It was a day of firsts at the CGA Four-Ball Championship on Sunday at Legacy Ridge Golf Course in Westminster.

Let’s count the ways:

— Jon Lindstrom and Richard Bradsby, both of Lakewood Country Club, became the first team to win consecutive CGA Four-Balls since Rick DeWitt and Mike Glaesel did the trick in 1998 and ’99.

— With a 23-under-par 193 total for three rounds, they set the tournament scoring record, relative to par, since the Four-Ball went to a 54-hole format in 2011.

— With the victory, Lindstrom became the first person to win the CGA Four-Ball at least four times. He had been tied for the most titles in the event, with Steve Irwin, another Lakewood CC member. Prior to the last two years, Lindstrom won in 2002 with Rick Larson and in 2012 with Dean Clapp.

Despite playing their last six holes in even-par on Sunday, Lindstrom and Bradsby prevailed by two strokes. They followed up their back-to-back rounds of 64 with a 7-under-par 65 on Sunday.

Through 54 holes, the partners never recorded a better-ball bogey. (They’re pictured above and below, with Lindstrom in the striped shirt.)

“I’m going to create a conflict for Lindstrom next year” for this event, runner-up Alex Buecking said with a smile on Sunday.

The victory at Legacy Ridge marked the 10th CGA championship for the 50-year-old Lindstrom, who has claimed four Four-Balls, three Mid-Amateurs, two Two-Mans (with Clapp) and one Mid-Amateur Match Play.

“I like winning CGA events, so that’s awesome,” Lindstrom said. “I like team events. There used to be the two-man event, and I won that a couple of times too. It’s a lot of fun playing with somebody (as a teammate).”

Meanwhile, the 49-year-old Bradsby owns two CGA titles, both in the Four-Ball. Lindstrom and Bradsby also finished second in the event, in 2014.

“It’s special absolutely” to win CGA state titles, Bradsby said. “It’s amazing.”

Bradsby provided the spark in Sunday’s final round by shooting a 4-under 32 on his own ball on the front nine, making six 3s on that side.

“Richard played great today,” Lindstrom said.

“And John was killing it the other two (days),” Bradsby added.

With Lindstrom throwing in a birdie, he and Bradsby posted a 5-under 31 on the front nine. Then Lindstrom drained an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 11 and Bradsby an 18-foot birdie on 12. Even with no more birdies after being 7 under through 12, it was good enough.

“Obviously the week was great,” Lindstrom said. “We did a good job of ham and egging it. There were three or four times one of us was out of the hole and the other guy ended up making birdie on that hole. It couldn’t have worked out better.”

As for their recent success in the Four-Ball, Lindstrom points to the two meshing as partners.

“We’re both members at Lakewood and we play a lot of golf together — both as opponents and partners,” he said. “We know each other’s games. We both go out and try to win it on our own, and if the other guy helps out, great. As opposed to putting pressure on, expecting the other guy to play well. We both do that really well, I think. Neither one of us gets pissed off if the other guy hits a bad shot.”

Claiming second place for the second time in the last three years on Sunday were Buecking, of Columbine Country Club, and Trent Isgrig of Cherry Hills Country Club. Buecking, who won the 2009 title with Irwin, also placed fourth last year, with Sean Crowley.

Buecking and Isgrig, who shot a tournament-low 62 in the first round, had sterling opportunities at birdies at holes 6, 7, 9 and 10 on Sunday, but didn’t convert any of them, costing themselves a chance at the title.

They closed with a 66 for a 195 total.

“We had a good time, but we’re a little disappointed,” Isgrig said. “The turning point was 6, 7, 9 and 10. We should have made at least two or three (birdies), and we didn’t make any of them. That was the difference, no doubt.”

Jake Staiano, the 2017 CGA Player of the Year, and Pierce Aichinger of Glenmoor Country Club fired an 8-under 64 on Sunday to tie for third place at 197. Staiano also placed third last year, with then-Colorado State University teammate Blake Cannon.

