible an imprint has Moore made on the CU program? Enough that CU Evans Scholar alum George Solich hosted a trip to Chicago last week to pay a visit to Moore, who has been ailing in recent months.
Five fellow CU Evans Scholar alums joined Solich (class of 1983) — George’s older brother Geoff “Duffy” Solich (1981), Frank Nessinger (1984), CGA executive director Ed Mate (1988), Ryan Pellet (1995) and myself (1983) — in exchanging often-humorous stories with Moore, reminiscing about years gone by and paying tribute to one of the most influential men in the Evans Scholars program. (The group is pictured above with Jim, in the white cap, at his home.)
As Moore said during the visit, “It’s been an unbelievable journey.”
And for many Evans Scholars, their journey has been made possible in part because of Moore (left) and the Evans Scholarship. Each school year for decades, Moore (often with McGuigan) visited each Evans Scholar house at least a couple of times, making sure things were running smoothly and providing invaluable counsel. He mentored, advised and provided a sounding board for college students living on their own for the first time and managing a group-living situation.
“I’ve always looked at Jim as one of those Rock of Gibraltar, super-solid guys that is always positive,” said George Solich, who along with brother Duffy and Pellet currently serve as WGA directors. “It’s never about him. He’s always talking about you or somebody else. He’s consistently had that kind of demeanor.”
Added Pellet: “Nobody has a bad memory about Jim Moore. When I was in the house, he was always called ‘Smiling Jim’. He was the guy who could always get mad at you, but it was OK because you just knew he was guiding you the right way. There’s generations of Scholars that everyone has the same fond memories.”
The influence of Moore particularly hits home in Colorado this year with the BMW Championship PGA Tour playoff event being contested at Cherry Hills Country Club Sept. 4-7. All the net proceeds from the BMW Championship go to the Evans Scholars Foundation, with more than $16 million having been contributed since 2007. George Solich is the general chairman for this year’s BMW Championship.
“Particularly in Colorado, Jim Moore has seen it all” regarding the Evans Scholar program at CU, Mate noted. “He saw the purchase of the Evans Scholars house (in the late 1960s), saw the program grow and saw all of us go through.
“The Evans Scholars program is named after Chick Evans but it could easily be the Jim Moore Scholarship. The impact he’s had … there are 10,000 alumni and 80 percent probably fell on his watch. Jim is such a humble guy — he never asked for any credit — but the things that stand out are his passion for the program and his positivity. He’s always been such a positive influence. I don’t know a single Evans Scholar that doesn’t have a positive memory of Jim Moore. We owe so much to him.”
It’s little wonder why, in 2008, the same year Moore became the WGA’s senior vice president of foundation advancement, a gala was thrown in his honor. More than 800 people feted him in the Grand Ballroom of Chicago’s Navy Pier.
Moore has a room in his home with numerous cherished items collected over the years. There’s a photo from that Jim Moore Gala at Navy Pier. There’s a picture with him, the Solich brothers and Jack Nicklaus (left). There’s a photo of him with another CU Evans Scholar alum — and WGA director — Bob Webster. But the first item in the room that Moore shows guests is a glass-engraved tribute he received from family members.
His life has clearly been well-lived on more than one front.
As Moore said in 2008, “I’m a fortunate guy in that I have two families that I love very much. If I’ve had a little impact on some of your lives, I’m happy with that. I’m pleased and proud of that. But I can tell you that each of you has had a greater impact on me.”
It seems like everyone has a Jim Moore story — or at least deeply ingrained memories of Moore and his ever-smiling presence.
There were those many dinners at the old Boulder Broker Restaurant with the CU Evans Scholars executive board. George Solich remembers taking Moore skiing four or five times as a junior and senior at the Evans Scholar house. Pellet recalls Moore’s calming effect as Ryan interviewed for the scholarship as a “shaking” high school senior, again when dealing with difficult issues as president of the Evans Scholar house, and yet again when deciding between job offers.
“I met him when I was 17, and I’ve felt like he’s been my friend ever since,” George Solich said. “I really admire how he’s lived his life and all the kids he touched and made their lives better. He’s wiser than you can imagine. He was that guy you always immediately respected and liked, yet he was no pushover. He could be tough if he needed to. He had an influence on 8,000 young men and women going to college.”
Appropriately, the academic excellence award that goes to the Evans Scholar chapter with the highest cumulative grade-point average for an academic year is named the James E. Moore Scholarship Trophy.
“In a very quiet way, he’s really been the steady hand on the program for 40-some years,” Mate said.
]]>Defending champion Nathan Lashley apparently came in with a 7-under-par 64 that would have given him the 54-hole lead, but that was before he was asked about an issue that a spectator brought to the attention of tournament officials at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club.
After the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based pro and his two playing partners were taken back out to the spot of an alleged rules infraction — the first fairway — it was determined that Lashley had improved the line of play for his second shot on the par-4, and therefore he was assessed a two-stroke penalty.
That gave him a double bogey instead of a par to start the round, and a 66 instead of the 64 he thought he had shot. The end result was that, instead of taking a one-stroke lead into Sunday’s final round, Lashley will trail South Carolina pro Zack Byrd (pictured above) by one.
“Apparently, I picked a piece of grass in front of my ball,” Lashley said just before leaving the course. “It was just a bonehead move. I don’t even remember the situation. I don’t know. Apparently I picked a piece of grass. Honest to God I have no idea.
“It’s disappointing. It’s golf, though. Stuff happens.”
After having the spectator report the situation to a rules official a few holes into Lashley’s round, CGA director of rules and competitions Pete Lis decided not to interrupt the round to resolve the matter, but rather to ask Lashley and his playing partners about it after they completed play.
“It was clear that there was a long piece of grass — more like a weed — that was on his line of play,” Lis said. “It was on the fairway — something that didn’t cut very well. It was only 6 inches in front of where the ball was. There was no doubt in (playing partner Ty Capps’) mind that he had broken it. Nathan couldn’t remember because he was in the game trying to play. It was one of those things he did instinctively. But the spectator and Ty both clearly saw it. There was no question it was in his line of play. He ripped it out of the ground and threw it aside out of his line of play.
“There’s a ton of situations that don’t seem fair in the rules. It’s not a great feeling to have to assess a penalty, especially to someone who’s really in contention in this event, but that’s my job here — to abide by the Rules of Golf. … This was very clear-cut. There’s a lot of precedence on it. It was clearly on his line of play and he improved his line of play.”
