Truth be known, Robert Polk said he would trade the U.S. Mid-Amateur berth he earned Monday for a spot in the USGA Senior Amateur, a tournament in which he’s currently an alternate.
Nevertheless, there’s something to be said for what Polk accomplished Monday at his home course, Colorado Golf Club in Parker. After all, it’s not often that a person can not only land a spot in a USGA championship, but also be more than twice the age of one of his fellow qualifiers.
That was the case in Monday’s Sectional, which featured a very diverse group of qualifiers, age-wise. In a tournament that’s limited to players 25 and older, the five golfers who claimed national berths included two in their 50s, one in his 40s, one in his 30s and one in his 20s.
The two bookends in the age game were 56-year-old Polk and 27-year-old Tristan Sanders of Denver. In between were Mike Larson of Longmont, 50, Paul Erdman of Erie, 43, and Danny Riskam of Broomfield, 33.
That’s what you call covering the age spectrum.
“I’m 50, so I’m one of the old-timers now,” said Larson, the general manager at Boulder Country Club. “I didn’t expect to get in (to the national tournament), so I was pretty lucky.”
Added fellow 50-something Polk: “I’ll probably be the oldest guy in the field (at the U.S. Mid-Am). It’s a great big deal to me, and great fun.”
The U.S. Mid-Amateur will be played Sept. 17-22 in Richmond, Texas, near Houston.
On a day no one matched or bettered par in the 84-man Sectional Qualifying tournament at Colorado Golf Club, Sanders and Erdman (pictured from left to right) rebounded from being several over par to shoot 1-over 73s and share medalist honors. Polk, Larson and Riskam carded 74s.
It will be the first U.S. Mid-Amateur for Sanders, Erdman and Polk, and the second for Larson and Riskam. Polk, Larson and Riskam survived a four-man playoff for the final three qualifying spots. Polk and Larson made routine pars on the first hole of sudden death to advance, while Riskam earned a national berth with a par on the third playoff hole.
Former Colorado State University golfer James Kurtenbach was the odd man out in the playoff after making a double bogey following a perfect drive on the third extra hole.
Age wasn’t the only way in which the qualifiers were a diverse group. Experience in USGA championships is another. Sanders and Erdman have never before played in a non-team USGA event, and Polk has competed in one. Meanwhile, Larson will be going to his seventh and Riskam to his eighth.
“USGA events are awesome,” said Riskam, a former playing professional who previously has competed in three U.S. Amateurs, three U.S. Junior Amateurs and a U.S. Mid-Amateur. “I love to go back. It’s always a goal at the start of the year. They’re run so well and they’re always played on good golf courses, so it’s a real treat. This one has been on the calendar for a long time.”
Though Larson has competed in plenty of USGA championships, his last one was the 1998 U.S. Mid-Am, so the long wait has re-whetted his appetite.
“Anytime you can go to a USGA event, it’s just totally awesome, believe me,” said Larson, father of incoming University of Colorado golfer Gina Larson. “I’m really looking forward to it, especially with me being an old man now.”
Erdman birdied three of his last four holes Monday to share medalist honors. As his approach shot was on its way to the 18th green, he pulled a Hal Sutton, saying aloud, “Be the right club today.” The ball apparently listened, ending up a mere 6 inches from the cup for a tap-in birdie.
“I’ve missed the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Mid-Amateur and the U.S. Publinks by a shot, sometimes losing in a playoff,” he said. “This feels real good to finally get over that little hump.”
Sanders, who returned to competitive golf a couple of years ago after a three-year hiatus, cites rounds of 64 and 62 he shot at CommonGround and Fossil Trace, respectively, last year as a couple of career highlights, but now he’s done something that definitely rivals those.
Qualifying for a USGA championship “has been my goal for about the last three years, this one especially because my brother lives about 15 minutes from the course (in the Houston area),” Sanders said. “So this is what I was really looking forward to for the whole year.”
Colorado Golf Club, site of the 2010 Senior PGA Championship, certainly put the contestants to the test on Monday. About as many players shot 85 or higher (22) than under 80 (23).
“This course is brutally tough,” Riskam said. “It’s one of the hardest I’ve played in a long time. The greens have so much slope, you can literally putt balls into bunkers if you’re not careful. I did it in a practice round. It forces you to play defensively. You really start thinking about your next putt before you hit your first one.”