Also at 197 were Nick Nosewicz of Meadow Hills Golf Course and Chris Thayer of Walnut Creek Golf Preserve — winners of a CGA Match Play and two CGA Mid-Amateurs, respectively — and Alan Boyko of CommonGround Golf Course and Dean Siskowski of Collindale Golf Course. Nosewicz and Thayer carded a 66 on Sunday, and Boyko and Siskowski a 68.

(Pictured above, from left, are Nosewicz, Buecking and Thayer.)

In all, six teams out of 60 broke 200 for the 54-hole event. 

For all the scores from the CGA Four-Ball, CLICK HERE.

The defending champions, who still haven’t made a better-ball bogey through two rounds, fired their second straight 8-under-par 64 on Saturday, leaving them at 16-under 128 at Legacy Ridge Golf Course in Westminster.

Should Lindstrom, a three-time CGA Mid-Amateur champion, win on Sunday, he’ll become the first four-time CGA Four-Ball champ, breaking a tie with Steve Irwin. Lindstrom previously won in 2002, ’12 and last year. (The 2017 winners are pictured, with Lindstrom at left.)

The last players to win two straight CGA Four-Ball titles are Rick DeWitt and Mike Glaesel, who prevailed in both 1998 and ’99.

But two teams are just a stroke back of the leaders after Saturday’s second round, and another is three behind.

First-round leaders Alex Buecking of Columbine Country Club and Trent Isgrig of Cherry Hills Country Club backed up their Friday 62 with a 5-under-par 67 on Saturday, putting them at 15-under 129. They made six better-ball birdies and both bogeysed the 14th hole on Saturday.

Also at 129 are Alan Boyko of CommonGround Golf Course and Dean Siskowski of Collindale Golf Course, who shot the low round of day 2, a 9-under 63. With Siskowski posting a 66 on his own ball, the pair recorded nine better-ball birdies in round 2.

Chris Thayer of Walnut Creek Golf Preserve, winner of two CGA Mid-Ams, and Nick Nosewicz of Meadow Hills Golf Course, who claimed the 2015 CGA Match Play title, stand in fourth place at 131. They carded a second-round 64 despite a better-ball bogey on the par-3 eighth hole.

The 54-hole championship will conclude on Sunday.

For all the scores from the CGA Four-Ball, CLICK HERE.
 

Two years ago, the Columbine Country Club member teamed up with Jason Enloe to advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. In 2009, he paired with Steve Irwin to win the CGA Four-Ball. And in 2016, he and Trent Isgrig, who now plays out of Cherry Hills Country Club, finished runner-up in that same CGA event.

And this week, it appears Buecking and Isgrig will make another run at the CGA Four-Ball title.

The pair (pictured, with Isgrig at left) bolted from the gate on Friday, shooting a 10-under-par 62 at Legacy Ridge Golf Course in Westminster in the opening round of the scratch better-ball event.

Buecking and Isgrig made an eagle (by Isgrig on the par-5 11th) and eight birdies on Friday to grab a two-stroke lead in the 54-hole event.

Defending champions Jon Lindstrom and Richard Bradsby of Lakewood Country Club went bogey-free with eight better-ball birdies to shoot a 64 and hold down second place. Lindstrom, a three-time winner of this event, shot a 7-under-par 65 on his own ball in round 1, while Bradsby posted a 69.

Another team of former champions sits in third place, at 7-under 65. Sam Marley and James Richardson of South Suburban Golf Course won this title on 2015. On Friday, Marley, a University of Northern Colorado golfer, carded a 66 on his own.

Tied at 66 are 2017 CGA Player of the Year Jake Staiano and Pierce Aichinger from Glenmoor Country Club, and Alan Boyko of CommonGround Golf Course and Dean Siskowski of Collindale Golf Course.

The championship will continue through Sunday.

For all the scores from the CGA Four-Ball, CLICK HERE.
 

Also starting with 63s were 2009 champion Alex Buecking and teammate Sean Crowley from Columbine Country Club, and Colorado State University teammates Jake Staiano (from Glenmoor Country Club) and Blake Cannon.

