2004-05 Men's Golf Roster
Derek O'Neill
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 200
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Highlands Ranch, Colo.
- High School:
- Highlands Ranch
College?This Year (Sr.): He is redshirting this season as he continues to heal from wrist and elbow injuries. He was nearing 100 percent at the start of the spring semester and should have his game in shape for summer amateur competition.
2004-05 (Jr.): He sat out the fall as he completed rehabilitation from an elbow injury. Though he was cleared for the spring, problems with the elbow resurfaced and he suffered wrist and back injuries as well. He did see action in six of CU’s spring tournaments, with his best finish a tie for 23rd in CU’s own Stevinson Ranch Invitational (227, +11), though he had three performances with lower scores. He put up an even-oar effort at the Taylor Made Waikoloa Intercollegiate, thanks to his best score of the year, a final round, 4-under 68 to close at 216. He was 4-over par at the PING-Arizona Intercollegiate (a steady 72-73-72?217 effort), and was also 4-over in the rain-shortened Marriott Intercollegiate (a pair of 74s for a 148). His stroke average for the year, 75.81, was fourth best on the team (third best in the spring).
2003-04 (Soph.): He had a solid spring, with 12 of 15 rounds between 67 and 75, and a 74.00 stroke average that tied for the third best on the team. He was the odd man out for the Big 12 Championship and the NCAA Central Regional, but he made things interesting down the stretch as he played his last three tournaments (9 rounds) at just 17-over par, ending the spring with a 3-under par 67 in the Perry Maxwell Intercollegiate, his best collegiate round. He had a pair of top 25 finishes, including a 21st place tie in the Western Intercollegiate, helping CU to its first team win in four years. His overall stroke average (73.96) was the third best on the squad for the year. He played in three fall tournaments and placed fourth on the team in stroke average (73.89). His best finish was a 23rd place tie at Pepperdine’s Club Glove Intercollegiate, where he recorded a steady 75-77-74?226 (+8) on a tough course, while his best score was a 216 at Stanford’s “The Nelson,” where he shot a 69 in the final round. All nine of his fall rounds were between that 69 and 77 (seven between 73 and 76).
2002-03 (Fr.): He competed as a true freshman on CU’s traveling squad, playing in 11 tournaments on the year, including five in the spring. His 30 rounds tied for the seventh most by a freshman in CU history (sixth by a true frosh), and his 76.30 stroke average was the 10th best ever by a Buff freshman (ninth by a true plebe). He had 25 of his 30 rounds count toward team scoring, including 14 of 15 in the fall, when he played in all five tournaments plus the inaugural GCAA Match Play Championship (where he battled hard despite posting an 0-3-0 record). He was a bit inconsistent his first four meets, a trait common for many freshmen, but posted the Buffs best finish in “The Prestige” where he recorded a 71-73-73?217 (+1) scorecard to tie for 12th individually. His top spring effort was a 22nd place tie at the Matlock Collegiate Classic (76-73-71?220, +4), with his best scoring meet of the entire season coming in April at Arizona State’s Thunderbird Invitational (72-73-69?214, -2).
High School?He lettered four times in golf at Highlands Ranch High School for coach James Barker. He earned first-team all-state honors as both a junior and senior, and was a three-time first-team all-league performer his sophomore through senior seasons. As a freshman, he was selected second-team all-league. He owned an average of just over 70 as a senior, when he finished third in the state championship (68-69?137 at Patty Jewett Golf Course in Colorado Springs). As a junior, when he boasted about a 71 average, he tied for fifth in the state meet (75-74?149 at Hillcrest G.C. in Durango). He also played baseball (pitcher, first base) as a prep.