U.S. Mid-Amateur Sectional Qualifying
At Par-72 Colorado GC in Parker
QUALIFIERS
Paul Erdman, Erie, Colo. – 39-34–73
Tristan Sanders, Denver, Colo. – 36-37–73
Danny Riskam, Broomfield, Colo. – 36-38–74
Robert Polk, Parker, Colo. – 38-36–74
Michael Larson, Longmont, Colo. – 36-38–74
ALTERNATES (In order)
James Kurtenbach, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 36-38–74
John Luoma, Parker, Colo. – 39-36–75
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Jonathan Marsico, Denver, Colo. – 37-38–75
Andrew Dannewitz, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 35-40–75
Harold Marshall, Denver, Colo. – 38-38–76
Robin Bradbury, Louisville, Colo. – 40-36–76
Dean Clapp, Littleton, Colo. – 39-37–76
Danny Hahn, Denver, Colo. – 38-38–76
Michael Love, Castle Rock, Colo. – 41-36–77
William Fowler, Lakewood, Colo. – 36-41–77
Michael Harrington, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 44-34–78
Christopher Wilson, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 42-36–78
Wesley Martin, Denver, Colo. – 41-37–78
David Delich, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 40-38–78
Peter Horstman, Castle Rock, Colo. – 41-38–79
Robert Clever, Firestone, Colo. – 41-38–79
Ray Makloski, Pueblo, Colo. – 37-42–79
Perry Rickel, Castle Rock, Colo. – 43-36–79
Richard Bradsby, Denver, Colo. – 40-40–80
Dennis Fields, Golden, Colo. – 37-43–80
Pete Mangold, Denver, Colo. – 42-38–80
Chris Jones, Castle Rock, Colo. – 41-39–80
Zac Burton, Manhattan, Kan. – 40-40–80
Mark Zbrzeznj, Avon, Colo. – 41-39–80
Eric Butler, Denver, Colo. – 41-39–80
Charlie Post, Castle Rock, Colo. – 40-41–81
Jon Lindstrom, Broomfield, Colo. – 40-41–81
Jay Orris, Boulder, Colo. – 40-41–81
Robert Cloud, Denver, Colo. – 42-39–81
James Kackley, Denver, Colo. – 40-41–81
Chris Carlson, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 43-38–81
Owen Ellis, Boulder, Colo. – 44-38–82
Charles Chon, Aurora, Colo. – 42-40–82
Chris Longfellow, Castle Rock, Colo. – 40-42–82
Daniel Honer, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. – 42-40–82
Ken Sady, Avon, Colo. – 42-40–82
Tim Fitzgerald, Lone Tree, Colo. – 44-38–82
Charles Scheinost, Greeley, Colo. – 40-42–82
Larry Corson, Charlotte, N.C. – 42-40–82
Thomas Musselman Jr, Lexington, Ky. – 41-42–83
Scott Patterson, Eagle, Colo. – 42-41–83
Mark Brown, Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 41-42–83
Nicholas Welshons, Englewood, Colo. – 40-43–83
Trent Isgrig, San Rafael, Calif. – 42-41–83
Steve Sullivan, Castle Rock, Colo. – 42-41–83
David Ramsden-Wood, Denver, Colo. – 42-41–83
Shane Thomas, Denver, Colo. – 38-46–84
Steve Summers, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 41-44–85
Stephen Fernandes, Denver, Colo. – 37-48–85
Scott Sullivan, Grand Junction, Colo. – 40-45–85
Eloy Ramos, Parker, Colo. – 41-45–86
Martin Prazak, Denver, Colo. – 40-46–86
Davin Sjoberg, Crested Butte, Colo. – 38-48–86
Sean Griswold, Durango, Colo. – 43-43–86
Stephen Bell, Denver, Colo. – 44-43–87
Michael Glaesel, Arvada, Colo. – 46-41–87
Ryne Scholl, Breckenridge, Colo. – 42-45–87
Thomas Roos, Castle Rock, Colo. – 45-43–88
Bradley Bugg, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 45-43–88
Jason Marshall, Aurora, Colo. – 47-41–88
Don Stoner, Arvada, Colo. – 45-43–88
Casey Hannen, Denver, Colo. – 43-46–89
Eric Fitzsimmons, Castle Rock, Colo. – 39-50–89
Cory Collins, Englewood, Colo. – 48-41–89
Bryan Pieper, Louisville, Colo. – 43-47–90
Kelly Forrester, Littleton, Colo. – 44-48–92
Dale Chavez, Centennial, Colo. – 48-46–94
Thomas Burns, Carroll, Iowa – 47-53–100
Wyck J Brown, Denver, Colo. – 48-58–106
Jeffery Holm, Parker, Colo. – NC
Rich Trout, Arvada, Colo. – NS
Billy Post, Centennial, Colo. – NC
Steve White, Jackson, Wyo. – NC
David Stewart, Denver, Colo. – WD
Trey Caldwell, Round Rock, Texas – NC
Jason Coffin, Denver, Colo. – WD
Clint Miller, Englewood, Colo. – WD