There were also four 64s in the scratch better-ball stroke-play event that will continue through Sunday: 2016 CGA Parent/Child champions Ray and Jimmy Makloski from Pueblo Country Club; 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball teammates Andrew Tapia of The Ridge at Castle Pines North and Jeff Chapman of Inverness Golf Club; John Hayes of CommonGround Golf Course and Dallas Massey of South Suburban; and Calum White and Scott Crawford of Murphy Creek Golf Course, who made two eagles on Friday (both by Crawford), including one at the 355-yard, par-4 eighth hole.

In all, 11 teams shot 65 or lower on Friday.

Marley, a University of Northern Colorado golfer, and Richardson, the 2015 champions, reeled off five consecutive birdies in the middle of their round and eight overall. (The two are pictured, with Marley in black.)

Buecking, a quarterfinalist in the 2016 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball with Jason Enloe, and Crowley also chalked up eight birdies in a bogey-free day.

Staiano, who will play as an individual for CSU in the NCAA Regionals later this month, and Cannon finished with nine birdies and a bogey on the par-3 12th hole.

For the scores from the CGA Four-Ball, CLICK HERE.
 

Last year’s CGA Four-Ball was conducted in October after a May snowstorm caused it to be postponed. And now the 2017 edition of the tournament is on tap Friday through Sunday (May 5-7) at CGA-owned CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.

A full field of 60 two-man teams is set to compete, though 2016 champions Steve Irwin and Barry Erwin are not in the field. In fact, only one team of former champions is back intact for this week’s tournament — 2015 winners James Richardson and Sam Marley.

Other former champions — competing with different partners this year than when they won — playing this week include Keith Humerickhouse (2014), Jon Lindstrom (2002 and ’12), Alex Buecking (2009) and Owen Ellis (2003). Buecking and his then-partner Jason Enloe advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2016 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship.

This year’s CGA field in the scratch better-ball stroke-play event features impressive players from the high school, college and mid-amateur ranks.

In addition to the forementioned, they include Colorado State University golfers Jake Staiano and Blake Cannon; Alex Kephart and Kurtis Lucas, who will play in this year’s U.S. Four-Ball later this month; 2015 CGA Match Play champion Nick Nosewicz and 2016 U.S. Mid-Amateur qualifier Tom Krystyn; Lindstrom, a three-time CGA Mid-Am champ, and Richard Bradsby, winner of the 2016 Broadmoor Invitation with Irwin; NCAA Division I signees Jackson Solem and Daniel Pearson; two-time CGA Junior Amateur champ Ross Macdonald and Behrod Keshtavar; two-time U.S. Amateur qualifier Kyle Danford and Dave Johnson; 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball qualifiers Andrew Tapia and Jeff Chapman; and father and son Ray and Jimmy Makloski, the 2016 CGA Parent/Child champions.

For tee times for the CGA Four-Ball, CLICK HERE.
 

Who would have guessed this day would ever come?

The top golfers in the most recent watch lists for the ANNIKA Award (given at the end of the season to the national player of the year in women’s college golf) and the Haskins Award (presented to the men’s national player of the year in college golf) are both Colorado residents.

Not Californians, not Texans, not Floridians, but Coloradans — in this case Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster (a sophomore at Wake Forest) and Wyndham Clark of Highlands Ranch (a fifth-year senior at Oregon). Both never finished outside the top 10 in their fall college tournaments, with Kupcho winning her last two events of the autumn, becoming the only NCAA Division I woman in the country to win more than one full-field event in the first two months of the season.

We’ll delve more into college golf when both the men’s and women’s fall season is complete, but the rankings of Kupcho and Clark are two of the many highlights of the 2016 tournament season in Colorado and for Colorado golfers. With the tourney season in the Centennial state now complete, it’s worth taking a look back at some of the top moments of the year:

— Kupcho (pictured) is a good place to start given that she’s had a season few Colorado women golfers have ever matched. That includes becoming the first player to win three straight CWGA majors since the late 1980s as she swept the 2016 Match Play and Stroke Play titles. And the 19-year-old did it by amazing margins — 12 and 10 in a 36-hole match play finale, and 19 shots in the Stroke Play. In the Stroke Play, she set the women’s course record at historic Denver Country Club with a 7-under-par 65, breaking the previous mark of 68 established by world-renowned athlete Babe Zaharias on July 3, 1946.

