Milstead (left) carded three birdies in a bogey-free round on Thursday. He sits five strokes out of the lead.

Also posting under-par totals for Colorado PGA players were reigning Colorado Senior PGA Professional Champion Mike Zaremba of Desert Hawk at Pueblo West (70, good for 34th place) and PGA Life Member Chris Johnson of Castle Rock (71, 54th place).

Sherry Andonian-Smith of Valley CC, who became the first woman to compete in the national Senior PGA Professional Championship, opened with an even-par 72, leaving her in 80th place. Andonian-Smith, the Colorado PGA’s inaugural Woman’s Player of the Year who originally was an alternate for the competition, recorded three birdies and three bogeys in round 1.

“If you would have given me that score, I would have taken it,” Andonian-Smith told PGA.com. “But once I got out there, I was a little embarrassed on the greens (putting). I’m trying to make Bermuda (grass) my friend.”

The 72-hole tournament will continue through Sunday. The field will be cut to the low 90 players and and ties after 36 holes, and to the low 70 and ties after 54 holes.

The low 35 finishers on Sunday will earn berths into the 2019 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in Rochester, N.Y., May 23-26, and the top top five finishers will land exemptions into the final stage of the 2018 PGA Tour Champions Q-School.

Here are the round-by-round scores for competitors from the Colorado PGA:

16. Barry Milstead, Valley CC 69
34. Mike Zaremba, Desert Hawk at Pueblo West 70
54. Chris Johnson, Colorado PGA Life Member 71
80. Sherry Andonian-Smith, Valley CC 72
103. Doug Rohrbaugh, Snowmass Club 73
103. Jeff Hanson, Red Sky GC 73
252. Mike McCutchen, Family Sports 81

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.

Cole (pictured), who lost in a playoff and finished second earlier this month at the Colorado PGA Professional Championship, shot a 2-under-par 70 on Friday, giving him a 1-under 143 total at the tournament’s halfway point. He made three birdies and a bogey in round 2 and played his final 15 holes in 3 under par.

Tied with Cole in 17th place is Chris Johnson of Castle Rock, who carded a 74 on Friday. Johnson made three birdies on the day, offset by three bogeys and a double bogey.

Also among those making the 36-hole cut to the low 90 players and ties was former PGA Tour Champions player Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale, a three-time Colorado PGA Professional Champion who shot 73 on Friday and stands at 145, good for a tie for 34th place.

Likewise advancing to Saturday’s play were Barry Milstead of Castle Rock (147, 55th place) and Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Bill Loeffler of Castle Rock, a past winner of this national championship (148, 69th place).

Defending champion Steve Schneiter of Utah leads the way at the halfway point with a 9-under 135 total.

The tournament will continue through Sunday. The field will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after 54 holes.

The top 35 finishers will earn spots in the 2018 Senior PGA Championship, set for May 24-27 in Benton Harbor, Mich.

 Here are the scores for all the Coloradans competing:

17. Rick Cole of Eaton, Eaton CC 73-70–143
17. Chris Johnson of Castle Rock, Life Member 69-74–143
34. Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale, Ironbridge GC 72-73–145
55. Barry Milstead of Castle Rock, Valley CC 73-74–147
69. Bill Loeffler of Castle Rock, The Links GC 75-73–148
MISSED 36-HOLE CUT
Bill Hancock of Highlands Ranch, Littleton GC 75-76–151
Ron Vlosich of Lakewood, Life Member 74-78–152
Mike Zaremba of Pueblo West, Desert Hawk at Pueblo West 80-74–154
Mike Northern of Colorado Springs, Life Member 77-79–156
Don Hurter of Sedalia, Castle Pines GC DQ
 

Life may not start at 50, but you wouldn’t know it from the case of Doug Rohrbaugh and his born-again golf career.

On Wednesday, the director of golf from Ironbridge Golf Club in Glenwood Springs added another chapter to the stellar playing career he’s put together since reaching the big 5-0.

Not only did Rohrbaugh match a record by winning his third consecutive Colorado PGA Professional Championship, but he continues to break the standard he’s previously set by claiming the title at unprecedented ages.