The upshot is that Byrd, a U.S. Open qualifier this year, leads by one in his first Colorado Open. The former college roommate of PGA Tour standout Dustin Johnson shot 67-65 the last two rounds and stands at 11-under-par 202. Three players share second place at 203 — Lashley (66 Saturday), left-hander Ben Portie of Westminster (67) and 2005 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion Clay Ogden of Farmington, Utah (69).
Seventeen players are within five strokes of the lead. Coloradans Nick Mason, Charlie Soule, Zen Brown and James Love are three behind Byrd, in fifth place. And Aurora’s Gunner Wiebe, last year’s runner-up, is four behind after back-to-back 67s.
“It’s pretty stacked as far as a bunch of guys in contention,” said Soule, the first-round leader.
Byrd shot a bogey-free 65 to pull ahead. He’s never played in Colorado before this week, but he’s quickly getting the hang of high-altitude golf.
“I’m learning more every day and feel like I’m getting a little better at it every day,” said the former Coastal Carolina golfer, who noted he hit a 5-iron about 250 yards on Saturday. “It’s so different. It’s not like golf back home. It’s unbelievable. I get my yardage and have to do my math. It’s an adjustment. I’ve never played golf like this.”
Lashley, winner of four tournaments so far this year, was red hot late in his round, playing his last 11 holes in 7 under par. That included an eagle on the par-4 14th, where he drove the green and sank a 35-foot putt.
Portie is no stranger to being in contention at the Colorado Open, having placed third in 2004, fourth in 2005 and sixth in 2007. Plus, he’s on a good streak this month, finishing second in the Wyoming Open and winning the South Dakota Open last Sunday.
On Saturday, he played his last five holes in 3 under par to move near the top of the leaderboard.
“It would mean a lot (to win here),” said the former University of Colorado golfer. “I’ve played here 11, 12, 13 years and you see the same guys year after year. A few of my buddies have won it, so it would feel great. It would mean a lot.”
And the $23,000 first prize wouldn’t be bad either.
The leaders will tee off at 10:40 a.m. on Sunday.
High Praise for Colorado Open: After playing in plenty of mini-tour events, and in the U.S. Open last month, Colorado Open leader Zack Byrd had some very nice things to say about the state open held annually at Green Valley Ranch.
“It’s a beautiful golf course,” the South Carolinian said. “We don’t get courses in this good a shape back home. It’s phenomenal. Other than the U.S. Open, this is the best shape golf course (he’s played this year), and the greens are better here than at the Open.
“This is the best I’ve been treated at a tournament. My parents asked me last night how is it? I said the only difference between this and the U.S. Open was the food at the U.S. Open was just a little bit nicer. They treat you the same here. It’s a great golf course. It’s great competition on a great golf course for four rounds.”
Low Amateur Competition Tied: Former CGA Mid-Amateur champion Jon Lindstrom of Broomfield and Matt Schovee of Cherry Hills Village are tied for low-amateur honors after three rounds. They share 20th place overall at 4-under-par 209, seven strokes out of the overall lead.
Schovee shot a 6-under-par 30 on his front nine Saturday, but struggled to a 39 on the back and ended up at 69 overall. Lindstrom carded a 71.
In 1969, the tournament champion, Ted Hart, shot 145 for the first two rounds. This year, that total wasn’t even good enough to make the cut in the Open.
While no one is running away with the 2011 Colorado Open by going deep, there certainly are an impressive number of competitors under par (42) and within five shots of the lead (31) at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club.
“Players are getting much better because these pins are just tough,” said Denver’s Nick Mason, the 2010 Utah Open champion who shares second place at 7 under par. “It’s just stupid how good you have to play to be up top. I haven’t hit a ball off line in two days — though I haven’t made many putts — and still there’s just tons of guys doing the same thing. It’s impressive.”
Clay Ogden of Farmington, Utah, who gained some fame for defeating Michelle Wie en route to claiming the 2005 U.S. Amateur Public Links title, grabbed a one-stroke lead on Friday. He shot a 5-under-par 30 on the back nine and carded a 5-under 66, which left him at 8-under 134 overall.
Denver’s Charlie Soule (pictured), who held the first-round lead outright, fell into a second-place tie with a final-hole bogey on Friday. His 1-under-par 70 left him at 7-under-par 135 and tied with Mason and James Drew of Las Vegas, Nev., who is playing in his first Colorado Open.
Ben Portie of Westminster, a former University of Colorado golfer, had the round of the day — and of the tournament so far — on Friday with a bogey-free 7-under-par 64, which is just one stroke off the event record at GVR. He shares fifth place at 136 with former Coloradan Jamie Marshall (69 Friday) and Arizonans Nathan Tyler (65) and Benoit Beisser (69).
Ogden, who has won a Utah Open and a Nevada Open as a pro, drained four birdie putts of at least 15 feet on his final eight holes.
“I’m in great position this time here,” Ogden said. “Hopefully I can keep it going and keep the putter rolling.”
Soule, who plays out of GVR and does some instruction work at the course, attributes his strong play so far this week to a more laid-back approach. Unlike earlier in his professional career, he figures enjoying himself is half the battle when playing tournament golf.
“As cliche as it is, I just come out and have fun,” the 27-year-old University of Denver graduate said. “I’ve tried the whole thing where you have a ton of pressure on you and go through anguish over every shot, and I’ve just found it’s not worth it. So I just come out here and have fun, and keep the expectations low. If you have an opportunity at the end, great, but if you don’t, still come out here and have fun.”
Soule wasn’t particularly thrilled about his round on Friday, but if he gets his putter working again over the weekend, that will change.
“It used to be if I wanted to put up a great score I’d have to putt out of my mind,” said Soule, who’s looking for his third top-10 finish at the Colorado Open. “Now it’s kind of switched where I’m putting what I consider to be average or little above average, and I’m still sitting on top of the leaderboard or near the top of the leaderboard. It’s fun. My game is in a good spot now.”
Portie can relate after improving from 72 to 64 from Thursday afternoon to Friday. He racked up seven birdies in the second round, when he played in calmer conditions.
“It’s my lowest round at the Colorado Open, and this is my major,” said the 34-year-old left-hander. “I love this tournament. This is a pretty good round for me. It’s up there.”
Portie is no stranger to being in contention in regional golf tournaments. He won the Enstrom’s Rocky Mountain Open last year and lost in a playoff earlier this month at the Wyoming Open. And Friday’s performance certainly changed the complexion of this Colorado Open for him.
