Sometimes, a golfer just senses that he or she is destined to perform well on a given day.
Monday, it should be noted, was not one of those days for Steve Irwin.
In fact, the night before the Arvada resident competed in the U.S. Amateur qualifier at Fort Collins Country Club, the former University of Colorado golfer told his wife, Jessi, that he had few expectations.
“I told her that I’m just going to go up there and try to have some fun and just not think about it,” Irwin recalled.
And, of course, Irwin proceeded to not only qualify for his second U.S. Amateur, but shared medalist honors out of a field that originally numbered 78.
Irwin, 40, and home-course favorite Kyle Danford of Fort Collins CC, 32, tied for the best scores over 36 holes, and they were joined in earning spots in the national championship by another Fort Collins resident, 18-year-old Kyler Dunkle. (The qualifiers are pictured above, from left: Dunkle, Danford and Irwin.)
Those three will be among the 312 competitors in the U.S. Am, which is set for Aug. 17-23 in Olympia Fields, Ill.
Irwin, son of three-time U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin, and Danford will be going to their second U.S. Amateur, while Dunkle is headed for his first. Irwin competed in the 2011 championship thanks to qualifying for the U.S. Open that same year. And Danford played in the 2013 U.S. Am, also after qualifying at his home course.
“This was unexpected to say the least,” said Irwin, the 2004 CGA Player of the Year. “I definitely did not have much of a golf game today. Fortunately, I putted very, very well. I took advantage of the par-3s (with five 2s on his card) and holed one out for eagle. I was leaking some oil coming in (with bogeys on his 33rd, 34th and 35th holes of the day before a 4-foot birdie on his last), but I hit some good shots when I needed to.
“It took all my wits to gather some sort of golf swing for each and every shot.”
Irwin (left) and Danford matched 3-under-par 137 totals for 36 holes, with Irwin carding rounds of 67-70 and Danford going 69-68. Both players holed out shots at the par-5 first hole on Monday, Irwin in the morning from 111 yards and Danford in the afternoon from 50 yards. Irwin racked up 10 birdies and nine bogeys in addition to his eagle. Danford complemented his eagle with four birdies and three bogeys, but certainly didn’t feel in the zone.
“I really wasn’t comfortable most of the day,” Danford said. “I scored well. I got up and down a lot and had a lot of good par saves. I chipped in twice the last nine — one for eagle and one for par. It was a little struggle. I just had to grind it out the whole day.”
But just as his home course knowledge paid dividends two years ago in U.S. Amateur qualifying, likewise was the case on Monday.
“It’s tough playing against guys who play every day,” said Danford, whose wife gave birth to their fourth child just nine days before the qualifier. “But (playing at Fort Collins CC) definitely gives me an advantage. It can almost be a double-edged sword where you put too much pressure on yourself. But this year, I had a big break with where the pins were. I know how the greens react. These greens are tricky. I’ve been a member for 25 years now, so I know them, which is lucky. And I know where to miss off the tee box too.”
Two years ago, Danford struggled considerably in his first round of stroke play at the U.S. Amateur, shooting a 92. But he bounced back to fire a 73 in round 2.
“I kind of want a little redemption,” he said. “The nerves definitely got to me on that first round. It was a rough one, but it was fun (competing in the U.S. Am). Playing a course like that (The Country Club at Brookline, Mass.) was pretty special. It still gives me nightmares. But I bounced back the second day, which showed me I could hang in there with some of those guys. Getting another shot at it is all I can ask for.”
Dunkle, the 2012 5A state high school champion, likewise had a certain home-course advantage on Monday. As a Colorado State University golfer, he plays Fort Collins CC on a regular basis, perhaps 50 times by now.
“It’s kind of a home-field advantage for me just because CSU gets to play here every day,” said Dunkle, who made five birdies and three bogeys on Monday. “On some of the greens, you know what some putts are going to do. It’s nice because you’re a little more comfortable and have a feel for the kind of tee shots you need to hit. I think that definitely helped.
“I didn’t do anything incredible today, but I didn’t make too many mistakes.”
The result is that he’s headed for his first USGA championship. It’s just another step in a solid summer for Dunkle, who teamed up with his dad to win the CGA Father/Son title and later advanced to the quarterfinals of the CGA Match Play Championship.
“I found how to work hard,” Dunkle said of his recent strong play. “When you put that work in, the results will show. I feel like I’m in a groove for sure. I’ve been playing really well.”
However Dunkle and Irwin and Danford made it happen on Monday, the payoff was large.
“It’s the biggest amateur tournament in the world,” Irwin said of the U.S. Amateur. “To get through like this is something I’ve never done before so that’s definitely something very exciting for me.”
