Tuesday proved a notable milestone in the golf career of David Oraee.
It marked the former University of Colorado golfer’s first competition as a professional. It also was his first tournament since falling in the round of 16 at the 2015 U.S. Amateur last August.
Unfortunately for the 2015 CGA Player of the Year, he was sick in the days leading up to Tuesday’s U.S. Open Local Qualifier at Collindale Golf Course in Fort Collins. So sick that his “tonsils basically swelled shut. I couldn’t breathe,” he said. “The doctor gave me a bunch of meds to get the swelling down so I could breathe and eat and stuff. The swelling just went down two days ago. So I was kind of feeling weak all day, not 100 percent.”
Under those circumstances, it was not surprising that the winner of the 2013 CGA Match Play and 2014 CGA Stroke Play didn’t play up to his standards. Still, that didn’t keep him from punching his ticket into the second and final stage of U.S. Open qualifying.
Oraee (pictured above) advanced to next month’s 36-hole Sectional Qualifying on Tuesday along with fellow Coloradans Behrod Keshtavar of Lafayette, Andrew Moore of Loveland and fellow Greeley resident Parker Edens. Also moving on to Sectionals was Matthew Liringis of Chandler, Ariz., who grew up in Fort Collins.
At the third and final U.S. Open Local Qualifier scheduled for Colorado, Keshtavar and Liringis shared medalist honors in cold and sometimes wet conditions after matching 2-under-par 69s. Moore fired a 70, while the two Greeley products — Oraee and Edens — carded 72s.
Oraee and Edens, a former Colorado State player who’s also a pro, prevailed in a seven-players-for-two-spots playoff. After going par-par on the first two extra holes, Oraee two-putted for birdie from the fringe on the third playoff hole, a par-5, while Edens likewise posted a birdie there after intentionally blading a wedge from just off the green to right next to the cup. The two Greeley residents have long crossed paths — in high school and college (Oraee at Greeley West and CU and Edens at Greeley Central and CSU) — and Oraee defeated Edens in the 2013 CGA Match Play final.
Frederick Gluck of Boulder, who also shot 72, gained the first alternate spot and Jacob Lestishen of Lone Tree the second. Likewise in the playoff were CSU golfer Alec Bone and Adam Joiner of Carbondale (both eliminated by bogeys on the first extra hole) and former CU golfer Kane Webber (ousted by a bogey on the second playoff hole).
The five golfers who advanced from Tuesday’s 83-man qualifier will compete in one of 10 U.S.-based 36-hole Sectional Qualifiers that be contested on June 6. From there, the top finishers will advance to the Open itself, set for June 16-19 at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club.
For Oraee, it was nice to get back to tournament golf after a nine-month layoff in which he graduated from CU in December and took the Medical College Admission Test last month.
“It’s crazy to think it’s been (nine) months,” the 22-year old said on Tuesday. “I like tournament golf a lot. This is why I play golf. It’s good to get back into it. This was a perfect event to ease into my schedule.
“But I’ve never played this bad and won something. I was everywhere on this course today. With my driver I hit two fairways, including the playoff. I had two birdies today, including the playoff. I was in grind mode. I just kind of stuck with it, didn’t give up. I guess that’s how I did it.”
It will be the second time competing in Sectionals for Oraee and Liringis, the third time (all in the last three years) for Edens, and the first for Moore and Keshtavar, the only amateur of the bunch.
Edens (left), winner of three mini-tour events over the last year, was glad to earn a return trip to Sectionals after what happened there last year in Springfield, Ohio. He was 5 under par through 27 holes and right in the mix for a U.S. Open berth, but proceeded to shoot 43 on the back nine to dash his chances. Edens still has the scorecard with that back-nine 43 in his parent’s house to serve as motivation going forward.
“I knew I was close at 5 under with nine to go,” he said Tuesday. “It kind of reminded me every time I was home of how close I was. It left a bad taste in my mouth so I’m really excited to get back.”
Each of the three times Edens has advanced to Sectionals, it’s been through Local Qualifying at Collindale. And last year and this, he had to survive playoffs to move on.
“I love Collindale,” the 25-year-old said. “When I was an amateur I played in their invitational every year and won it a couple of times. I just love playing here. I have good vibes here. It’s always been good to me.”
While Edens and Oraee didn’t play very well on Tuesday, Keshtavar, Liringis and Moore were certainly on their games in posting the only sub-par scores out of the field of 83. (The medalists are pictured, with Keshtavar at left.)
“It’s a lifelong dream of mine (to play in the U.S. Open),” said Keshtavar, 19, winner of the 2013 Rocky Mountain Junior Golf Tour Tournament of Champions and the 2015 Boulder City Amateur. “I think I have the game. I just need to put in the practice and see what I can do out there.”
Liringis has made it through to Sectionals in each of the last two years — the only two times he’s ever tried. He advanced at Collindale both years with scores of 69, each time overcoming a double bogey on the fifth hole. This time, he bounced back with an eagle from 11 feet on No. 6 and a birdie on No. 7.
Last year, Liringis nearly parlayed his Sectional appearance into a spot in the U.S. Open, but two late bogeys left him two shy of what played off for the final spot in Newport Beach, Calif.
“It’s definitely a big confidence boost to have the opportunity again to play in Sectionals,” said Liringis, a former Arizona state high school champion who turned pro right out of high school. “It’s a cool and fun experience.”
As it no doubt will be for Moore, a 38-year-old pro who returned to the game seven or eight years ago after rarely picking up a club for eight or 10 years. On Tuesday, he used an adjustment he made Monday while putting in his living room to roll the flagstick extremely well at Collindale, including draining a 40-footer.
“It’s incredible,” he said of making Sectionals. “We all have our goals, and this is one of them. It’s a pretty outstanding way to start the year.”
