Colorado native Wyndham Clark qualifies for his first U.S. Open and Denver-area resident Martin Laird for his seventh; both place in top 5 in stacked qualifying tourney in Ohio
By Gary Baines – 6/7/2021 (Updated June 8)
Perhaps the floodgates have started to open for Wyndham Clark, the Colorado native and Valor Christian High School graduate.
A year ago at this time, he had never competed in a major championship. But then he landed a spot in the 2020 PGA Championship, played in August, after coming off the alternate list when J.B. Holmes withdrew.
And last month, Clark made the field for his second major, again the PGA Championship — and again after coming off the alternate list. He teed it up at Kiawah Island after Vijay Singh’s withdrawal opened up a spot. And it should be noted that the 27-year-old made his first cut in a major, finishing 75th.
Then on Monday, Clark took a different route into a major — though it wasn’t official until Tuesday morning. He competed in one of nine 36-hole U.S. Open final qualifying tournaments held across the country. But his — in Columbus, Ohio — didn’t get completed because of a weather delay that lasted 3 hours and 15 minutes.
But with the top 16 finishers out of an original field of 120 qualifying for the U.S. Open, Clark tied for third place when things wrapped up on Tuesday. And with that, he punched his ticket to the U.S. Open for the first time, as he’ll tee it up June 17-20 at Torrey Pines in San Diego,
“To finally make it through — and to go to Torrey — it’s pretty special,” Clark said on Golf Channel Monday night after completing a stretch in which he played a remarkable eight straight weeks on the PGA Tour.
Clark was one of those who did finish play on Monday, posting scores of 64-70 for a 10-under par 134 total at a site which featured a plethora of PGA Tour card holders. The only players with better 36-hole score were Chez Reavie and Erik van Rooyen (both 132). Clark finished the two rounds with an eagle, 10 birdies and two bogeys.
Meanwhile, another player with strong Colorado connections also qualified for the U.S. Open at the same site. After completing his final hole on Tuesday morning, Denver-area resident Martin Laird checked in at 9-under 133, with a 68 in the first round followed by a bogey-free 67 in the second. Overall, he had 11 birdies and two bogeys and placed fifth.
Clark, a two-time state high school individual champion who also claimed the 2010 CGA Amateur and 2017 Pac-12 titles at Boulder Country Club, is currently ranked No. 141 in the world. Clark has yet to win on the PGA Tour, but finished second in a playoff in November in the Bermuda Championship and tied for eighth in February at the Genesis Invitational. Overall for his career, he’s notched six top-10s on the PGA Tour.
Clark stands 60th on this season’s FedExCup points list and has earned almost $1.2 million in the 2020-21 wraparound season.
As for Laird, the former Colorado State University golfer who moved to the Denver metro area a year ago, he will be headed to the U.S. Open for the seventh time, with his best finish there being a 21st in 2013.
Laird won the PGA Tour’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in the fall. Last month, he finished 23rd at the PGA Championship, after placing 38th in April in his first Masters appearance since 2013.
Clark and Laird join another player with strong Colorado ties in qualifying for the U.S. Open, Air Force Academy graduate and former Broomfield resident Kyle Westmoreland earned a berth last month in qualifying in Dallas.
Meanwhile, narrowly missing U.S. Open berths on Monday were 2010 CGA Player of the Year — and Kent Denver grad — Gunner Wiebe, along with University of Colorado golfer Kristoffer Max. Both were competing at Rolling Hills Estates, Calif., where 90 players vied for five spots.
Wiebe, the reigning National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Champion, shared the lead after firing a first-round 65. But the former Coloradan — who was hoping for a return trip to Torrey Pines, where he competed in the 2010 Farmers Insurance Open — posted a 3-over 75 in his second round on Monday, falling two strokes shy of the fifth and final qualifying berth.
Max opened with a 67, but also backed it up with a 75.
Taylor Montgomery of Las Vegas, son of three-time Rocky Mountain Open champion Monte Montgomery, earned one of the five spots at Rolling Hills Estates by going 67-70.
For all the scores from U.S. Open qualifying, CLICK HERE.
Here are the players with strong Colorado ties who competed in final qualifying on Monday, along with the results of those who played in final qualifying in Dallas on May 24-25 (a-indicates amateur):
COMPETED IN FINAL QUALIFYING IN DALLAS IN MAY
Qualified for U.S. Open
4. Former Air Force Academy golfer Kyle Westmoreland 72-63–135
Failed to Qualify
a-Chris Thayer, Golden 73-+4 through 8 holes of 2nd round—WD
a-Cal McCoy, Highlands Ranch 77-Even through 7 holes of 2nd round—WD
COMPETED IN FINAL QUALIFYING ON JUNE 7
In Columbus, Ohio (120 Players for 16 Spots)
Qualified for U.S. Open
3. Colorado native and Valor Christian HS graduate Wyndham Clark 64-70–134
5. Martin Laird, Denver, former CSU golfer 68-67–135
Failed to Qualify
Sam Saunders, Fort Collins 71-75—146
Tyler McCumber, Lyons 69-WD
Rolling Hills Estates, Calif. (90 Players for 5 Spots)
Failed to Qualify
Former CGA Player of the Year Gunner Wiebe 65-75–140 (missed by 2)
a-CU golfer Kristoffer Max 67-75–142
Former Fort Collins resident Matthew Liringis 71-71–142
Former Colorado School of Mines golfer George Markham 74-77–151
a-Former CU golfer Victor Bjorlow 78-73–151
In Jupiter, Fla. (78 Players for 6 Spots)
Failed to Qualify
Chris Korte, Littleton 73-77—150 (missed by 8)
a-Ryan Burke, Longmont 84-77—161
Springfield, Ohio (77 Players for 7 Spots)
Failed to Qualify
Former Colorado School of Mines golfer Marty Jertson 73-70–143 (missed by 6)
a-Parker Edens, Fort Collins 75-69—144
Zahkai Brown, Golden 74-71–145
Hilton Head, S.C. (53 Players for 5 Spots)
Failed to Qualify
Jim Knous, Littleton 73-76–149 (missed by 11)
Richland, Wash. (45 Players for 2 Spots)
Failed to Qualify
a-Gavin Hagstrom, Fort Collins 77-70–147 (missed by 7)
a-DU golfer Jun Ho Won 81-76–157
a-Pete Mangold, Denver 80-86–166