Lemont, Ill. – Monday qualifiers for PGA Tour events no longer go by the nickname “rabbits.” But Arvada’s Tony Aguilar certainly is hungry for some green.
A mini-tour grinder, Aguilar gets to tee it up with the big boys today in the Western Open at Cog Hill Golf Club, having qualified for the tour stop Monday with a 3-under-par 69.
Aguilar, 35, played in the 1997 U.S. Open at Congressional, conducted by the USGA, but this will mark his first appearance at a regular PGA Tour stop.
Aguilar’s dream to compete at the highest level has been financed by Denver-area businessmen. Money is running out.
“I really need to play well here to show people I belong,” Aguilar said. “It’s tough. It’s like everything else, you have to have money to make money. You want to persevere. You want to show yourself and others that all that practice and hard work has paid off. You always question where you stand.”
Aguilar had batted 0-for-6 this year in Monday qualifiers before this week. He failed to qualify for PGA Tour stops at Phoenix and Tucson and missed out in four Nationwide Tour events.
PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour fields are filled almost entirely by exempt players, along with a handful of sponsor exemptions. Some invitational events, including The International at Castle Pines, do not leave spots open for Monday qualifying.
At the Western Open, Monday qualifying involved 97 players going for four spots, a typical ratio for PGA Tour stops. Nationwide Tour events usually leave seven spots open for Monday qualifying.
Aguilar played golf at Arvada High School and, while at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Junior College, he won medalist honors in the national junior college championship before playing at Texas Christian. When he’s not playing golf, Aguilar supplements his income as a mortgage banker.
“It’s tough for a (non-exempt) guy like me to get in one of these tour events,” Aguilar said. “When you do, you have to make the most of it.”
Goosen commits
Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen has committed to play in The International on Aug. 4-7 at Castle Pines. Goosen has played at Castle Pines twice, and tied for second in 2003.
Footnote
City of Aurora golf courses are participating in the “National Take Your Daughter to the Course Week” on July 11-17, allowing daughters – and sons – to play free with a paying adult.
The offer is valid for tee times after 1 p.m. Monday through Friday and after 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Contact any of the seven Aurora courses for information or visit www.golfaurora.com for information.
Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-820-5456 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