“I knew if I could get hitting it good and get a little confidence going, maybe there’s a round like this for me that would get me right back in it,” he said. “But you’re not expecting it. I was just trying to play solid and make the cut first. I knew if I played solid and made the cut, I’d have today’s round, plus two more, to work my way back in. But a round like today, I’m right back in (contention).”
Notable: Amateur Brian Dorfman of Greenwood Village made a hole-in-one at the 179-yard fifth hole on Friday, draining an 8-iron shot. It was his first ace in competition and second overall. “It was cool,” said Dorfman, who easily made the cut with rounds of 72-69. … Amateur Zahkai Brown and professional Barry Milstead eagled the 425-yard par-4 first hole to start their rounds on Friday. Brown finished with a 70, which left him in 21st place at 139. Milstead missed the cut by one at 145 despite a 69. … Among those who missed the cut Friday were Arvada’s Steve Irwin (72-73–145), who played in the U.S. Open last month, and 1995 Colorado Open champion Mike Zaremba (71-74–145). … By making the cut, Jim Blair of Ogden, Utah virtually assured himself of taking over the No. 1 spot on the Colorado Open’s all-time money list. Blair came into the tournament trailing current leader Bill Loeffler by about $365. Loeffler, who isn’t playing this year, has won the tournament three times and Blair twice. … While Blair stands at 142, his son, Zac, is at 137, which leads the amateur competition. … The leaders will tee off for Saturday’s third round at 10:40 a.m.
Charlie Soule, who calls Green Valley Ranch Golf Club his home course and does some instruction work at the facility, put his local knowledge to good use Thursday with a 6-under-par 65, which included a 5-under 30 shot on the back nine in some challenging windy conditions.
And Nick Mason, whose big claim to fame in the Colorado Open is firing a 12-under-par 60 when the tournament held one round at Saddleback Golf Club in Firestone in 2007, posted a bogey-free 66 on Thursday.
They sit 1-2 on the leaderboard after round 1, with James Drew of Las Vegas, Nev., sharing second place with Mason.
Soule made eight birdies on the day and played his final 13 holes in 6 under par.
“This is one of the best rounds of golf I think I’ve played,” he said. “There were a few little mistakes in the beginning — some missed short putts — but overall I’ve shot 10 under (par) before and this felt just as good. Tee to green was solid and the putter started working after nine holes. It just caught fire.”
It certainly doesn’t hurt that Soule knows GVR like the back of his hand. He estimates he’s played 200 rounds at the course.
“It’s like perfect” for me, said the 27-year-old. “The greens are in great shape and you’ve got to hit just about every club in your bag. And I’ve been striking the ball pretty well for a while. It’s my home course. What can you say?”
The round came as Soule has been doing more golf instruction and competing less this year than in the past.
“I’ve been relaxed and enjoying myself and it’s paid dividends on the golf course,” he said. “I’m not putting so much pressure on, training every day as hard as I used to, and every shot caring so much as I used to. Now it’s a little more relaxed and kind of fun. And I’ve started coming up with these rounds that seem like they’re great but I’m just out having fun.”
Mason was likewise having a ball on Thursday. The 2010 Utah Open champion not only went bogey-free in the first round, but he hit all 18 greens in regulation. It wasn’t quite as good as his 60 at Saddleback, but it still left a big smile on his face.
“At Green Valley Ranch I don’t have a good track record,” he said. “This week I’m hitting the ball good and moving it both ways so I think I’ll have a good chance.”
Mason has plenty of company in that belief. A total of 28 players broke 70 on Thursday. The seven-man group at 67 includes defending champion Nathan Lashley of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Parker resident Scott Petersen, the 2000 Open champion; Jamie Marshall, who grew up in Colorado and is in his first month as a professional; amateur Brandon Bingaham of Montrose, a Mesa State University golfer; fellow Scottsdale-based pros Jason Allred and Benoit Beisser; and Blake Trimble of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
For Mason, it was an unusually good round at GVR.
“I’ve had trouble breaking 70 at Green Valley Ranch the last four years, and that’s a great way to start this tournament,” said Mason, who just started living year-round in Denver. “Momentum and confidence is huge, especially for me and my game. I’m a momentum player and I usually have problems in first rounds. It’s great to start out like that. I’m really pleased.”
Mason may call the Utah Open the biggest victory of his career, but it’s the Colorado Open that’s closest to his heart.
“This is my favorite tournament of the year,” he said. “It’s the best state open in the country that I play. The golf course set-up is awesome. The greens are good and the fairways are unbelievable. Conditions are right up there with a tour event.”
Marshall, a Regis High School graduate who just wrapped up a University of Arkansas career that included two victories, made his professional debut last weekend at the Waterloo Open, where he placed 24th. This marks his first Colorado Open since his high school days, and he got off to a fast start.
In fact, he chipped in for birdie from 60 feet on his first hole Thursday (No. 10).
“That was a good way to start,” said the 23-year-old, who now lives in Fayetteville, Ark. “That calmed me down and got me in a good flow.”
Bingaman, who hadn’t even seen the entire course before Thursday, didn’t seem bothered by that as he made seven birdies, including five on his back nine (1-9).
“I was looking to make the cut (coming into the week),” said the Fruita High School graduate. “But I hit the ball well and I putted well. One plus one equals a good round.”
Lashley, last year’s champion and a good friend of Mason’s, is looking for his fifth victory of the year. Like last summer, he came to Colorado on a roll, having just won the Waterloo Open.
“I like this course,” he said. “If you hit good shots you get rewarded most of the time and it’s in really good condition. It’s nice to play out here.”
Lashley’s round was marred slightly by bogeys after hitting into the water on No. 17 (his eighth hole) and after a tough bunker shot on No. 9, but he also recorded an eagle on the 18th hole.
Petersen, playing in the windy afternoon conditions, made five birdies in the opening round and didn’t record his first bogey until the 18th hole.
“With the conditions the way they were, this was a pretty good round,” said the 41-year-old Parker resident. “I also missed a couple of 5-footers for birdie, but I made a couple of 20-footers, so it all evens out.”
Notable: Amateur Mark Hubbard of Denver shot a 1-under-par 70 Thursday despite a triple-bogey 8 on his final hole (No. 9), where he incurred penalties for both a lost ball and an unplayable lie. … Two-time Colorado Open champion Jim Blair (69) and son Zac Blair (68) both broke 70 on Thursday. So did brothers Zen Brown (68) and Zahkai Brown (69). … One of the more unique rounds was that of Derek Fribbs of Castle Rock, who shot 34 on the front nine and 42 on the back.
As any tournament director can tell you, timing can be everything when trying to get a notable player to compete in your event.
