Golfers from all over the world and across the U.S. converged on Fort Collins Country Club Thursday for U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifying.
There were competitors from five nations — Australia, the Philippines, Spain, Mexico and, of course, the U.S. As for Americans, players were on hand from Tennessee, Maryland, Texas, Florida, California, Washington, New Mexico, Utah, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Nevada and Colorado.
Given that, it wasn’t surprising to emerge with six qualifiers hailing from five different states and one foreign country.
A Colorado resident, per se, wasn’t among the national qualifiers, but two golfers who played for Colorado-based colleges last season were represented.
Former University of Colorado golfer Alexis Keating and current Colorado State player Kartina Prendergast were among the six competitors who qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur.
Keating, who wrapped up her CU career in May, shot a 1-under-par 70 to finish third, while Prendergast, playing one of CSU’s home courses, posted a 72, good for fifth place.
Also advancing to the U.S. Women’s Am — which will be held Aug. 1-7 at Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pa. — were 17-year-old Kaitlin Milligan of Norman, Okla., who earned medalist honors with a 3-under-par 68; University of Arkansas golfer Jordy LaBarbera of Allen, Texas (69), Samantha Martirez from the Philippines (71), and San Diego State golfer Sirene Blair from South Jordan, Utah (73).
(The qualifiers are pictured above, from left, Milligan, LaBarbera, Keating, Martirez, Prendergast and Blair.)
Keating, who has finished fifth individually in each of the last two ultra-competitive Women’s Pac-12 Championships, has come close to qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Am before. And given that she’s planning to turn pro in time for next month’s first stage of LPGA qualifying, advancing to the national amateur this time was particularly sweet.
“It means a lot, especially with this being possibly the last amateur hurrah,” said Keating, who lives in Elma, Wash., but has been working at Boulder Country Club since graduating. “I’m planning on going to Q-school. It means a lot, having mom on the bag (caddying on Thursday). That was fun.”
In a round steadier than most, Keating finished with two birdies, a bogey and 15 pars at Fort Collins CC.
“The putts weren’t really dropping in the beginning, but I kind of had to stay patient and wait it out,” said Keating, a 21-year-old whose only previous USGA championship experience was the final U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links in 2014, when it was held in Washington, about 40 minutes from her home.
Prendergast traveled back to Fort Collins from her home in Reno, Nev., to compete at a site with which she’s familiar. The CSU sophomore-to-be estimates she had played Fort Collins Country Club six or seven times before Thursday’s qualifier.
“I’m most comfortable at this course” compared to other qualifying sites, the 18-year-old said. “It was nice to come back here. It’s a great course.”
Prendergast, runner-up in the Mountain West Conference Championships as a freshman, made the turn in 3 over par on Thursday, but made three birdies and went 2 under on the back to earn a U.S. Women’s Am spot in her first attempt at qualifying.
“It’s awesome,” she said. “I went to the (U.S. Girls’ Junior) last year and I had a lot of fun with that. It’s good to be able to go this one too.”
All told, 59 golfers competed Thursday in Fort Collins.
It will be the first U.S. Women’s Amateur for all of Thursday’s qualifiers except for LaBarbera, who advanced to nationals and made match play in 2014. LaBarbera is the younger sister of CSU women’s assistant coach Jessa LaBarbera.
Jordy LaBarbera was 3 over par after seven holes on Thursday, but played her last 11 in 5 under. That included a 40-foot eagle on No. 10 and making birdies on three of her last four holes, including a 25-footer on No. 18.
“The eagle put me in a different mindset,” she said.
Like LaBarbera, Milligan eagled the 480-yard, par-5 10th hole. In Milligan’s case, she chipped in from 50 feet there, then birdied the next two holes. She shot her 68 despite finishing with two straight bogeys. “I’m really excited” about qualifying, said Milligan, who has verbally committed to play college golf at Oklahoma beginning in a year. “It means a lot. I didn’t realize how big of a deal it is until recently.”
This week was not only Milligan’s first time trying to qualify for the Women’s Amateur, but her first time playing golf in Colorado.
“We were hoping it would be a little cooler than it was in Oklahoma. And yes it is — a lot,” she said.
The Women’s Am will be the fourth USGA championship for Milligan following two U.S. Girls’ Juniors and one U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball.
