Whitney (left), who played his college golf at the Air Force Academy, shot rounds of 70-68 for a 6-under-par 138 total, which left him three strokes behind winner Ben Crancer at the Panther Trail Championship at The Woodlands, Texas that ended on Tuesday. Whitney, whose second-place showing last week also came at The Woodands, earned $1,765 on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, at a Cactus Tour event that ended Wednesday in Goodyear, Ariz., former University of Colorado golfer Brittany Fan ended up in fourth place.
Fan carded scores of 70-68-70 for an 8-under-par 208 and earned $800. She finished five strokes behind winner Kennedie Montoya of Thatcher, Ariz.

And at the Dreamchasers Tour Central Valley Winter Championship that concluded on Thursday in Phoenix, Zahkai Brown of Golden tied for seventh place with former CU golfer Jeremy Paul, while Paul’s brother and fellow former Buff Yannik Paul ended up 10th.

Brown went 67-66-71 for a 9-under-par 204 total and earned $1,183. Jeremy Paul carded rounds of 68-66-70 to tie Brown. And Yannik Paul fired scores of 69-66-70 for a 205 total, which was worth $950. John Greco of Sunnvale, Calif., won the event with a 193 total.
 

By placing between 11th and 40th in Chandler, Ariz., Creel (left) will be exempt for at least the first eight events of 2019. The season will open Jan. 13-16 at The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic. There will be a Colorado stop — the TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes — set for July 11-14 at TPC Colorado in Berthoud.

Creel, who played four Web events in 2017 after having conditional status, shot four straight rounds in the 60s (69-67-66-68) for an 18-under-par total in Arizona. He made six birdies and two bogeys on Sunday. For the week, Creel carded an eagle and 21 birdies.

The medalist after four rounds — former University of Virginia golfer Danny Walker, at 27-under-par 261 — will be fully exempt for the entire 2019 Web season, while finishers 2-10 and ties will be exempt for the first 12 events and finishers 11-40 and ties for the first eight tournaments. Everyone else in the 135-man field will receive conditional status.

Boulder native George Cunningham placed 74th at 274 on Sunday and failed to improve his 2019 Web.com Tour status. Cunningham — grandson of the late Chuck Melvin, who played in six Colorado Cup matches — already had some status on the Web circuit by virtue of finishing second on the PGA Tour Canada money list. 

Here are the round-by-round scores for players with significant Colorado ties:

34. Cheyenne resident and former CU golfer Josh Creel 69-67-66-68–270
74. Boulder native and former Louisville resident George Cunningham 70-67-68-69–274

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.

Whitney, Brown Post Top-10s on Mini Tours: On Friday, former Fort Collins resident Tom Whitney scored his second top-10 finish of the week on the All Pro Tour in Texas. The former Air Force Academy golfer tied for third place on Friday at the Cypresswood Open-Cypress in Spring, Texas. That was three days after an eighth-place showing at the Cypresswood Open-Tradition tournament, also in Spring, Texas. In the event that ended on Friday, Whitney shot rounds of 65-68 for an 11-under-par 133 total and finished three strokes behind champion Michael Arnaud. The showing was worth $1,877 to Whitney. … Zahkai Brown of Golden placed eighth on Thursday in the Outlaw Tour’s Legacy Classic in Phoenix. The former CoBank Colorado Open champion went 67-72-65 for a 204 total that left him nine strokes behind winner Jeff Burton. Brown earned $1,350.
 

Creel (left), who competed in four Web events in 2017 and posted one top-10 finish, shot a bogey-free 6-under-par 66 on Saturday and shares 37th place at 14-under-par 202. He trails co-leaders Norman Xiong, Jimmy Stanger and Andy Zhang by nine strokes going into Sunday’s final round.

The medalist after four rounds will be fully exempt for the entire 2019 Web season, while finishers 2-10 and ties will be exempt for the first 12 events and finishers 11-40 and ties for the first eight tournaments. Everyone else in the 135-man field will receive conditional status.

On Saturday, Creel made an eagle and four birdies en route to the 66.