Out of the state, besides notching her first two college victories, Kupcho placed sixth in the women’s NCAA Championship Finals as a freshman. And she and fellow Coloradan Hannah Wood both qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open, arguably the top women’s tournament in the world.

It’s little wonder why Kupcho was recently named the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame’s Golf Person of the Year.

— As for Clark, he posted three top-six finishes in his first three tournaments at Oregon after transferring from Oklahoma State. Over the summer, Clark qualified for his fifth U.S. Amateur — quite a feat for a player 22 years old. And once he made it to the U.S. Am, he advanced to the round of 32 in match play out of an original field of 312.

— Though, as mentioned above, NCAA Division I golfers from Colorado accomplished plenty in 2016, it’s worth noting that two golfers from the Division II Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference won the CGA’s top two open-division championships in 2016. Nathaniel Goddard, who wrapped up his Colorado Christian golf career last spring, prevailed in the CGA Match Play, while current University of Colorado-Colorado Springs golfer Colin Prater (left) won the CGA Amateur by five shots.

— Two of the most remarkable scores shot in tournament golf in recent months were recorded by players with strong Colorado connections. University of Colorado senior Esther Lee set the NCAA women’s record for lowest score in relation to par as she shot an 11-under-par 61 in September at the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational, held at the University of New Mexico’s Championship Course in Albuquerque, where Lee claimed the title.

Then last month, Denver resident James Love fired a 12-under-par 59 in a Web.com Q-school event at Sunriver Golf Course in St. George, Utah. That helped earn the former University of Denver golfer a spot in a second-stage tournament this week.

— Speaking of former DU golfers, former Pioneers had the distinction of qualifying for two of the biggest tournaments in the world in 2016.

Oskar Arvidsson earned medalist honors in a British Open qualifier in Scotland, landing a spot in the third men’s major championship of the year, where he missed the 36-hole cut.

Also this summer, Espen Kofstad qualified for the Olympics by winning a tournament on the European Challenge Tour. He finished 43rd in the men’s tourney at the Summer Games.

— Several players with strong Colorado ties made a splash in USGA championships in 2016.

Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton made it to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur for a remarkable fourth time. Earlier in the year, Eaton made the CWGA Senior Match Play the 22nd CWGA title of her career.

Also advancing to the final eight in a USGA championship was Alex Buecking of Columbine Valley, who joined former SMU teammate Jason Enloe in making the quarters of the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y.

And CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year Kyler Dunkle (left) earned a berth in the final 16 of the U.S. Amateur just a year after finishing 311th out of 312th in stroke play at the same event.

— Certainly one of the biggest oddities of the year took place at the CGA Mid-Amateur. The top finishers at the 2016 tournament looked almost identical to the 2015 version.

Not only did Jon Lindstrom win by four strokes for the second straight year, but the top four finishers were the same in 2016 as they were in 2015. In fact, they were almost in the exact same order, with the only difference being Steve Irwin tying for second this year and placing third alone in 2015. For the record, Chris Thayer tied Irwin for second and Ryan Axlund was fourth.

— Back on the college front, the CGA’s 2015 Junior Player of the Year made a remarkably quick adjustment at the next level. University of Northern Colorado freshman Coby Welch, competing in just his fourth college tournament, won the individual title at the 108-man Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational after a final-round 66 at Colorado National Golf Club in Erie.

— Also in college, Colorado State University senior Blake Cannon pulled off a remarkable feat in September, winning two college titles in one week, the first one coming at CSU’s Ram Masters Invitational at Fort Collins Country Club. This was after going his first three years as a collegian without an individual victory.

— Geoff Keffer used his first victory in the Coloado PGA Professional Championship to move into some rarefied air. Keffer subsequently received the CPGA’s Dow Finsterwald Player of the Year award for the third straight year and fourth time in the last five seasons. Only three other players have captured that honor three straight years: Bob Hold (1966-71), Vic Kline (1977-79) and Ron Vlosich (1986-88). Vlosich, by the way, qualified for his fifth U.S. Senior Open in 2016.

