University of Denver golfer Andy Yang has watched as his sister, Jennifer, qualified for four USGA championships, including the upcoming U.S. Women’s Amateur. And, quite frankly, he was a little envious.
“My sister is a good player and she has made a lot of USGA tournaments,” Yang said. “I was always kind of jealous how she gets to always travel and stuff. And finally now I get a chance to be in a national championship, and it makes me feel really happy.”
Just four days after his sister qualified at The Pinery Country Club in Parker for the U.S. Women’s Am, Yang punched his ticket to next month’s U.S. Amateur in Colorado.
With Jennifer caddying for him in Monday’s Sectional Qualifying at Inverness Golf Club in Englewood, Andy Yang not only advanced to the national championship, but he earned medalist honors out of a field of 78.
The DU sophomore-to-be joined Denver residents Ryan Axlund and Jeff Chapman in each qualifying for his first U.S. Amateur, and the tournament will be at a nearby venue for all of them. The championship will be held Aug. 13-19 at Cherry Hills Country Club, with CommonGround Golf Course serving as the second stroke-play course Aug. 13-14.
Yang posted rounds of 70-68 for a 2-under-par 138 total Monday at Inverness Golf Club. Axlund, a former golf professional who just got his amateur status back earlier this year, landed the second spot by carding scores of 68-71–139. (Yang, left, and Axlund are pictured above.) And Chapman nailed down the third and final U.S. Amateur berth in a playoff after using a 36th-hole birdie to go 67-73 for a 140 total.
Chapman, one of three players to finish at 140, birdied the first playoff hole — No. 10 at Inverness — by draining a 5-foot putt. Gus Lundquist of Parker, the 2011 5A state high school champion, two-putted from 20 feet for par for the first alternate spot, while former professional golfer Alex Buecking of Littleton three-putted from 12 feet, relegating himself to the second alternate position.
In the playoff, Chapman (pictured at left) was fortunate to have a clear approach shot to the green after hitting his tee shot well left of the putting surface. And he took advantage by bouncing his wedge shot close to the flag.
After playing in about 25 USGA qualifiers in his life, this is just the second time Chapman has hit pay-dirt for a non-team USGA championship. And for this national tournament to be at Cherry Hills, it’s just a cherry on the sundae.
“To have it in Denver is pretty special,” the 36-year-old salesman said.
Axlund feels equally as fortunate.
“I’m in shock right now,” the 31-year-old network engineer said. “I’ve been playing for a long time and this is the first time I’ve qualified for a USGA championship. It’s nice to be able to do it in my hometown. It was a pleasant surprise.
“Today is my biggest golf accomplishment. To qualify for a USGA event on a course I love and to have it in my hometown, that’s a great feeling.”
Meanwhile, Yang got to share that feeling with his sister, a University of Washington golfer.
“She caddied for me today and it really helped a lot,” the 19-year-old Korean-born golfer said. “It was really fun. To have a caddie like her is really a special thing. She’s also a competitor. The conversation we had on the course really helped me to focus on the shots that I had to hit. That’s probably one of the reasons I played steady.”
To qualify for his first USGA championship after having quit the game for a year just before college was special for Yang. He came to DU to study business, but contacted coach Eric Hoos and ended up successfully walking on the golf team.
Accomplishing so much in the last year “is really cool,” he said. “It means a lot. The U.S. Amateur is where a lot of the best players in the world compete. Just by having my name in there means I can play with them and I can be one of the best players in the world. … I can see how far away I am from reaching my dream.”
Monday marked the second U.S. Amateur Sectional Qualifier held in Colorado this year. Last week, Matt Schovee of Englewood, former longtime Colorado Springs resident Justin Spray and Eric Hallberg of Castle Rock punched their U.S. Amateur tickets at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs.