Previously moving on to Sectionals from Colorado sites were, at Heritage at Westmoor, Coloradans Jim Knous, Bryan Kruse, Cameron Harrell, Scott Petersen and Andrew Romano; and at The Broadmoor, Coloradans Brandon Barron, Chris Thayer and Derek Tolan, along with Wil Collins of Albuquerque, N.M., and Landon Johnson of South Pasadena, Calif.
U.S. Open Local Qualifier
Collindale Golf Course Fort Collins Par 71
ADVANCE TO SECTIONALS
Matthew Liringis, Chandler, Ariz. 35-34–69
Behrod Keshtavar, Lafayette, Colo. 36-33–69
Andrew Moore, Loveland, Colo. 35-35–70
Parker Edens, Greeley, Colo. 37-35–72
David Oraee, Greeley, Colo. 38-34–72
ALTERNATES (in order)
Frederick Gluck, Boulder, Colo. 35-37–72
Jacob Lestishen, Lone Tree, Colo. 36-36–72
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Kane Webber, Denver, Colo. 36-36–72
Alec Bone, Bluffdale, Utah 36-36–72
Adam Joiner, Carbondale, Colo. 37-35–72
Geoff Keffer, Lakewood, Colo. 37-36–73
Drew McCullough, Richland, Wash. 38-35–73
Chris Bourdeon, Castle Pines, Colo. 37-36–73
Josh McLaughlin, Loveland, Colo. 37-36–73
AJ Ott, Fort Collins, Colo. 37-36–73
Brenden Bone, Bluffdale, Utah 37-36–73
Trevor Glen, Thornton, Colo. 39-34–73
Andrew Connell, Denver, Colo. 37-36–73
Justin Howell, Cheyenne, Wyo. 39-35–74
Andrew Cooper, Englewood, Colo. 37-37–74
Glenn Workman, Pueblo West, Colo. 39-35–74
Griffin Barela, Lakewood, Colo. 40-35–75
Chase Nathe, Timnath, Colo. 39-36–75
Quintin Pope, Cheyenne, Wyo. 37-38–75
Colby Anderson, Rapid City, S.D. 38-37–75
Riley Arp, Scottsdale, Ariz. 37-38–75
Joshua Seiple, Castle Rock, Colo. 39-36–75
Spencer Painton, Aurora, Colo. 38-37–75
Marc Silva, Greeley, Colo. 38-37–75
Cameron Brown, Cave Creek, Ariz. 41-35–76
Ethan Neumann, Henderson, Nev. 37-39–76
Jason Holley, Englewood, Colo. 40-36–76
Keith Humerickhouse, Eagle, Colo. 40-36–76
Andrew Rathbun, Aurora, Colo. 39-37–76
Kyler Dunkle, Fort Collins, Colo. 37-39–76
Dominic Kieffer, Byron, Minn. 40-36–76
Cameron Freeman, Fort Collins, Colo. 39-38–77
Daniel Pearson, Longmont, Colo. 39-38–77
John Philpy, Thornton, Colo. 40-37–77
Braden Baer, Westminster, Colo. 41-36–77
Michael Tait, Littleton, Colo. 39-38–77
Timothy Amundson, Littleton, Colo. 40-37–77
Bryan Hackenberg, Thornton, Colo. 40-37–77
Tristan Rohrbaugh, Carbondale, Colo. 38-39–77
Joel Norwood, Denver, Colo. 37-40–77
Bobby Bindert, Cheyenne, Wyo. 39-38–77
Ethan Castle, Phoenix, Ariz. 38-40–78
Chase Federico, Pueblo, Colo. 42-36–78
Tyler Verdun, Fort Collins, Colo. 42-36–78
Logan Iverson, Kalispell, Mont. 37-41–78
Aaron Johnson, Laramie, Wyo. 38-40–78
John Murdock, Laramie, Wyo. 41-38–79
Ryan Burke, Longmont, Colo. 43-36–79
Trey Kidd, Fort Collins, Colo. 43-36–79
Cody Krueger, Fort Collins, Colo. 42-37–79
Brett McCarville, Sidney, Neb. 42-37–79
Pierce Trumper, Fort Collins, Colo. 40-39–79
Barry Milstead, Castle Rock, Colo. 42-37–79
Tyler Kahn, Castle Rock, Colo. 41-38–79
Jackson Solem, Longmont, Colo. 40-39–79
Josh Caridi, Fort Collins, Colo. 43-37–80
Trey Lambrecht, Sterling, Colo. 41-39–80
Matt Hart, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 46-35–81
Jon Klingensmith, Wheat Ridge, Colo. 41-40–81
Oliver Jack, Denver, Colo. 40-41–81
Kyle McGee, Mountain View, Colo. 43-38–81
Dylan Jirsa, Estes Park, Colo. 40-41–81
Jack Cummings, Arvada, Colo. 43-38–81
Troy Dangler, Grand Junction, Colo. 38-44–82
Eric McCrery, Fort Collins, Colo. 46-37–83
Richard Lee, Aspen, Colo. 44-39–83
Blake Young, Trinidad, Colo. 41-42–83
Kyler Booher, Carbondale, Colo. 46-37–83
Brandon Booth, Cheyenne, Wyo. 41-43–84
Justin Carlock, Severance, Colo. 45-39–84
Dean Sessions, Westminster, Colo. 45-39–84
Bretton Krantz, Windsor, Colo. 42-43–85
Taylor Schlom, Fort Collins, Colo. 43-42–85
James Roush, Pueblo, Colo. 44-41–85
Dustin Box, Fort Collins, Colo. 46-43–89
Christopher Dennis, Highland Ranch, Colo. 51-42–93
Alex Macaluso, Denver, Colo. WD
Jeff Holm, Parker, Colo. NC
