Halfway Point

18-year-old Miles Kuhl of Boulder barely misses out on history at Blue Championship; former Air Force Academy golfer Kyle Westmoreland uses 66 to vault into top 20; 4 players share lead at -12

By Gary Baines 

BERTHOUD — Miles Kuhl of Boulder, the youngest player in the 156-man field at the Blue Championship, said he “learned a ton” competing this week at the Korn Ferry Tour event at TPC Colorado.

Many of the lessons certainly will be very positive ones. After all, he hung tough with pros that play very-high-level tournament golf on a week-to-week basis.

But one lesson that may sting a bit is just how much difference every single stroke makes at a tournament like this.

Had Kuhl, a member of the Team Colorado junior elite squad, played his final two holes on Friday in even par or 1 over, he would have become the first amateur ever to make the 36-hole cut in the eight years the Korn Ferry Tour has visited TPC Colorado.

Alas, the recent Fairview High School graduate went bogey-bogey on his 35th and 36th holes — Nos. 8 and 9 at TPC Colorado — to miss the cut by one.

“It’s always nice to make history, but it wasn’t my time and, you know, there’s a plan for everything, so …,” said the 18-year-old, who received a sponsor exemption into the field.

Kuhl posted rounds of 70-72 for a 2-under-par total, with 3 under being necessary to play the final two rounds as the field is cut to the top 65 players and ties.

Though he came up just short, finishing under par on a golf course playing over 8,000 yards and finishing in the middle of the pack against some of the better golfers in the world is no small feat for a teenager.

“This is the only course I’ve played that’s over 8,000 yards — and it’s a beast,” Kuhl said. “Yesterday, we battled two (weather) delays and it was windy. It was tricky.”

As for competing on nearly an even basis with many Korn Ferry Tour players, Kuhl said, “I want to say I am surprised, but I know where my game is. These guys are older, but they’re not much better than me. I know I can compete and I know that I’ll be back in a few years once I’m done with college and I’ll get back out here.”

The winner of two AJGA Wyndham Clark Presented by the CGA titles — as well as last year’s 5A boys state high school individual championship — Kuhl went into his 17th hole Friday 4 under par for the two days. He’d bounced back from bogeying three of his last six holes on his front nine with an eagle at the par-5 first hole (his 10th of the day) and birdies on 3 and 5.

But on the narrow par-3 eighth hole (his 17th), his missed the green right in the native area and took two more shots to get onto the green. He drained a 13-foot putt for bogey.

Brayden Forte (left), who competed in last year’s KFT event at TPC Colorado, caddied for Kuhl this week. The two Team Colorado members are future teammates at San Diego State.

Then on No. 9 (his 18th), needing a par to make the cut, Kuhl hit the fairway off the tee on the dogleg par-4. However, his 184-yard approach shot fell short and right, and he missed a 20-foot par try, making bogey.

“On 9, I just let it kind of get to me,” he said. “I knew I needed one close, and I got a little quick and out of rhythm and just hit a bad shot.

“… When I kind of got myself around the cut line, I knew it was there, and I kind of let it get to me a little bit.”

Although he came closer than any one of them, Kuhl joins the seven other amateurs who have ever teed it up in the KFT event at TPC Colorado in seeing their tournament limited to two rounds, instead of the full four.

Notably, one of the other amateurs who have fallen short was the person caddying for Kuhl this week, his good friend and future San Diego State teammate and roommate Brayden Forte of Aurora. Forte qualified for last year’s tournament at TPC Colorado, with Kuhl caddying for him, but fell short of the weekend.

“He was great on the bag,” Kuhl said of Forte, his teammate when they won the CGA Four-Ball title in the spring. “He knew the ins and outs, and it’s always fun to have a roommate and a friend on the bag. He just kind of keeps it lighter — less golf-focused.”

Forte was asked if it was a bit odd having competed in this event last year and then be caddying here this year.

“It was, but it was still a lot of fun caddying for Miles, my best friend,” said Forte, who agreed immediately to loop after falling a little short in Monday qualifying this week. “I learned a lot out here from him and all the other guys.”

Kuhl, competing in his first PGA Tour-affiliated event (though he did play in the 2024 U.S. Amateur), noted how different the experience was this week compared to junior golf, saying, “It so much fun (and) I learned a ton out there.”

All in all, the experience certainly lived up to expectations, despite him going in “just so pumped and excited to be playing this week. … Everyone treated me amazing.” There were even Titleist Pro-V1 practice balls on the range, he noted. “The way they kind of just do everything is a little elevated from junior golf and some amateur golf.”