Monday marked the second and final Colorado-based U.S. Amateur qualifier. Last week at Columbine Country Club, Spencer Painton of Aurora, David Oraee of Greeley and Canadian Tyler Saunders advanced to the national championship.
U.S. Amateur Qualifying
At Par-70 Fort Collins CC
QUALIFIED
Kyle Danford, Fort Collins, Colo., 69-68–137
Steven Irwin, Arvada, Colo., 67-70–137
Kyler Dunkle, Fort Collins, Colo., 69-69–138
ALTERNATES (in order)
Ryan McCullough, Las Vegas, Nev., 74-67–141
Sam Nichamin, Avon, Colo., 72-70–142
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Ryan Axlund, Denver, Colo., 71-71–142
Steven Kupcho, Westminster, Colo., 72-71–143
Joshua Seiple, Castle Rock, Colo., 72-71–143
Sam Marley, Centennial, Colo., 74-69–143
Wade Petersilie, Colorado Springs, Colo., 74-70–144
Jimmy Makloski, Pueblo, Colo., 73-71–144
Daniel Pearson, Longmont, Colo., 73-71–144
Tanner Jenson, Parker, Colo., 74-70–144
Ethan Freeman, Denver, Colo., 71-73–144
Andrew Romano, Lone Tree, Colo., 65-80–145
Behrod Keshtavar, Erie, Colo., 74-72–146
Kamrin Allen, Sheridan, Wyo., 72-75–147
Wyndham Clark, Stillwater, Okla., 73-74–147
Sean Kato, Greeley, Colo., 75-72–147
Cole Nygren, San Luis Obispo, Colo., 79-70–149
Sunwoo Choi, Usaf Academy, Calif., 79-70–149
Griffin Barela, Lakewood, Colo., 79-70–149
Alan Berry, Littleton, Colo., 75-75–150
Jonathan Doern, Denver, Colo., 77-73–150
Blake Cannon, Mesa, Ariz., 76-75–151
Matthew Goddard, Fort Collins, Colo., 75-76–151
Marc Shirazi, Greeley, Colo., 72-79–151
Ben Sherlund, Denver, Colo., 75-76–151
Jack Cummings, Arvada, Colo., 82-71–153
Jeff Tyrrell, Casper, Wyo., 79-74–153
Damon Dageenakis, Erie, Colo., 75-79–154
Luke Travins, Colorado Springs, Colo., 78-76–154
Pierce Trumper, Fort Collins, Colo., 77-77–154
Josh Caridi, Fort Collins, Colo., 78-77–155
Dylan Mitchell, Breckenridge, Colo., 81-74–155
Steven Montabone, Fort Collins, Colo., 76-79–155
Adam Pladson, Aurora, Colo., 81-74–155
Aaron Purviance, Winston Salem, N.C., 77-79–156
Sam Taylor, Nederland, Colo., 79-77–156
Cameron Connor, Boulder, Colo., 80-77–157
Eric Brown, Lake Charles, La., 80-77–157
Dylan Wonnacott, Longmont, Colo., 79-79–158
Ryan Zetwick, Castle Rock, Colo., 77-82–159
Weston Moran, Colorado Springs, Colo., 74-85–159
Drew Trujillo, Montrose, Colo., 80-79–159
Grant Dinkel, Boulder, Colo., 81-78–159
John Jarmul, Englewood, Colo., 76-83–159
Austin Burgess, Colorado Springs, Colo., 83-77–160
Connor Miele, Billings, Mont., 77-84–161
Will Fowler, Lakewood, Colo., 77-86–163
Jackson Vacek, Lafayette, Colo., 84-80–164
Johan Werge, San Luis Pototsi, 78-86–164
Colby Bundy, Ft Collins, Wyo., 82-83–165
Kyle Thurman, Boulder, Colo., 85-81–166
Harris Butler, Englewood, Colo., 87-81–168
Samuel Toillion, Longmont, Colo., 78-91–169
John Kane, Centennial, Colo., 85-85–170
Anthony Spikes, New York, N.Y., 86-85–171
Arnold Hoy, Castle Rock, Colo., 79-93–172
Jason Ward, Ft. Collins, Colo., 90-85–175
Kevin Koelbel, Centennial, Colo., 79-WD
Alex Kephart, Colorado Springs, Colo., 77-WD
James Jones, Centennial, Colo., 80-WD
Joshua Hill, Superior, Colo., 82-WD
Brian Craig, Aurora, Colo., 79-WD
Kyle Koelbel, Centennial, Colo., 78-WD
Jd Kiesewetter, Usaf Academy, Texas, 76-WD
Nick Leibold, Littleton, Colo., 78-WD
Nicolas Karavites, Englewood, Colo., 77-WD
Taylor Montgomery, Henderson, Nev., 73-WD
