Colorado University Athletics
Photo by: Ashton Scott
Men's Golf: July Notes
July 26, 2024 | Men's Golf
Biwer, Eisenbeis and Holland score academic honors; Buffs doing well in Colorado Open
Several members of the University of Colorado's 2024-25 golf team continued their summer play from coast to coast in July. Here's a look at some of the top performances, along with some alumni nuggets:
ACADEMIC HONORS
The Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) and the Pac-12 Conference released their academic honors this week. The GCAA announced its annual Cobalt All-American Scholars, with senior Justin Biwer honored for the second consecutive year. He is enrolled in CU's Leeds School of Business, pursuing a double major in Accounting and Finance.
To be eligible for Cobalt Golf All-America Scholar honors in Division I, an individual must be a sophomore, junior or senior both academically and athletically; participate in 50 percent of their team's competitive rounds; own a stroke average under 76.0; and maintain a minimum cumulative career grade-point average of 3.2. A recipient must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at their college or university.
In addition, Biwer and fellow seniors Freddy Eisenbeis and Jack Holland were again named to the Pac-12's Spring Academic Honor Roll, which recognizes all student-athletes with a cumulative GPA at or in excess of 3.3. All three were honored for the second year in a row.
Eisenbeis is also a Business major (Finance) and working on a minor in Art History; Holland is a Chemical Engineering major. Both previously had earned Academic All-District honors from the College Sports Communicators (CSC, formerly CoSIDA).
U.S. AMATEUR UPDATE: THREE BUFFS IN NEXT MONTH'S FIELD
Sophomore Ty Holbrook tied for sixth Monday in U.S. Amateur in the second stage of qualifying and earned a spot in the main event, scheduled for Aug. 12-18 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. His 3-under par 67 (33-34) at Dallas' Brook Hollow Golf Club was just one behind the leaders, five who carded 66's.
On the same day, Biwer came up one stroke shy of qualifying in Mission Viejo (37-34—70, -1), but is the first alternate out of the group. He tied for seventh with five players but was the first one eliminated in the playoff for the last four spots.
On July 16 in Pleasanton, Calif., sophomore Brandon Knight qualified for the main event after tying for third with a 2-under par 70 at the Club at Ruby Hill. He had a steady round of an eagle, three birdies and 11 pars with just three bogeys. He did that two days after he tied for seventh in the Northern California Amateur Stroke Play (71-68-72—211; -5) on the Poppy Hills course at Pebble Beach.
Incoming freshman Parker Paxton scored the best of three Buffs attempting to qualify at Columbine Country Club on July 18. He tied for fifth with a 1-under 71, but is the second alternate should any of the six who qualified (and the first alternate) drop out. Junior Hunter Swanson fired an even-par 72, tying for 10th; and former CU player and assistant coach Pat Grady ('09) carded a 3-over 75. He advanced after he shot an-even par on July 2 at Thorncreek GC in Thornton.
Holbrook and Knight will join senior Dylan McDermott, who was except from qualifying, giving the Buffaloes three active players in the 312-man field. It's the third time three players on the current Buff roster will be competing, joining a trio from 1998 (Matt Call, Paul Robinson and Norton Rainey) and also in 1999 (Call, Brandon Tompkins and Matt Zions).
This is the third time McDermott has qualified for what most consider the most prestigious amateur tournament in the world; he missed the cut in 2022, and advanced out of stroke play last year before falling in the first round at Cherry Hills CC in Denver. Knight will be in his second U.S. Am, missing the cut last year.
Through the years, in the past 51 Buffaloes have played in the U.S. Amateur, either before, during or after their time in Boulder. McDermott will join Steve Irwin, Scott Petersen and Derek Tolan as three-time participants.
BUFFS JUST MISS CUT IN SOUTHERN AMATEUR IN LEXINGTON, KY.
McDermott missed the cut by one stroke, tying for 55th with a 2-under par 73-65—138 scorecard at Idle Hour Country Club. The 65 tied for the fourth-best score in the second round. However, a bogey on No. 18 prevented him from landing in an 18-way tie to advance.