— Mary Weinstein (left) of Highlands Ranch had a rather remarkable run to wrap up her junior career. After winning the 5A state individual title to close out her high school career at Regis Jesuit, Weinstein won the first two Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado majors ever held, the Colorado Junior Amateur and the Colorado Junior PGA Championship. Then she finished strong in national events, placing 15th at the Junior PGA Championship a week after ending up fifth at the Optimist International Junior.

Not surprisingly, Weinstein was named the JGAC’s female player of the year, while AJ Ott of Fort Collins earned the male award. Ott won the boys title at the Colorado Junior PGA at Indian Tree, shooting a course-record 7-under-par 63 on day 2.

— Kent Moore‘s victory in the CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play certainly wasn’t the most prestigious victory of his career, but it did continue to expand upon a rather remarkable distinction. The Colorado Golf Hall of Famer has now claimed titles in seven different CGA individual championships — the Junior Match Play, Amateur, Match Play, Mid-Amateur, Senior Amateur, Senior Match Play and now the Super-Senior Stroke Play — an unprecedented feat in CGA competition. Moreover, he’s won CGA championships in five consecutive decades, starting with the 1973 CGA Junior Match Play at Flatirons Golf Course.

— In team competition, the amateurs broke new ground in 2016. This year marked the first time ever that amateurs from the CGA and CWGA won all three competitions in the Colorado Cup matches against the pros from the Colorado PGA — the open-division men, senior-division men and open-division women. But later in the year, the Colorado PGA earned a big team victory of its own, winning the biennial Taylor Cup matches against the Sun Country PGA for the first time since 2008.

Also on the team front, Kent Denver High School set a Colorado High School Activities Association record by winning its ninth boys golf state title. Kent captured the 3A team title this time around.

— Sherry Andonian-Smith, an instructor at Valley Country Club, made some history of her own this fall when she became the first female to win one of the Colorado PGA’s top tournaments. With a 5-under-par 139 total, she prevailed by three shots at the Colorado PGA West Chapter Championship at Aspen Glen Club.

Also scoring a first in 2016 was Alexandra Braga from Denver Country Club, who won the inaugural Colorado PGA Women’s Championship, held at Cherry Creek Country Club.

— And, let’s finish off with the biggest-money event of the year … Neil Johnson of Phoenix earned the distinction of being the first winner of the CoBank Colorado Open after the tournament more than quadrupled its first-place prize money, to $100,000. Johnson was playing in his first Colorado Open after qualifying for the tournament on Monday of championship week.

Part-time Boulder resident Jonathan Kaye, winner of two PGA Tour events, tied for second place in his first tournament in two years.
 

Steve Irwin of Lakewood Country Club and Barry Erwin of Murphy Creek Golf Course, along with Alex Buecking of Columbine Country Club and Trent Isgrig of CommonGround Golf Course stayed in a share of the lead as they matched 6-under-par 66s to go into Sunday’s final round with 14-under 130 totals. Irwin and Buecking won the CGA Four-Ball title together in 2009.

Buecking and Isgrig have yet to make a bogey through 36 holes as they posted six birdies on Saturday. Irwin, a two-time champion, and Erwin have made two bogeys total to go alone with 16 birdies.

Meanwhile, Macdonald and Schmitz, from the Country Club at Castle Pines and Colorado Golf Club, respectively, carded the best round of the tournament so far — by two strokes — in following up a 69 with a 62. They trail the leaders by one after racking up 11 birdies best-ball on Saturday, posting 11 3s on their card.

Dallas Massey of South Suburban Golf Course and John Hayes of Commonground are the only other team at 135 or better as they hold fourth place at 132.

Sunday’s final round will begin with a 9 a.m. shotgun start.

For interactive scores, CLICK HERE.
 

