U.S. Open Local Qualifying tournaments are often dominated by golfers in their 20s or late teens. It’s definitely a young man’s game — at least in that event.
But Tuesday’s Local Qualifer at Collindale Golf Course in Fort Collins showed that there are definitely exceptions to the rule. Out of the five players who advanced to Sectionals — the second and final stage of U.S. Open qualifying — one is 52 years old and another is 35.
Former University of Colorado golfer Derek Fribbs, a 27-year-old from Thornton, earned medalist honors with a 3-under-par 68 at Collindale, which puts more of a premium on accuracy than length, unlike many courses.
Joining him in advancing to Sectional Qualifying were 35-year-old Nick Mason of Parker (69), 52-year-old David Good of Colorado Springs (69), 27-year-old former Colorado State University golfer Parker Edens of Greeley (70), and 22-year-old former Colorado Mesa golfer Trevor McKune of Grand Junction (70). (Four of the Sectional qualifiers are pictured, from left: McKune, Good, Fribbs and Edens.)
“It’s great” to advance, said Good, who was a generation apart from many of Tuesday’s competitors. “Honestly the reason I was playing here is because I’m doing the Senior Open qualifier next week and that’s more on my radar. This was more of a warmup. It’s a bonus to get to go to Sectionals.”
Meanwhile, It’s the fifth straight year Edens (pictured at bottom) has advanced from the Local Qualifying at Collindale.
“It’s pretty crazy,” said Edens, who missed a Sectional playoff for the final U.S. Open berth by one stroke two years ago. “I’ll go back to Springfield Country Club in Ohio that I’ve played the last four years. I love the place. I’ve played well there at times. It’ll be exciting. The last month and a half I’ve felt I’ve played some of the best golf I’ve ever played.”
As for his secret to success at Collindale, Edens said, “When I first got to CSU I played it probably 10 times and I hated it. We had a six-round qualifier and the first three rounds were here and I was in last place after those three rounds. But after that I’ve played pretty good here. “
It will be the sixth Sectional for Mason, who competed in the 2014 U.S. Open, one of six PGA Tour events in which he’s played in his career.
“Just playing in Sectionals is a confidence-builder moving on,” said Mason (left), a three-time winner of the Hawaii State Open. “Even through today is just a Local Qualifier, every single shot you hit can be the shot that puts you out. And it’s not like a four-round tournament where you hit it in the trees, make double (bogey) and you’re fine. You’ve got to come back so fast from that. It’s a lot like match play. Every single shot matters. The guys who get through have done a really good job because even though there’s 80 guys for five spots doesn’t mean it’s easy. It’s really hard. So it means a lot (to advance).”
Asked about his memories of playing — and missing the cut (78-75) — in the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst, N.C., Mason said, “I was in 15th (place) through six or eight holes and saw my name on the board and never saw it again,” he said with a smile. “I wasn’t playing great. I kind of putted my way in that year. Now I’m hitting it good and I feel like I’ll have a chance at Sectionals. (In 2014), I got to Pinehurst and I was kind of clanking it. I wasn’t seeing the fairway, but it was still a lot of fun. II think I’ll have a little less nerves if I get back.”
Fribbs, the 2013 CGA Player of the Year, will be going to his third Sectionals. The last time he competed there, he shot a smooth 69 in the first round in 2014, but fell out of contention with a 78 after the field switched courses for the second round of the day.
“I had a younger mind back then,” he said. “It’s not the game that’s in better shape (now). It’s the mind that’s in better shape. That’s the key.”
Good and McKune will be making their Sectional debuts, with McKune never having attempted to qualify for the U.S. Open before Tuesday.
“This is big being my first qualifier,” McKune said. “Going to Sectionals, this is huge. It’s probably one of the highlights of the last few years for me.”
Fribbs, who was 2 over par after his first three holes on Tuesday, made six birdies and three bogeys to set the standard at Collindale. Good also started slowly, standing 2 over after five holes before rallying.
“This is my first competitive round in Colorado ever,” said Good, a longtime club professional who moved back to Colorado Springs recently after residing in Florida. “I’m doing math every shot. I’m still playing my sea-level yardages and trying to (adjust to the altitude). It’s a little tricky. It worked out for the most part once I remembered to do it.
“This is the first U.S. Open qualifier I’ve played in that I didn’t feel I was at a disadvantage being older and not hitting it as far because length is not an advantage on this golf course, which is rare. If you move it around well, it’s a ball-striker’s course, and if you’re on a green you have a chance to make a putt. … Here I thought we had a good shot.”
The 36-hole Sectional Qualifying in the U.S. will be contested on June 4 at 10 sites in the U.S., plus one in England that day and one in Japan on May 21. From there, the top finishers will land berths in the Open itself, set for June 14-17 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y.
Wednesday marked the third of three Colorado-based U.S. Open Local Qualifiers this year. Last week at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in Westminster, those who punched their tickets to Sectionals were John Murdock of Laramie, Wyo.; Steven Kupcho of Westminster; Josh Seiple of Castle Rock; Trevor Olkowski of Grand Junction; and Zahkai Brown of Golden. Then at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora, advancing were Jonathan Kuzava of Littleton, Tom Gempel of Lone Tree, Glenn Workman of Pueblo West, Jack Castiglia of Lakewood and Davis Bryant of Aurora.
The U.S. Open is the only USGA championship that utilizes a two-stage qualifying process, with many entrants having to successfully negotiate Local and Sectional Qualifying in order to make it into the field for the second men’s major of the year.
U.S. Open Local Qualifying
At Par-71 Collindale GC in Fort Collins
ADVANCE TO SECTIONALS
Derek Fribbs, Thornton 68
Nick Mason, Parker 69
David Good, Colorado Springs 69
Parker Edens, Greeley 70
Trevor McKune, Grand Junction 70
ALTERNATES (In Order)
George Markham, Phoenix 71
Riley Arp, Fort Collins 71
For complete results, CLICK HERE.
