Justin Bardgett (pictured) and Tristan Bierenbroodspot can only hope their trips back from their first USGA championship go better than Tom Whitney’s did.
All three players qualified Monday at Boulder Country Club for the U.S. Amateur, but Whitney may have some pain-killers to thank, in addition to a solid golf game.
The Air Force Academy golfer has been battling neck problems since he was involved in a roll-over accident while traveling 70 mph last month on I-40 in Texas. Whitney was returning from the U.S. Public Links Championship, where he advanced to the second round of match play in Norman, Okla.
No one was seriously hurt in the accident, though the neck problems certainly didn’t help Whitney’s golf game (he missed the cut in the recent HealthOne Colorado Open). But thanks to some pain medication, he joined Bardgett and Bierenbroodspot in earning berths Monday in the U.S. Amateur, which will also be played in Oklahoma (Aug. 24-30 at Southern Hills in Tulsa).
“This is probably my last summer as an amateur, so I’m making it all count,” Whitney said. “I’m excited about going to the Amateur.”
Bardgett, a University of Colorado golfer, earned medalist honors at Boulder Country Club by posting the only sub-par total for 36 holes. After shooting 68 in the morning, Bardgett birdied the 18th hole for an afternoon round of 71 that gave him a 1-under 139 score. Bierenbroodspot, a 20-year-old from The Netherlands who plays golf for Arizona State, rallied with the best round of the day, a bogey-free 4-under-par 66 in the afternoon, to finish at even-par 140 for the day. Whitney, meanwhile, shot back-to-back 71s for the third and final national berth out of Monday’s field of 78.
Bardgett said he missed qualifying for the 2008 U.S. Amateur by a stroke while competing in his hometown of St. Louis. This time around, he thought he might have better luck in Boulder.
“I came (back to Colorado in mid-summer) for the sole reason of playing Boulder Country Club for the qualifying,” the senior-to-be said. “I don’t know if there are many courses I like better than this. A lot of that has to do with how well I know it. I’m guessing I’ve probably played it 30 times.”
Bardgett, who won the 2008 Missouri State Amateur title, was determined to finish on a high note Monday evening, and he did just that by holing a 20-foot putt for par on the 16th hole, and a 4-footer for birdie on No. 18.
“I wanted to shoot under par for the day,” said Bardgett, who had former CU teammate and 2009 CGA Match Play runner-up Tom Gempel caddying for him. “I asked Tom as we were walking up 18 if he thought we had to make birdie (to qualify) and he said “˜no.’ But I said we’re going to make one anyway.”
Despite shooting a first-round 74 Monday, Bierenbroodspot almost caught Bardgett for medalist honors. With strong winds kicking up in the early afternoon, Bierenbroodspot shot a 3-under-par 32 on his first nine holes of his second round, then cruised in with a flawless 66.
“The first round I didn’t make anything (on the greens),” said Bierenbroodspot, winner of one college tournament during his junior season at ASU. “I missed four greens in regulation and shot 4 over par. I had 36 putts. I putted a lot better in the afternoon (with 28).”
Monday marked the second U.S. Amateur qualifier Colorado has hosted. On July 27 in Fort Collins, Gunner Wiebe of Aurora, Steve Ziegler of Broomfield and Michael Harrington of Colorado Springs advanced to the national tournament.
