Tom Whitney qualified for a USGA event for the first time in his life on Tuesday, but don’t get the impression that the Air Force Academy golfer is satisfied with merely making the field for the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.
“I definitely want to get to match play, but I’m looking at that Masters spot” that comes with winning the U.S. Publinks, Whitney said Tuesday. “I know (just qualifying) is a big deal, but I’m going in with high expectations. It could be my career highlight.”
Whitney took the first step by earning medalist honors in the Sectional Qualifying held Monday and Tuesday at King’s Deer Golf Club. He’ll be joined at the U.S. Publinks — which will be contested July 13-18 in Norman, Okla. — by reigning CGA Mid-Amateur champion Jon Lindstrom and Colorado State University golfer Zahkai Brown.
Whitney, a senior-to-be at Air Force, backed up his first-round 65 with a 2-under-par 68 Tuesday for a two-day total of 7-under-par 133. Lindstrom, a 41-year-old insurance broker from Broomfield, posted the second-best qualifying score at 136 with rounds of 69-67. Brown, a sophomore-to-be at CSU, finished at even-par 140 after closing with a 69.
While Whitney will be playing in his first USGA championship, Lindstrom will be making appearance No. 5, a total which includes two U.S. Publinks and two U.S. Mid-Amateurs. Lindstrom has advanced to match play in all three of his previous individual USGA championships, and he made it to the round of 16 at the 2008 U.S. Mid-Am. Brown will be competing in his second USGA event after breaking the ice with the 2008 U.S. Amateur.
Whitney, 20, was particularly eager to qualify as this may be his final summer as an amateur. He said he may turn pro next year after graduating from the Academy, hopefully making it work out with the five-year active-duty commitment he’ll have with the U.S. Air Force.
Though the Academy isn’t far from King’s Deer, Whitney had played in only one round at the course before this week, and he didn’t feel it was very well suited to his game. But he certainly improvised well as Monday’s bogey-free 65 was just a stroke off the course record, and on Tuesday he drove the green on two par-4s (343 and 331 yards), making birdies on both holes.
The performance was just a continuation of Whitney’s strong play in the last year. He’s won two college tournaments in 2009, was named to the All-Mountain West Conference team, and posted the lowest season stroke average in Air Force Academy history (72.0).
As for Lindstrom, he was rock solid in the two days of qualifying at King”˜s Deer, hitting all but two fairways. And he made one eagle each day, including a 12-footer on the 569-yard 14th hole on Tuesday.
Qualifying for another USGA championship “is awesome, one of the highlights of the year,” Lindstrom said. “My goal is to qualify for at least one each year.”
Brown, the 2007 Colorado 5A state high school champion, secured the final national tournament berth by making an 8-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole Tuesday. Brown didn’t know how he stood at the time, but his dad (and caddie), Orin Brown, sounded prescient with what he told Zahkai before he putted.
“My dad said, “˜Make it and you’re in,'” Zahkai related. “I was like, “˜Thanks for the pressure.'”
Zahkai Brown, 18, is coming off a stellar first season at CSU. He won a college tournament in October and was named Freshman of the Year in the Mountain West Conference.
Riche Moore of Aurora would have played off with Brown for the final U.S. Publinks berth, but he bogeyed the 18th hole Tuesday. Moore did go to sudden death with Branden Barron of Centennial for the alternate spots, with Barron prevailing for the top alternate position by making a par on the first playoff hole, while Moore posted a double bogey.
FINAL RESULTS
Qualifiers
Tom Whitney, La Quinta, Calif., 65-68–133
Jon Lindstrom, Broomfield, Colo., 69-67–136
Zahkai Brown, Arvada, Colo., 71-69–140
Alternates (In Order)
Branden Barron, Centennial, Colo., 73-68–141
Riche Moore, Aurora, Colo., 68-73–141
Failed to Qualify
Zachary Zaremba, Pueblo West, Colo., 74-68–142
Bryan Kruse, Westminster, Colo., 72-70–142
Neil Metz, Boulder, Colo., 72-70–142
Mitch Gilchrist, Lone Tree, Colo., 70-72–142
David Cosel, Monument, Colo., 73-70–143
Dean Clapp, Aurora, Colo., 70-73–143
Riley Arp, Fort Collins, Colo., 75-69–144
Brian Richmeier, Aurora, Colo., 72-72–144
Joseph Schwark, Broomfield, Colo., 69-76–145
Kurtis Lucas, Colorado Springs, Colo., 69-76–145
Clint Miller, Englewood, Colo., 73-73–146
Michael Ford, Canada, Colo., 76-71–147
Benjamin Lyons, Littleton, Colo., 78-70–148
Justin Howell, Cheyenne, Wyo., 74-74–148
Brandon McCoy, Colorado Springs, Colo., 75-74–149
Sean Thomas, Arvada, Colo., 74-75–149
Shane Jonnsson, Littleton, Colo., 73-76–149
Nicholas Tarasiewicz, Colorado Springs, Colo., 73-76–149
Randy Gaddis, Lone Tree, Colo., 72-78–150
Bryan Olshock, Lakewood, Colo., 77-74–151
Grant McLaughlin, Aurora, Colo., 75-76–151
Bryan Hackenberg, Thornton, Colo., 70-81–151
Michael Glaesel, Arvada, Colo., 75-78–153
Tristan Sanders, Denver, Colo., 72-81–153
Stuart Allen, Lakewood, Colo., 80-74–154
Michael Spaulding, Centennial, Colo., 75-79–154
Casey Hannen, Castle Rock, Colo., 73-81–154
Chad Bell, Brighton, Colo., 75-80–155
Corey Dutton, La Junta, Colo., 74-81–155
Jon Lopez, Aurora, Colo., 81-75–156
Jay-Jay Botha, South Africa, 79-77–156
Wladimir Colmenares, Aurora, Colo., 77-80–157
Clark Riedberger, Pagosa Springs, Colo., 76-82–158
Ryan Hooks, Evergreen, Colo., 88-71–159
Michael Campbell, Trinidad, Colo., 83-76–159
Brenden Beeg, Littleton, Colo., 82-77–159
Jordan Burgess, Greeley, Colo., 77-82–159
Matt Keeler, Keystone, Colo., 78-81–159
Graham McCoy, Colorado Springs, Colo., 80-80–160
Adam Pladson, Aurora, Colo., 79-81–160
John Gorell, Colorado Springs, Colo., 86-75–161
Tyler Spencer, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 81-80–161
Craig Dunning, Ogden, Utah, 82-81–163
Nicholas Davis, Littleton, Colo., 86-79–165
Benjamin Davis, Lakewood, Colo., 83-83–166
Kevin Baum, Denver, Colo., 82-84–166
Scott Schultz, Superior, Colo., 89-79–168
Aaron Pearson, Rocky Ford, Colo., 80-89–169
Steve Posilovich, North Port, Fla., 83-87–170
Jeremy Schwab, Denver, Colo., 82-88–170
Edward Barcelon, Colorado Springs, Colo., 86-86–172
Conner Curtis, Colorado Springs, Colo., 89-88–177
Eric Leskovar, Denver, Colo., 87-92–179
Davin Sjoberg, Crested Butte, Colo., 82-WD
Greg Steffers, Colorado Springs, Colo., 83-NS
Lanny Cameron, Loveland, Colo., 82-WD
Mark Volk Jr, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 94-NS
Steve Henry, Parker, Colo., 80-NC
