Is there anything better than autumn golf in Colorado?

After an outstanding spring season, the local college teams are back on the course.

The CU Buffs returned to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2001. After a 12-year hiatus, the CSU Rams were back in the NCAA Championships as well. CSU Pueblo’s men and women won the RMAC Championships.

Here’s how the local teams have fared this fall:

CU Buffs

The men’s team opened their fall schedule in Arizona at the Mirabel Maui Jim Intercollegiate. Colorado finished 12th in a tough field that included No. 6 Auburn.

Justin Biwer became the 12th Buffs golfer in program history to card three rounds in the 60s. The junior finished in a tie for 13th after firing a 2-under 69 in the final round.

“Good event by Justin, but a tough day for the team and disappointing event overall,” CU coach Roy Edwards told CUBuffs.com. “We did see a lot of good signs.”

Dylan McDermott, who competed in the U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills and lost in the round of 64, tied for 25th at the tournament.

The CU women’s team will start its schedule in Tacoma, Wash., Monday at the Leadership and Golf Invitational.

CSU Rams

The Rams men’s team began the fall season with a bang with team and individual titles.

On Tuesday, the Rams dominated the Gene Miranda Falcon Invite at Eisenhower Golf Course. Colorado State won by 11 strokes behind Christoph Bleier, Connor Jones and Jake Rodgers. All three finished in the top 10.

The week before, Jones, who made the round of 32 at the U.S. Amateur, set the scoring record at the Ram Masters Invitational while taking home individual medalist honors. He had a 54-hole total of 13-under.

The win was Jones’ fourth win at Colorado State. Bleir and Rodgers both finished in the top 10 of that tournament as well.

The women’s team starts the fall slate Sunday in Madison, Wis., at the Badger Invitational.

RMAC

CSU Pueblo’s Kyle Severin has continued to dominate on the course.

Severin, who won the Denver City Amateur this summer, carded an even-par three-day total of 216 at the Swam Memorial to finish in fourth place and help the ThunderWolves to a second-place finish as a team. The event was played at Broadlands Golf Course in Broomfield.

“Kylie played consistent throughout the three rounds of golf,” said CSU Pueblo coach Tammy Lim said. “She stayed steady and in the last round it paid off. It was a bogey-free round with three birdies, which was enough for her to catch first place.”

The conference was well-represented at the tournament. Colorado Christian took third place, MSU Denver was in fifth, Colorado Mesa tied for sixth and Regis ended up in ninth.

The RMAC men started the season at Bear Creek Golf Course for the The Writz at Mile High. The top five teams in the tournament were Colorado schools with Colorado Christian winning the title.

The Cougars’ Xavier Bighaus also won the individual medalist honor with a three-round total of 212, 4-under par. His teammate Adam Duncan was right behind in a tie for second.

Colorado School of Mines had two players in the top 5 with Lukas Taggart in second and Max Lange ended in fourth.

***

What I’m Thinking

It is team golf season.

Starting Sept. 22, there will be back-to-back weekends of the United States battling Europe on the international stage with the Solheim Cup in Spain and the Ryder Cup in Italy.

Even with college football and NFL going, these events are must-see TV.

These events have a different feel in Europe, especially when the Americans have struggled recently to win there. The women haven’t won overseas since 2015. It’s been 30 years for the men. So the stakes are high.

Also, both teams have Colorado connections with Jennifer Kupcho and Wyndham Clark.

***

This week in golf 

PGA TOUR

FORTINET CHAMPIONSHIP

Course: Silverado Resort and Spa (North) – Napa, Calif.

Purse: $8.4 million. Winner’s share: $1.512 million.

Television: Thursday-Sunday, 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champ: Max Homa.

EUROPEAN TOUR

BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

Course: Wentworth GC (West) – Virginia Water, England

Purse: $9 million. Winner’s share: $1.5 million.

Television: Thursday-Saturday, 5-11 a.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 5-10:30 a.m (Golf Channel).

Defending champ: Shane Lowry.

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

SANFORD INTERNATIONAL

Course: Minnehaha CC – Sioux Falls, S.D.

Purse: $2 million. Winner’s share: $300,000.

Television: Friday-Sunday, 2-4 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champ: Steve Stricker.

KORN FERRY TOUR

SIMMONS BANK OPEN

Course: The Grove – College Grove, Tenn.

Purse: $1.5 million. Winner’s share: $270,000.

Television: Thursday, Noon-3 p.m. (Golf Channel); Friday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champ: Brent Grant.

Skins game

Odds to win Fortinet Championship

Max Homa +700

Sahith Theegaia +1600

Justin Thomas +1600

Cam Davis +2000

Stephen Jaeger +2200

World golf rankings

Player, points

1. Scottie Scheffler, 11.70

2. Rory McIlroy, 10.97

3. Jon Rahm, 9.63

4. Viktor Hovland, 7.71

5. Patrick Cantlay, 7.36

6. Xander Schauffele, 6.83

7. Max Homa, 5.31

8. Matt Fitzpatrick, 5.14

9. Brian Harman, 5.03

10. Wyndham Clark, 4.89

Ryder Cup

When: Sept. 29-Oct. 1 Where: Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Rome

United States

Captain: Zach Johnson

Note: Team is final

Scottie Scheffler

Wyndham Clark

Brian Harman

Patrick Cantlay

Max Homa

Xander Schauffele

Brooks Koepka

Jordan Spieth

Collin Morikawa

Sam Burns

Justin Thomas

Rickie Fowler

Europe

Captain: Luke Donald

Note: Team is final

Rory McIlroy

Jon Rahm

Robert MacIntyre

Viktor Hovland

Tyrell Hatton

Tommy Fleetwood

Matt Fitzpatrick

Ludvig Aberg

Justin Rose

Sepp Straka

Shane Lowery

Nicolai Hojgaard

Solheim Cup

When: Sept. 22-24 Where: Finca Cortesin Costa del Sol, Andalucía, Spain

United States

Captain: Stacy Lewis

Allisen Corpuz

Ally Ewing

Danielle Kang

Megan Khang

Nelly Korda

Cheyenne Knight

Jennifer Kupcho

Andrea Lee

Lexi Thompson

Lilia Vu

Angel Yin

Rose Zhang

Europe

Captain: Suzann Pettersen

Celine Boutier

Carlota Ciganda

Gemma Dryburgh

Linn Grant

Georgia Hall

Caroline Hedwall

Charley Hull

Leona Maguire

Anna Nordqvist

Emily Kristine Pedersen

Madelene Sagstrom

Maja Stark