CGA Four-Ball Championship
At Par-72 Legacy Ridge GC in Westminster

Alex Buecking, Columbine CC / Trent R Isgrig, Commonground GC 64-66–130
Steven Irwin, Lakewood CC / Barry Erwin, Murphy Creek GC 64-66–130
Ross Macdonald, CC at Castle Pines / Ryan Schmitz, Colorado GC 69-62–131
Dallas Massey, South Suburban GC / John Hayes, Commonground GC 67-65–132
Jon Lindstrom, Lakewood CC / Richard Bradsby, Lakewood CC 70-66–136
Ben Sherlund, Colorado GC / Zach Fowlds, Colorado GC 66-70–136
Joel Perez, Colorado National GC / Ben Gibson, Fox Hollow at Lakewood 69-67–136
Brooks Ferring, Lakewood CC / Carey Sullivan, Lakewood CC 70-66–136
Wesley Martin, Commonground GC / Adam Muhleisen, City Park GC 70-67–137
Brian O’Hara, Lakewood CC / Curt Jenkins, Lakewood CC 72-65–137
Nick Nosewicz, Meadow Hills GC / Michael Bartley, Meadow Hills GC 70-67–137
Andy Dannewitz, The Club at Ravenna / Brian Richmeier, Meadow Hills GC 70-68–138
Dean Siskowski, Ptarmigan CC / Bill Severin, Ptarmigan CC 69-69–138
 Jared Bickling, Gypsum Creek GC / Keith Humerickhouse, Gypsum Creek 71-68–139
Gregory Pattison, Heritage at Westmoor / Eric Miller, Heritage at Westmoor 69-70–139
Garrett Mortimer, Boomerang Golf Links / Jake Jacobs, Flatirons GC 69-71–140
Tristan Sanders, Commonground GC / Tim Kratz, Commonground GC 69-71–140
Arnold Hoy, Colorado GC / Nicholas Engen, Colorado GC 68-72–140
Michael Love, Colorado GC / Brian McCloy, Colorado GC 72-70–142
Bryan Pieper, Boulder CC / Greg Stringari, Meridian GC 74-68–142
Chace Nathe, Collindale GC / Andrew Sinner, Collindale GC 75-67–142
Chris Roehrkasse, Colorado Springs CC / Alex Leonida, Ridge at Castle Pines North 73-70–143
Bob Chandler, Foothills GC / Gary Albrecht, Commonground GC 73-70–143
Thomas Roos, Spring Valley GC / Dennis Fields, Heritage at Westmoor 73-70–143
Jeff Woods, Meadow Hills GC / Kevin Walden, Meadow Hills GC 69-75–144
Eddie Lee, Broadlands GC / Teddy Sullivan, Green Valley Ranch GC 76-69–145
Andy Brooks, Commonground GC / Sam Solomon, Todd Creek GC 73-73–146
Chris Schwartz, Harmony Club / Pierce Trumper, Fort Collins CC 75-71–146
Dave Brown, Rmgcsa Golf League / Pat Bowe, Commonground GC 77-69–146
James Richardson, South Suburban GC / Justin Gold, South Suburban GC 73-73–146
Bret Ludwick, Olde Course at Loveland / Richard Schneider, Olde Course at Loveland 75-72–147
Jack Huffman, Eagle Ranch GC / Cory Nolan, Gypsum Creek GC 72-75–147
Mr Cole M Campbell, Lake Arbor GC / Kyle Shinkle, Lake Arbor GC 73-74–147
Bob Schuler, Colorado Avidgolfer Passport C / Jim LeMar, Meadows GC 70-77–147
Chris Didonato, Broadlands GC / Joe Larsen, Riverdale GC 74-74–148
Kevin Welch, Thorncreek GC / Chad Lounsbury, Adobe Creek National GC 74-74–148
Bradley Becker, Plum Creek GC / Steve Kass, Aurora Hills GC 73-75–148
Todd Beckman, Indian Peaks GC / Curt Confer, Indian Peaks GC 75-76–151
Jay Gomer, Indian Peaks GC / Troy Tomsick, Indian Peaks GC 76-75–151
Raphael Martorello, Cherry Creek CC / Shane Thomas, Colorado Avidgolfer Passport C 78-75–153
Jayson Holland, Springhill GC / Matt Conger, Saddle Rock GC 78-76–154
Dan Deppen, Broadlands GC / Aaron Spear, Broadlands GC 82-73–155
Scot Mortimer, Flatirons GC / Mike Bretzke, 78-77–155
Bob Cloud, Commonground GC / Jim Reynolds, Bear Creek GC 80-78–158
Phil Lane, Broadmoor GC / Scott A Blackmun, Broadmoor GC 79-82–161

