Practice may not make perfect, but in the case of Ben Portie and his home course of The Heritage at Westmoor, it’s close enough.
The Westminster resident (pictured) estimates he plays 30 rounds of golf per year at the course, and it’s paid off nicely the last two years in U.S. Open Local Qualifying.
After successfully advancing through Locals at The Heritage at Westmoor last spring, Portie did it again on Monday, this time by earning medalist honors with a 3-under-par 69.
U.S. Open qualifying “is always one of my goals every year,” said the former University of Colorado golfer, who actually played in the U.S. Open in 2002. “I always look forward to it. Especially playing in it one year, everyone always kind of asks you about it. Hopefully I’ll get another shot this year.”
The Westminster tournament was one of two U.S. Open Local Qualifiers held Monday in Colorado.
In all, 11 players landed spots in the second and final stage of Open qualifying, the Sectionals. The U.S. Open itself will be played June 16-19 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.
Six players — all professionals — out of the original field of 84 at The Heritage at Westmoor will move on to Sectionals: Portie, Valley Country Club head professional Barry Milstead (70), Scott Petersen of Parker and Luke Symons of Aurora (both 71), and Kane Webber of Denver and part-time Avon resident Blanton Tessin (both 72). Webber and Tessin prevailed in a six-man playoff for the final two spots. Webber sank a 3-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole to advance, while Tessin made a routine par on the fifth playoff hole to move on.
Milstead, Petersen, Symons and Webber all play out of Valley CC, while Portie, Petersen, Symons and Webber are all former CU golfers. Like Portie, Webber advanced for the second straight year at The Heritage at Westmoor.
Meanwhile, in another Local Qualifying event at Collindale Golf Club in Fort Collins, Ryan Yip of Calgary gained medalist honors in the 64-player field with a bogey-free 6-under-par 65. Also advancing to Sectionals there were 17-year-old Wyndham Clark of Greenwood Village, the reigning CGA Stroke Play champion (68); Drew Stoltz, a former Fort Collins resident who has had plenty of Open qualifying success in recent years at Collindale (68); Matt Rutledge of Fort Collins (68); and Tyler Bishop of Longmont (69). Bishop, who set a course record at Collindale in this event last year (63), won a three-man playoff for the final Sectional spot Monday by making bogey on the fourth extra hole.
Clark was the only amateur to advance from Monday’s two Local Qualifying tournaments.
Portie, winner of the 2010 Enstrom’s Rocky Mountan Open in Grand Junction, said The Heritage at Westmoor “played as tough as I’ve ever seen it” on Monday. “They’ve got it set up extremely difficult. There are some tough pins out there. The greens are lightning fast and the rough is up. And it was playing long because it was wet out there (from recent rains).”
Despite that, the 34-year-old left-hander made six birdies — offset by three bogeys — while being in the first group to tee off on Monday.
Milstead, who had never before advanced to Sectionals, hit 16 greens in regulation on Monday, when he carded five birdies.
“I don’t have much time to practice, so it’s nice to throw a good round out there,” said Milstead, the vice president of the Colorado Section PGA.
Symons, meanwhile, was making one of his first professional starts after recently wrapping up his CU golf career. And on Monday, he seemed to show no residual effects of two hip surgeries — one on each side — that he’s undergone in the last two years. His round included an eagle and four birdies.
“I’m feeling a lot better about my swing,” the former CGA Match Play champion said after making it to Sectionals for the first time. “I don’t know if you look at it differently with this being my first time playing professionally, but I’m excited for (the opportunity). It’s a different feeling. I want to go out there and win.”
Petersen, who won both the Colorado Open and a Nationwide Tour event in 2000, is trying to round back into peak form. Twice in U.S. Open qualifying, he’s lost in Sectional playoffs, falling just short of making it to the Open itself.
“My game is way better than it’s been, so I’m excited to play again,” the 40-year-old said after shooting his 71 at The Heritage at Westmoor despite not seeing the course before Monday.
Meanwhile, in Fort Collins, Stoltz continued his stellar play of late. He’s recorded four straight top-four finishes on the Gateway Tour, and Monday marked the third consecutive year he’s advanced out of U.S. Open Local Qualifying at Collindale.
The tournaments in Westminster and Fort Collins were the second and third U.S. Open Local Qualifying events held in Colorado. Last week, amateur Steve Irwin and professionals Andy Connell and John Buffalo advanced from the qualifier at Desert Hawk at Pueblo West.
This year, for the first time in several decades, no U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying tournament will be held in Colorado. Eleven sites around the country, plus two overseas, will host Sectional events, with most being played June 6.
