You can call it being in the zone, in a groove, on a roll — whatever relevant sports term you prefer.
The point is, Derek Fribbs has found it.
Over the last four days, the former University of Colorado golfer has played in five competitive rounds, and his scoring average is a gaudy 64.8.
And the byproduct has been predictable: winning.
A day after running away with the CGA Public Links Championship, Fribbs parlayed his stellar play into earning medalist honors in Monday’s U.S. Amateur Public Links qualifying at Highland Meadows Golf Course in Windsor.
The golfer from Castle Rock gained a spot in a USGA championship for the first time by shooting rounds of 66-65 for an 11-under-par 131 total.
Fribbs, 22, eagled the 572-yard par-5 fifth hole in both rounds (with putts of 10 and 20 feet), and he added nine birdies and two bogeys to set the standard on Monday. That comes after he shot 65-66-62 over the weekend at the CGA Public Links at Twin Peaks Golf Course in Longmont.
“I’ve been hitting the driver well,” Fribbs said Monday. “I played the par-5s in 9 under today (two eagles and five birdies). It feels pretty good. I’m playing well, and it could have been even lower today.”
Joining Fribbs in qualifying for the U.S. Publinks — which is set for July 15-20 in Lorton, Va. — were Colorado State University golfer Cameron Harrell (68-65–133) and University of Denver golfer Christopher Good (68-66–134). Fribbs (Douglas County), Harrell (Air Academy) and Good (Regis Jesuit) are all Colorado high school products.
Like Fribbs, Harrell made two eagles on Monday, though both of his came in the morning round. The CSU junior-to-be went bogey-free in the afternoon. Good, a senior-to-be at DU, carded a dozen birdies overall on Monday.
Three-time CGA Mid-Amateur champion Keith Humerickhouse of Eagle prevailed in a playoff that lasted five holes to nail down the first alternate spot.
Sixty-five players were in the original field, competing for the three national spots at Monday’s qualifier.
U.S. Amateur Public Links Qualifying
At Par-71 Highland Meadows GC in Windsor
QUALIFIED FOR U.S. PUBLINKS
Derek Fribbs, Boulder, Colo., 66-65–131
Cameron Harrell, Colorado Springs, Colo., 68-65–133
Christopher Good, Denver, Colo., 68-66–134
ALTERNATES (in order)
Keith Humerickhouse, Eagle, Colo., 68-67–135
Cole Ogden, West Point, Utah, 69-66–135
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Brandon Lee Bingaman, Montrose, Colo., 71-64–135
Steven Kupcho, Westminster, Colo., 67-69–136
Ryan Burke, Longmont, Colo., 69-68–137
Sean Thomas, Arvada, Colo., 70-68–138
Clint Miller, Englewood, Colo., 71-69–140
Brodie Hullinger, Denver, Colo., 67-73–140
Shane Unfred, Windsor, Colo., 69-72–141
Henry Bissell, Littleton, Colo., 75-67–142
Christopher Wilson, Colorado Springs, Colo., 69-73–142
Adam Thoutt, Westminster, Colo., 74-68–142
Chris Korte, Littleton, Colo., 69-73–142
Nicholas Tarasiewicz, Colorado Springs, Colo., 74-68–142
Matt Porter, Castle Rock, Colo., 71-72–143
Steve Connell, Denver, Colo., 71-72–143
Jordan Burgess, Windsor, Colo., 67-76–143
Matthew Sullivan, Denver, Colo., 69-74–143
J. T. Timmons, Holladay, Utah, 74-70–144
Adam Pladson, Aurora, Colo., 73-73–146
Wes Adkins, Fort Collins, Colo., 70-77–147
Conner Barr, Beaverton, Ore., 71-76–147
David Kurtenbach, Centennial, Colo., 75-73–148
James Kurtenbach, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 73-76–149
Kevin Wohlfarth, Thornton, Colo., 77-72–149
Blake Basham, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 72-77–149
Ryan Axlund, Denver, Colo., 74-75–149
Wes Martin, Denver, Colo., 77-73–150
Josh McLaughlin, Fort Collins, Colo., 82-68–150
Arnold Hoy, Castle Rock, Colo., 74-76–150
Daniel Kurtenbach, Centennial, Colo., 71-79–150
Chris Longfellow, Castle Rock, Colo., 74-77–151
Brandon Barron, Centennial, Colo., 74-77–151
Andy Yang, Denver, Colo., 76-76–152
Jon Tempest, Boulder, Colo., 77-75–152
Anthony Thorpe, Evergreen, Colo., 74-78–152
Trey Fankhouser, Goodwell, Okla., 79-74–153
Sean Kato, Greeley, Colo., 81-74–155
Davin Sjoberg, Crested Butte, Colo., 73-82–155
Todd Millard, Longmont, Colo., 76-79–155
Zachary Coe, Gypsum, Colo., 83-72–155
Daniel Morgan, Aurora, Colo., 75-80–155
Jonathan Baldwin, Lone Tree, Colo., 79-77–156
Austin Raap, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 79-79–158
Martin Prazak, Denver, Colo., 81-77–158
Nick Davis, Centennial, Colo., 78-80–158
Adam Gorjiyan, Denver, Colo., 79-79–158
Christopher Raap, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 81-78–159
David Bourcier, Englewood, Colo., 76-83–159
Jason Eagan, Castle Rock, Colo., 83-78–161
Jack Tynan, Denver, Colo., 84-84–168
Eric Powers, Colorado Springs, Colo., 87-86–173
Jeffrey Johnson, Parker, Colo., 89-90–179
Spencer Painton, Aurora, Colo., 76-WD
Brett Willis, Denver, Colo., 72-NS
Scott Wayne, Wheat Ridge, Colo., 85-WD