Biwer also played well, missing advancing by two shots (72-67—139, -1); that tied him for 83rd in the 156-man field. Ten days earlier, he attempted to qualify for the PGA Tour's ISCO Championship in Kentucky; he shot an even-par 72 but was four strokes shy of advancing, still a valiant effort.
Both will continue what has been a nationwide summer tour in the Western Amateur, July 30-August 3 at Moraine Country Club in Dayton, Ohio.
TRIO TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON FOR PACIFIC COAST AMATEUR
Three Buffaloes competed this week in the 57th annual Pacific Coast Amateur, which ended Friday and was held at Chambers Bay Golf Course (7,124 yards, par-71) in University Place, Wash. Knight had the best finish, tying for 41st with a 4-over 71-76-72-69—288 effort; his final round 69 was one of 21 recorded out of 81 players Friday. Paxton tied for 51st with a 72-78-67-73—290 tally (6-over); and Swanson tied for 65th with a 12-over 75-74-70-77—296 scorecard.
SEVERAL BUFFS COMPETING IN COLORADO OPEN
Six Buffaloes – four alumni and two current players – teed it up beginning Thursday in the Inspirato Colorado Open at Green Valley Ranch in northeast Denver. The 72-hole event concludes Sunday, with the 144-man field cut to 71 players at 1-under or better after Friday's second round.
Senior Tucker Clark earned CU's exemption, while sophomore Ty Holbrook qualified by recording a 3-under 68 on July 1 in the qualifier at DU's Golf at Highlands Ranch course.
Alums competing include CU associate head coach Derek Tolan ('09), Dan Sniffin ('00) and Derek Fribbs ('13), all professionals, while Pat Grady ('09) reclaimed his amateur status years ago.
Making the cut at 1-under 141 on the 7,253-yard, par-71 Green Valley Ranch course were Tolan, who is tied for ninth with a 7-under 68-67—135 performance; Clark, tied for 39th (3-under 70-69—139); Fribbs, tied for 49th (2-under 72-68—140); and Grady, tied for 59th (68-73—141). At this juncture, Clark is the low amateur, five of whom advanced to play on the weekend.
Missing the cut were Sniffin (79-70—149; his nine-stroke improvement did tie for the fourth-best) and Holbrook (74-76—150).
Next week, Holbrook, Swanson and Grady will tee it up in the Colorado State Amateur (formerly the state Stroke Play Championship), set for Aug. 1-4 at Eisenhower Blue in Colorado Springs.
LATEST WORLD AMATEUR RANKINGS
In the latest World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), three Buffaloes are in the top 200 as of July 24: McDermott (#104), Biwer (#183), and incoming freshman Zeqian "Michael" Fang (#176); he has been competing in his native China and will enroll at CU next month. Other Buffs in the top 1,000 include Swanson (#346; up 71 spots from the last week in June) and Clark (#923); Knight is next (#1134, as he vaulted 143 slots higher over the last month.)
ALUMNI NOTES
ACADEMIC HONORS
The Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) and the Pac-12 Conference released their academic honors this week. The GCAA announced its annual Cobalt All-American Scholars, with senior Justin Biwer honored for the second consecutive year. He is enrolled in CU's Leeds School of Business, pursuing a double major in Accounting and Finance.
To be eligible for Cobalt Golf All-America Scholar honors in Division I, an individual must be a sophomore, junior or senior both academically and athletically; participate in 50 percent of their team's competitive rounds; own a stroke average under 76.0; and maintain a minimum cumulative career grade-point average of 3.2. A recipient must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at their college or university.
In addition, Biwer and fellow seniors Freddy Eisenbeis and Jack Holland were again named to the Pac-12's Spring Academic Honor Roll, which recognizes all student-athletes with a cumulative GPA at or in excess of 3.3. All three were honored for the second year in a row.
