Very few golfers can match the talent and skill Hale Irwin has demonstrated during his career, but many can relate to Irwin’s dreams — as a young man — of winning the U.S. Open.
Irwin, who grew up in Boulder and attended the University of Colorado, recalled earlier this month how he used to think big while hitting his own practice balls back in the 1960s at what is now Flatirons Golf Course.
“I can remember thinking this is the shot to win the U.S. Open because that was the one (major) tournament for which I could qualify,” Irwin said. “That was the dream.”
Of course, Irwin went on to win three U.S. Opens in a career that’s landed him in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Few golfers can turn their dreams into reality the way Irwin has, but that doesn’t stop them from trying.
In fact, 22 golfers with strong Colorado connections still have a chance to qualify for the 2012 U.S. Open, which will be played June 14-17 at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. But there’s still one huge hurdle to overcome to make the final 156-man field. Sectionals, the second and final stage of the qualifying process, will take place at 11 U.S. sites on June 4, when roughly 10 percent of the participating players will advance to the second of golf’s major championships.
Most are trying to overcome very long odds by making it through two qualifying stages and competing in the U.S. Open itself. Irwin’s Colorado-based son, Steve, did it last year, and others are hoping this is their year to catch lightning in a bottle.
Eighteen of the 22 players with significant Colorado ties who are still alive in the qualifying process had to make it through Local Qualifying at one of the 109 tournament sites. The exceptions are David Duval of Cherry Hills Village, winner of 13 PGA Tour events and a British Open, and fellow PGA Tour players Brandt Jobe, Kevin Stadler and Shane Bertsch, all of whom were exempt into Sectionals.
Duval, runner-up in the 2009 U.S. Open, is scheduled to make his Sectional bid in Memphis, Tenn., while Jobe and Stadler will be in Columbus, Ohio, and Bertsch in Rockville, Md.
Meanwhile, former Colorado State University golfer Martin Laird is totally exempt for the U.S. Open based on his World Golf Ranking of 31.
Here are the “local” players competing in 36-hole Sectional qualifying on June 4:
Michael Baird of Castle Rock, Parker resident Bertsch, Bradley Besler of Denver, Ryan Brees of Steamboat Springs, Stuart Drahota of Fort Collins, Duval, Derek Fribbs of Boulder, Danny Hahn of Denver, Cameron Harrell of Colorado Springs, Mark Hubbard of Denver, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Jobe, Greg Johnson of Lakewood, James Love of Denver, Gus Lundquist of Parker, Nick Mason of Denver, Leif Olson of Golden, David Oraee of Greeley, Jonathan Park of Denver, Ben Portie (pictured) of Westminster, Kent Denver High School graduate Stadler, Andrew Svoboda of Golden and former University of Denver golfer Dan Wax.
While Duval, Jobe, Stadler and Bertsch play on the PGA Tour, Svoboda and Love compete on the Nationwide Tour, with Svoboda standing fourth on the 2012 money list. Portie, the 2011 HealthOne Colorado Open champion, joins Duval, Jobe, Stadler, Bertsch and Svoboda in having competed in the U.S. Open previously. Olson had his PGA Tour card in 2009.
By far, most of the Colorado-connected competitors will play in their June 4 U.S. Open Sectionals at the site in Daly City, Calif.
Columbine Country Club in Littleton hosted one of the Sectional qualifiers each year for decades, but that run ended after the 2010 tournament.