U.S. Open Local Qualifying
At Par-72 The Heritage at Westmoor in Westminster
ADVANCE TO SECTIONALS
Ben Portie, Westminster, Colo., 34-35–69
Barry Milstead, Centennial, Colo., 36-34–70
Luke Symons, Aurora, Colo., 35-36–71
Scott Petersen, Parker, Colo., 35-36–71
Kane Webber, Denver, Colo., 35-37–72
Blanton Tessin, Lake Park, Ga., 35-37–72
ALTERNATES (In order)
Ryan Anderson, Denver, Colo., 33-39–72
Derek Fribbs, Castle Rock, Colo., 34-38–72
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Erik Billinger, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 36-36–72
Derek Tolan, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 34-38–72
Jonathan Marsico, Denver, Colo., 35-38–73
Zenon Brown, Arvada, Colo., 36-37–73
Gus Lundquist, Parker, Colo., 35-38–73
Jeffrey Franks, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 38-35–73
Mike Troyer, Boulder, Colo., 36-37–73
Darrin Hall, Lakewood, Colo., 35-39–74
C J Kim, Denver, Colo., 36-38–74
Kevin Gillick, Lincoln, Neb., 35-39–74
Caine Fitzgerald, Parker, Colo., 39-35–74
Zahkai Brown, Arvada, Colo., 34-40–74
Pat Grady, Broomfield, Colo., 37-37–74
Michael Baird, Castle Rock, Colo., 38-36–74
Brendan Connolly, Castle Rock, Colo., 37-38–75
Michael Harrington, Colorado Springs, Colo., 36-39–75
Hal Marshall, Denver, Colo., 40-35–75
Jonathan Shaver, Parker, Colo., 37-38–75
Jon Lindstrom, Broomfield, Colo., 36-39–75
Matt Hart, Denver, Colo., 36-40–76
Kolton Kyne, Ridgway, Colo., 38-38–76
Scott Huelskamp, Englewood, Colo., 36-40–76
Derek Eley, Westminster, Colo., 36-40–76
Christopher Good, Aurora, Colo., 36-40–76
Geoffrey Keffer, Lakewood, Colo., 36-40–76
Greg Johnson, Lakewood, Colo., 37-40–77
Ben Gibson, Westminster, Colo., 40-37–77
Clint Miller, Englewood, Colo., 38-39–77
Cole Cunningham, Centennial, Colo., 36-41–77
Dean Clapp, Littleton, Colo., 41-37–78
Kyle McCarthy, Denver, Colo., 40-38–78
Kevin Bolles, Louisville, Colo., 39-39–78
Austin Lucero, Superior, Colo., 37-41–78
Andrew Hoops, Usaf Academy, Colo., 38-41–79
Chris Johnson, Castle Rock, Colo., 38-41–79
Seth Kaplan, Denver, Colo., 39-40–79
Adam Neville, Denver, Colo., 38-41–79
Kenny Coakley, Bluffton, S.C., 42-37–79
Chris Keirns, Thornton, Colo., 36-43–79
Tom Gempel, Parker, Colo., 40-40–80
C J Ebel, Longmont, Colo., 40-40–80
Kevin Klatman, Boulder, Colo., 39-42–81
Jeremy Rogers, Brighton, Colo., 37-44–81
Chad Bell, Parker, Colo., 39-42–81
Scott Schuster, St Augustine, Fla., 40-41–81
Thomas B Noonan Jr, Boulder, Colo., 41-40–81
John Ahern, Morrison, Colo., 38-44–82
Andrew Vance, Lakewood, Colo., 43-39–82
Adam Benshoof, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 39-43–82
Ethan Freeman, Littleton, Colo., 41-42–83
Blake Mitchell, Loveland, Colo., 43-40–83
Wlad Colmenares, Aurora, Colo., 41-42–83
Blake Patterson, Castle Rock, Colo., 41-42–83
David Gilman, Denver, Colo., 39-45–84
Drew Trujillo, Montrose, Colo., 40-44–84
Bradley Neher, Englewood, Colo., 41-44–85
Kyle Thurman, Louisville, Colo., 44-41–85
Ryan Bent, Evergreen, Colo., 42-43–85
Dillon McDonald, Wolcott, Colo., 45-41–86
Tyler Winslow, Longont, Colo., 44-42–86
Joseph Smith, Centennial, Colo., 44-42–86
Marshall Clark, Denver, Colo., 41-46–87
Stuart Allen, Lakewood, Colo., 45-43–88
