U.S. Open Qualifying

Tolan, Irwin, Glissmeyer & Westmoreland Advance

Colorado AvidGolfer

COLORADO SPRINGS — Three golfers who have competed in the U.S. Open—all with interesting backstories regarding the tournament—on Monday took their first step toward earning a repeat trip to the second major championship of the season.
    Derek Tolan of Centennial and former Colorado Springs resident Tom Glissmeyer, who played in the U.S. Open as 16-year-olds in back-to-back years a decade ago, advanced to the second and final stage of U.S. Open qualifying from the Local Qualifying tournament at the Broadmoor's West Course.

Likewise punching his ticket to Sectional Qualifying was 2011 U.S. Open contestant and Arvada resident Steve Irwin, whose father Hale has won the Open three times. Joining them in moving on was Air Force Academy golfer Kyle Westmoreland.

The final stage of U.S. Open qualifying, the 36-hole Sectionals, will be held at 11 U.S. sites—all on June 3—and two overseas. The top Sectional finishers earn spots in the Open itself, which is set for June 13-16 at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.

All four players who advanced out of Monday's field of 60 matched or broke par at the Broadmoor. Tolan, who qualified for the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage in New York, shared medalist honors at 1-under-par 69 with Irwin and Westmoreland. Glissmeyer, who played in the 2003 Open in Illinois, fired a 70, then beat amateur Sam Saunders of Albuquerque, N.M., in a three-hole playoff to earn the fourth and final Sectional berth.

Glissmeyer, who grew up not far from the Broadmoor, two-putted from 40 feet for birdie on the third extra hole — the 18th — to advance. Saunders, who lipped out long birdie putts on the first two playoff holes, left a 25-foot birdie attempt short on the deciding hole.

Tolan, a two-time winner of the HealthOne Colorado Open, went 3 under par over his last five holes Monday to earn his Sectional spot, and both he and Westmoreland chalked up six birdies on the day and overcame a double bogey. Irwin, playing in the final threesome, was 2 under par through 10 en route to his 69. Glissmeyer, like Tolan a former state high school champion, birdied two of his last four holes in regulation.

Monday marked the first of three U.S. Open Local Qualifying tournaments in Colorado. On May 13, two more are scheduled — at Heritage at Westmoor in Westminster and Collindale in Fort Collins — with 84 players competing for five Sectional berths at each site

All told, there are 111 U.S. Open Local Qualifying sites. The United States Golf Association received a record 9,860 entrants for the Open.

Besides being the site of Monday's USGA qualifier, the Broadmoor will host U.S. Women's Open qualifying on May 29 and the U.S. Senior Open qualifying on June 17.


U.S. Open Local Qualifying at Par-70 West Course at Broadmoor in Colo. Springs

ADVANCE TO SECTIONALS
Kyle Westmoreland, Katy, Texas, 32-37–69
Derek Tolan, Centennial, Colo., 36-33–69
Steven Irwin, Arvada, Colo., 33-36–69
Tom Glissmeyer, Colorado Springs, Colo., 34-36–70

ALTERNATES (in order)
Sam Saunders, Albuquerque, N.M., 33-37–70
Kory Harrell, Colorado Springs, Colo., 33-38–71

FAILED TO QUALIFY
Dustin White, Pueblo West, Colo., 33-38–71
Brad Besler, Blessing, Texas, 36-35–71
Christopher Wilson, Colorado Springs, Colo., 37-35–72
Connor Klein, Lone Tree, Colo., 35-37–72
Andrew Tapia, Raton, N.M., 36-37–73
John Ogden, Castle Pines North, Colo., 34-40–74
James Love, Denver, Colo., 39-35–74
Peter Mitchell, Las Vegas, Nev., 36-39–75
Nicholas Tarasiewicz, Colorado Springs, Colo., 37-38–75
Danny Campbell, Centennial, Colo., 40-35–75
Steve Saunders, Albuquerque, N.M., 37-38–75
Javier Villanueva, Alamosa, Colo., 36-40–76
Charles Rider, Centennial, Colo., 37-39–76
Chase Federico, Pueblo, Colo., 33-44–77
Jimmy Makloski, Pueblo, Colo., 38-39–77
Clint Miller, Englewood, Colo., 36-41–77
Bernie Blan, Delta, Colo., 36-42–78
Ethan Freeman, Littleton, Colo., 35-43–78
Audie Dean, Centennial, Colo., 37-41–78
David Duarte, Fountain, Colo., 37-42–79
Riche Moore, Aurora, Colo., 42-38–80
Landon Willett, Columbia, Mo., 40-40–80
Philip Nelson, Xenia, Ohio, 39-41–80
Jeffrey Bullock, Littleton, Colo., 36-44–80
Bryan Hackenberg, Thornton, Colo., 40-40–80
Graham McCoy, Colorado Springs, Colo., 41-39–80
Caleb Blass, Colorado Springs, Colo., 39-42–81
Mitchell Smith, Elizabeth, Colo., 40-41–81
Chase Cooper, Guymon, Okla., 41-40–81
Glenn Workman, Pueblo West, Colo., 40-41–81
Chad Gonzalez, Colorado Springs, Colo., 39-43–82
Jon Roth, Colorado Springs, Colo., 40-43–83
Brian Stofka, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 39-44–83
Gilbert Garcia, Lawton, Okla., 41-42–83
Brett Housman, Pueblo, Colo., 45-38–83
Tim Jackson, Colorado Springs, Colo., 43-41–84
Justin Mortensen, Alamosa, Colo., 42-42–84
Seth Kaplan, Denver, Colo., 39-45–84
Chad Novak, Pueblo, Colo., 39-45–84
Jacob Allenback, Pueblo, Colo., 44-41–85
Zach Dunlap, Hugoton, Kan., 41-44–85
Dan Winters, Colorado Springs, Colo., 46-39–85
Mike Troyer, Boulder, Colo., 43-42–85
Colin Prater, Colorado Springs, Colo., 45-41–86
Michael Milewski, Parker, Colo., 41-45–86
Max Twarjan, Snowmass Village, Colo., 47-40–87
Brent Bowyer, Englewood, Colo., 42-46–88
Bill O'Neill, Englewood, Colo., 43-46–89
Matthew Vacek, Lafayette, Colo., 42-47–89
William White, Truth Or Consequence, N.M., 44-46–90
Kyle Kaufman, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 46-45–91
Blake Young, Trinidad, Colo., 49-42–91
Matt Julander, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 49-43–92
Daniel Preston, Colorado Springs, Colo., WD

 

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