Meanwhile, Boulder native George Cunningham, who grew up in nearby Louisville, carded a 68 in round 3 to check in at 205 and in 66th place. Cunningham — grandson of the late Chuck Melvin, who played in six Colorado Cup matches — likewise went bogey-free on Saturday, making four birdies. The former Coloradan already has some status on the Web circuit by virtue of finishing second on the PGA Tour Canada money list, but would like to improve on that. 

Here are the round-by-round scores for players with significant Colorado ties:

37. Cheyenne resident and former CU golfer Josh Creel 69-67-66–202
66. Boulder native and former Louisville resident George Cunningham 70-67-68–205

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.
 

Creel assured himself as much by finishing eighth at a second stage Q-school tournament on Friday in Murrieta, Calif.

The top 18 players and ties from the event will advance to the final stage of Q-school, set for Dec. 6-9 in Chandler, Ariz., where 2019 Web.com Tour cards will be distributed.

Creel, a former NCAA Division II champion at Central Oklahoma, shot under-par rounds each day in Murrieta, going 69-70-71-69 for a 9-under 279 total. He made four birdies on Friday and 17 for the week, to go with two eagles.

Creel has played in five Web.com Tour events in his career and finished 10th in the 2017 Digital Ally Open.

Former CU golfer Yannik Paul and Zahkai Brown of Golden both fell a little shy of advancing to the final stage on Friday. Paul (22nd place at 284) missed by two strokes, and Brown (29th place at 286) by four.

Four more second stage tournaments will be held next week.

Here are this week’s second stage scores for all the players with strong Colorado ties:

Q-School Second Stage (Oct. 30-Nov. 2)
Murrieta, Calif. (Top 18 Finishers and Ties Advance to Final Stage)
Advances to Final Stage
8. Former CU golfer Josh Creel of Cheyenne, Wyo. 69-70-71-69–279
Failed to Advance
22. Former CU golfer Yannik Paul 72-74-66-72–284
29. Zahkai Brown of Golden 72-75-69-70–286
 

After rounds of 72-74 earlier in the week, Paul (left) rebounded with a 6-under-par 66 at Bear Creek Golf Club to jump into a tie for 18th place at 4-under 212 going into Friday’s final round.

The top 18 finishers and ties on Friday will advance to the final stage of Q-school.

Paul made two eagles on the front nine on Thursday and finished an eventful day with two eagles, five birdies and three bogeys.

Meanwhile, Josh Creel of Cheyenne, who started his college golf career at CU before transferring to Central Oklahoma, moved up to seventh place on Thursday. The former NCAA Division II individual champion posted a 1-under 71 to check in at 6-under 210. He made an eagle, four birdies, a bogey and two double bogeys in round 3.

Zahkai Brown of Golden carded a 69 on Thursday which lifted him into 33rd place at 216. He finished with five birdies and two bogeys in the third round.

Four more Second Stage tournaments will be held next week. The Final Stage is Dec. 6-9 in Chandler, Ariz., where 2019 Web.com Tour cards will be distributed.

Here are this week’s second stage scores for all the players with strong Colorado ties:

Q-School Second Stage (Oct. 30-Nov. 2)
Murrieta, Calif. (Top 18 Finishers and Ties After 72 Holes Advance to Final Stage)
7. Former CU golfer Josh Creel of Cheyenne, Wyo. 69-70-71–210
18. Former CU golfer Yannik Paul 72-74-66–212
33. Zahkai Brown of Golden 72-75-69–216

The top 18 finishers and ties after 72 holes will advance to the final stage of Q-school.

Creel, the national Division II player of the year at Central Oklahoma in 2012, made four birdies and two bogeys in posting a 2-under-par 70 on Wednesday. That left him at 5-under-par 139 overall, eight strokes behind leader Armando Favelo of Chula Vista, Calif.

The other players with significant Colorado-area ties competing this week will need to rally in the final two rounds to get inside the top 18. Former University of Colorado golfer Yannik Paul is tied for 40th place at 146, while Zahkai Brown of Golden is 43rd at 147.

Four more Second Stage tournaments will be held next week. The Final Stage is Dec. 6-9 in Chandler, Ariz., where 2019 Web.com Tour cards will be distributed.