Eisenbeis is also a Business major (Finance) and working on a minor in Art History; Holland is a Chemical Engineering major. Both previously had earned Academic All-District honors from the College Sports Communicators (CSC, formerly CoSIDA).
U.S. AMATEUR UPDATE: THREE BUFFS IN NEXT MONTH'S FIELD
Sophomore Ty Holbrook tied for sixth Monday in U.S. Amateur in the second stage of qualifying and earned a spot in the main event, scheduled for Aug. 12-18 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. His 3-under par 67 (33-34) at Dallas' Brook Hollow Golf Club was just one behind the leaders, five who carded 66's.
On the same day, Biwer came up one stroke shy of qualifying in Mission Viejo (37-34—70, -1), but is the first alternate out of the group. He tied for seventh with five players but was the first one eliminated in the playoff for the last four spots.
On July 16 in Pleasanton, Calif., sophomore Brandon Knight qualified for the main event after tying for third with a 2-under par 70 at the Club at Ruby Hill. He had a steady round of an eagle, three birdies and 11 pars with just three bogeys. He did that two days after he tied for seventh in the Northern California Amateur Stroke Play (71-68-72—211; -5) on the Poppy Hills course at Pebble Beach.
Incoming freshman Parker Paxton scored the best of three Buffs attempting to qualify at Columbine Country Club on July 18. He tied for fifth with a 1-under 71, but is the second alternate should any of the six who qualified (and the first alternate) drop out. Junior Hunter Swanson fired an even-par 72, tying for 10th; and former CU player and assistant coach Pat Grady ('09) carded a 3-over 75. He advanced after he shot an-even par on July 2 at Thorncreek GC in Thornton.
Holbrook and Knight will join senior Dylan McDermott, who was except from qualifying, giving the Buffaloes three active players in the 312-man field. It's the third time three players on the current Buff roster will be competing, joining a trio from 1998 (Matt Call, Paul Robinson and Norton Rainey) and also in 1999 (Call, Brandon Tompkins and Matt Zions).
This is the third time McDermott has qualified for what most consider the most prestigious amateur tournament in the world; he missed the cut in 2022, and advanced out of stroke play last year before falling in the first round at Cherry Hills CC in Denver. Knight will be in his second U.S. Am, missing the cut last year.
Through the years, in the past 51 Buffaloes have played in the U.S. Amateur, either before, during or after their time in Boulder. McDermott will join Steve Irwin, Scott Petersen and Derek Tolan as three-time participants.
BUFFS JUST MISS CUT IN SOUTHERN AMATEUR IN LEXINGTON, KY.
McDermott missed the cut by one stroke, tying for 55th with a 2-under par 73-65—138 scorecard at Idle Hour Country Club. The 65 tied for the fourth-best score in the second round. However, a bogey on No. 18 prevented him from landing in an 18-way tie to advance.
Biwer also played well, missing advancing by two shots (72-67—139, -1); that tied him for 83rd in the 156-man field. Ten days earlier, he attempted to qualify for the PGA Tour's ISCO Championship in Kentucky; he shot an even-par 72 but was four strokes shy of advancing, still a valiant effort.
Both will continue what has been a nationwide summer tour in the Western Amateur, July 30-August 3 at Moraine Country Club in Dayton, Ohio.
TRIO TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON FOR PACIFIC COAST AMATEUR
Three Buffaloes competed this week in the 57th annual Pacific Coast Amateur, which ended Friday and was held at Chambers Bay Golf Course (7,124 yards, par-71) in University Place, Wash. Knight had the best finish, tying for 41st with a 4-over 71-76-72-69—288 effort; his final round 69 was one of 21 recorded out of 81 players Friday. Paxton tied for 51st with a 72-78-67-73—290 tally (6-over); and Swanson tied for 65th with a 12-over 75-74-70-77—296 scorecard.