U.S. Amateur Sectional Qualifying
At Par-70 Boulder Country Club
FINAL RESULTS (Players in green are CGA Stroke Play Qualifiers)
Qualifiers
Justin Bardgett, St. Louis, Mo., 68-71–139
Tristan Bierenbroodspot, The Netherlands, 74-66–140
Tom Whitney, La Quinta, Calif., 71-71–142
Alternates (In Order)
Kyle Huus, Sidney, Neb., 70-73–143
Brian Dorfman, Greenwood Village, Colo., 70-74–144
Failed to Qualify
James Doidge, Pueblo, Colo., 71-73–144
Klinton Krieger, Cheyenne, Wyo., 69-76–145
Adam Joiner, Carbondale, Colo., 73-73–146
Cody Kent, Castle Rock, Colo., 75-71–146
Luke Symons, Lone Tree, Colo., 69-77–146
Mark Hubbard, Denver, Colo., 72-74–146
Michael Tilghman, Castle Rock, Colo., 71-75–146
Brian Morfeld, Boulder, Colo., 69-78–147
Derek Fribbs, Castle Rock, Colo., 78-69–147
Bryan Hackenberg, Thornton, Colo., 75-73–148
Jonathan Marsico, Englewood, Colo., 73-75–148
Matthew Schovee, Cherry Hills Village, Colo., 75-73–148
Michael Love, Castle Rock, Colo., 70-78–148
Austin Uhl, Phoenix, Ariz., 77-73–150
Michael Larson, Longmont, Colo., 75-75–150
Oliver Grabb, Boulder, Colo., 75-75–150 (CGA 1st alternate)
Danny Riskam, Broomfield, Colo., 74-77–151
Bryan Pieper, Louisville, Colo., 76-76–152
Dean Clapp, Aurora, Colo., 76-76–152
Michael Schoolcraft, Englewood, Colo., 74-78–152 (CGA 2nd alternate)
Nicholas Tarasiewicz, Colorado Springs, Colo., 75-77–152
William Beau Schoolcraft, Englewood, Colo., 71-81–152 (CGA 3rd alternate)
Riche Moore, Aurora, Colo., 72-81–153 (CGA 4th alternate)
Greg Johnson, Lakewood, Colo., 74-80–154
Jay Tymkovich, Broomfield, Colo., 74-80–154
Michael Vogelsong, Colorado Springs, Colo., 76-78–154
William Roth, Niwot, Colo., 77-77–154
Brenden Beeg, Littleton, Colo., 80-75–155
Joshua Creel, Cheyenne, Wyo., 77-78–155
Michael Imperato, Westlake Village, Calif., 78-77–155
Michael Spaulding, Centennial, Colo., 78-77–155
Jon Lopez, Aurora, Colo., 78-78–156
Matt Keeler, Keystone, Colo., 75-81–156
Mitch Gilchrist, Australia, Colo., 74-82–156
Randy Miller, Boulder, Colo., 76-80–156
Alec Shaw, Fort Collins, Colo., 75-82–157
Brandon Hystad, Colorado Springs, Colo., 80-77–157
Chad Novak, Pueblo, Colo., 79-78–157
Kyle Beard, Parker, Colo., 78-79–157
Micah Ramirez, Littleton, Colo., 79-78–157
Neil Metz, Boulder, Colo., 78-79–157
Brennan Dolan, Boulder, Colo., 81-77–158
Steve Henry, Parker, Colo., 76-82–158
Clint Miller, Englewood, Colo., 81-78–159
David Lysaught, Denver, Colo., 77-82–159
Gary Borgese, Niwot, Colo., 77-82–159
Martin Prazak, Denver, Colo., 77-82–159
Scott Schultz, Superior, Colo., 81-78–159
Sean Thomas, Arvada, Colo., 77-82–159
Steve Summers, Colorado Springs, Colo., 78-81–159
Ben Lyons, Centennial, Colo., 80-80–160
Nicholas Davis, Englewood, Colo., 78-82–160
Wladimir Colmenares, Aurora, Colo., 78-82–160
Baird Kingswell-Smith, Carbondale, Colo., 79-82–161
Riley Andrews, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 82-79–161
Michael Glaesel, Arvada, Colo., 80-82–162
Steven Basler, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 76-86–162
Jon Winegardner, Lafayette, Colo., 83-80–163
Alex Kephart, Colorado Springs, Colo., 84-81–165
Bryan Kruse, Westminster, Colo., 83-82–165
Michael Cole, Monument, Colo., 81-84–165
Ryan Bent, Evergreen, Colo., 86-81–167
Jordan Gallacher, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 86-85–171
Benjamin Anderson, Telluride, Colo., 86-88–174
David Duarte, Fountain, Colo., 81-WD
Kevin Koelbel, Centennial, Colo., 82-WD