The 53-year-old did it again Wednesday at Meridian Golf Club in Englewood, though this one was more of a challenge than the previous two victories in the event. This time around, he fended off a late charge from Valley Country Club head professional Barry Milstead by draining a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole to post a two-stroke victory.

The win, worth $8,000, made Rohrbaugh the first player since Ken Krieger (1996-98) to claim three straight Colorado PGA Professional Championships. Ron Vlosich (1991-93) is believed to be the only other player to three-peat in the 58-year history of the tournament. (Rohrbaugh is pictured at left and above with runner-up Milstead.)

“That was everything,” Rohrbaugh said of his quest for three straight victories. “To be honest, that was my goal coming in. Yes, you’re trying to win, but knowing the three-peat hadn’t been done much, I was definitely thinking about it. To want a three-peat and do it, that makes it sweeter. It means a lot. It was more than just a win.”

Besides claiming three straight Colorado PGA Professional Championships since turning 50, Rohrbaugh has also captured the 2013 HealthOne Colorado Senior Open title, finished third at the 2013 HealthOne Colorado Open as a 51-year-old, won the 2012 and ’13 Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship, and has earned conditional status on the 2015 Champions Tour.

“I don’t get it,” he admits of his status as a late bloomer. “I still can’t answer the question people ask me: Why? I think it’s a lot of things. I always thought I could play the Tour but I tried the regular Q-school twice and didn’t even get past first stage. It was a bit letdown. Then when 50 was coming it was like, ‘Here’s my second chance.’ So it got me excited, fired me up. That was a big part of it, knowing there was another chance.”

After winning the Colorado PGA Professional Championship by five each of the past two years, this one wasn’t settled until the final green. With Milstead one-putting for birdie and par, respectively on the final two par-3s (Nos. 15 and 17) while Rohrbaugh made bogeys, Milstead picked up three shots, leaving the margin at one going into the par-4 18th. There, both players had birdie putts of about 20 feet, and Milstead had his attempt online, but left it short.

“I did a lot of that today,” said Milstead (left and below). “I left a lot of putts short. (The one on 18) may or may not have gone in the hole, but I probably left four or five or six putts short and going in the right direction.”

Rohrbaugh, who said he hadn’t been nervous on his previous two shots on 18, got a few butterflies over his birdie putt.

“I realized I just had to two-putt,” the Carbondale resident said. “I wasn’t even trying to make it. I was just trying to get it up as close as I could. When it was about 3 feet out, I started to walk because I had a feeling it had a chance. Sure enough (it went in), and that certainly makes it a little sweeter.”

Rohrbaugh, who took a two-stroke lead into the final round, shot a 1-over-par 73 on Wednesday, the same as Milstead. Rohrbaugh finished at 5-under-par 211 overall, while Milstead (213) was the only other player who ended up under par.

Those two, along with the next six finishers, qualified for the 2016 PGA Professional National Championship, set for June 26-29 in Verona, N.Y. The other PNC qualifiers were Ari Papadopoulos (216), two-time CPGA Professional Championship winner Rob Hunt (217), University of Denver men’s golf coach Erik Billinger (218), Jeff Hanson (218), 2013 PGA Championship competitor Caine Fitzgerald (219) and Doug Wherry (219). Fitzgerald and Wherry each birdied the second hole of a sudden-death qualifying playoff that featured six competitors.

The battle for the CPGA Professional Championship title was largely a two-man affair on Wednesday, though Papadoupolos was 3 under for the tournament through 51 holes before finishing with three consecutive bogeys.

After Rohrbaugh (left) began the day with a bogey, Milstead earned a tie for the lead with a birdie on No. 2. But after the pro from Valley went bogey-double bogey on Nos. 4 and 5, Rohrbaugh never lost the outright lead again.

Though Milstead hit a few errant tee shots on the back nine Wednesday, he scrambled well enough to leave himself just one down going into 18.

“Down the stretch, I figured if I could hang around and make a few putts or make a birdie or two to get closer to him, we’d see what happened,” Milstead said. “I got within one going into 18, but I couldn’t quite catch him. Doug played great and hung in there. He’s a deserving champion.

