College golf's postseason is heating up and several Colorado teams and players will be part of the action.
Conference tournaments wrapped up, and the NCAA regionals begin next week.
Here is a look at where local programs stand in their race for a national title:
RMAC teams moving on to regionals
The Colorado Christian Cougars entered the season with championship goals and have followed through.
The Cougars last week won the program's first RMAC championship, which qualifies the entire team for the NCAA West/South Central regional championships in Las Cruces, N.M., May 9-11. Adam Duncan won the individual title by two strokes at the RMAC championship as well.
"We're good enough to win the national championship, so having that in your mindset is good," Duncan told The Denver Gazette. "It's about being confident and trusting the guys and sticking with the process and looking forward to the national championship."
CSU Pueblo will be joining the Cougars in New Mexico as it qualified for the postseason for the sixth season in a row. The ThunderWolves took third at the RMAC championships.
"I look forward to pouring all I have into this group to prepare them for the stress and challenges that await us at the New Mexico State Golf Course," CSU Pueblo coach Josh Koschke said. "This program lives in the postseason, so we are not going to just participate. We are going to earn an opportunity to play again."
Colorado Mesa, who finished second in the RMAC, will also be part of the regional in New Mexico.
The CSU-Pueblo women are also headed to the postseason with their team win at the RMAC Championships. The ThunderWolves will play in the West Regional held in Stockton, Calif. Play begins May 6.
"The expectation has always been the same throughout the season, which is to go out there and enjoy golf and take it shot by shot," CSU-Pueblo coach Tammy Lin said. "Of course, the expectation is to make it to nationals, but it is important we take in the moment and enjoy it."
Colorado State men and women eye postseason runs
The Colorado State women's team has had a banner year, and it will continue into the postseason with its first regional appearance since 2010. The Rams are headed to the Las Vegas Regional at Spanish Trail Country Club May 6-8.
Colorado State, who finished third at the Mountain West championships, has rewritten the program's record book, winning three team titles and three individual titles. It is the fifth time in program history the Rams have qualified for the regionals.
The men's team had a strong showing at the Mountain West championships as well. The Rams took third and were powered by Connor Jones' fifth-place finish.
Strong play at the conference tournament got the Rams a bid to regionals as they will attend the West Lafayette (Ind.) regional hosted by Purdue. Play begins May 13. Fellow Mountain West competitor San Diego State will be part of the field as well.
CU men and women qualify individuals
While the Buffs were disappointed by their finishes at the final Pac-12 championships, both the men and women's teams will send individuals to regionals. The CU men finished eighth in the Pac-12, while the women took 11th.
"It was genuinely bittersweet for this to be the last Pac-12 championship," CU coach Roy Edwards said. "It's a special league with incredible schools and golf programs.
Justin Biwer tied for 15th at the Pac-12 championships and will continue his season at the Austin regional hosted by the University of Texas. Play begins May 13.
The women's team will send two individuals to regionals as Morgan Miller and Sabrina Iqbal earned bids to play in the postseason. They will be at the Cle Elum (Wash.) regional May 6-, at the Tumble Creek Club.
"Really excited and both proud of Morgan and Sabrina for making it to regionals," Colorado head coach Anne Kelly said. "You always want to make it as a team, but it does show that this program is improving and getting two players in is a step in the right direction."
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Colorado Springs native Paige Crawford set to compete in THE JOHN SHIPPEN Cognizant Cup
Doherty High School graduate Paige Crawford will be part of an elite eight-player field at THE JOHN SHIPPEN Cognizant Cup at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, N.J., Monday.
The winner of the 18-hole stroke play event will earn an exemption to compete in the LPGA’s Cognizant Founders Cup next week (May 9-12), as well as $10,000 from a $16,000 purse awarded to the top three finishers.
THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Invitational is a series of competitions created to provide playing opportunities on the LPGA Tour and PGA TOUR for the nation’s top black amateur and professional women and men golfers.
Crawford won the event last May and THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Invitational last June, leading to her playing in three LPGA Tour events. She now has full EPSON Tour status.
“Looking back at my 2023 season, winning the two THE JOHN SHIPPEN events and earning exemptions into three LPGA tournaments made it a truly memorable year,” Crawford said in a press release. “I learned so much about my game, as well as how to prepare and compete against the best players in the world. I’m appreciative of the opportunities that THE JOHN SHIPPEN has provided for me and so many other top black women, and I look forward to coming back to defend my titles in both events this May and June.”