Other?2005: He captured the Boulder City Amateur in easy fashion, as his 65-68?133 performance was good for an 8-stroke victory at Flatirons Golf Course; the win followed up a third place finish in the Aurora City Amateur. Earned co-medalist honors in the regional qualifying for the U.S. Amateur Public Links at Mira Vista Golf Course (Aurora, Colo.; 70-67?137); in the actual championship at Lebanon, Ohio, he missed the cut with an 80-82?162 effort. He was the second low amateur in the Denver open, finishing tied for 13th overall with a 67-73-70?210 (-6) effort at Buffalo Run Golf Course. He tied for 11th in the CGA Public Links Championship with a 72-70-70?212 (-4) scorecard at Indian Peaks G.C. He tied for 14th in the Colorado State Stroke Play Championship with a 71-73-72-71?287 (+3) effort at Glenmoor Country Club in Englewood. Played with teammate Ryan Anderson to tie for seventh in the CGA Two-Man championship (70-74?144). 2004: He tied for fourth in the Colorado State Stroke Play Championship at Lakewood Country Club, with a 70-71-72-73?286 effort (-2, 10 out of the lead). In the State Match Play, he advanced into dual play but lost in the second round. He scored a 70 in the local U.S. Open Qualifying (Buffalo Run G.C. in Commerce City) to place as the third alternate. He played with teammate Ryan Anderson to finish seventh in the CGA Two-Man Championship at Eagle Ranch CC (73-73?146). He tied for sixth in state match play qualifying (70) at Riverdale Dunes Golf Club and won one match before being eliminated. He qualified and made the cut in the Southern Amateur in Ooltewah, Tenn. He tied the course record with a 67 at the exclusive Sanctuary Golf Club south of Denver, and also tied the Lone Tree Golf Club course mark with a casual 64. 2003: He tied for 12th in the Colorado Golf Association Public Links Championship (Fox Hollow GC, Lakewood) with a 70-72-70?212 (-1) performance. He advanced out of stroke play at the U.S. Amateur Publinks in Galloway Township, N.J. (74-75?149, +7, tie-39th), but lost in the first round of the match play (2 and 1). He finished as the fifth low amateur in the inaugural Denver Open at Green Valley Ranch (74-72-76?222, +6, tied for 52nd overall). He tied for 26th in the Colorado Stroke Play Championships (76-75-73-77?301, +13), and advanced into the second round of the U.S. Amateur Sectional Qualifying (74-76?150). 2002: He qualified for the U.S. Amateur, as he finished second in the sectional qualifying held at Murphy Creek Golf Course in Aurora (70-68?138); in U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills Country Club (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), he shot an 83-71?154, missing the cut, though is second round 71 on the South course was one of the better scores posted on that layout in the event. He finished second in the CGA Public Links Championship at Indian Peaks in Lafayette, recording a 70-66-69?205 scorecard, trailing the medalist by a single stroke. He also posted a top 20 finish at the AJGA Aspen Junior Classic. 2001: He won the FCWT Louisiana Classic with a 73-71-80?224 effort, and won the World Junior Masters in Hawaii with a 70-72-73?215 performance (with his father caddying for him). 2000: He was the CJGA Tournament of Champion medalist (72-72?144), the highlight of five state top three finishes.
Best Career Round In Competition?65 (July 21, 2001, CGA Junior Stroke Play Championships, Willis Case Golf Course, Denver).
Academics?He is majoring in economics at Colorado.
Personal?Born January 14, 1984 in Bloomington, Minn. Hobbies include hunting, skiing and working on cars. A grandfather (Roger Spencer) played minor league baseball.
Statistics Overall Spring Fall
Season Rd Strokes Avg. Lo Hi Rd Strk Avg. Rd Strk Avg.
2002-03 30 2289 76.30 69 88 15 1143 76.20 15 1146 76.40
2003-04 24 1775 73.96 67 83 15 1110 74.00 9 665 73.89
2004-05 16 1213 75.81 68 85 16 1213 75.81 --- ---- ---.---
Totals 70 5277 75.39 67 88 46 3466 75.35 24 1811 75.46
Rounds Toward Team Scoring: 51 of 67 (76.1%).
Stroke Count In Relation To Par (+270/+3.86): +141/+4.70 (2002-03); +65/+2.71 (2003-04); +64/+4.00 (2004-05).
Finishes?Wins: 0 Top 5: 0 Top 10: 0 Top 20: 1
Fall 2002
UNM Tucker Invitational 77-77-80?234 + 18 t83rd
KSU Jim Colbert Intercollegiate 84-86-79?249 + 33 t62nd
UC Alister MacKenzie Invitational 73-71-78?222 + 9 t49th
Stanford’s The Nelson 73-78-73?224 + 11 t58th
The Prestige 71-73-73?217 + 1 t12th
GCAA Match Play Championships 0-3-0 (L-L-L)
Spring 2003
Matlock Collegiate Classic 76-73-71?220 + 4 t22nd
Puerto Rico Classic 79-75-76?230 + 14 t56th
CU-Stevinson Ranch Invitational 77-79-79?235 + 19 t64th
ASU Sun Devil-Thunderbird Invit 72-73-69?214 - 2 t42nd
Big 12 Championships 88-76-80?244 + 34 55th
Fall 2003
Pepperdine CG Intercollegiate 75-77-74?226 + 8 t23rd
Stanford’s “The Nelson” 73-74-69?216 + 3 t44th
The Prestige At PGA West 76-74-73?223 + 7 t40th
Spring 2004
PING-Arizona Intercollegiate 73-75-83?231 +18 75th
Louisiana Classics 79-72-75?226 +10 t46th
Western Intercollegiate 70-71-76?217 + 7 t21st
CU-Stevinson Ranch Invitational 74-74-74?222 + 6 t29th
*Perry Maxwell Intercollegiate 75-72-67?214 + 4 t25th
Spring 2005
PING-Arizona Intercollegiate.............. 72-73-72?217 + 4 t29th
Taylor Made/Waikoloa Inter. .............. 74-74-68?216 E t80th
Louisiana Classics............................. 84-79?163 +19 t78th
CU-Stevinson Ranch Invitational........ 77-75-75?227 +11 t23rd
Courtyard by Marriott Intercollegiate. 74-74?148 + 4 t48th
Big 12 Championships........................ 85-83-74?242 . +26 t55th
(*?competed individually.)
(*?competed individually.)
