GARY BAINES: A Matter Of Perspective
U.S. Open Qualifying in Colorado
has Lost Some Pizzazz
Big names rarely compete in Columbine sectional anymore
The U.S. Open qualifying process always lends itself to some great stories.
With 8,000-plus entrants — many with aspirations that far exceed their competitive abilities — it’s fun to hear about the Cinderella stories, about competitors who have gained fame elsewhere, and about people who have overcome adversity.
Already this year, you may have read stories about former NHL goaltender Grant Fuhr, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, and former tennis standouts Ivan Lendl and Michael Chang hoping to beat the odds by qualifying for next month’s U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego.
In Colorado, the qualifying process begins May 12 in Pueblo and continues May 19 in Parker and Fort Collins with local qualifying tournaments. Then the second and final qualifying stage — the sectional — will take place June 2 at Columbine Country Club near Littleton.
Last year, Colorado golf fans were teased when 2001 British Open champion David Duval had signed up to compete in the U.S. Open qualifying at Columbine. Duval, a transplanted Coloradan, would have been the biggest name ever to play in the roughly 20 years Columbine has hosted a sectional. Alas, he withdrew the week before the event.
Which brings us to what has become an unfortunate aspect of the annual sectional qualifying tournament in Colorado. Yes, it’s great that the state hosts one of the 14 sectionals held around the world (12 in the U.S., one in Japan and one in England). But over the years, the bigger-name players have made it a point to avoid choosing Colorado as their sectional site. And the reason is simple: With only one U.S. Open berth available at the Columbine site, Tour-level players figure it’s too much of a crapshoot to advance here. If just one competitor in the Colorado sectional has a very hot day (36 holes), that likely dooms the chances of everyone else. The Tour players figure they have far better odds of qualifying for the Open by playing at a sectional site with a bigger, higher-quality field that has many more U.S. Open berths available.
For instance, in 2007, Columbine was one of three sectional sites where just one qualifying spot each was up for grabs. Twenty players competed for that one spot at Columbine last year. On the other hand, there was a sectional in Columbus, Ohio — where many PGA Tour players went — that had 23 U.S. Open berths available. Another sectional, in Memphis, had 16 Open berths on the line.
There are roughly a dozen players with strong Colorado ties currently playing on the PGA and/or Nationwide Tours. It seems natural — if all else was equal — that many of those would choose to play in the Columbine sectional. But because there is only one U.S. Open spot available at Columbine, generally speaking they avoid that sectional like the plague.
Heck, even Nationwide Tour player Bret Guetz and brother Brian Guetz, whose home course growing up was Columbine, have chosen to play at other sectionals should they advance through local qualifying this year. Asian Tour regular Kane Webber, a Castle Rock resident, will play in the locals in Parker but the sectionals in Ohio (should he advance). Esteban Toledo, who also lives in Castle Rock and who competes on both the PGA and Nationwide Tours, likewise plans to go to Ohio for sectionals if he makes it through locals.
PGA Tour players Brandt Jobe, Kevin Stadler and Martin Laird — all of whom have spent at least a few years living in Colorado — are scheduled to play in sectional tournaments outside of this state.
The situation at Columbine used to be more palatable for big-name players. Up until just a few years ago, the Columbine sectional had two U.S. Open berths available. There was even a time, back in the 1980s, when three Open spots were the norm at Columbine.
Among the current or former PGA Tour regulars who competed in the Columbine sectional when there was more than one U.S. Open berth available were 1982 Masters champion Craig Stadler, Mike Reid, David Edwards, Gary Hallberg, Jobe and Kevin Stadler.
Scott Petersen of Parker, who won a Nationwide Tour event in 2000, is one of the few prominent local players still bucking the trend. Should he get through local qualifying May 12 in Pueblo, he’s scheduled to compete in the Columbine sectional.
Monday, May 5, 2008