Like Milligan, this was Martirez’s first time playing in Colorado. She was 3 over par through nine, but played the back side in 3 under.
Asked how she felt about qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Am in her first attempt, the future California Baptist golfer said, “Oh my God, I’m really excited about it.”
Blair, the 2014 Utah Golf Association Women’s Player of the Year, is also heading to her first U.S. Women’s Am.
“It’s amazing,” said the 21-year-old, who has played in multiple U.S. Girls’ Juniors. “I have a couple of friends who have gone to the tournament and they both say it’s such a great event. It’s great to represent Utah and show off all the skills I’ve been working on.”
U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifying
At Par-71 Fort Collins CC
QUALIFIED FOR U.S. WOMEN’S AM
Kaitlin Milligan, Norman, Okla. 35-33–68
Jordy LaBarbera, Allen, Texas 37-32–69
Alexis Keating, Elma, Wash. 35-35–70
Samantha Martirez, Philippine 38-33–71
Katrina Prendergast, Sparks, Nev. 38-34–72
Sirene Blair, South Jordan, Utah 37-36–73
ALTERNATES (in order)
Alexa Pano, Lake Worth, Fla. 37-37–74
Kala Keltz, Montrose, Colo. 37-37–74
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Princess Mary Superal, Philippine 40-34–74
Bryana Nguyen, Columbia, Md. 36-38–74
Allie Andersen, The Woodlands, Texas 40-34–74
Sarah Rippberger, Albuquerque, N.M. 37-37–74
Shania Berger, Albuquerque, N.M. 37-37–74
Erin Sargent, Longmont, Colo. 35-39–74
Jaylee Tait, Littleton, Colo. 36-38–74
Delaney Elliott, Superior, Colo. 39-35–74
Morgan Sahm, Centennial, Colo. 37-38–75
Jordan Remley, Lakewood, Colo. 38-37–75
Janet Moore, Centennial, Colo. 37-38–75
Carly Dehlin, Draper, Utah 38-38–76
Rosana Gomez Valdor, Spain 39-37–76
Gillian Vance, Lakewood, Colo. 38-38–76
Mary Weinstein, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 39-37–76
Kristen Cline, Socorro, N.M. 39-37–76
Caroline Jordaan, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 39-38–77
Evelyn Arguelles, Mexico 40-37–77
Anna Kennedy, Parker, Colo. 38-40–78
Taylor Dorans, Erie, Colo. 40-38–78
Emily Gilbreth, Bellaire, Texas 38-40–78
Sarah Greene, Albuquerque, N.M. 36-42–78
Jaclyn Murray, Aurora, Colo. 41-37–78
Alexis Sadeghy, Edmond, Okla. 39-40–79
Annie Young, Fort Collins, Colo. 41-38–79
Julienne Soo, Australia 40-39–79
Sarah Jo Pravecek, Omaha, Neb. 41-39–80
Tori Glenn, Castle Pines, Colo. 40-40–80
Sara Camarena, Austin, Texas 40-40–80
Amy Chitkoksoong, Aurora, Colo. 38-42–80
Mariah Ehrman, Westminster, Colo. 43-38–81
Rachel Hardy, Houston, Texas 45-37–82
Courtney Ewing, Pueblo West, Colo. 44-39–83
Klara Castillo, Waco, Texas 43-40–83
Hannah More, Littleton, Colo. 42-42–84
Madison McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 44-40–84
Margaret Cowart, Austin, Texas 44-40–84
Momo Sakuragi, Japan 43-41–84
Emilee Strausburg, Lakewood, Colo. 43-42–85
Lydia Kim, Spokane, Wash. 41-44–85
Ashlyn Kirschner, Arvada, Colo. 43-42–85
Jamie Zook, Colorado Springs, Colo. 43-42–85
Kelly Moran, Boulder, Colo. 42-43–85
Jacquelin Biggs, Englewood, Colo. 42-45–87
Shelby Poynter, Scottsbluff, Neb. 45-42–87
Megan McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 44-43–87
Katie Perkins, St. George, Utah 47-41–88
Michelle Romano, Lone Tree, Colo. 45-44–89
