It’s quite a feat to qualify for most USGA championships, so it’s not surprising that that is a goal in and of itself for many competitors.
Then there are players such as Keith Humerickhouse of Eagle and Michael Harrington of Colorado Springs who certainly appreciate qualifying for national USGA events, but they’ve experienced enough success at that level that they’re looking for bigger things.
On Monday at Highland Meadows Golf Course in Windsor, both Humerickhouse and Harrington qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur for the third time. And in each of their previous appearances in the event, they’ve advanced to the 64-man match-play portion of the championship. In fact, each has reached the round of 16 once, Humerickhouse last year and Harrington in 2006. In the latter’s case, ironically, he was eliminated in the Sweet 16 by a fellow Coloradan, Rick DeWitt.
So both Humerickhouse and Harrington have whetted their appetite in the past to the point that they’re convinced that even bigger things could be in store.
“I feel like I can win (the national Mid-Am title),” Humerickhouse said flat out. “I learned the first year, in 2010 (when he lost in the round of 32), that I could compete. After last year when I went to Birmingham, I truly believe that I can win. You’ve just got to play good golf for (six) days in a row, which is not easy but …”
Harrington also qualified for the U.S. Amateur this summer, but it’s the Mid-Am where he believes he can really make headway.
“The U.S. Am is great, but I feel I can compete in the U.S. Mid-Am to some degree,” he said. “If you were to ask me which I’d choose to go to, it would be the Mid-Am over the U.S. Am. The U.S. Am is clearly a better tournament, but the competition is fierce.”
Humerickhouse and Harrington were two of the five national qualifiers Monday for the tournament that’s limited to players 25 and older.
Humerickhouse, the former professional who has won the last four CGA Mid-Amateurs, earned medalist honors with a 6-under-par 65. Harrington, the 2014 CGA Mid-Amateur Match Play Invitational champ, fired a 66.
Landing the three remaining national berths out of Monday’s field — which originally numbered 81 — were Thomas Roos of Centennial, Rob Clever of Firestone and Mark Zbrzeznj of Avon. Roos and Clever matched 67s, while Zbrzeznj shot 68 and gained the final spot by parring the second hole of a sudden-death playoff. Jeffrey Gravina of Littleton, who missed a 10-foot par putt on the second extra hole after being in bunkers twice, was relegated to the first alternate position despite a 68.
The qualifiers range in age from 30 (Zbrzeznj) to 55 (Roos), with Clever being 34, Humerickhouse 38 and Harrington 42. (The qualifiers not involved in the playoff are pictured at top, from left: Humerickhouse, Harrington, Clever and Roos.)
In all, 18 players broke par in Monday’s qualifying tournament.
The U.S. Mid-Amateur will be played Sept. 6-11 at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa.
In last year’s U.S. Mid-Am, Humerickhouse (left) not only made it to the final 16, but in the round of 32 he ousted a two-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, Tim Jackson of Germantown, Pa.
And on Monday, the left-hander again demonstrated why he’s been such a dominant force in the mid-amateur ranks in Colorado over the last several years. He made seven birdies on the day, and the only blemish on his card came on No. 17, his eighth hole of the day, which he bogeyed.
Humerickhouse’s memories from the 2013 U.S. Amateur Public Links qualifying held at Highland Meadows — where he just missed qualifying despite rounds of 68-67 — proved valuable on Monday.
“It was nice because the pin locations were the same as they were for the Publinks qualifier” last year, he said. “I knew before even going to the hole where they were located. I knew exactly the shots that I was going to have. It definitely helped.” Asked how he remembers something so distinctly from rounds he played more than 13 months ago, he said, “You play 36 holes of competitive golf — and you play well — you’re going to remember.”
Harrington likewise had only one bogey on Monday, but he got his out of the way very early. On the par-5 first hole, he only had a 5-iron in for his second shot, but he “chunk-pushed it” and made a 6. “It was a horrible shot,” he said. “I’m like, ‘Oh boy.’ I felt like I kind of gave two away.” But from then on, his card was nice and clean, with six birdies and no bogeys for the final 17 holes.
With his performance Monday, Harrington guaranteed himself same-year berths in both the U.S. Mid-Am and the U.S. Am for the first time in his career.
“Double the fun,” he said. “It will just be a lot of fun (to play both). The (Mid-Am) course is supposedly spectacular, and it’s on the East Coast where my family is from. Some of them might be able to come down and watch me play there, which is very nice. In Atlanta (for the U.S. Amateur), my father and my stepmother are coming down.”
The Mid-Am will be Harrington’s ninth USGA championship, with three U.S. Amateurs, three Mid-Ams and three USGA State Teams.
The other three qualifiers on Monday — Roos, Clever and Zbrzeznj (left) — will each be headed to his first USGA championship. The fact that Roos made it as a 55-year-old while competing against some players half his age was a feat unto itself.
“At 55 it’s special,” said Roos, who finished third in the CGA Senior Stroke Play last year. “I figure (some of the younger guys) will probably beat me by a few strokes, but I feel like I can compete. If I didn’t feel like I could come out and compete, I wouldn’t try.”
One of the ways Roos leveled the playing field Monday was by needing just 23 putts in his round. He started off birdie-birdie and was on his way.
Though Roos plays a lot of golf — 31 tournaments last year, for example — Monday’s 67 tied his competitive low for 2014.
