Derek O’Neill (pictured) used to play golf for a living, but he’s finding the game to be much more enjoyable now that he hits the course about once per week.
The 25-year-old from Parker, a former playing pro who regained his amateur status early this year, qualified for his fifth USGA championship on Tuesday. Despite bogeys on his last two holes, O’Neill shot a 3-under-par 69 at Meridian Golf Club to earn medalist honors en route to the U.S. Mid-Amateur.
“It’s great for a working man,” said O”˜Neill, a regional sales representative for an insurance company. “For here and now, this is real gratifying to do it without much practice.”
The former University of Colorado golfer was one of five players who qualified for the U.S. Mid-Am, the tournament for players age 25 and older which will be contested Oct. 3-8 at Kiawah Island Club’s Cassique and River courses in South Carolina. Also advancing out of Tuesday’s field of 80 were Jon Lindstrom of Broomfield, Jonathan Marsico and Wes Martin of Denver, and Steve Irwin of Golden.
Marsico, the 2008 CGA Stroke Play champion, joined Lindstrom and Martin in shooting 70, while Irwin posted a 71. After bogeying two of his final three holes in regulation — including shanking his third shot on the 18th — Irwin survived a three-way playoff for the final national berth, defeating Michael Harrington of Colorado Springs and Jim Doidge of Pueblo. Irwin parred the three playoff holes, while Harrington bogeyed No. 3 and Doidge bogeyed No. 1. Harrington will be the first alternate and Doidge the second.
Irwin, the son of three-time U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin, qualified just 11 days after his wife Jessi gave birth to the couple’s first child, daughter Tatum.
“Between the lack of sleep and fatherhood, it’s been an awesome but challenging last couple of weeks,” said Irwin, the 2004 CGA Player of the Year.
While Marsico and Martin will be competing in their first non-team USGA championship, O’Neill and Lindstrom each will be playing in his fifth, and Irwin his fourth. Irwin, like O’Neill a former pro, has previously gone to three Mid-Ams, advancing as far as the round of 16.
Before he turned pro, O’Neill qualified for two U.S. Amateur Publinks, a U.S. Amateur and a U.S. Junior Amateur, making match play at the Publinks once and the Junior Am.
“This means a lot; I had marked this one on the calendar,” O’Neill said. “There’s nothing like a USGA event. “
O’Neill was a pro in 2007 and part of 2008, playing mini tours and state opens before deciding the travel wasn’t for him, especially given that he recently got married. After being reinstated as an amateur, he’s competed in a handful of tournaments this year, placing seventh in the CGA Publinks.
“It’s great to play the amateur stuff again and be competitive sometimes,” O’Neill said.
Lindstrom, a 42-year-old insurance broker, has previously gone to two U.S. Publinks and two Mid-Ams, last year advancing to the round of 16 at the latter. The reigning CGA Publinks champion, Lindstrom earlier this year qualified for the U.S. Publinks.
“I’ve been pretty successful in making match play (in USGA events), but I haven’t won many matches,” Lindstrom said. “Now we’ll see how far we can go.”
An eagle Tuesday helped propel Lindstrom to a national berth. He hit a 6-iron to 6 feet on the 549-yard ninth hole and drained the putt.
Marsico overcame an eighth-hole double bogey to qualify for his first USGA event as an individual.
“I won the Stroke Play last year, but this is on the same level, if not above,” the 27-year-old said. “My goal this year was to qualify for a USGA event. I struggled the first half of the summer, but it’s a successful year if I (advance) to Kiawah.”
Though Martin hadn’t ever qualified for a USGA event, he said his father played in the U.S. Mid-Am several times. Martin advanced Tuesday thanks to finishing birdie-birdie, sinking 2½-foot putts on 17 and 18.
Making the national field marked the top accomplishment of Martin’s golf career, eclipsing the two club championships he’s won at Hyland Hills Golf Course in Westminster.
“I was so mentally out of shape for tournament golf,” said the 36-year-old recruiter for oil and gas landmen. “That’s why I was so nervous.”
In addition to being a U.S. Mid-Am qualifier, Tuesday served as a qualifying tournament for the CGA Mid-Amateur, which will be held Sept. 18-20 at River Valley Ranch in Carbondale.
