Tolan Among Medalists in U.S. Open Local Qualifying

Colorado Golf Association

COLORADO SPRINGS — Derek Tolan of Highlands Ranch, attempting to earn his first return trip to the U.S. Open 12 years after qualifying as a 16-year-old, took the first step on Wednesday by sharing medalist honors in U.S. Open Local Qualifying at the Broadmoor Golf Club's West Course.

The two-time HealthOne Colorado Open champion shot an even-par 70 and was one of five players at the site to advance to a 36-hole Sectional Qualifier on June 2.

Tolan, a former University of Colorado golfer, tied for the top spot Wednesday with David Schroeder II and Alex Kephart from Colorado Springs and Brandon Bingaman from Montrose.

Also earning a Sectional berth was former CU golfer Derek Fribbs, from Castle Rock, who posted a 71.

After withdrawals and no-shows, 61 players competed for five spots into Sectionals at the Broadmoor.

Tolan, who played in the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black in New York at age 16, made three birdies and three bogeys on Wednesday. This marks the second consecutive year he's advanced from a Local Qualifier at the Broadmoor's West Course. Tolan has conditional status on the Web.com Tour this year.

Schroeder, playing at his home club, recorded five birdies on Wednesday. He was the runner-up in the 2011 Colorado Golf Association Stroke Play Championship.

Bingaman, a former Colorado Mesa University golfer, chalked up four birdies — the same as Kephart, who qualified for last year's U.S. Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur, and Fribbs, the 2013 CGA Player of the Year.

Wednesday marked the second of three U.S. Open Local Qualifying tournaments being held in Colorado this week. On Tuesday at Collindale in Fort Collins, amateurs Parker Edens of Greeley and Cameron Brown of Edwards, along with professionals Matt Rutledge of Fort Collins and Miles Philpy of Thornton earned spots in Sectionals.

A total of more than 210 players are involved in this week's 18-hole U.S. Open Local Qualifiers in Colorado. The numbers were even larger, but quite a few players withdrew when two of the qualifying tournaments — at Heritage at Westmoor and the Broadmoor — were rescheduled twice due to the weather early in the week.

The players who advance this week will play in one of a dozen 36-hole Sectional Qualifiers, with the 10 in the U.S. scheduled for June 2. The U.S. Open itself will be held June 12-15 at the Pinehurst Resort's No. 2 course in North Carolina.