Take the case of John Elway. A year ago, the former Denver Broncos quarterback played in the HealthOne Colorado Open for the fourth time and the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open for the first, and he drew plenty of attention in both cases.
This year, despite becoming executive vice president of football operations for the Broncos, Elway was considering playing in the Colorado Open again. It wasn’t until last week — when the NFL lockout looked like it would soon be lifted — that Elway politely declined an invitation.
Likewise there’s the case of Coloradan Derek Tolan, the 2009 Colorado Open champion. Tolan has played in nine of the last 10 Opens, missing one due to a car accident. But because he has a spot in this week’s Nationwide Tour event in Columbus, Ohio, Tolan will be skipping this week’s Open, which runs Thursday through Sunday (July 21-24) at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver.
Despite missing Elway, Tolan and Denver’s Matt Zions — who placed third in last year’s Open but now plays regularly on the European Tour, where he recently won a tournament — the 2011 Open features a strong field even if it lacks some star power.
The last two CGA Players of the Year — Gunner Wiebe (pictured) and Steve Ziegler — are competing in the Colorado Open for the first time as professionals. Wiebe, son of Champions Tour regular Mark Wiebe, finished second in last yea’s Open, marking the best showing by an amateur in the event since 1997. Ziegler swept the CGA Match Play and Stroke Play titles in 2009 — the first time that had happened in 24 years — and was a quarterfinalist in the 2009 U.S. Amateur.
Also playing this week in the $125,000 tournament are defending champion Nathan Lashley, an Arizonan who on Sunday won the Waterloo Open for the second straight year, and recent Wyoming Open champ Kane Webber of Denver. Meanwhile, 2007 Open winner John Douma, who played on the Nationwide Tour last year, returns after placing no worse than second every year from 2005 through 2009.
In all, eight former Open champions are in the field, including Parke’s Scott Petersen, winner of a Nationwide Tour event in 2000.
Colorado Open: All the Essentials
What: 47th annual HealthOne Colorado Open.
When: Thursday through Sunday (July 21-24).
Where: Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver (4900 Himalaya Road).
Prize Money: $125,000, with $23,000 going to the low professional.
Field Size: 156 players, with a cut to the low 60 and ties after 36 holes.
Defending Champion: Nathan Lashley.
Other Former Champions in Field: Jim Blair (1983 and 1987), Wil Collins (2005), John Douma (2007), Chris Endres (1989), Scott Petersen (2000), Brett Wayment (2001), Mike Zaremba (1995).
Attendance: Free.
For a day that went so badly in several respects, Monday sure turned out well for Samantha Stancato of Colorado Springs.
During the course of her round at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Sectional Qualifying tournament at Green Gables Country Club, Stancato hit into water hazards twice, made two double bogeys and was stung by a bee.
Despite all that, the 18-year-old earned a spot in a playoff and landed the fifth and final qualifying berth for the U.S. Women’s Amateur, which will be played Aug. 8-14 in Barrington, Rhode Island.
“I wasn’t having that good of a day, but I guess it turned out pretty good,” the recent Coronado High School graduate said.
Stancato (pictured above) joined fellow Colorado teenager Shannon Lubar of Littleton, University of Denver golfer Anna Christenson and Philippines golfers Jayvie Agojo and Cyna Rodriguez in advancing to the national tournament. It will be the fifth USGA championship for Rodriguez, who made the final 16 of the Women’s Amateur two years ago, the second for Lubar, and the first for Stancato, Christenson and Agojo.
Agojo, a former Pepperdine University golfer, earned medalist honors in the 43-player field with a 1-over-par 72. Christenson carded a 73, Rodriguez a 74, Lubar a 75 and Stancato a 77.
Stancato, two-time CWGA Stroke Play champion Melissa Martin, Lauren Falley of Topeka, Kan., and Sunshine Baraquiel of the Philippines played off for the final national berth, with Stancato and Martin needing four extra holes to settle things. Stancato saved a par with a 20-foot putt on No. 1 to extend the proceedings, and they also both made pars on Nos. 2 and 3.
On the par-3 fourth playoff hole, Martin hit her tee shot 20 yards over the green and had to navigate around a tree to try to get anywhere close to the flag. Her second shot didn’t made the putting surface, and after her chip slipped past the hole, Stancato two-putted for par from 12 feet to advance.
It’s ironic that Stancato earned a national berth on a par-3 considering she double bogeyed two of them during her regulation round on Monday. To add injury to insult, she was stung on the par-3 seventh hole when a bee got stuck in her shoe.
“I was happy that I broke 80 with two doubles and going in the water and everything, but I wasn’t expecting to get into a playoff or anything like this,” said Stancato, who will start playing golf at the University of Wyoming in the fall after placing third in the recent 4A state high school tournament.
The 17-year-old Lubar (pictured at left), runner-up in last week’s CWGA Junior Stroke Play, will be going to her second USGA championship of the year after also qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links tournament. Overall, she said she’s only tried to qualify for five USGA championships in her life, and has been successful twice.
“I haven’t been playing golf that long (four years competitively), so it’s a good accomplishment for such a short time,” said Lubar, a senior-to-be at Chatfield High School who recently won the Colorado Junior PGA Championship for the second straight year. Qualifying is “fantastic, awesome. I’m very, very happy.
“I played really well. I was consistent, relaxed and had confidence. I struck the ball nicely and made a few putts, so it was good.”
Christenson, a senior-to-be at DU, had the advantage of knowing Green Gables well as the Pioneers practice at the course on a fairly regular basis. (After recently being sold, Green Gables is expected to cease golf operations as soon as this fall, though it’s possible the course could remain open into next year. The land on which the course sits is expected to be redeveloped.)
In shooting a 73, the 21-year-old Christenson said, “I’m very pleased. This course is very tough. We play it all the time in practice and I don’t even usually shoot 73 in practice. It’s one of my better scores for sure.
“I think the first three holes out here are the hardest so if you don’t know that, it can kind of get to you because you can be thinking about it all day. My mindset is if I can get through those first three holes I’m pretty much good for the rest of the day.”
And indeed, though Christenson went 2 over par over those first three holes, she went even-par the rest of her round.
Agojo, 24, was in the first group to tee off Monday and she rallied after being 3 over par through six holes. She eagled the par-5 15th hole from 5 feet to help her earn medalist honors.
“I was putting so bad on the front,” said Agojo, twice a West Coast Conference champion at Pepperdine. “I was trying to line up the ball, but then I didn’t line it up anymore and just tried to visualize my putt, and that worked for me.”