FINAL RESULTS (Players in bold are CGA Mid-Am Qualifiers)
Qualifiers
Derek O’Neill, Parker, Colo. 33-36–69
Jon Lindstrom, Broomfield, Colo. 34-36–70
Jonathan Marsico, Denver, Colo. 35-35–70
Wes Martin, Denver, Colo. 35-35–70
Steven Irwin, Golden, Colo. 34-37–71
Alternates in Order
Michael Harrington, Colorado Springs, Colo. 34-37–71
James Doidge, Pueblo, Colo. 36-35–71
Others
Clint Miller, Englewood, Colo. 36-36–72
John Hayes, Denver, Colo. 35-37–72
Martin Prazak, Denver, Colo. 37-36–73
Jon Bohannon, Angel Fire, N.M. 36-38–74
Ken Cosper, Ft Collins, Colo. 39-35–74
Michael Glaesel, Arvada, Colo. 38-36–74
Tom Krystyn, Denver, Colo. 36-38–74
Chris Carlson, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 37-38–75
Christopher Colli, Tampa, Fla. 38-37–75
Edward Kerr, Windsor, Colo. 35-40–75
Frank Fager, Centennial, Colo. 37-38–75
Jonathan Gravina, Littleton, Colo. 36-39–75
Kenneth Sady, Edwards, Colo. 36-39–75
Chad Bell, Brighton, Colo. 36-40–76
David Delich, Colorado Springs, Colo. 37-39–76
Gary Driber, Castle Rock, Colo. 37-39–76
Pat Diaz, Parker, Colo. 38-38–76
Scott Patterson, Irving, Texas 39-37–76
Tristan Sanders, Denver, Colo. 37-39–76
Jason Coffin, Longmont, Colo. 39-38–77
John Pappadakis, Colorado Springs, Colo. 35-42–77
Tom McGeary, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 37-40–77
Carl Juengst, Elizabeth, Colo. 40-38–78 (CGA Alternate #1)
Todd Novak, Vail, Colo. 38-40–78 (CGA Alternate #2)
Bob Schuler, Denver, Colo. 35-43–78 (CGA Alternate #3)
Bryan Ollila, Centennial, Colo. 37-41–78
Owen Ellis, Boulder, Colo. 38-40–78
Stephen Fernandes, Denver, Colo. 37-41–78
Tim Fitzgerald, Denver, Colo. 39-39–78
Perry Rickel, Castle Rock, Colo. 40-39–79 (CGA Alternate #4)
David Lindquist, Castle Rock, Colo. 39-40–79 (CGA Alternate #5)
Mark Brown, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 38-41–79 (CGA Alternate #6)
Dean Clapp, Aurora, Colo. 39-40–79
Justin Borzych, Littleton, Colo. 39-40–79
Shawn McCaskey, Westminster, Colo. 39-40–79
Davin Sjoberg, Crested Butte, Colo. 38-42–80
Greg Steffers, Colorado Springs, Colo. 42-38–80
James Kurtenbach, Denver, Colo. 40-40–80
Wes Heusel, Pueblo, Colo. 37-43–80
Bob Utberg, Pittsburgh, Pa. 40-41–81
Kent Moore, Greenwood Village, Colo. 40-41–81
Marshall Clark, Fairborn, Ohio 44-37–81
Matt Trotter, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 38-43–81
Michael Gravina, Littleton, Colo. 40-41–81
Robert West, Denver, Colo. 37-44–81
Bryan Pieper, Louisville, Colo. 43-39–82
Jake Jacobson, Castle Rock, Colo. 41-41–82
Kary Kaltenbacher, Englewood, Colo. 41-41–82
Steven Jones, Longmont, Colo. 45-37–82
Thomas Balderston, Boca Raton, Fla. 40-42–82
Thomas Roos, Castle Rock, Colo. 41-41–82
Chris Bye, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 39-45–84
Neil Metz, Boulder, Colo. 38-46–84
Andrew Dannewitz, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 42-43–85
Anthony Gillick, Denver, Colo. 39-46–85
Brian Kuehl, Castle Rock, Colo. 48-37–85
Kris Huber, Loveland, Colo. 37-49–86
Steve Schoenfeld, Lakewood, Colo. 46-45–91
Michael Freeborg, Arvada, Colo. 48-45–93
Alec Shaw, Fort Collins, Colo. NC
Dane McLaird, Thornton, Colo. NS
David Ramsden, Denver, Colo. WD
Eric Leskovar, Denver, Colo. NS
Michael Larson, Longmont, Colo. NC
Randy Miller, Boulder, Colo. NS
Reagan Majoria, New Orleans, La. WD
Shawn McIntire, Broomfield, Colo. NC
Stephen Hannon, Arvada, Colo. NC
Steve Coyer, Avon, Colo. WD
Steve Summers, Colorado Springs, Colo. WD
Tim Maxwell, Boulder, Colo. WD
William Jackson, Oklahoma City, Okla. NS
Zach Pashel, Denver, Colo. NC
