Dave Troyer wasn’t even planning to play in the Colorado Cup Matches, but as it turned out, his singles match on Wednesday proved to be decisive in the Colorado PGA professionals’ victory over the CGA amateurs in the men’s open division.
As director of golf at CommonGround Golf Course — which is owned and operated by the CGA and CWGA — Troyer has his paychecks signed by the associations, who field the amateur teams for the Cup Matches.
But that didn’t keep Troyer from scoring the point that gave the pros the men’s open title on Wednesday at CommonGround.
Troyer was asked afterward if he had any remorse for playing the pivotal role in the win over his employer’s team.
“None whatsoever,” he said with a big smile.
Troyer was pressed into duty as an alternate after not playing in the four-ball matches on Tuesday, but he was 5 down after nine holes of his Wednesday singles match against Jim Doidge. Troyer said he had topped several shots early in his round, but just when things looked hopeless, he rallied for a remarkable 2-up victory over Doidge, giving the pros a 10-8 overall victory over the amateurs in the 41st annual competition.
Colorado PGA pros swept both men’s division titles while the amateurs from the CWGA won the women’s division Wednesday.
Each men’s division went down to the final matches of the singles competition, with the pros (pictured above) winning the overall open division title by two points and the senior division crown 9.5-8.5. The amateurs prevailed 4.5-2.5 in the women’s matches.
In the open division, the pros (pictured at left) continued a trend in which they’ve won every other year since 2005. The pros lead the all-time open division competition 28-11, with two ties.
“It’s fun, first of all, to come out and do something different than we normally do,” said Chris Johnson, the Colorado PGA’s 2010 Player of the Year. “It’s great to play with fellow professionals instead of against them all the time. The camaraderie and getting to know some of these amateurs and younger kids is also a great time.
“But make no mistake: When you get out there and get four or five holes into it, it turns very competitive. It’s fun, but at the end of the day no one wants to lose.”
Johnson was one of five players in the men’s open division who won both their four-ball and singles matches. The others were fellow pros Caine Fitzgerald and Dan O’Shaughnessy, along with amateurs Michael Harrington and David Schroeder.
So how close was it on Wednesday? Close enough that eight of the 12 men’s open singles matches were decided on the final hole.
“No one was really running away with it, so it was a lot of fun,” said Johnson, winner of the 2010 Colorado PGA Professional Championship.
Meanwhile, the professionals (pictured at left) continued their domination of recent senior matches, rallying in the singles to claim their sixth consecutive title. The senior amateurs still lead the all-time series 14-13, with two ties.
Professional Perry Holmes, who won the 2010 Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship, prevailed in both of his matches this week, as did amateur Bruce Hogg.
The senior competition “came down to the last couple of holes, so (the amateurs) could have flipped it the other way,” said Holmes, who made five birdies in a 3 and 2 win over Robert Polk on Wednesday. “This event is kind of fun, but you don’t feel like getting beat either. There’s some trying going on.”
As for the women’s division, the amateurs (pictured at left) won for the seventh time in seven tries. Allie Johnston, a senior-to-be at Rock Canyon High School, went 2-0 to lead the amateurs.
“We have to hold up our reputation,” Johnston said of the women amateurs’ success in the Colorado Cup Matches. “It’s a friendly competition, but you don’t want to lose or anything.”
Colorado Cup Matches
At CommonGround GC in Aurora
Men’s Open Division Final Total:
Colo. PGA Professionals 10, CGA Amateurs 8
Men’s Open Singles Matches:
Colo. PGA Professionals 6.5, CGA Amateurs 5.5
Jim Knous (a) def. Kirk Rider, 2&1
Michael Harrington (a) def. Jeff Carlson, 1 up
David Schroeder (a) def. Kevin Bolles, 3&2
Dave Troyer (p) def. James Doidge, 2 up
Tray Shehee (p) halved with Dean Clapp
Dan O’Shaughnessy (p) def. Taylor Stamp, 1 up
Chris Johnson (p) def. Sean Thomas, 1 up
Tad Holloway (p) halved with James Kurtenbach
Tom Krause (p) def. Jon Lindstrom, 2 up
Bobby Quaratino (p) halved with Branden Barron
Caine Fitzgerald (p) def. Cody Kent, 6&4
Danny Riskam (a) def. Derek Osinski, 2&1
Men’s Open Division Four-Ball:
Colorado PGA Pros 3.5, CGA Amateurs 2.5
Michael Harrington/Cody Kent (a) def. Kevin Bolles, 4&3
Chris Johnson/Tad Holloway (p) def. Danny Riskam/Jon Lindstrom, 2&1
Tray Shehee/Dan O’Shaughnessy (p) def. Dean Clapp/James Kurtenbach, 3&2
Caine Fitzgerald/Derek Osinski (p) def. James Doidge/Jim Knous, 3&2
David Schroeder/Taylor Stamp (a) def. Jeff Carlson/Kirk Rider 3&2
Bobby Quaratino/Tom Krause (p) halved with Sean Thomas/Branden Barron
Colo. PGA Pros 9.5, CGA Amateurs 8.5
Men’s Senior Division Singles Matches:
Colo. PGA Pros 7.5, CGA Amateurs 4.5
Bruce Hogg (a) def. Dave Arbuckle, 4&3
Pat Bowe (a) def. Ken Krieger, 2 up
Scott Walter (p) def. Sean Forey, 4&3
Erroll Miller (p) def. Scott Radcliffe, 2&1
Perry Holmes (p) def. Robert Polk, 3&2
Kelly Crone (a) def. Bob McNamee, 4&2
Jim Johnson (p) def. Dennis Lucero, 4&3
Tom Woodard (p) def. Thomas Roos, 2&1
Russ Clark (p) halved with Guy Mertz
Gregg Jones (p) def. Harry Johnson, 4&3
Doug Jones (a) def. Dave Detweiler, 3&2
Craig Stephens (p) def. Frank Wilkinson, 2 up
Men’s Senior Division Four-Ball:
CGA Amateurs 4, Colorado PGA Pros 2
Dave Arbuckle/Tom Woodard (p) halved with Pat Bowe/Kelly Crone
Perry Holmes/Russ Clark (p) def. Sean Forey/Scott Radcliff, 1up
Robert Polk/Guy Mertz (a) def. Scott Walter/Erroll Miller, 4&2
Gregg Jones/Jim Johnson (p) halved with Frank Wilkinson/Doug Jones
Harry Johnson/Thomas Roos (a) def. Craig Stephens/Dave Detweiler, 5&4
Dennis Lucero/Bruce Hogg (a) def. Ken Krieger/Bob McNamee, 2up
Women’s Division Final Total:
CWGA Amateurs 4.5, Colo. PGA Pros 2.5
Women’s Division Singles Matches:
CWGA Amateurs 3, Colo. PGA Pros 1
Gina Larson (a) def. Courtney Rudolph, 3&2
Paige Crawford (a) def. Jaime Sniffin, 3&2
Kelly Gillum (p) def. Sarah Faller, 4&3
Allie Johnston (a) def. Leslie Core-Drevecky, 5&4
Women’s Division Four-Ball:
Colorado PGA Pros 1.5, CWGA Amateurs 1.5
Bethany Buchner/Leslie McGetrick (a) halved with Kelly Gillum
Cathy Matthew/Courtney Rudolph (p) def. Gina Larson/Paige Crawford, 1 up
Sarah Faller/Allie Johnston (a) def. Jaime Sniffin, 10&8.