Forre Zook, Colorado Springs, Colo. 44-48–92
Calli Gallacher, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 42-52–94
Megan Vernon, Conifer, Colo. 50-46–96
Clare Dittemore, Roseburg, Ore. WD
Haley Dunn, Layton, Utah WD
Laura Gerner, Kaysville, Utah WD
Madison Rhodes, Memphis, Tenn. WD
Haley Thiele, Wahoo, Neb. WD
Emma Whitaker, Wichita, Kan. WDU.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifying
At Par-71 Fort Collins CC
QUALIFIED FOR U.S. WOMEN’S AM
Kaitlin Milligan, Norman, Okla. 35-33–68
Jordy LaBarbera, Allen, Texas 37-32–69
Alexis Keating, Elma, Wash. 35-35–70
Samantha Martirez, Philippine 38-33–71
Katrina Prendergast, Sparks, Nev. 38-34–72
Sirene Blair, South Jordan, Utah 37-36–73
ALTERNATES (in order)
Alexa Pano, Lake Worth, Fla. 37-37–74
Kala Keltz, Montrose, Colo. 37-37–74
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Princess Mary Superal, Philippine 40-34–74
Bryana Nguyen, Columbia, Md. 36-38–74
Allie Andersen, The Woodlands, Texas 40-34–74
Sarah Rippberger, Albuquerque, N.M. 37-37–74
Shania Berger, Albuquerque, N.M. 37-37–74
Erin Sargent, Longmont, Colo. 35-39–74
Jaylee Tait, Littleton, Colo. 36-38–74
Delaney Elliott, Superior, Colo. 39-35–74
Morgan Sahm, Centennial, Colo. 37-38–75
Jordan Remley, Lakewood, Colo. 38-37–75
Janet Moore, Centennial, Colo. 37-38–75
Carly Dehlin, Draper, Utah 38-38–76
Rosana Gomez Valdor, Spain 39-37–76
Gillian Vance, Lakewood, Colo. 38-38–76
Mary Weinstein, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 39-37–76
Kristen Cline, Socorro, N.M. 39-37–76
Caroline Jordaan, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 39-38–77
Evelyn Arguelles, Mexico 40-37–77
Anna Kennedy, Parker, Colo. 38-40–78
Taylor Dorans, Erie, Colo. 40-38–78
Emily Gilbreth, Bellaire, Texas 38-40–78
Sarah Greene, Albuquerque, N.M. 36-42–78
Jaclyn Murray, Aurora, Colo. 41-37–78
Alexis Sadeghy, Edmond, Okla. 39-40–79
Annie Young, Fort Collins, Colo. 41-38–79
Julienne Soo, Australia 40-39–79
Sarah Jo Pravecek, Omaha, Neb. 41-39–80
Tori Glenn, Castle Pines, Colo. 40-40–80
Sara Camarena, Austin, Texas 40-40–80
Amy Chitkoksoong, Aurora, Colo. 38-42–80
Mariah Ehrman, Westminster, Colo. 43-38–81
Rachel Hardy, Houston, Texas 45-37–82
Courtney Ewing, Pueblo West, Colo. 44-39–83
Klara Castillo, Waco, Texas 43-40–83
Hannah More, Littleton, Colo. 42-42–84
Madison McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 44-40–84
Margaret Cowart, Austin, Texas 44-40–84
Momo Sakuragi, Japan 43-41–84
Emilee Strausburg, Lakewood, Colo. 43-42–85
Lydia Kim, Spokane, Wash. 41-44–85
Ashlyn Kirschner, Arvada, Colo. 43-42–85
Jamie Zook, Colorado Springs, Colo. 43-42–85
Kelly Moran, Boulder, Colo. 42-43–85
Jacquelin Biggs, Englewood, Colo. 42-45–87
Shelby Poynter, Scottsbluff, Neb. 45-42–87
Megan McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 44-43–87
Katie Perkins, St. George, Utah 47-41–88
Michelle Romano, Lone Tree, Colo. 45-44–89
Forre Zook, Colorado Springs, Colo. 44-48–92
Calli Gallacher, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 42-52–94
Megan Vernon, Conifer, Colo. 50-46–96
Clare Dittemore, Roseburg, Ore. WD
Haley Dunn, Layton, Utah WD
Laura Gerner, Kaysville, Utah WD
Madison Rhodes, Memphis, Tenn. WD
Haley Thiele, Wahoo, Neb. WD
Emma Whitaker, Wichita, Kan. WD