Agojo and Rodriguez became the second and third golfers from the Philippines to earn U.S. Women’s Amateur berths at Green Gables in the last two years. Countrywoman Beverly Mendoza advanced last year.
Rodriguez, a junior-to-be on the University of Southern California golf team, was one of the more accomplished young players in Monday’s field, having made at least the second round of match play three times in the U.S. Women’s Amateur or the U.S. Girls’ Junior.
In addition, the 19-year-old has won the Philippines Women’s Amateur, as well as the Callaway Junior World tournament at age 15.
U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifying
At Par-71 Green Gables CC in Denver
QUALIFIED
Jayvie Agojo, Philippines – 37-35–72
Anna Christenson, Denver, Colo. – 37-36–73
Cyna Rodriguez, Philippines – 36-38–74
Shannon Lubar, Littleton, Colo. – 37-38–75
Samantha Stancato, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 40-37–77
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Melissa Martin, Grand Junction, Colo. – 38-39–77
Lauren Falley, Topeka, Kan. – 38-39–77
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Sunshine Baraquiel, Philippines – 37-40–77
Janet Moore, Greenwood Village, Colo. – 39-39–78
Bethany Buchner, Loveland, Colo. – 37-41–78
Anna Schultz, Rockwall, Texas – 40-38–78
Beverly Mendoza, Lubbock, Texas – 39-39–78
Sydney Merchant, Morrison, Colo. – 38-40–78
Kathleen Kershisnik, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 36-42–78
Sarah Faller, Denver, Colo. – 40-39–79
Devin Dougherty, Woodland, Calif. – 38-41–79
Somin Lee, Denver, Colo. – 41-38–79
Maren Scoggins, Denver, Colo. – 41-38–79
Julia Thead, San Diego, Calif. – 41-38–79
Leslie McGetrick, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 41-40–81
Paige Crawford, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 42-39–81
Hannah Wood, Centennial, Colo. – 38-44–82
Alison Cavanaugh, Littleton, Colo. – 41-41–82
Lindsay McGetrick, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 43-40–83
Bryce Schroeder, Pueblo, Colo. – 45-38–83
Kelly Drack, Melbourne, Fla. – 44-39–83
Katie Keiser, Gothenburg, Neb. – 42-41–83
Amy Hodgkinson, Longmont, Colo. – 44-40–84
Kasha Scott, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. – 42-42–84
Jessie Joachim, Hudson, Colo. – 44-40–84
Molly Dorans, Erie, Colo. – 42-43–85
Alexandra Sborov, Pleasanton, Calif. – 43-42–85
Maggie Boberg, Littleton, Colo. – 44-41–85
Lindsay Cone, Killington, Vt. – 43-43–86
Libby Avery, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 49-39–88
Kaylee Koeppen, Scottsbluff, Neb. – 43-46–89
Gina Larson, Longmont, Colo. – 49-41–90
Jenna Zamprelli, Laramie, Wyo. – 45-45–90
Andrea Hibbert, Golden, Colo. – 42-48–90
Katie Moats, Wheat Ridge, Colo. – 46-44–90
Taylor Buck, Littleton, Colo. – 52-40–92
Diane Kwon, Fremont, Calif. – WD
Mikayla Tatman, Longmont, Colo. – WD
These Colorado School of Mines golfers certainly know how to finish with a flurry in CGA championships.
Eleven months after Mines teammate Jim Knous shot a final-round 60 at Boulder Country Club to force a playoff before ultimately placing second in the CGA Stroke Play, Michael Lee birdied two of the last three holes in Friday’s 36-hole final to win the 111th CGA Match Play at Bear Creek Golf Club.
The 19-year-old from Greeley Country Club birdied the 18th hole for the fourth time in two days to clinch a 1-up victory over Jonathan Marsico of Castle Pines Golf Club.
“I birdied 18 every time I played it (in matches this week),” Lee said. “I had that confidence going in.”
Lee needed it as he rallied from being 4 down after 16 holes and 2 down after 32 in the final. He won the 33rd hole with a par, then made two birdies coming down the stretch for his first CGA title. In between Lee’s birdies, Marsico missed a 3-foot birdie attempt on the 35th hole.
The 19-year-old Lee only led after three holes in the entire match — the sixth, 23rd and 36th.
“I hadn’t really had any putts drop and I was still in it,” he said. “So I knew if I had a few putts fall I’d be in it. And I really like (holes) 16, 17 and 18. They’ve been good to me all week. I had confidence if I could get it to 1 or 2 down with those three to go, I could pull through.”
Lee squared the match by draining a 15-foot birdie putt on the 34th hole. He escaped unscathed when Marsico failed to convert his short birdie attempt on the ensuing par-3 (pictured at left). Then Lee hit a driver and a wedge to inside of 2 feet on No. 18. After Marsico conceded the birdie, his 20-foot putt slipped by the right edge of the final hole and the match was over.
“I’m definitely disappointed,” said Marsico, the 2008 CGA Stroke Play champion. “On 17 I hit what I thought was a good putt. I don’t know if it was a misread or it hit something. It went right and we thought it was going left. Then (Lee) made a great birdie on 18.”
Despite leading the great majority of the match — and once being 4 up — Marsico never got ahead of himself by being overconfident.
“When you have 36 holes, everyone is going to make a few runs,” the 29-year-old said. Lee “is too good of a player not to make his run. Unfortunately, he made it late in the match when there wasn’t time to come back from it.
“It’s a cliché, but you’ve got to look at it hole by hole. You can’t look at the big picture. You can’t get excited when you’re 4 up. You can’t get down when you’re 2 down. You’ve just got to keep playing because it’s 36 holes. It’s kind of like an NBA basketball game. If you’re up 12 that doesn’t mean anything until that buzzer rings.”
Marsico built a 4-up lead through 16 holes thanks to a conceded eagle and four birdies to that point. But Lee responded by winning five of the next seven holes to go 1 up. Marsico, who was competing in his first CGA Match Play, would make just one bogey the rest of the way — on the 33rd hole — but Lee prevailed after playing his final 10 holes in 3 under par.
Lee (pictured at left) won his Thursday semifinal match over Derek Fribbs with a similar strong finish, making birdies on the last two holes to win 2 up. He also birdied the 18th hole in the morning round of the final, and in the quarterfinals.
Thursday afternoon, Lee’s drive on No. 18 barely cleared the deep native grass just short of the fairway on the dogleg left. But it left him with just a half-wedge into the green on the par-4.