Irwin and Barry Erwin of Murphy Creek Golf Course made nine birdies in opening with an 8-under-par 64. And that total was matched by Buecking and Trent Isgrig of CommonGround Golf Course, who had eight birdies in a bogey-free round.

Irwin also won this event in 2004 with Pat Diaz. As for Buecking, he and Jason Enloe of Dallas advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship in May.

Two other players who competed in that national four-ball tournament in the spring, Ben Sherlund and Zach Fowlds of Colorado Golf Club, are in third place after shooting a 66 on Friday. Dallas Massey of South Suburban Golf Course and John Hayes of CommonGround hold down the fourth spot at 67 after making an eagle on the 18th hole in round 1.

A total of 45 two-person teams are competing in the scratch best-ball stroke-play event. The 54-hole tournament continues through Sunday.

The CGA Four-Ball was originally scheduled for early May, but a snowstorm caused it to be postoned.

For interactive scores, CLICK HERE.
 

CGA Four-Ball Championship
At Par-72 Legacy Ridge GC in Westminster

Trent R Isgrig, Commonground Golf Course / Alex Buecking, Columbine Country Club — 33-31–64
Barry Erwin, Murphy Creek Golf Course / Steven Irwin, Lakewood Country Club — 30-34–64
Ben Sherlund, Colorado Golf Club / Zach Fowlds, Colorado Golf Club — 30-36–66
Dallas Massey, South Suburban Golf Course / John Hayes, Commonground Golf Course — 35-32–67
Nicholas Engen, Colorado Golf Club / Arnold Hoy, Colorado Golf Club — 36-32–68
Garrett Mortimer, Boomerang Golf Links / Jake Jacobs, Flatirons GC — 35-34–69
Dean Siskowski, Ptarmigan Country Club / Bill Severin, Ptarmigan Country Club — 34-35–69
Joel Perez, Colorado National Golf Club / Ben Gibson, Fox Hollow at Lakewood — 34-35–69
Tristan Sanders, Commonground Golf Course / Tim Kratz, Commonground Golf Course — 35-34–69
Gregory Pattison, Heritage at Westmoor / Eric Miller, Heritage at Westmoor — 33-36–69
Ross Macdonald, Country Club at Castle Pines / Ryan Schmitz, Colorado Golf Club — 34-35–69
Jeff Woods, Meadow Hills Golf Course / Kevin Walden, Meadow Hills Golf Course — 36-33–69
Jon Lindstrom, Lakewood Country Club / Richard Bradsby, Lakewood Country Club — 36-34–70
Wesley Martin, Commonground Golf Course / Adam Muhleisen, City Park GC — 34-36–70
Andy Dannewitz, The Club at Ravenna / Brian Richmeier, Meadow Hills Golf Course — 36-34–70
Brooks Ferring, Lakewood Country Club / Carey Sullivan, Lakewood Country Club — 33-37–70
Bob Schuler, Colorado Avidgolfer Passport C / Jim LeMar, Meadows Golf Club — 33-37–70
Nick Nosewicz, Meadow Hills Golf Course / Michael Bartley, Meadow Hills Golf Course — 36-34–70
Keith Humerickhouse, Gypsum Creek / Jared Bickling, Gypsum Creek Golf Course — 37-34–71
Michael Love, Colorado Golf Club / Brian McCloy, Colorado Golf Club — 36-36–72
Cory Nolan, Gypsum Creek Golf Course / Jack Huffman, Eagle Ranch GC — 34-38–72
Brian O’Hara, Lakewood Country Club / Curt Jenkins, Lakewood Country Club — 36-36–72
Andy Brooks, Commonground Golf Course / Sam Solomon, Todd Creek Golf Club — 36-37–73
Chris Roehrkasse, Colorado Springs Country Club / Alex Leonida, Ridge at Castle Pines North — 37-36–73
James Richardson, South Suburban Golf Course / Justin Gold, South Suburban Golf Course — 35-38–73