“I played really well yesterday (67), which got me into position. I wish I had hit the ball as well as I did the first two days because I hit it great. I couldn’t quite hit it as well today.”

But overall, while he was disappointed in not landing the win, Milstead took some satisfaction in his best finish ever at the CPGA Professional Championship.

“I haven’t played a whole lot this year, so it’s good to see I’ve still got a lot of good shots in me,” the 48-year-old said. “We’ll take a lot of good things out of this week.”

As for Rohrbaugh, he wasn’t at his best either on Wednesday, which he attributes to having three-peat-itis on his mind.

“My golf today reflected that,” he said. “I did not play well today. My irons were off. I was nervous; there’s no question I was nervous. This one was harder than the first two because of that, but I managed to scrape it in there.”

Rohrbaugh, whose best finish out of six Champions Tour events this year is a 15th place, will take some momentum into his last four attempts at Monday qualifying for tournaments. If he can climb from 103rd to inside the top 75 on the final 2015 money list, he’ll earn an automatic spot in the final stage of Champions Tour Q-school.

“This is exactly what I needed heading out to the next four qualifiers,” he said. “I’m certainly feeling more confident and more excited about these four coming up after the way I’ve played the last two weeks.”

Colorado PGA Professional Championship
Sept. 14-16, 2015 (final) at Par-72 Meridian GC in Englewood

Top 10 Finishers (note: top eight qualify for 2016 PGA Professional National Championship) — 1. Doug Rohrbaugh 69-69-73–211; 2. Barry Milstead 73-67-73–213; 3. Ari Papadopoulos 72-72-72–216; 4. Rob Hunt 70-74-73–217; 5. (tie) Erik Billinger 73-74-71–218; Jeff Hanson 71-73-74–218; 7. (tie, with Fitzgerald and Wherry winning playoff) Caine Fitzgerald 69-75-75–219; Doug Wherry 75-73-71–219; Kyle Voska 74-76-69–219; Don Hurter 74-76-69–219; Mike Northern 74-74-71–219; Dustin Miller 75-73-71–219. For all the scores, CLICK HERE.

It’s been 13 years since Shane Bertsch of Parker last played in the HealthOne Colorado Open, a tournament he won in 1998.

And there’s a reason he’s back this week after his extended absence. A month ago, the 45-year-old virtually assured himself of returning to the PGA Tour for the 2015-16 wraparound season.

Bertsch (left) won the Rust-Oleum Championship on the Web.com Tour in June and currently stands in seventh place on the 2015 money list. That means he’s basically a lock to finish in the top 25 on the Web.com regular-season money list, which assures him of a PGA Tour exemption for 2015-16.

So ironically, while the two players in this week’s Colorado Open field that have PGA Tour wins to their credit — Notah Begay and Chris Riley — received more attention at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, Bertsch is the only Colorado Open competitor who is virtually certain to have fully-exempt status on the world’s premier golf tour next year.

“That’s what I’ve always been striving for,” Bertsch said after shooting a 3-under-par 69 Friday at the Colorado Open. “I’ve been out there a few different years, but it’s been a while.”

With his situation largely settled, Bertsch felt comfortable returning to the Colorado Open instead of needing to grind out his status down the home stretch of the Web.com Tour. The Denver native last played in the event in 2002, when he finished fifth, behind champion Kevin Stadler and runner-up Gary Hallberg — two players who now have PGA Tour victories — among others. That means that Bertsch hasn’t ever competed in the Open since it moved to Green Valley Ranch in 2004.

“Fortunately, a month ago I won and put myself in good shape,” he said. “I haven’t had the opportunity to stick around Colorado for more than a week at a time in the summer for a long time. But I’ve spent the last three weeks here, and I’m using this week as a refreshing time to stay at home, play in a tournament, and keep my game sharp. Then I’ll be heading out on the road again next week.”

So far this week, Bertsch has posted rounds of 70-69 for a 5-under-par 139 total, leaving him six shots out of the lead that’s held by defending champion Ian Davis of Edmond, Okla.

“I feel like I’ve played pretty solid,” he said. “I don’t think this course is playing too easy, and we’ve got 36 holes left. I feel good about it.

