Winning state championships seemed to come pretty easily for Robert Polk from 2005 to ’09. For that four-year stretch, the Parker resident won a remarkable seven CGA titles, including five individually.
Then the floodgates seemed to close. For six years, the Colorado Golf Club member was shut out in his attempt to add to his CGA championships.
But on Wednesday, the drought ended — at last.
Just three months after turning 60 and becoming eligible to compete in the CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play, Polk (pictured) won the event in his “rookie” year.
“It’s always great to win state titles; it’s why we play,” said Polk, who just recently fully retired. “It’s very exciting. I also won the Senior Stroke the first time I played in it (in 2005), which is kind of fun. But the first goal of every season is to win state championships.
“I thought all day, this would be the first one in six years. To win again is special, having been so long, And you start thinking, ‘Am I going to win again or not?’ Hopefully this will allow me to play really well again.”
Polk was one of two first-timers in their respective age divisions to claim the Super-Senior Stroke Play titles on Wednesday at Pueblo Country Club. While Polk prevailed in the 60-and-over event, Kirk Miller, a 70-year-old from Estes Park Golf Club, came out on top in the 70-and-up tournament.
For Polk, he’s now won three CGA Senior Stroke Plays, one Senior Match Play, one Super-Senior Stroke Play and two Senior Four-Balls, along with the 2007 CGA Mid-Amateur. It was the first CGA title for Miller.
Polk, who took a two-stroke lead into the final round, shot a 4-over-par 75 on Wednesday to finish at 4-over 146, good for a three-shot victory. David Merritt of Meridian Golf Club closed with a 76 to place second at 149. Dan Grigsby of Todd Creek Golf Club carded a final-round 77 to finish third at 150.
Polk’s lead was never seriously threatened on Wednesday. He made a couple of birdies, but he pointed to an 8-foot putt he holed for par on No. 13 after missing the green long as a key point.
“It was a beautiful par putt. When I made that, I thought it would be my day,” said the three-time CGA Senior Player of the Year. “Sometimes par putts can be the most important ones.
“On 16 tee, I was three up and just murdered it off the tee, chipped to 3 feet and missed it. Then I three-putted the last two greens. I really played very solid other than that. I never felt like I was not going to win.”
In the 70-and-older competition, Miller (left) tied for the lowest round of the day — a 9-over-par 80 — to win by three. The former University of New Mexico golfer played the final six holes in 1 over to check in at 15-over 157 for 36 holes.
Joe Morrill of Eagle Ranch Golf Course, the 2013 70-and-older champ, was runner-up at 160 after carding an 84 on Wednesday. Bob Sims of Clubcorp Colorado finished third at 162 after closing with an 83.
“This feels great,” Miller said of earning his first CGA championship. “I just turned 70 in June. There is something good about getting old.”
Miller, who trailed by one entering Wednesday, took the lead for good from Morrill with a par on No. 11, then helped his cause with his only birdie of the day, a 5-footer on No. 15.
The victory comes on the heels of Miller’s previous top golf accomplishment, winning the super-senior division of the Estes Park Labor Day Tournament.
CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play
At Par-71 Pueblo CC
60+ Division
Robert Polk, Colorado Golf Club 71-75–146
David Merritt, Meridian Golf Club 73-76–149
Dan Grigsby, Todd Creek Golf Club 73-77–150
Kary Kaltenbacher, Glenmoor Country Club 76-75–151
Robert Bulthaup, Valley Country Club 77-74–151
Jeffrey English, Commonground Golf Course 77-75–152
Jim LeMar, Meadows Golf Club 78-74–152
Gary Kephart, Eisenhower Golf Club 75-78–153
John Olive, Broadmoor Golf Club 77-76–153
Ed Thiele, Eagle Ranch Golf Course 84-71–155
Harry Johnson, Eagle Ranch Golf Course 76-79–155
Mark Runyan, Canongate Colorado 75-80–155
Roger Gunderson, Commonground Golf Course 77-79–156
Richard Griggs, Desert Hawk Golf Course Men’s 82-75–157
Jim F Pierce, Heritage Eagle Bend Golf & CC 77-81–158
Paul Yoon, Colorado Springs Country Club 76-82–158
Bruce Hayes, Heritage at Westmoor 81-78–159
Rick Pirog, Clubs at Cordillera 79-80–159
Rod Walters, Heritage at Westmoor 79-80–159
John Sostman, Meadows Golf Club 82-78–160
Russell L Roehrkasse, Colorado Springs Country Club 76-85–161
Scott Crone, Pinehurst Country Club 79-82–161
Tim Daniel, Eaton Country Club 81-81–162
Randy Miller, Boulder Country Club 82-81–163
Ken Tai, Perry Park Country Club 84-80–164
Doug Jones, Tiara Rado Golf Course 81-84–165
Bob Cloud, Commonground Golf Course 84-82–166
Frank Wilkinson, Lincoln Park Golf Course 84-83–167
John Leamon, Littleton Golf & Tennis Club 87-82–169
Bill Weinman, Clubcorp Colorado 84-87–171
Marc Sims, Eisenhower Golf Club 86-85–171
Mark Barkley, Clubcorp Colorado 84-90–174
Bob Miller, Desert Hawk Golf Course Men’s 98-97–195
Norm Nuwash, Saddle Rock Golf Course 94-104–198
Dicky Laner, Trinidad Golf Course 102-104–206
Sean Forey, Bear Creek Golf Club 77-DQ
Terry Gillespie, Thorncreek Golf Club 83-DQ
Steven Hill, Aurora Hills Golf Club 88-NS
Chuck Fisher, Legacy Ridge Golf Course WD
Dan Birnley, Conquistador Golf Course WD
John Livingston, Colorado Avidgolfer Passport C WD
70+ Division
Kirk Miller, Estes Park Golf Club 77-80–157
Joe Morrill, Eagle Ranch Golf Course 76-84–160
Bob Sims, Clubcorp Colorado 79-83–162
Chet Baker, Foothills Golf Course 83-80–163
Tom Vickers, Club at Crested Butte 85-81–166
Lawrence Covell, Country Club at Castle Pines 84-84–168
Matt Quinn, Estes Park Golf Club 79-89–168
William Schmit, Heather Ridge Golf Club 86-83–169
John Litvay, Collegiate Peaks Golf Course 85-91–176
Bob Brown, Desert Hawk Golf Course Men’s 90-95–185
Dick Schmaltz, Elmwood Golf Course 89-97–186
Gary Cowan, Broadmoor Golf Club WD
Joe Streater, Collindale Golf Club WD