Here are this week’s second stage scores for all the players with strong Colorado ties:

Q-School Second Stage (Oct. 30-Nov. 2)
Murrieta, Calif. (Top 18 Finishers and Ties After 72 Holes Advance to Final Stage)
10. Former CU golfer Josh Creel of Cheyenne, Wyo. 69-70–139
40. Former CU golfer Yannik Paul 72-74–146
43. Zahkai Brown of Golden 72-75–147
 

Josh Creel of Cheyenne, who started his college golf career at the University of Colorado, opened with a 3-under-par 69 in Murrieta, Calif., leaving him in 10th place with three rounds remaining.

Meanwhile, 2013 CoBank Colorado Open champion Zahkai Brown of Golden and former CU golfer Yannik Paul posted 72s and share 30th place.

The top 18 finishers and ties after 72 holes will advance to the final stage of Q-school.

Creel made an eagle, five birdies and four bogeys on Tuesday. He trails leader Dusty Fielding of Richfield, Utah, the 2015 Rocky Mountain Open champion, by four strokes. Brown careded three birdies and three bogeys and Paul two birdies and two bogeys.

Four more Second Stage tournaments will be held next week. The Final Stage is Dec. 6-9 in Chandler, Ariz., where 2019 Web.com Tour cards will be distributed.

Here are this week’s Second Stage scores for all the players with strong Colorado ties:

Q-School Second Stage (Oct. 30-Nov. 2)
Murrieta, Calif. (Top 18 Finishers and Ties After 72 Holes Advance to Final Stage)
10. Former CU golfer Josh Creel of Cheyenne, Wyo. 69
30. Zahkai Brown of Golden 72
30. Former CU golfer Yannik Paul 72
 

Former University of Colorado golfer Yannik Paul (left) shared medalist honors on Friday, while twin brother — and fellow ex-Buff — Jeremy Paul tied for fifth. Meanwhile, two former Colorado State University golfers also advanced to Second Stage — Blake Cannon (fifth place) and Golden’s Zahkai Brown (12th).

Brown, the 2013 CoBank Colorado Open champion, rocketed up the scoreboard with a 7-under-par 65 in the final round, which left him at 11-under 277, five behind Yannik Paul and fellow co-medalists Norman Xiong of Las Vegas and Canadian Jamie Sadlowski. Brown made eight birdies in the final round to jump up 22 spots.

The top 21 finishers and ties — all those at 279 or better — moved on to the Second Stage of Q-school.

Yannik Paul closed with a 73 on Friday after going 66-66-67 in the previous rounds. Jeremy Paul and Cannon checked in at 274 after both carding final-round 71s.

Numerous other First Stage tournaments are scheduled for the next two weeks. Then there will be five Second Stage tourneys from Oct. 30-Nov. 9. The Final Stage is Dec. 6-9 in Chandler, Ariz., where 2018 Web.com Tour cards will be distributed.

Here are this week’s First-Stage scores for all the players with strong Colorado ties:

Maricopa, Ariz.
(Top 21 and Ties Advance to Second Stage)
Advance to Second Stage
T1. Former CU golfer Yannik Paul, Boulder 66-66-67-73–272
5. Former CSU golfer Blake Cannon 64-70-69-71–274
5. Former CU golfer Jeremy Paul 68-67-68-71–274
12. Zahkai Brown, Golden 72-69-71-65–277
Failed to Advance
36. Nick Mason, Parker 74-69-74-68–285
49. Glenn Workman, Pueblo West 73-73-72-70–288
 

Former Colorado State University golfer Blake Cannon (pictured) shot an 8-under-par 64 and leads by one after day 1. He made eight birdies in a bogey-free round.

German-born twins who used to play at the University of Colorado aren’t far off the pace. Yannik Paul opened with a 66 and brother Jeremy with a 68. Yannik made an eagle and went bogey-free, and Jeremy carded seven birdies on Tuesday.

The top 21 finishers after Friday’s final round will advance to Stage 2 of Q-school.

Numerous other First Stage tournaments are scheduled for the first two weeks in October. Then there will be five Second Stage tourneys from Oct. 30-Nov. 9. The Final Stage is Dec. 6-9 in Chandler, Ariz.

