As any tournament director can tell you, timing can be everything when trying to get a notable player to compete in your event.
Take the case of John Elway. A year ago, the former Denver Broncos quarterback played in the HealthOne Colorado Open for the fourth time and the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open for the first, and he drew plenty of attention in both cases.
This year, despite becoming executive vice president of football operations for the Broncos, Elway was considering playing in the Colorado Open again. It wasn’t until last week — when the NFL lockout looked like it would soon be lifted — that Elway politely declined an invitation.
Likewise there’s the case of Coloradan Derek Tolan, the 2009 Colorado Open champion. Tolan has played in nine of the last 10 Opens, missing one due to a car accident. But because he has a spot in this week’s Nationwide Tour event in Columbus, Ohio, Tolan will be skipping this week’s Open, which runs Thursday through Sunday (July 21-24) at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver.
Despite missing Elway, Tolan and Denver’s Matt Zions — who placed third in last year’s Open but now plays regularly on the European Tour, where he recently won a tournament — the 2011 Open features a strong field even if it lacks some star power.
The last two CGA Players of the Year — Gunner Wiebe (pictured) and Steve Ziegler — are competing in the Colorado Open for the first time as professionals. Wiebe, son of Champions Tour regular Mark Wiebe, finished second in last yea’s Open, marking the best showing by an amateur in the event since 1997. Ziegler swept the CGA Match Play and Stroke Play titles in 2009 — the first time that had happened in 24 years — and was a quarterfinalist in the 2009 U.S. Amateur.
Also playing this week in the $125,000 tournament are defending champion Nathan Lashley, an Arizonan who on Sunday won the Waterloo Open for the second straight year, and recent Wyoming Open champ Kane Webber of Denver. Meanwhile, 2007 Open winner John Douma, who played on the Nationwide Tour last year, returns after placing no worse than second every year from 2005 through 2009.
In all, eight former Open champions are in the field, including Parke’s Scott Petersen, winner of a Nationwide Tour event in 2000.
Colorado Open: All the Essentials
What: 47th annual HealthOne Colorado Open.
When: Thursday through Sunday (July 21-24).
Where: Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver (4900 Himalaya Road).
Prize Money: $125,000, with $23,000 going to the low professional.
Field Size: 156 players, with a cut to the low 60 and ties after 36 holes.
Defending Champion: Nathan Lashley.
Other Former Champions in Field: Jim Blair (1983 and 1987), Wil Collins (2005), John Douma (2007), Chris Endres (1989), Scott Petersen (2000), Brett Wayment (2001), Mike Zaremba (1995).
Attendance: Free.