All told, it was probably an understatement when Kuhl pointed out, “I’m super grateful I got the exemption.”

Former Air Force Academy golfer Kyle Westmoreland had plenty to smile about on Friday.

‘Locals’ Kyle Westmoreland, Chris Korte Make Inroads: Kyle Westmoreland played his college golf in Colorado and he hits the ball a long way. In other words, there’s a lot for him to like about playing a golf tournament at TPC Colorado, which is long and largely friendly to players like him.

All in all, if he’s playing well and gets his putter to cooperate, the former Air Force Academy golfer should find himself high up on the scoreboard at the Blue Championship.

“This is about as good as it gets for me,” Westmoreland said, referring to both the course and the tournament in Colorado. “I’m comfortable playing in Colorado. For a number of years I played in Colorado a bunch. It’s a great-suited golf course for me — as long as I execute well. If you’re missing shots, you need to miss them in the right places. I love this style of golf. I love being able to hit it hard off the tee boxes and chasing it. It does suit me, and I’m super excited to be here. I’ve got so many friends still in the area. It’s a great week — on and off the golf course — for us.”

On Friday, Westmoreland made a 22-foot eagle on the first hole (his 10th of the day) to go along with six birdies and two bogeys en route to a 6-under-par that leaves him 8 under overall, good for a share of 16th place.

“Our goal is just to continue to climb each day, try to execute our game plan as best we can, and try to get some good shots and looks that are good,” the 34-year-old said.

Westmoreland is playing the TPC Colorado KFT stop for the fourth time. He’s made the cut three times now, with a best finish of 23rd place in 2022.

Chris Korte acknowledges the applause after a birdie on the 15th hole.

Also making inroads from a local perspective on Friday was Littleton native and Regis Jesuit and University of Denver grad Chris Korte. Though he bogeyed his final three holes, he made the cut for the first time in three tries at the KFT event at TPC Colorado.

After being 6 under par through 15 holes for the day — and 8 under overall — Korte encountered some bumpy greens late in the day. He three-putted 16 for bogey, then bogeyed 17 and 18 after missing the greens in regulation.

“On 16 it was kind of an easy two-putt, just up the hill, breaking left,” he said. “It looked like (the ball) spent half the time in the air. I would liken (the greens) to the surface of the moon right now.”

Still, Korte is happy with an outstanding ball-striking week so far — and to be around for the weekend.

“It’s nice to hit some shots in front of some fans; I’m grateful for the support,” he said. “I’m playing weekend golf, so that’s goal number one, and that was achieved. It’s definitely disappointing to limp in there. I’m lucky that I had a little bit of cushion coming in after making quite a few birdies today. I just didn’t quite have the putter again today, but I’m hitting it great, so it’s just kind of a matter of time if I start seeing a bunch of putts drop and we’ll be in a good spot.”

Korte finished the day with seven birdies and four bogeys for a 69. His 5 under total leaves him in41st place.

Tom Whitney (pictured), like Westmoreland a former Air Force Academy golfer, also made the cut on Friday, along with former CU golfer Justin Biwer.

Two other players with strong Colorado ties also made the 36-hole cut. Former Air Force Academy golfer Tom Whitney stands at 4 under par after two straight 70s. And Monday qualifier Justin Biwer, a former University of Colorado golfer, made his first Korn Ferry Tour cut on the number at 3 under par after a second-round 72.

Cole Sherwood, Winner of One Tourney in 2026, Among 4 Leaders: No player matched or surpassed the 36-hole scoring record for the Korn Ferry event at TPC Colorado, but a lot of players came close on Friday.

Specifically, Cole Sherwood, Tommy Morrison, Jackson Buchanan and Luke Gutschewski share the midway lead at 12 under par, one stroke off the 36-hole record, set by Tyson Alexander five years ago.

Sherwood, who won the Korn Ferry Tour’s Colonial Life Charity Classic in mid-May and has five top-10s to his credit this year, is among the leaders after a 67 on Friday. Morrison, the 18-hole leader, is also there, following a 69, while Gutschewski posted a 65 and Buchanan a 66. Gutschewski started his round with a 14-foot eagle and went bogey-free.

Jay Card (left) and Hunter Eichhorn sign autographs after their stellar rounds on Friday.

Riding Each Other’s Coattails: If Jay Card III and Hunter Eichhorn had played a better-ball event on Friday at TPC Colorado, they would have shot a cool 15-under-par 57.

As it was, Card and Eichhorn were part of a threesome competing individually at the Blue Championship. And it’s fair to each of the two did just fine on Friday.

