Everyone’s Welcome in Berthoud; U.S. Women’s Open Qualifying Next Month

The Korn Ferry event at TPC Colorado is opening it’s doors to fans.

By Anthony Cotton

After his scintillating second-place finish in the Masters, Will Zalatoris probably has his pick of playing in almost any golf tournament he desires—a lofty status borne in part because, on his way down to Augusta, the sweet-swinging whippet made a stop in Colorado, winning the Korn Ferry stop at TPC Colorado.

That victory capped a stretch in which Zalatoris harnessed his obvious talents, and helped provide the momentum that carried him through the season’s first major championship. That sterling performance raised questions about whether Zalatoris will be returning to Berthoud to defend his championship, and while the answer to that query is still up in air, one question about attendance isn’t. When Zalatoris won the 2020 TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes, fans weren’t allowed on the grounds at the course—that’s going to change when the event returns July 5-11.

“We are beyond excited to welcome our communities back to join us this summer! Our tournament is just not the same without the supportive fans, partners, and volunteers,” Drew Blass, tournament director for the event, said in a release, which added that tickets are available, with  fans encouraged to purchase their tickets early as prices will increase at the gate.

Per the release: “Tickets for competition rounds, Thursday through Sunday, start at $18, with practice round (Tuesday) and pro-am (Wednesday) tickets available for $13.50. In addition, upgraded Clubhouse tickets are available starting at $30. The upgraded ticket offers access to the newly opened, air-conditioned TPC Colorado Clubhouse featuring a pay-as-you-go menu and upgraded restrooms. A private patio extends from the ballroom and allows excellent views of the course, as well as the breathtaking mountain range. All tickets sold provide access to all tournament public areas around the course as well as ability to utilize the on-course shuttle.”

In addition, according to the release, “fans can review the PGA TOUR’s Health and Safety plan for ticketed spectators by visiting https://www.pgatour.com/knowbeforeyougo.html. The tournament is offering peace-of-mind purchasing, with all 2021 daily grounds ticket purchases available for refund in the event the tournament is further impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

As for Zalatoris, Blass says the future is uncertain.

“We are thrilled with Will’s success after winning our event. We haven’t talked with him or his team in regards to our event. (But) There is lots of golf to be played before our field is final.”

Speaking of major championships, the U.S. Women’s Open will take place June 3-6 at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. As was the case with the TPC event, COVID-19 had a sizable impact on last year’s championship, with regional qualifying cancelled because of the pandemic. This year, things will return to “normal,” as the USGA announced Monday it had received 1,595 entires for its qualifiers—one of which will be held May 10th at The Ranch Country Club in Westminster.

That’s the course where Jennifer Kupcho honed her game en route to making a solid debut on the LPGA Tour. Before her rookie season, Kupcho won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur on the hallowed grounds of Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters. In the final round, Kupcho emerged victorious over Maria Fassi—like Kupcho, a former NCAA individual champion. Fassi is one of the 53 players scheduled to tee it up at next month’s qualifier.Kupcho has already earned an exemption into the field in June.

Besides Fassi, other players entered into the qualifier include Becca Huffer of Monument, who played on the LPGA Tour in 2019, as well as a number of rising players with local ties, including former Kent Denver star Charlotte Hillary, now playing at Northwestern and Hailey Schalk, a freshman at the University of Colorado. One of Schalk’s former teammates at Holy Family High School, Jessica Mason, whose family are members at The Ranch, is also included in the field.

As is the case with the Korn Ferry event, a limited number of fans will also be allowed at both the men’s and women’s U.S. Opens—the men will play at Torrey Pines in San Diego, June 17-20. information on tickets for each championship is available at uswomensopen.com  and usopen.com.

In other USGA news, a shout-out to a pair of longtime Colorado standouts—Shelly Edwards of  Boulder and Erin Houtsma of Denver—who will team up to compete in this weekend in the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship at the Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas. In the event, the two-woman teams will have 18 holes of stroke play on April 24 and 18 holes of stroke play on April 25, after which the 64 sides (128 players) will be reduced to the low 32 sides (64 players) for match play. The championship will eventually be decided on April 28.

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Colorado AvidGolfer Magazine is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it. CAG publishes eight issues annually and delivers daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com.

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