“I’ve been hitting all my wedges really well so I knew I had a good chance at that one,” said Lee, who often plays Bear Creek during School of Mines team practices. “I like that (front) pin.”
So Lee’s name will go on the Richard C. Campbell Trophy, along with those of his 110 predecessors. “This means a lot,” he said. “Anything that’s been around 111 years “¦ It’s the biggest match play event in the state. Oh man, it feels good. It’s a good accomplishment, probably my biggest accomplishment so far.”
Lee becomes the second consecutive teenager to win the CGA’s two most prestigious championships. Last August, then-16-year-old Wyndham Clark defeated Knous in a playoff to claim the CGA Stroke Play title.
Friday marked the fourth time in the last 11 years that the CGA Match Play final has gone 36 holes or more — each time at Bear Creek.
Jonathan Marsico had never played in the CGA Match Play before this week, but he certainly seems to be a fast learner. And with the help of a caddie who won the HealthOne Colorado Open a couple of years ago, the 29-year-old from Castle Pines Golf Club finds himself in Friday’s 36-hole final.
Marsico’s opponent in the championship match certainly can be said to have gone the distance to get there. Between playing four matches over the last two days — one that went 24 holes — and enduring three weather delays, Colorado School of Mines golfer Michael Lee spent more than 24 hours at Bear Creek Golf Club on Wednesday and Thursday alone.
“I’m just glad I got it done” in advancing, said Lee, who plays out of Greeley Country Club. “It’s been a a lot of fun.”
Marsico (pictured above), the 2008 CGA Stroke Play champion, earned a spot in the final by defeating top-seeded Steve Irwin 4 and 3 in Thursday’s quarterfinals, then rallying from 3 down to beat Zahkai Brown 3 and 1.
Lee outlasted Spencer Sheets in a 24-hole quarterfinal marathon, then defeated University of Colorado golfer Derek Fribbs 2 up in the semis. Lee was all square with Fribbs through 16 holes, but made 20- and 2-foot birdie putts on Nos. 17 and 18 for the win.
Marsico had a caddie with plenty of big-tournament experience working for him on Thursday as 2009 Colorado Open champ and part-time Nationwide Tour player Derek Tolan was giving Marsico some guidance in reading putts, among other things. (The two are pictured at left.)
“This was Derek’s first day out here,” Marsico noted. “I had two friends of mine help me out prior to this. They were helpful, good guys and good caddies, but Derek has a lot of experience on these greens and this course. He’s one of my best friends and we play so much golf together. So him knowing my game and more importantly knowing these greens was a big help. I definitely wouldn’t be standing here as a winner going into the finals without Derek today.”
Unfortunately for Marsico, Tolan is scheduled to leave Friday for a tournament in Iowa, so he isn’t expected to be back on the bag for the final.
Marsico was certainly tested on Thursday. First he defeated Irwin, the medalist in this tournament and a U.S. Open qualifier this year. Then in the semifinals Marsico found himself 3 down through 7, but won six of the next 10 holes vs. Brown, making a 5-foot birdie putt on No. 17 to close the match.
It turns out that a weather delay — the first of two Thursday that totaled about 2 hours, 24 minutes — helped get Marsico going in the right direction against Brown.
“The delay ended up being a huge positive,” he said. “I lost the first hole and three-putted 5 to go 2 down. That was right when the first delay came and it kind of gave me a chance just to collect myself. I was pretty tired and annoyed through 5. So the rain delay was great. I gathered my thoughts and was able to get focused. I told my caddie Derek Tolan that that was the last bogey I was going to make for the day and indeed it was. So that was the key to the victory, I think.”
Marsico is hoping he can notch another win Friday and complete a career sweep of the CGA’s two top championships.
Winning “this would be awesome,” he said. “I love match play. It was a big accomplishment for me to win the Stroke Play, but I was just becoming a competitive golfer at that point, and to follow it up with another victory would really mean a lot.”
Lee (pictured at left teeing off on Thursday) doesn’t have a CGA title to this point, but that may change given that he’s playing well and that he’s very familiar with Bear Creek Golf Club as Mines typically practices there twice a week during the college season.
“I love this course,” the 19-year-old said. “Our team plays out here for school, so that’s a big advantage. I know where to miss it and where not to be, so that’s helped me out.”
Lee is in the final despite not playing much this summer as he’s working 50 hours a week with an oil and gas company.
“Just this tournament is probably the most holes I’ve played all summer,” he said. “I’m just kind of having fun with it and seeing what happens.”
Friday’s 36-hole final will begin at 7 a.m.
CGA Match Play Championship
At Bear Creek GC in Denver
QUARTERFINALS
Jonathan Marsico, Castle Pines Golf Club def. Steve Irwin, Lakewood Country Club 4 and 3
Zahkai Brown, Indian Tree GC def. Jim Knous, GC at Ironbridge 20 holes
Derek Fribbs, Plum Creek Golf & C.C. def. John Ahern, Bear Creek GC 2 and 1
Michael Lee, Greeley CC def. Spencer Sheets, Glenmoor CC 24 holes
SEMIFINALS
Jonathan Marsico, Castle Pines Golf Club def. Zahkai Brown, Indian Tree GC 3 and 1
Michael Lee, Greeley CC def. Derek Fribbs, Plum Creek Golf & C.C. 2 up
FRIDAY’S 36-HOLE FINAL
7 a.m. — Marsico vs. Lee
Perhaps that sun-yellow shirt Allie Johnston wore Wednesday was symbolic. Her future appears so bright, she might have to wear shades.
Another indication of that came this week at the CWGA Junior Stroke Play, where Johnston not only won her first CWGA title, but she ran away with it by eight strokes and finished 11 under par for three rounds at Eagle Trace Golf Club in Broomfield.
The victory was the Castle Rock golfer’s second of July, following her triumph last week in the AJGA Lubbock (Texas) Junior. She’s also qualified for two USGA championships so far in 2011, and it’s only mid-July.
In shooting 70-69-69 for a 208 total at Eagle Trace, the 17-year-old Johnston racked up 16 birdies in 54 holes. Shannon Lubar of Littleton, who qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship earlier this year, also finished under par for the week at 3-under 216, but still was no match for Johnston. Shinwoo Lee of Kennedy Golf Course ended up third at 221.
“I’ve always wanted to win a CWGA stroke play or match play, but I’ve never gotten the chance, so this means a lot to me,” said Johnston, a senior-to-be at Rock Canyon High School. “It was fun and super exciting.”