Card made a putter switch for round 2 and matched the tournament record — and the competitive course record — with a 9-under-par 63. And only a final-hole bogey kept Eichhorn, who sits fifth in the KFT’s season-long points list, from joining Card at that number; instead, he had to settle for a 64.

Between them, they made 20 birdies and three bogeys on Friday.

“It’s one of those moments where you’re like, ‘God, is he ever going to miss?,’” Card said of Eichhorn. “It’s definitely good. It’s just kind of nice to see putts go in, whether it was me or Hunter.”

Added Eichhorn, who made six straight 3s in the middle of his round: “It was a lot of fun. I felt like every hole somebody’s making a birdie and we were just kind of (keeping) up with each other.”

Both Card and Eichhorn will go into the weekend 10 under par overall.

Card becomes the ninth player to shoot 63 at TPC Colorado during the Korn Ferry Tour event which debuted in 2019.

Ross Steelman is one out of the lead after finishing fourth at TPC Colorado last year.

Back on the Leaderboard: Ross Steelman, who held a three-stroke lead after three rounds last year at TPC Colorado before closing with a 75 and finishing fourth, is back in contention this year, standing at 11 under par and one off the lead after rounds of 66-67.

“I really like this golf course,” he said. “I see the greens pretty well. I kind of understand where to hit it most of the holes. It gives you opportunity to take advantage of being able to hit it a long way, which I really enjoy. There are three or four drivable par-4s, several reachable par-5s. With the elevation/altitude, it really makes me focus in on the shot I’m hitting. Obviously I’ve played well here before. I love this golf course and I love this tournament. I have a lot of good memories every time I show up.”

Josh Creel (left) with a touch of class after Friday’s round despite missing the cut.

Notable: One of the classiest moves of the day came when Cheyenne native Josh Creel, fresh off missing a 10-foot par putt that would have gotten him into the weekend, was dejectedly departing the 18th green when he reversed himself and walked back across nearly the entire putting surface to shake hands with the Junior ROTC color guard team member who was tending to the flag for each group on Friday. … Dillon Stewart, who grew up in nearby Fort Collins, missed the cut on Friday (75-73), but had one of the bigger single-group galleries following him during round 2. … Rhett Johnson of Littleton, a Mullen High School graduate who played college golf at Kentucky State, Monday qualified for the Blue Championship as an amateur but played this week at TPC Colorado as a pro. He rebounded from a first-round 77 with a 71 on Friday, but missed the cut. He was 4 under par through 16 holes in round 2 before going bogey-double bogey to finish his day. … Jackson Buchanan, who sits high on the leaderboard after rounds of 66-66, played in the 2023 U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills Country Club and advanced to the match play round of 32.

Fort Collins resident Dillon Stewart had quite a following on Friday.

Scores for players with strong Colorado/area ties at the Blue Championship:

16. Former Air Force Academy golfer Kyle Westmoreland 70-66–136

41. Regis Jesuit High School and University of Denver alum Chris Korte 70-69–139

48. Former Air Force Academy golfer Tom Whitney 70-70–140

61. Former CU golfer Justin Biwer 69-72–141

Missed 36-Hole Cut

78. Amateur Miles Kuhl of Boulder 70-72–142

78. Cheyenne native and former CU golfer Josh Creel 71-71–142

140. Dillon Stewart of Fort Collins 75-73–148

140. Rhett Johnson of Littleton 77-71–148

140. Colorado native and former Colorado School of Mines golfer Jim Knous 74-74–148

For all the results from the Blue Championship, CLICK HERE.

For Saturday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.

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2026 The Blue Championship: The Essentials

What: The eighth annual Blue Championship, a Korn Ferry Tour event.

Where: TPC Colorado in Berthoud, a par-72 course playing about 8,022 yards.

When: Championship rounds Thursday-Sunday. Gates are expected to open to the public at 6 a.m. each day.

Note: A junior clinic is set for 1:30-2:30 on Saturday. The trophy ceremony will follow the conclusion of play on Sunday on the 18th green.

Purse: $1 million, with the winner receiving $180,000.

Tickets: Tickets start at $10 per day. For ticket information, CLICK HERE. Kids 17 and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult and do not require their own ticket for grounds-only access. Active-duty U.S. military and retirees — as well as first responders — and their families receive free admission when a valid military ID is presented at a ticket sales window. Tournament proceeds support Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Additional Information: For more information regarding The Blue Championship, 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. The University of Colorado Evans Scholar alum was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com