Jake Staiano, Kyle Westmoreland and Kyler Dunkle all in top 10 at Korn Ferry Q-school; Becca Huffer opens with 71 at LPGA Q-school
By Gary Baines – 10/21/2021
Three players with strong Colorado connections, including two former CGA Players of the Year, will go into the final round of the second stage of Korn Ferry Tour Q-school in the top 10 on the scoreboard.
Jake Staiano of Englewood and former Broomfield resident Kyle Westmoreland share fourth place in the second-stage tournament in Albuquerque, while 2018 CGA Amateur champion Kyler Dunkle stands in seventh place.
The top 19 finishers and ties after four rounds in Albuquerque will advance to the final stage of Q-school, set for Nov. 4-7 in Savannah, Ga. All players who make it to final stage will earn at least conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2022.
Westmoreland, a former Air Force Academy golfer, fired a 6-under-par 65 on Thursday at the University of New Mexico Championship Course, giving him a 6-under 207 total. Westmoreland played his final nine holes in 6-under 30 on Thursday and birdied his last three holes.
Staiano, the 2021 Sinclair Rocky Mountain Open winner, carded a 68 in round 3, making four birdies and one bogey. He also checked in at 207, leaving him seven behind leader Tom Lovelady of Jupiter, Fla.
Dunkle is another stroke back after firing a 70 that included six birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey.
Friday will mark the fourth and final round.
Albuquerque is one of three second-stage tournaments this week in which players with strong Colorado connections are competing. Here are the results of all of the locals:
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (Top 19 Finishers & Ties After 72 Holes Advance to Final Stage)
4. Jake Staiano of Englewood 68-71-68—207
4. Former Coloradan Kyle Westmoreland 73-69-65–207
7. Former Coloradan Kyler Dunkle 71-67-70—208
30. Former Colorado School of Mines golfer George Markham 70-71-72–213
51. Former Coloradan Gunner Wiebe 72-73-74–219
MURRIETA, CALIF. (Top 19 Finishers & Ties After 72 Holes Advance to Final Stage)
37. Chris Korte of Littleton 71-72-71–214
50. Former Coloradan Matthew Liringis 75-72-70—217
54. Former DU golfer Chris Gilman 74-70-75–219
PLANTATION, FLA. (Top 20 Finishers & Ties After 72 Holes Advance to Final Stage)
52. Former Coloradan Andy Svoboda 73-68-72–213
For all the results from KFT Q-school, CLICK HERE.
— Meanwhile, stage II of LPGA Q-school started on Thursday in Venice, Fla., where the top 45 finishers and ties after 72 holes — out of a field of 179 — will advance to the LPGA Q-Series, set for Nov. 26-29 and Dec. 9-12 in Alabama.
Becca Huffer of Monument, a former LPGA Tour card holder, shot a 1-under-par 71 on Thursday and shares 32nd place. The former CoBank Colorado Women’s Open champ made four birdies, a bogey and a double bogey on day 1.
Former University of Colorado golfers Kirsty Hodgkins and Brittany Fan carded 4-over-par 76s and are tied for 135th place.
The 72-hole tournament will continue through Sunday.
32. Becca Huffer of Monument 71
135. Former CU golfer Kirsty Hodgkins 76
135. Former CU golfer Brittany Fan 76
For all the scores from stage II, CLICK HERE.