Although Dustin White is a native Coloradan and maintains a residence in Pueblo West, the newly crowned Colorado Open champion never has played a round at Castle Pines Golf Club. That’s about to change.
After pocketing a sponsor’s exemption Sunday to The International, White plans to make up for lost time.
Moments after signing his winning scorecard at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, White was extended an offer by International tournament director Greg Vickers to practice this week at Castle Pines as often as he wants. The International begins Aug. 10.
“The countdown has started,” White said with a grin. “I don’t think I’ll play practice rounds there for seven days in a row. But I’ll definitely play a few practice rounds to get used to it.”
White, 25, earned the prestigious perk with a wire-to-wire performance that would make any PGA Tour player proud. A co-leader after the first round, White grabbed the lead for himself Friday and never looked back.
He entered Sunday’s final round with a one-stroke lead and calmly posted a 6-under-par 65, never giving his challengers a chance.
White finished at 17-under 267, two strokes better than John Douma, a former University of Colorado golfer who also closed with a 65 but couldn’t make up any ground.
Making the turn with a tidy 31, White finished with seven birdies against one bogey. His approach game was radar-like, leaving him with putts inside 10 feet on five of his seven birdies.
White, an all-Pac-10 golfer during his college days at Washington State, said winning the Colorado Open and gaining The International exemption ranks as one of the top two accomplishments of his golf career, along with qualifying for the 2006 U.S. Open. White missed the cut at Winged Foot by four strokes.
“I felt comfortable with the way I was playing today,” White said. “But you can’t feel too comfortable.”
Douma, who competes against White almost weekly on the Arizona-based Gateway Tour, became the only real threat Sunday. Douma took a brief one-stroke lead at 16-under after he holed out a 7-iron from 170 yards for an eagle-2 on No. 10. But White, playing two groups back, birdied Nos. 9 and 10 to regain control.
“I played my heart out,” said Douma, who tied for second in the 2005 Colorado Open. “Dustin played great all week.”
Although White has won twice on the Gateway Tour, his $23,000 payday Sunday was the biggest of his career.
“But The International berth is really what I was playing for,” White said. “It weighs on you.”
Steve Irwin earned low-amateur honors by finishing in a tie for 13th at 278 after a final-round 69.
A former CU player and the son of three-time U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin, Steve Irwin regained his amateur status in 2001 after four struggling years as a professional.
“This is more fun,” Irwin said.
He might get an argument from White, who can’t wait to make a tee time for Castle Pines.
Staff writer Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-820-5456 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