All of the top three finishers — along with 5A state high school champion and CWGA Junior Match Play winner SeungHa Choi — will comprise the CWGA’s team at the girls Junior America’s Cup matches that will be played July 26-28 in Reno, Nev. It will be Johnston’s third time on the team and Lee’s second. (Pictured at left is Lubar hitting, with Lee and Johnston looking on.)
Johnston has long been a solid player, but she’s definitely taken another significant step this year. She said she had never broken par before this year, yet she easily went three-for three in the Junior Stroke Play and has “seven or eight” subpar rounds for 2011. In addition, she had never broken 70 before this month, but she’s now done so three times in the last six days. In the Lubbock AJGA event, she rallied from four strokes back going into the final day, shot 68 and won by one.
Asked how much better she is than a year ago at this time, Johnston said, “a LOT better. Last year I was struggling big time. This year it’s kind of like, “˜I’m going to try to go under (par) today.'”
Johnston switched instructors and changed her swing in the middle of last summer, and the move is paying dividends.
“It’s just now getting to the point I can play with it, I guess,” she said of her new swing. “And I’ve been practicing putting a whole lot more, trying to get the birdies to drop. It’s paying off.”
Indeed, on Wednesday Johnston made certain of her victory with a 4-under-par 32 on her final nine holes, matching what she did Tuesday on that side. She birdied three of her last five holes of the tournament, draining putts of 18 feet on both No. 16 and 17.
“She played really strong,” Lubar said. “I played OK, but I wasn’t making putts like she was. So it was hard to catch her. “
This marked the third straight year the CWGA Junior Stroke Play has turned into a rout. Last summer, Paige Spiranac won the title by 10 strokes at Broken Tee Englewood, and Somin Lee prevailed by six in 2009 at Lone Tree Golf Club.
This year, Johnston took a four-stroke lead into the final day, but tried not to look at it that way.
“I was trying to go lower every day but mostly I was coming out just thinking that we’re all starting out even every day,” she said. “That made it a little bit easier (to keep pushing to play well).”
CWGA Junior Stroke Play
At Par-73 Eagle Trace GC in Broomfield
Championship Flight
Allie Johnston, Red Hawk Ridge GC – 70-69-69–208
Shannon Lubar, The Meadows GC – 75-68-73–216
Shinwoo Lee, Kennedy GC – 72-75-74–221
Kathleen Kershisnik, Columbine CC – 77-72-78–227
Hannah Wood, South Suburban Family Sports – 77-74-79–230
Sarah Hankins, Thorncreek GC – 74-79-78–231
Jennifer Kupcho, CommonGround GC – 78-76-78–232
Katy Dyachkova, South Suburban GC – 77-75-80–232
Taylor Buck, CommonGround GC – 78-76-84–238
First Flight
Alexandra O’Laughlin, West Woods GC – 80-79-75–234
Jennifer Kempton, Lone Tree GC & Hotel – 79-83-73–235
Taylor Dorans, Eagle Trace GC – 79-79-79–237
Alexandra Briggs, The Courses at Hyland Hills – 83-73-84–240
Katherine Kemp, Broadmoor GC – 81-83-76–240
Kala Keltz, Black Canyon GC – 81-81-82–244
Gillian Vance, Green Gables CC – 83-82-84–249
Jordan Sunset, Boulder CC – 83-81-86–250
Jamie Griffin, Murphy Creek GC – 82-88-83–253
Samantha Lee Barker, Perry Park CC – 83-89-82–254
Anastasia Summers, City Park GC – 76-79-WD
Second Flight
Sydney Gillespie, Valley CC – 85-77-82–244
Alex Stensland, The Club at Cordillera – 85-80-84–249
Mackenzie Cohen, Inverness Hotel & GC – 85-81-84–250
Sara Swaney, Perry Park CC – 88-81-81–250
Megan McCambridge, Boulder CC – 86-81-87–254
Danielle Dorans, Eagle Trace GC – 84-88-83–255
Joanna Kempton, Lone Tree GC & Hotel – 86-85-84–255
Sofia Vigil, Buffalo Run GC – 89-80-86–255
Emilee Strausburg, Rolling Hills CC – 87-87-82–256
Andrea Ballou, Red Hawk Ridge GC – 86-84-90–260
Rachel Rodriguez, Rolling Hills CC – 87-90-87–264
Third Flight
Michelle Romano, Colorado GC – 96-87-78–261
Margot Leibold, Wellshire GC – 94-90-79–263
Nayoun Kim, South Suburban Family Sports – 97-88-80–265
Maggie Geolat, Monument Hill CC – 98-82-89–269
Nichole Tinsley, Spring Valley GC – 99-90-93–282
Morgan Hoos, Broadlands GC – 94-106-93–293
Morgan Elise Stacks, Ranch CC – 101-104-100–305
Mariah Ehrman, CommonGround GC – 97-110-114–321
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Colorado is located near the heartland of the U.S., but apparently it’s where international golfers often go to make a name for themselves.
Since 1995, the USGA has held four of its open championships in the state, and every time those tournaments have produced foreign-born winners. In addition, all of the women involved were little known in the U.S. before their Colorado breakthroughs.
South Korea’s So Yeon Ryu is the latest of the bunch, winning the U.S. Women’s Open at the Broadmoor on Monday after the first three-hole aggregate playoff in the tournament’s history. Ryu defeated countrywoman Hee Kyung Seo by three strokes in the playoff over holes 16, 17 and 18.
Ryu follows Colorado-based victories by Argentina’s Eduardo Romero in the 2008 U.S. Senior Open at the Broadmoor, by South Korea’s Birdie Kim in the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open at Cherry Hills, and by Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam in the 1995 U.S. Women’s Open at the Broadmoor.
Sixteen players have made the U.S. Women’s Open their first LPGA Tour victory, but all three who have won Women’s Opens in Colorado can make that claim.
Ryu made her mark in stellar fashion Monday. First, she birdied the formidable 18th hole from 5 feet in regulation to force a playoff, then she went 2 under par in the three extra holes, punctuating the victory with another birdie on 18, this time from 4 feet.
And with that, a South Korean contingent, led by the nation’s golf godmother, Se Ri Pak, squirted Ryu with champagne, celebrating their country’s fifth Women’s Open championship since 1998 (Pak won in 1998, Kim in 2005, Inbee Park in 2008, Eun-Hee Ji in 2009 and now Ryu (pictured above in orange in a USGA photo).
“When I started golf, Se Ri won the U.S. Women’s Open, so Se Ri is my hero,” Ryu said. “Now she shows up and congratulates me. It’s unbelievable.”