“This is a good track. I’m good buddies with Derek Tolan and Nick Mason, and they both said how good a shape it gets as far as firmness and the greens getting quick. It really is a good test. It’s no pushover.”

Bertsch has played full schedules on the PGA Tour six years between 1996 and 2012, but hasn’t been able to regain his card since — until now. He has five top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour to his credit, and has won $2.45 million on that circuit, in addition to the $1.28 million he’s earned on the Web.com Tour, where he’s won three times.

“I’ve been close (to regaining his PGA Tour card) the last couple of years but I haven’t done it,” he said. “It’s tough playing the Web. I’ve got no problems doing it but you always want to be up at the next level. That’s the only thing you really play for is to be up there. But the win really helps. I’m really looking forward to going back.

“And it’s nice to get it done early this year so I didn’t have to sweat it all the way through the year.”

Davis Ahead in Title Defense: The Colorado Open hasn’t crowned back-to-back champions since Dave Hill took home the trophy in both 1976 and ’77, but Ian Davis of Edmond, Okla., will try to change that this week.

The former Oklahoma State golfer shot an 8-under-par 64 on Friday — the low round this week — to reach the halfway point at 11-under 133, good for a two-stroke lead.

It’s as if he’s picking up right where he left off last year at Green Valley Ranch. On Friday, he racked up nine birdies, offset by one bogey.

“You have some good memories already around this place,” said the 23-year-old, who’s playing primarily this year on PGA Tour Latinoamerica, where he stands 23rd on the money list. “I came out a couple of days early and saw the course and everything. Those memories kind of come back to you and you can draw on those.”

The 64 Davis shot Friday was his best at GVR by two strokes.

The four players who share second place — two strokes behind Davis — include two other former champions, Zahkai Brown (left) of Arvada (2013 winner) and Wil Collins of Rapid City, S.D. (2005). Brown, the first-round leader, carded a 70 on Friday, while Collins had a 65.

Also at 9-under-par 135 are John Hurley of Spring, Texas (66 Friday) and Kurt Kitayama of Chico, Calif. (69).

Brown birdied his final hole of the day — No. 9 — but lamented going 2 over par through the first eight holes of his back nine — which is normally a good stretch for scoring.

“I hit it just as good today as yesterday (when he shot 65), but there were a couple of mental errors where I made a bogey,” he said. “I just wasn’t thinking very well on the back nine and made some dumb bogeys. I was kind of rushing it. I don’t know why. I just wish I could have gotten three or four more (under par).”

Among those another shot back, at 136, are Parker Edens of Greeley, who bogeyed his last three holes for a 70, and former Air Force Academy golfer Kyle Westmoreland (65).

Notable: The field was cut to the low 60 players and ties after Friday’s second round, with all competitors at 1 over par or better advancing to the weekend. Both of the PGA Tour winners in the field — Notah Begay and Chris Riley — posted 2-over-par 146 totals and missed the cut by one. … Amateur Robb Bierbaum of Arvada made the second hole-in-one of the week, acing the 182-yard fifth hole with a 5-iron. Bierbaum shot a 77 for a 157 total and missed the cut. On Thursday, Barry Milstead of Castle Rock made a hole-in-one on No. 13. It’s the first time since 1998 that two aces have been recorded in the same Colorado Open. … Tee times, off both the first and 10th holes, will run from 7:30 a.m. to 9:25 a.m. on Saturday.

For scores from the Colorado Open, CLICK HERE.

For Saturday tee times, CLICK HERE.

He’s beaten senior players, junior players, mid-amateurs and everything in between.

In short, it’s been a rip-roaring good year for Doug Rohrbaugh, the head professional at Ironbridge Golf Club.

Already the winner of the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open and the Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship, co-champion of the U.S. Senior Open qualifier in Colorado, and a third-place finisher in the HealthOne Colorado Open, Rohrbaugh added the Colorado PGA Professional Championship on Wednesday.

As Barry Milstead of Valley Country Club, president of the Colorado PGA, noted, “I’ve signed a lot of checks for you this year.”

And at 51, Rohrbaugh became one of the oldest winners — and perhaps the oldest — of the Colorado PGA’s top tournament. Fred Wampler, for one, also won the title after turning 50, doing so in 1974.

