Nick Nosewicz and Jack Castiglia the latest Coloradans to qualify for U.S. Amateur that Cherry Hills CC and Colorado GC will host
By Gary Baines – 7/18/2023
Eight years ago, Nick Nosewicz of Aurora won his first CGA Match Play title, at CommonGround Golf Course.
Four years ago at CommonGround — on his birthday — he holed a 115-yard shot for eagle on the final hole of stroke play to qualify for match play at the 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur, a championship that was being held in Colorado.
Then on Tuesday, a month after winning his second CGA Match Play, Nosewicz returned to CommonGround to earn medalist honors in 36-hole qualifying for the U.S. Amateur, which Cherry Hills Country Club and Colorado Golf Club are hosting Aug. 14-20.
The 39-year-old posted rounds of 63-69 to finish the day at 8 under par and with a one-stroke “victory” in the qualifier.
On a day two players earned U.S. Am berths, joining Nosewicz in advancing was Jack Castiglia of Lakewood, a former University of Northern Colorado golfer. Castiglia went 69-64 to make the grade.
Nosewicz and Castiglia become the fourth and fifth Colorado residents to qualify for next month’s U.S. Amateur. Previously advancing were Connor Jones of Westminster (a Colorado State University golfer), Blake Trimble of Denver and Gavin Hagstrom of Fort Collins (a former CSU golfer who’s transferring to Minnesota).
In addition, University of Colorado golfer Dylan McDermott and future CU players Brandon Knight and Parker Paxton have also qualified. For the record, so has former Golf Channel anchor Shane Bacon.
And one more Colorado-based qualifier could bring in up to two more golfers from the Centennial State into the U.S. Am’s 312-player field. That 36-hole qualifier will take place on July 25 at Collindale Golf Course in Fort Collins.
On Tuesday, Nosewicz chalked up 14 birdies and six bogeys for the day, including 10 birdies and three bogeys in his morning 63. He played his final 10 holes of that round in 7 under par, making birdies on six of his last seven.
As for Castiglia, he racked up 13 birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey on Tuesday.
For all the scores from CommonGround, CLICK HERE.
About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. He was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com