It took four trips up the 18th hole, and a notable shot or two coming down the stretch, but Chris Johnson afforded himself the opportunity to get a little emotional following his victory Wednesday in the Colorado PGA Professional Championship.
After outlasting good friend Caine Fitzgerald in a three-hole sudden-death playoff, Johnson became a bit choked up when asked what the win meant to him.
“There’s a couple of things I’ve wanted to do,” said the 43-year-old from Castle Rock, his voice cracking. “For a long time, this has been one of those events (he’s aimed to win). This is by far the biggest win I’ve ever had. It’s one of those last few goals that you check off. It was one of two for me (the other being winning a state open), so it means a lot.”
With Wednesday’s victory at Meridian Golf Club in Englewood, Johnson not only earned a check for $6,175, but he claimed a berth in the 2011 PGA Professional National Championship, which will be played June 26-29 in Hershey, Pa.
Joining Johnson in qualifying for the national tournament were the rest of the top eight finishers: Murphy Creek’s Fitzgerald, Doug Rohrbaugh of Ironbridge, Mike Northern of Valley Hi, Rob Hunt of The Links, Mike Zaremba of Desert Hawk, Gregg Jones of Springs Ranch, and Ron Vlosich.
Johnson closed with a 1-under-par 71 on Wednesday to finish 54 holes at 7-under 209. Fitzgerald, the leader after the first two rounds, joined Johnson at that figure after a final-day 73. Rohrbaugh (71-212) finished third and Northern (70-213) was fourth, while Hunt (70-215) shared fifth place after his victory last year.
Notably, for the first time event organizers could remember, a woman professional made the cut in the tournament. Terra Shehee of Boulder Country Club (76-73-81–230) tied for 43rd place overall.
Both Fitzgerald and Johnson pulled off some remarkable shots to prolong the playoff, which was contested exclusively on the par-4 18th hole. Fitzgerald made a downhill 6-foot par putt on the first hole of sudden death, and a 30-foot par the next time up the hole.
As for Johnson (pictured at left), on the second hole of the playoff, he pulled his approach shot long and left, almost hitting one of the new vehicles parked in the rough near the green. With the cup some 15 feet below his ball, and very little green to work with, Johnson flopped his ball into the rough beside the putting surface, and it trickled through to grass to within 5 feet of the flag. Then, after Fitzgerald had made his 30-footer, Johnson rolled in his par attempt.
“When you get into that situation and you’re playing against a good player, you have to expect the unexpected,” Johnson said of Fitzgerald holing his 30-footer. “I never once thought he was going to miss that putt.”
Both players hit long, straight drives on their fourth and final time on the 18th hole. Johnson’s approach went just over the green, while Fitzgerald was 18 feet below the hole. After Johnson chipped to a foot from the flag, Fitzgerald got too bold with his putt, rolling it 8 feet by the cup. He missed his par attempt to the right, leaving Johnson just a tap-in for the victory.
“I just wanted to be aggressive,” said Fitzgerald (pictured at left). “I just killed it, unfortunately. I just didn’t pay enough attention to the speed. I figured since it was uphill I could hit it firm and it would be good. I just lost track of what I was doing, I guess.
“But (the playoff) was awesome theater. It was kind of anticlimactic (to three-putt), but still overall it was a lot of fun.”
Fitzgerald, an assistant professional at Murphy Creek, took a two-stroke lead into the final round and was three ahead after the first hole on Wednesday. But by the time Johnson walked off the 11th green, he was the one three ahead, thanks in good part to five birdies in the previous seven holes.
But Fitzgerald wasn’t done yet. He picked up three strokes in two holes (13-14) when he went birdie-par and Johnson went bogey-bogey. And each player drained 6-foot par putts to keep things even over the final four holes of regulation.
“I played real tight for 12 holes,” Fitzgerald said. “Qualifying for the (national) Club Pro was all our goal. I was tight worrying about that more than I should have been. Chris and I are good friends. He was kind of like, “˜Come on, let’s go.’ He’s got me by three and egging me on. It was fun. Losing was disappointing, but I’m thrilled with the opportunity to go back to (nationals).”
For Johnson, a teaching pro at Heritage Eagle Bend in Aurora, Wednesday’s victory was his first in the Colorado PGA Professional Championship.
“This is our association,” said Johnson, a 19-year member of the Colorado PGA. “This is what you want to do.”