“The only thing I keep saying is, ‘Why did it take me 50 years to figure this out?'” said Rohrbaugh (pictured above and below). “There’s definitely something to be said for older and wiser, but who knows?”

After taking a four-stroke lead into the final round, the Carbondale resident shot a second consecutive 1-under-par 71 and won by five shots at the Fazio Course at Red Sky Golf Club in Wolcott. He didn’t lose the lead all day and finished at 6-under-par 210. The victory — Rohrbaugh’s first in the event after competing in it for two decades — was worth $7,500.

Rob Hunt of The Links Golf Course, winner of the Colorado PGA Professional Championship in both 2009 and ’11, tied for second at 215 Wednesday after a final-round 69. Micah Rudosky of Conquistador (72 Wednesday) and Jerry Smith of Three Crowns Golf Club in Casper, Wyo. (70) also shared second place. Rudosky won the title in 2001.

“Without Doug, it was a close race,” Hunt said with a laugh.

The top eight finishers, plus PGA Championship qualifier Caine Fitzgerald, earned spots in the 2014 PGA Professional National Championship, which will be played June 22-25 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Besides the aforementioned, advancing were Ari Papadopoulos of Red Sky, Milstead, University of Denver women’s assistant coach Erik Billinger, and Matt Schalk of Colorado National.

Schalk landed the final national berth when he prevailed over John Ogden of Cherry Hills on the third hole of a sudden death playoff.

But the main story Wednesday was Rohrbaugh and the continuation of his sensational summer.

“It’s incredible,” Hunt said. “I don’t know what the records would show, but I don’t know if (what he’s done in all those tournaments) has ever happened. It certainly hasn’t happened very often.”

Even Rohrbaugh himself is a little dumbfounded at the success he’s enjoyed in 2013.

“Oh my gosh, what can you say, other than ‘wow’,” he said. “I’m blown away. I’m obviously thrilled. You dream about every tournament you play in you want to win, but God, I’ve never had a year remotely like this.”

On Wednesday, while Rohrbaugh never relinquished the lead, Rudosky (pictured at left) moved within two strokes when Rohrbaugh bogeyed No. 8. And he was still within three after Rohrbaugh made his second bogey, at No. 14.

But the par-5 15th proved pivotal. There, Rohrbaugh pushed his tee shot and it ended up in a bush. Though he had to take an unplayable lie penalty, he was able to drop in a spot that gave him a chance to advance his ball a considerable distance.

After Rudosky elected to lay up from the fairway — which surprised Rohrbaugh — the latter took a 3-wood from the rough, 280 yards from the pin, and faded his ball around some tree limbs. It hit in front of the green and rolled to within 30 feet of the cup. Despite taking the unplayable, Rohrbaugh two-putted for par. Rudosky, meanwhile, missed his 7-foot birdie attempt, meaning there was no blood on the hole.

“I couldn’t have drawn it up any better,” Rohrbaugh said. “That was the shot of the day for me. If I had made bogey and he made birdie (it’s down to a one-stroke difference). My whole attitude changed the rest of the way. Not that I wasn’t feeling confident before that, but I had a lot more.”

Rohrbaugh played the last three holes in 1 under par, not giving his closest competitors any openings.

And now, like last year, Rohrbaugh has his sights set on his big goal for the fall — trying to qualify for the Champions Tour. Time will tell how he fares, but the roll he’s on has him thinking big.

“I feel confident. This just keeps building the confidence,” he said.

Here are the top 10 finishers from the Colorado PGA Professional Championship: 1. Doug Rohrbaugh 68-71-71–210; 2. (tie) Rob Hunt 72-74-69–215; Jerry Smith 74-71-70–215; Micah Rudosky 70-73-72–215; 5. Ari Papadopoulos 71-75-70–216; 6. (tie) Barry Milstead 75-73-69–217; Erik Billinger 74-71-72–217; 8. (tie) Matt Schalk 73-77-69–219; John Ogden 78-68-73–219; 10. (tie) Eric Bradley 73-80-67–220; Mike Northern 77-70-73–220.

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.