Over the next couple of weeks, about 250 competitors, a smattering of whom have had the pleasure of playing in a U.S. Open, will begin the two-stage qualifying process for the 2016 championship, which will be contested June 16-19 at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club.
Three Local Qualifying tournaments will be held again this year in Colorado: Monday (May 9) at The Heritage at Westmoor in Westminster, May 15 at the East Course at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs, and May 17 at Collindale Golf Course in Fort Collins. Collindale is serving as a Local Qualifying site for the 13th consecutive year.
At each Colorado venue, about 84 competitors will vie for five spots in the 36-hole Sectional Qualifying, set for June 6 at 10 sites in the U.S. From there, the top finishers will advance to the Open itself.
In all, 111 U.S. Open Local Qualifiers will be held. A total of 9,877 entries were sent in for this year’s championship.
At the Colorado sites, previous U.S. Open competitors in the field include Leif Olson and Jason Preeo (Heritage at Westmoor) and Derek Tolan, Steve Irwin, Nick Mason and Wil Collins (all at The Broadmoor).
Among those entered in Colorado who advanced to Sectionals last year were Nathaniel Goddard, Greg Johnson, Michael Schoolcraft, Jim Knous, Cameron Harrell and Andrew Romano (all at Heritage at Westmoor this year); Tolan, Eric Bradley and Jake Staiano (all at The Broadmoor this year); and Parker Edens (Collindale this year).
For tee times, click on the following: Heritage at Westmoor, The Broadmoor, Collindale.