And the celebration was made all the more special because South Koreans — a major force in women’s golf since ’98 — hadn’t won on the LPGA Tour in 2011 before Monday. It was icing on the cake that Seo finished second.
“Lots of Korean fans were waiting for us to win this year, and it’s already July and we didn’t win any of them,” Seo said. “So I think they were cheering for both of us. So I feel very happy that a South Korean player won this great big tournament.”
Both Koreans completed regulation play at 3-under-par 281, though Seo finished Sunday night, while Ryu had to play three holes of her final round on Monday morning. Ryu went 1 under par on those three holes to tie Seo.
Neither American who had a chance to catch Seo on Monday morning could make a move. Cristie Kerr recorded pars on both of her holes and finished in third place at 1 under, while Angela Stanford went even for four holes Monday to place fourth at even-par 284.
The result was the first use in the Women’s Open of the three-hole aggregate playoff. In 2006 and before, 18-hole playoffs had been utilized, which was the last thing this weather-plagued tournament needed.
It was the second time Ryu and Seo have met in a playoff, though the result was the same as it was in the 2009 Orient China Ladies Open: a victory for Ryu.
This time, as both golfers acknowledged later, Ryu had the advantage because she had played the holes earlier Monday while Seo was just waiting and practicing.
“It was good for me because Hee Kyung just practiced, but I played the three holes in the same condition,” Ryu said. “It’s really a huge benefit.”
After both players parred the 16th hole in the playoff, the big swing came on the par-5 17th. Seo pushed her drive into the right fairway bunker, and because she had to negotiate a mound immediately in front of her, she couldn’t make it to the green in regulation and had to settle for a bogey.
“I missed the tee shot on 17 and that was big,” she said.
Ryu, meanwhile, drained a 7-foot birdie putt on the same hole and suddenly she was two strokes ahead with one hole to play. Then on the par-4 18th, Ryu worked her final-hole magic again, making a 4-footer for birdie after Seo had posted a par. So in a week when nothing seemed to come easy at the U.S. Women’s Open, it was as simple as that.
In a show of national unity, Pak even went out to watch the playoff after completing play herself earlier.
“I’m very excited to watch them — and very proud,” she said.
As TV analyst Johnny Miller appropriately summed up, “It’s a great moment for Korean golf.”
Ryu thus became the first player since Kim in 2005 to win the Women’s Open after going through Sectional qualifying.
Besides receiving $585,000 for her victory, the 21-year-old Ryu gets the break of a lifetime. She was planning to graduate from her Korean university before going to LPGA qualifying school, but this might very well change her plans.
“Maybe I’m going to play next year; it’s a really great chance for me,” she said. “Maybe I must play the LPGA.”
Ryu can only hope her post-U.S. Women’s Open victory path more resembles that of Pak, who has 25 LPGA Tour victories to her credit, than that of Kim, Park and Ji, who between them have just one LPGA Tour victory besides their U.S. Women’s Opens.
Whatever the case, Ryu has big plans, even though her goal coming into the week was just a top-10 finish.
“I think my dream is the Hall of Fame, but it is just starting,” she said. “This situation is just unbelievable. A lot of U.S. Open winners are really famous players, and my goal is (to be) a really famous player in America.”
Meanwhile, Seo had a win snatched from her after thinking she was in good shape at the close of play Sunday.
“I remember (Sunday) the caddie of So Yeon said, ‘We’re gonna be chasing you,'” Seo said. ” And the result was they were chasing me, and unfortunately I couldn’t win this time. Second place is amazing, but sports is (about) winning, so that’s a little bad. But I’m happy for the result.”
Women’s Open Draws 125,194 for the Week: Tournament officials were hoping that this year’s event could set the U.S. Women’s Open weeklong attendance record, set six years ago at Cherry Hills, 131,137.
Counting July 4 through 10, that didn’t happen, but with the tournament allowing spectators in for free on Monday, July 11, that could put the Broadmoor over the top, depending on what accounting style you might think appropriate.
For the originally scheduled tournament week, this year’s Women’s Open drew 125,194. The breakdown went like this: 8,078 for Monday (July 4), 9,812 for Tuesday, 11,515 for Wednesday, 20,026 for Thursday, 26,430 for Friday, 24,290 for Saturday and 25,043 for Sunday.
Not helping matters any were weather-related suspensions of play each day from Thursday through Sunday.
“We were really trying hard to get there, but you have to look at it in perspective,” said Doug Habgood, executive director of the 2011 Women’s Open. “To have 125,000 is a big accomplishment, so we’re going to take that for what it is and we’ll count what came in today and see if we can get close to (the Cherry Hills number). There’s no ground rules for this, so if you ask me I’ll say yes this was a competition day, so we’ll see where we end up.”
Despite the daily weather problems, Habgood was pleased with the week in general.
“We were really thrilled,” he said. “The thing we like to see is fan satisfaction. People were leaving here in the rain, but they left peacefully and they were having a good time. We got a lot of good feedback about our volunteers being so welcoming. People really enjoyed coming out and seeing the golf and seeing the Broadmoor.”
Money for Earthquake Relief: In finishing fifth Monday, Mike Miyazato contributed $121,591 — all of her U.S. Women’s Open paycheck — to the American Red Cross to be used for reconstruction efforts following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March.
Miyakato, who lives on the Japanese island of Okinawa, pledged in the spring to contribute all her prize money from the four women’s major championships — along with money from select other events — to the earthquake/tsunami relief efforts.
Her earlier paydays for 2011 majors were $50,608 at the Kraft Nabisco and $53,840 at the LPGA Championship.
Looking Ahead: The top 10 finishers and ties — 12 golfers this year — earn spots in next year’s U.S. Women’s Open. That includes American Ryann O’Toole, who placed ninth after having to go through qualifying this year.
“My caddie said, ‘You just earned your spot next year,'” O’Toole relayed. “I’m like, ‘I don’t have to qualify?’ So that was pretty good.”
More of the Same for Kerr: For the fifth consecutive LPGA Tour event, American Cristie Kerr finished in the top three. The 2007 U.S. Women’s Open champion placed third, two strokes out of a playoff.
“I’ve been playing great,” said Kerr, who has gone winless for over a year. “Yeah, it’s frustrating I haven’t won, but it will happen again. I just have to stay patient. I stayed patient this week, that’s for sure.”
Quotable: Karrie Webb, on all the weather interruptions the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open endured: “I think if it was any event besides the U.S. Open, you’d be whining and not happy about things, but you’re at the U.S. Open and in contention, so that’s all you can ask for.”
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