U.S. Amateur Sectional Qualifying
At Par-70 Inverness GC in Englewood
ADVANCE TO U.S. AMATEUR
Andy Yang, Denver, Colo., 70-68–138
Ryan Axlund, Denver, Colo., 68-71–139
Jeff Chapman, Denver, Colo., 67-73–140
ALTERNATES (In order)
Gus Lundquist, Parker, Colo., 68-72–140
Alex Buecking, Littleton, Colo., 73-67–140
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Jason Burstyn, Miami, Fla., 69-72–141
Jon Lindstrom, Broomfield, Colo., 68-73–141
Ben McConahey, Denver, Colo., 72-70–142
Derek Fribbs, Boulder, Colo., 73-69–142
Rob Clever, Firestone, Colo., 70-72–142
Danny Riskam, Broomfield, Colo., 69-73–142
Connor Klein, Lone Tree, Colo., 74-69–143
Jeffrey Gravina, Littleton, Colo., 74-69–143
Ted Jorgensen, Denver, Colo., 67-76–143
John Ahern, Morrison, Colo., 72-72–144
Cameron Brown, Edwards, Colo., 73-71–144
Jeffrey Allen, Denver, Colo., 70-75–145
Minkyu Jeon, Littleton, Colo., 72-73–145
Stu Allen, Lakewood, Colo., 72-73–145
Cole Nygren, Niwot, Colo., 71-75–146
Charles Santaularia, Denver, Colo., 77-70–147
Matt Roberts, Denver, Colo., 75-72–147
Robert M Yurglich Jr, Lone Tree, Colo., 74-73–147
Christopher Good, Denver, Colo., 74-73–147
Nick Burns, Denver, Colo., 74-74–148
Kolton Kyne, Ridgway, Colo., 75-73–148
Tom Krystyn, Denver, Colo., 73-75–148
Spencer Sheets, Centennial, Colo., 72-77–149
Michael Glaesel, Arvada, Colo., 75-74–149
Brian Richmeier, Aurora, Colo., 75-74–149
Christopher Korte, Littleton, Colo., 78-72–150
Justin Headrick, Aurora, Colo., 79-71–150
Peter Horstman, Castle Rock, Colo., 76-74–150
Clint Miller, Englewood, Colo., 73-77–150
Josh Mclaughlin, Fort Collins, Colo., 78-73–151
Damon Dageenakis, Erie, Colo., 75-76–151
Nick Berry, Littleton, Colo., 75-76–151
Matt Strong, Castle Rock, Colo., 76-75–151
Kevin Wohlfarth, Thornton, Colo., 71-81–152
Cole Cunningham, Centennial, Colo., 77-75–152
Chris Beabout, Centennial, Colo., 74-78–152
Mark Brown, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 72-80–152
David Lysaught, Denver, Colo., 81-72–153
Braden Baer, Westminster, Colo., 76-77–153
Cody Vance, Lakewood, Colo., 71-82–153
Oliver Lewis, Denver, Colo., 76-77–153
Kyle Burns, Denver, Colo., 74-81–155
Jonathan Dresnick, Miami, Fla., 77-78–155
Kade Sessions, Aurora, Colo., 80-75–155
Dan Huff, Castle Rock, Colo., 73-83–156
George Bollinger III, Golden, Colo., 78-78–156
Charles Castellano, Denver, Colorado, 76-80–156
Andrew Vance, Lakewood, Colo., 77-79–156
Steve Sullivan, Castle Rock, Colo., 75-81–156
Grant Javernick, Aurora, Colo., 75-82–157
Michael Larson, Longmont, Colo., 78-79–157
John Frey, Denver, Colo., 75-82–157
Robert Polk, Parker, Colo., 76-81–157
Joey Muckler, Centennial, Colo., 79-79–158
Christopher Dillon, Littleton, Colo., 80-79–159
Marc Biagiotti, Greenwood Village, Colo., 83-76–159
Gabe Grant, Denver, Colo., 78-81–159
Wlad Colmenares, Aurora, Colo., 81-78–159
Ryan Burke, Longmont, Colo., 77-83–160
Brian Smith, Aurora, Colo., 75-86–161
Bill Parker, Aurora, Colo., 81-81–162
Alexander Leonida, Centennial, Colo., 85-77–162
Kevin Klatman, Boulder, Colo., 81-81–162
Jeffrey Bullock, Littleton, Colo., 80-83–163
Gary Driber, Castle Pines, Colo., 83-80–163
Brent Landen, Virginia Beach, Va., 83-80–163
Ken Weiss, Centennial, Colo., 86-83–169
Cassius Klaess, Denver, Colo., 85-88–173
Ryan Schmitz, Greenwood Village, Colo., 79-WD
Chun-Ji Kim, Chandler, Ariz., 81-WD