Here are this week’s First-Stage scores for all the players with strong Colorado ties:

Maricopa, Ariz.
(After 72 Holes, Top 21 Will Advance to Second Stage)
1. Former CSU golfer Blake Cannon 64
3. Former CU golfer Yannik Paul, Boulder 66
11. Former CU golfer Jeremy Paul 68
34. Zahkai Brown, Golden 72
50. Glenn Workman, Pueblo West 73
60. Nick Mason, Parker 74  

Murdock, a University of Wyoming golfer from Laramie, shot a 4-under-par 68 at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in Westminster to lead the way out of 84 players in the first of three U.S. Open Local Qualifying tournaments that will be held in Colorado this year.

Also advancing to the second and final stage of qualifying — 36-hole Sectionals — on Monday were professional Steven Kupcho of Westminster, college golfers Josh Seiple of Castle Rock and Trevor Olkowski of Grand Junction, and pro Zahkai Brown of Golden. Kupcho, Seiple and Olkowski matched 69s in favorable weather conditions, while Brown carded a 70 and prevailed in a three-man playoff for the final Sectional berth.

(Pictured are, from left, Kupcho and Murdock.)

It was the second consecutive year of advancing to Sectionals from Walnut Creek for Seiple and Brown, the medalist at this site last year and the 2013 CoBank Colorado Open champion.

The 36-hole Sectional Qualifying in the U.S. will be contested on June 4 at 10 sites in the U.S., plus one in England that day and one in Japan on May 21. From there, the top finishers will land berths in the Open itself, set for June 14-17 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y.

To earn medalist honors, Murdock made an eagle (on his ninth hole, No. 18), four birdies and two bogeys on Monday.

Seiple, a University of Mississippi golfer, chalked up six birdies and three bogeys. Olkowski, a University of Colorado freshman, punched his ticket into Sectionals with a four-birdie, one-bogey day.

Kupcho, the former CGA Amateur of the Year and now a pro since 2016, successfully negotiated a USGA qualifier for the first time after numerous tries at events including the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Amateur Public Links, U.S. Junior Amateur, etc.

“This should open some floodgates and give me confidence,” said Kupcho, who finished eighth last summer in the CoBank Colorado Open. “I haven’t been sucessful in qualifiers in my career; it’s different than playing a four-round tournament. So this is a pretty big day for me. I gotten over the first hurdle.”

On Monday, Kupcho advanced to Sectionals with a day that featured an eagle, three birdies and two bogeys. The eagle came on the 554-yard, par-5 sixth hole (his 15th of the day). He hit an 8-iron to 10 feet and drained the putt.

“That was big,” the 25-year-old said. “Otherwise I would have been in a playoff.”

In the three-man playoff for the final Sectional berth, Brown and Colorado State University golfer AJ Ott of Fort Collins birdied the first extra hole, while professional Anthony Aguilar from Arvada made par and was eliminated, ending up the No. 2 alternate.

On the third playoff hole, the par-5 18th, Brown two-putted for birdie, while Ott missed a 10-foot birdie attempt and was slotted in as first altenate.

In regulation, Brown eagled the sixth hole and added three birdies and two bogeys.

The U.S. Open is the only USGA championship that utilizes a two-stage qualifying process, with most entrants having to successfully negotiate Local and Sectional Qualifying in order to make it into the field for the second men’s major of the year.

Two more 18-hole Local Qualifying tournaments are scheduled in Colorado, with five more players at each site advancing to Sectionals. There’s one at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora on Wednesday and one at Collindale Golf Course in Fort Collins on May 15.

U.S. Open Local Qualifying
At Par-72 Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in Westminster
ADVANCE TO SECTIONALS
John Murdock, Laramie, Wyo. 68
Steven Kupcho, Westminster 69
Josh Seiple, Castle Rock 69
Trevor Olkowski, Grand Junction 69
Zahkai Brown, Golden 70
ALTERNATES (In Order)
AJ Ott, Fort Collins 70
Anthony Aguilar, Arvada 70

For complete results, CLICK HERE.