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Five golfers with Colorado ties advance out of U.S. Open local qualifying
Jason Preebo (Littleton), Derek Fribbs (Aurora), Jake Staiano (Englewood), AJ Ott (Fort Collins) and Connor Jones (Denver) all advanced to the next round of U.S. Open qualifying with their strong play at Collindale Golf Course Tuesday.
Preebo, Fribbs and Staiano tied for first while the other two local golfers finished in a tie for fourth.
The next round of qualifying takes place at 13 sites throughout the U.S. on May 20 and June 3. The U.S. Open, where Denver's Wyndham Clark is the defending champion, will be held June 13-16 at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club in North Carolina.
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This week in golf
PGA TOUR
THE CJ CUP BYRON NELSON
Site: McKinney, Texas.
Course: TPC Craig Ranch. Yardage: 7,414. Par: 71.
Prize money: $9.5 million. Winner's share: $1,710,000.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 2-5 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (Golf), 1-4 p.m. (CBS).
Defending champion: Jason Day.
LIV GOLF LEAGUE
LIV GOLF SINGAPORE
Site: Singapore.
Course: Sentosa GC (Serapong). Yardage: 7,406. Par: 71.
Prize money: $20 million. Winner's share: $4 million.
Television: Thursday-Saturday, 7 p.m.-midnight (CW app); Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (The CW Network-tape delay).
Defending champion: Talor Gooch.
EUROPEAN TOUR
VOLVO CHINA OPEN
Site: Shenzhen, China.
Course: Hidden Grace GC. Yards: 7,147. Par: 72.
Prize money: $2.25 million. Winner's share: $375,000.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 10 p.m. (Wednesday)-3 a.m. (Golf); Saturday, 10 p.m.-2:30 a.m. (Golf); Saturday, 9:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m. (Golf).
Previous winner: Sarit Suwannarut.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
INSPERITY INVITATIONAL
Site: The Woodlands, Texas.
Course: The Woodlands CC (Tournament). Yards: 7,002. Par: 72.
Prize money: $2.7 million. Winner's share: $405,000.
Television: Friday, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (Golf); Saturday-Sunday, 1-4 p.m. (Golf).
Defending champion: Steven Alker.
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Skins game
Odds to win The CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Jordan Spieth +1400
Si Woo Kim +1600
Jason Day +2000
Min Woo Lee +2200
Alex Noren +2200
Adam Scott +2200
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FedEx Cup standings
1.Scottie Scheffler3,915$18,693,235
2.Wyndham Clark1,892$9,111,009
3.Xander Schauffele1,539$5,528,071
4.Sahith Theegala1,518$6,565,228
5.Ludvig Aberg1,510$6,511,053
6.Hideki Matsuyama1,325$6,007,495
7.Chris Kirk1,198$5,013,871
8.Matthieu Pavon1,139$3,837,243
9.Byeong Hun An1,067$3,186,267
10.Patrick Cantlay1,062$3,311,599
11.Collin Morikawa1,014$2,996,982
12.Shane Lowry1,003$3,516,146
13.J.T. Poston983$2,831,991
14.Brian Harman982$3,663,018
15.Rory McIlroy975$3,000,722
16.Will Zalatoris959$3,542,630
17.Stephan Jaeger950$2,988,831
18.Akshay Bhatia941$2,924,616
19.Tom Hoge895$2,554,896
20.Nick Taylor876$2,780,935
21.Max Homa851$2,627,533
22.Cameron Young848$2,714,425
23.Justin Thomas842$2,575,577
24.Russell Henley823$2,513,757
25.Jake Knapp817$2,553,345
26.Jason Day798$2,370,241
27.Harris English789$2,229,591
28.Christiaan Bezuidenhout785$2,935,309
29.Si Woo Kim778$2,309,568
30.Austin Eckroat772$2,380,321
31.Sepp Straka740$2,126,370
32.Peter Malnati734$2,223,001
33.Matt Fitzpatrick733$2,231,620
34.Adam Hadwin707$2,161,642
35.Thomas Detry697$2,031,160
36.Sam Burns674$2,189,223
37.Patrick Rodgers648$1,823,099
38.Tommy Fleetwood639$2,121,394
39.Tony Finau632$1,971,910
40.Erik Van Rooyen630$1,850,776
41.Eric Cole628$1,790,728
42.Grayson Murray622$1,921,563
43.Mark Hubbard594$1,722,468
44.Jordan Spieth589$2,171,225
45.Sungjae Im584$1,705,397
46.Luke List577$2,372,600
47.Denny McCarthy567$1,821,364
48.Billy Horschel562$1,510,194
49.Emiliano Grillo543$1,629,367
50.Keegan Bradley530$1,600,305
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