Clever rallied in a big way to shoot what was necessary to qualify for the Mid-Am. He played his first eight holes in 1 over par, but a hard-earned par on No. 18 (his ninth hole) put him in the right frame of mind. From there, he hit a 247-yard 3-wood approach on No. 1 to 20 feet and holed his eagle putt. And he backed that up with an 8-foot birdie on 2, then capped off his round with birdie putts of 4 and 15 feet on his last two holes.
“I’ve played golf most of my life and college golf at San Jose State, but I’ve never won a CGA event and never been to a national championship,” said Clever, whose biggest victory came at the 2004 Long Beach Match Play. “This will be a lot of fun. My dad will be along caddying for me (as he was on Monday). It’s just about getting out and being with my dad now.”
As for Zbrzeznj, qualifying Monday was particularly meaningful given that he comes from Philadelphia, which is about 50 miles from Bethlehem.
“It feels tremendous,” said the University of Colorado graduate. “I’ve been trying in these USGA (qualifying) events for probably 15 years since I was a junior (golfer) and this is the first one I’ve made. It feels amazing. I get to go home. I’m originally from Philadelphia. I’ve played Saucon Valley before. This is special.”
U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifying
At Par-71 Highland Meadows GC
ADVANCE TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Keith Humerickhouse, Eagle, Colo., 32-33–65
Michael Harrington, Colorado Springs, Colo., 34-32–66
Thomas Roos, Centennial, Colo., 34-33–67
Rob Clever, Firestone, Colo., 31-36–67
Mark Zbrzeznj, Avon, Colo., 35-33–68
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Jeffrey Gravina, Littleton, Colo., 37-31–68
Dean Siskowski, Johnstown, Colo., 35-34–69
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Barry Erwin, Aurora, Colo., 36-33–69
Jason Coffin, Longmont, Colo., 35-34–69
Ryan Nardini, Pueblo, Colo., 35-34–69
Neil Metz, Edmond, Okla., 36-33–69
Matt Hall, Grand Junction, Colo., 35-34–69
Shawn Mercer, Westminster, Colo., 35-35–70
Andrew Tapia, Raton, N.M., 37-33–70
Christopher Thayer, Denver, Colo., 37-33–70
Grant Dean, Colorado Springs, Colo., 36-34–70
Paul Mohr, Scottsbluff, Neb., 34-36–70
Jan Wong, Lakewood, Colo., 36-34–70
Alex Kephart, Colorado Springs, Colo., 35-36–71
Corey Stanton, Breckenridge, Colo., 33-38–71
James Banyas, Denver, Colo., 36-35–71
Christopher Roehrkasse, Greenwood Village, Colo., 36-35–71
Michael Love, Magnolia, Ark., 36-35–71
Tristan Sanders, Denver, Colo., 36-35–71
Scott Shore, Littleton, Colo., 37-34–71
Kyle Sullivan, Parker, Colo., 39-32–71
Clint Miller, Englewood, Colo., 35-37–72
Jeff Chapman, Englewood, Colo., 37-35–72
David Lysaught, Denver, Colo., 35-37–72
Steven Irwin, Arvada, Colo., 35-37–72
Wesley Martin, Denver, Colo., 34-38–72
Jonathan Marsico, Denver, Colo., 35-37–72
Gary Driber, Castle Pines, Colo., 39-33–72
Micah Chadrick, Parker, Colo., 37-35–72
Danny Riskam, Broomfield, Colo., 37-35–72
Tj Blandford, Boulder, Colo., 37-36–73
Chad Gonzalez, Denver, Colo., 35-38–73
Shane Unfred, Windsor, Colo., 40-33–73
Christopher Wilson, Colorado Springs, Colo., 38-35–73
Bryan Cannon, Columbine Valley, Colo., 36-37–73
Michael Passananti, Pueblo, Colo., 36-38–74
Andy Brooks, Denver, Colo., 36-38–74
Doug Manske, Durango, Colo., 37-37–74
Michael Glaesel, Arvada, Colo., 37-37–74
Joel Perez, Denver, Colo., 37-37–74
Dan Deppen, Erie, Colo., 38-36–74
Ryan Prew, Arvada, Colo., 39-35–74
Sean Griswold, Durango, Colo., 40-34–74
Nathan Wilson, Sheridan, Wyo., 37-37–74
Bradley Ott, Fort Collins, Colo., 36-39–75
Dewey Burke, Denver, Colo., 38-37–75
Anthony Thorpe, Black Hawk, Colo., 39-37–76
Brett Housman, Pueblo, Colo., 42-34–76
Jeff Tyrrell, Casper, Wyo., 39-37–76
James Kackley, Dallas, Texas, 39-37–76
Brian Key, Colorado Springs, Colo., 36-40–76
John Jarmul, Houston, Texas, 38-39–77
Andy Warner, Centennial, Colo., 37-40–77
John Sostman, Littleton, Colo., 41-37–78
Owen Ellis, Boulder, Colo., 37-41–78
Billy Day, Pueblo West, Colo., 44-34–78
Bill Parker, Denver, Colo., 44-34–78
Matthew Sullivan, Denver, Colo., 40-38–78
Thomas Balderston, Denver, Colo., 43-37–80
Jay Orris, Boulder, Colo., 42-40–82
Steve Duran, Lakewood, Colo., 42-40–82
Michael Young, Cheyenne, Wyo., 40-43–83
Arnold Hoy, Castle Rock, Colo., 42-43–85
Heath Myers, Kingfisher, Okla., WD
John Luoma, Parker, Colo., WD
Matthew Soper, Denver, Colo., NS
Jared Polivka, Boulder, Colo., NS
Dan Dunkelberg, Fort Worth, Texas, NS