Jeffrey Gravina, Littleton, Colo., 42-47–89
Cole Nygren, Niwot, Colo., 42-48–90
Steve Sullivan, Castle Rock, Colo., 44-47–91
Kyle McGee, Mountain View, Colo., 52-50–102
Robert Quaratino, Commerce City, Colo., DQ
Tyson Shinaut, Parker, Colo., NS
Joseph Lord, Denver, Colo., NC
Jason Waller, Thornton, Colo., WD
——————————————————————
U.S. Open Local Qualifying
At Par-71 Collindale Golf Club in Fort Collins
ADVANCE TO SECTIONALS
Ryan Yip, Calgary, AB, 33-32–65
Drew Stoltz, Scottsdale, Ariz., 32-36–68
Wyndham Clark, Greenwood Village, Colo., 35-33–68
Matt Rutledge, Fort Collins, Colo., 35-33–68
Tyler Bishop, Longmont, Colo., 36-33–69
ALTERNATES (In order)
James Love, Denver, Colo., 37-32–69
Danny Hahn, Denver, Colo., 35-34–69
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Riley Arp, Fort Collins, Colo., 38-33–71
Steven Kupcho, Westminster, Colo., 37-34–71
Steven Sorenson, Hartland, Wis., 36-35–71
Michael Sorenson, Hartland, Wis., 35-36–71
Dale Smigelsky, Fort Collins, Colo., 39-32–71
Chris Shaw, Fort Collins, Colo., 37-36–73
Charles Soule, Longmont, Colo., 38-35–73
Blake Moore, Monrovia, Calif., 37-36–73
Daniel Brunson, Erie, Colo., 37-37–74
Peter Ivy, Fort Collins, Colo., 38-36–74
Dean Sessions, Westminster, Colo., 40-34–74
Mike Kitowski, Aurora, Colo., 38-37–75
Thomas Balderston, Denver, Colo., 37-38–75
Nicholas Tarasiewicz, Colorado Springs, Colo., 38-37–75
Aaron Johnson, Laramie, Wyo., 42-34–76
Nicholas Olsgaard, Moorhead, Minn., 40-36–76
Kory Harrell, Colorado Springs, Colo., 40-36–76
Branson Real, Wray, Colo., 41-35–76
Justin Searles, Chandler, Ariz., 42-34–76
Parker Edens, Greeley, Colo., 39-37–76
Tanner Jenson, Parker, Colo., 36-40–76
Douglas Wherry, Lakewood, Colo., 44-33–77
Christopher Fitting, Erie, Colo., 40-37–77
Alberto Dell’anna, Greeley, Colo., 43-34–77
Charles Chon, Aurora, Colo., 35-42–77
Branden Barron, Centennial, Colo., 38-39–77
Nicholas Reisch, Thornton, Colo., 39-38–77
Tommy Carpenter, Englewood, Colo., 41-37–78
Matt Porter, Castle Rock, Colo., 39-39–78
David Cosel, Colorado Springs, Colo., 41-37–78
Zach Tripp, Littleton, Colo., 37-41–78
Joshua Seiple, Castle Rock, Colo., 39-39–78
Andrew Moore, Loveland, Colo., 36-43–79
Riley O’Neill, Colorado Springs, Colo., 41-38–79
Lamar Carlile, Denver, Colo., 42-37–79
Peter Norwood, Englewood, Colo., 39-40–79
Danny Armstrong, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 39-41–80
Andrew Farrand, Fort Collins, Colo., 42-38–80
Marty Marquez, Grand Junction, Colo., 42-38–80
David Oraee, Greeley, Colo., 43-37–80
Val Heim III, Westminster, Colo., 42-38–80
Andrew Hebert, Longmont, Colo., 43-38–81
Gregory Kohr, Englewood, Colo., 42-39–81
Davin Sjoberg, Crested Butte, Colo., 45-38–83
Chris Smith, Grand Junction, Colo., 42-41–83
Blake Basham, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 45-38–83
Rick Shovald, Salida, Colo., 44-40–84
Greg Eby, Vail, Colo., 42-42–84
Ryan Cavan, Broomfield, Colo., 48-37–85
Steven Miller, Niwot, Colo., 42-44–86
Jay-Jay Botha, Englewood, Colo., 45-43–88
Wes Adkins, Fort Collins, Colo., 48-40–88
Jackson Hayes, Fort Collins, Colo., DQ
Michael Northern, Colorado Springs, Colo., NC
Graham Cliff, Parker, Colo., WD
Lanny Cameron, Loveland, Colo., WD
David Holtgrewe, Englewood, Colo., WD
