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.
 

Paul, who wrapped up his CU golf career in May, finished fourth out of 19 players on Thursday at the 54-hole ASU Karsten Fall Championship on the Dreamchasers Tour in Tempe, Ariz. Paul (left) carded rounds of 66-71-72 for a 4-under-par 209 total, which left him six strokes behind winner Ray Knoll of Naperville, Ill. Paul, who advanced to the second stage of Web.com Tour Q-school this fall, earned $1,500 for the performance this week.

Coloradan Eric Hallberg, who won a Dreamchasers Tour event on Nov. 1, tied for 10th on Thursday at 219 after rounds of 73-76-70.

Morris, who like Paul went to the second stage of Web Q-school this year, placed third out of a 20-man field on Wednesday in the 18-hole Tampa Palm Series event on the West Florida Golf Tour. He shot a 73 and finished three strokes behind champion Tim Rosenhouse.
 

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
 

German-born Yannik Paul (left) shot his second straight 6-under-par 66 and shares the lead with Byron Meth of Tempe, Ariz., after Wednesday’s round. Paul made eight birdies in round 2 — including five straight starting on No. 13.

Meanwhile, Paul’s twin brother Jeremy, another former Buff, sits in fifth place at 135, three back of Yannik. Jeremy Paul shot a bogey-free 67 on Wednesday.

And first-round leader Blake Cannon, a former CSU player, sits in fourth place at 134 after a second-round 70. Cannon carded five birdies and three bogeys in the second sound.

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

Numerous other First Stage tournaments are scheduled for the next two-plus 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.
(After 72 Holes, Top 21 and Ties Will Advance to Second Stage)
T1. Former CU golfer Yannik Paul, Boulder 66-66–132
4. Former CSU golfer Blake Cannon 64-70–134
5. Former CU golfer Jeremy Paul 68-67–135
31. Zahkai Brown, Golden 72-69–141
47. Nick Mason, Parker 74-69–143
56. Glenn Workman, Pueblo West 73-73–146
 

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  

Saunders, who needed a good finish to boost his chances of keeping his fully-exempt PGA Tour status for next season, tied for seventh on Sunday in the tournament in Reno, Nev.

That marks the third straight top-10 in this event for Saunders, Arnold Palmer’s grandson. He finished ninth in 2016 and eighth last year.

The Barracuda Championship utilizes a modified Stableford scoring format, like The International at Castle Pines did from 1986 through 2006. In that format, a birdie and a bogey are worth more than two pars.

Saunders (pictured) had a bad day on Sunday, accumalating a minus-1 point, but finished with 34 points for the week, 13 fewer than champion Andrew Putnam.

It was Saunders’ fourth top 10 showing of the 2017-18 PGA Tour season.

Elsewhere in major professional tour golf:

Two players with strong Colorado ties — former Louisville resident George Cunningham and former University of Colorado golfer Yannik Paul — posted top-five finishes Sunday in the PGA Tour Canada’s Syncrude Oil Country Championship in Edmonton, Alberta.

Cunningham — grandson of the late Chuck Melvin, who played in six Colorado Cup matches — placed third and Paul fifth.

Cunningham, who won a PGA Tour Canada event in June, posted rounds of 67-64-72-65 for a 16-under-par 268 total, which left him five strokes behind champion Tyler McCumber.

Paul shared the lead going into Sunday but dropped four spots on the scoreboard with a final-day 70, a round during which he was stung by a wasp. He went 70-64-66-700 for a 270 total.