SEVERAL BUFFS COMPETING IN COLORADO OPEN
Six Buffaloes – four alumni and two current players – teed it up beginning Thursday in the Inspirato Colorado Open at Green Valley Ranch in northeast Denver. The 72-hole event concludes Sunday, with the 144-man field cut to 71 players at 1-under or better after Friday's second round.
Senior Tucker Clark earned CU's exemption, while sophomore Ty Holbrook qualified by recording a 3-under 68 on July 1 in the qualifier at DU's Golf at Highlands Ranch course.
Alums competing include CU associate head coach Derek Tolan ('09), Dan Sniffin ('00) and Derek Fribbs ('13), all professionals, while Pat Grady ('09) reclaimed his amateur status years ago.
Making the cut at 1-under 141 on the 7,253-yard, par-71 Green Valley Ranch course were Tolan, who is tied for ninth with a 7-under 68-67—135 performance; Clark, tied for 39th (3-under 70-69—139); Fribbs, tied for 49th (2-under 72-68—140); and Grady, tied for 59th (68-73—141). At this juncture, Clark is the low amateur, five of whom advanced to play on the weekend.
Missing the cut were Sniffin (79-70—149; his nine-stroke improvement did tie for the fourth-best) and Holbrook (74-76—150).
Next week, Holbrook, Swanson and Grady will tee it up in the Colorado State Amateur (formerly the state Stroke Play Championship), set for Aug. 1-4 at Eisenhower Blue in Colorado Springs.
LATEST WORLD AMATEUR RANKINGS
In the latest World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), three Buffaloes are in the top 200 as of July 24: McDermott (#104), Biwer (#183), and incoming freshman Zeqian "Michael" Fang (#176); he has been competing in his native China and will enroll at CU next month. Other Buffs in the top 1,000 include Swanson (#346; up 71 spots from the last week in June) and Clark (#923); Knight is next (#1134, as he vaulted 143 slots higher over the last month.)
ALUMNI NOTES
- Derek Fribbs ('13) tied for 11th in the Wyoming Open (8-under 68-66-68—202) at Airport Golf Club in Cheyenne.
- Mike Glaesel ('90) tied for fifth in the July 2 U.S. Senior Amateur qualifier at The Ranch GC in Westminster, three back of advancing.
- Steve Ivan ('84) tied for 30th in the R&A Senior Amateur Championship (a.k.a., the British Senior Amateur; 73-75-78-80—306; +18) at Sauton Golf Club in North Devon, England. He made both the 36-hole (low 50) and 54-hole (low 40) cuts, in conditions that Steve said were usually windy but blowing in a different direction each day ("hitting it 30 feet away can be a great shot."). All players finished over par, the winner, Todd White, was +3 (the cut was +11 over). Ivan was the 12th American overall.
- Steve Jones ('81). After a two-month hiatus due to assorted reasons, he will return to competition in the Boeing Classic, Aug. 9-11 at the Club at Snoqualmie Ridge (Snoqualmie, Wash.). He also is planning to play in the Ally Challenge (Aug. 23-25 in Grand Blanc, Mich.) and the PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach (Sept. 20-22). He is also considering the Constellation Furyk & Friends in Jacksonville in October. Jones has played in two events in 2024, making the cut in the Principal Charity Classic (217, +1).
- Jeremy Paul ('17) tied for fifth in the Korn Ferry's, The Ascendant presented by Blue, finishing with a 16-under par 272 total (66-72-68-66) on the nearly 8,000-yard TPC at Colorado course in Berthoud. He is in this weekend's NV5 Invitational presented by Old National Bank in Glenview Illinois; he's tied for 30th midway through, as he is 9-under par (66-67—133), eight out of the lead but just three out of fourth on a jam-packed leaderboard.
- Five CU alums will be playing in the U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifier No. 1 this Monday at Lake Valley Golf Club in Boulder: Pat Grady ('09), Matt Call ('01), Steve Irwin ('97), John Luoma ('95) and Matt Zions ('02).
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
Thursday, March 26
Tuesday, August 12
Tuesday, February 06
Tuesday, February 06