Bob Chandler, Foothills Golf Course / Gary Albrecht, Commonground Golf Course — 35-38–73
Bradley Becker, Plum Creek Golf Club / Steve Kass, Aurora Hills Golf Club — 35-38–73
Thomas Roos, Spring Valley Golf Club / Dennis Fields, Heritage at Westmoor — 34-39–73
Kyle Shinkle, Lake Arbor Golf Club / Mr Cole M Campbell, Lake Arbor Golf Club — 35-38–73
Joe Larsen, Riverdale Golf Club / Chris Didonato, Broadlands Golf Club — 35-39–74
Bryan Pieper, Boulder Country Club / Greg Stringari, Meridian Golf Club — 35-39–74
Kevin Welch, Thorncreek Golf Club / Chad Lounsbury, Adobe Creek National Golf Club — 38-36–74
Bret Ludwick, Olde Course at Loveland / Richard Schneider, Olde Course at Loveland — 37-38–75
Chris Schwartz, Harmony Club / Pierce Trumper, Fort Collins Country Club — 38-37–75
Chace Nathe, Collindale Golf Club / Andrew Sinner, Collindale Golf Club — 38-37–75
Curt Confer, Indian Peaks Golf Club / Todd Beckman, Indian Peaks Golf Club — 38-37–75
Jay Gomer, Indian Peaks Golf Club / Troy Tomsick, Indian Peaks Golf Club — 36-40–76
Eddie Lee, Broadlands Golf Club / Teddy Sullivan, Green Valley Ranch GC — 38-38–76
Dave Brown, Rmgcsa Golf League / Pat Bowe, Commonground Golf Course — 39-38–77
Shane Thomas, Colorado Avidgolfer Passport C / Raphael Martorello, Cherry Creek Country Club — 40-38–78
Matt Conger, Saddle Rock Golf Course / Jayson Holland, Springhill Golf Course — 40-38–78
Scot Mortimer, Flatirons Golf Course / Mike Bretzke, — 41-37–78
Phil Lane, Broadmoor Golf Club / Scott A Blackmun, Broadmoor Golf Club — 41-38–79
Bob Cloud, Commonground Golf Course / Jim Reynolds, Bear Creek Golf Club — 38-42–80
Dan Deppen, Broadlands Golf Club / Aaron Spear, Broadlands GC — 42-40–82

That attraction is likely primarily twofold — it’s a two-person team event, which has proven a popular format; and so far it’s been scheduled at some great venues. It’s already been held at the Olympic Club (2015) and Winged Foot (2016), and upcoming are Pinehurst (2017), Jupiter Hills (2018), Chambers Bay (2019) and Philadelphia Cricket Club (2020).

Given the spring dates for the national championship, qualifying is currently taking place for the 2017 tournament, which will be held May 27-31 at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina.

In Colorado, qualifying for the event will occur Tuesday (Aug. 30) at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora. There, 60 two-man teams will compete for three berths in the national championship.

Four intact teams that have already competed in the U.S. Four-Ball will be in the field at CommonGround: Jonathan Marsico and Tom Hart (2016), Zach Fowlds and Ben Sherlund (2016), Bill Fowler and Robert Polk (2015), and Jeff Chapman and Andrew Tapia (2015). In addition, Alex Kephart (2015) and Alex Buecking (2016) are qualifiers who are competing with different teammates this time around (Kephart with Kurtis Lucas, and Buecking with Jon Lindstrom). In fact, Buecking went to the quarterfinals of the national championship in May while pairing up with Jason Enloe of Dallas.

Also competing at CommonGround will be Chris Korte and Nick Nosewicz, who each won major CGA championships in 2015 at CommonGround — Korte the CGA Amateur and Nosewicz the CGA Match Play.

For Tuesday’s pairings, CLICK HERE.