Very rarely does a winner of a major CGA individual championship post a round in the 80s, but Meridian Golf Club and Mother Nature led to an exception to the rule this week.

Still, Steve Ivan of Patty Jewett Golf Course in Colorado Springs didn’t sweat it. He left Meridian with his first CGA title in 38 years, so it’s all good.

Despite shooting an 8-over-par 80 in very windy conditions and on a challenging golf course on Thursday, Ivan held off his challengers and recorded a one-stroke victory in the 46th CGA Senior Amateur.

“It feels good,” the 55-year-old said. “I had to go through qualifying at Walking Stick, and I qualified first there. There’s all these little steps. With that 72 on Tuesday, I was like, ‘I can do this.’ And today, I’m proud of the way I hung in there.”

Indeed, though he shot a final-round 80, Ivan didn’t let things swirl out of control on Thursday. After taking a five-stroke lead into the last day, he found himself 7 over par for his first eight holes in round 3. Particularly frustrating was the triple bogey on No. 2, where Ivan hit a good drive, but — unbeknownst to him or his playing partners — the ball hit a cart sign and bounced back 50 yards. They couldn’t find it, so he played another ball from the tee. It was only when he was driving back up the hole that the ball was found — and by then it was too late.

“I got on the wrong side of the hole on the front nine and made compounding error after compounding error,” he said. But after the front nine, “I looked at the scores and I said, ‘You’ve still got one shot (on the second-place player). Just grind it, grind it, grind it, and let the score take care of itself — and I did.”

Indeed, after not making a birdie through 15 holes, Ivan almost holed out his approach from 89 yards on the 16th hole, tapping in for birdie from 4 inches. Then on the 179-yard 17th, he hit a 6-iron to 10 feet and drained that putt for a second straight birdie. Though he didn’t know it at the time, that gave him a two-stroke lead, and even a three-putt bogey from 40 feet on the 18th hole didn’t make a difference in the outcome.

The retired insurance claims adjuster (above and left) finished with a 54-hole total of 9-over-par 225, one of the highest winning tallies in the history of this championship.

Brian Harris of Denver Country Club and Victor Minovich of Foothills Golf Course shared second place at 226 after matching 74s on Thursday.

Three-time champion Robert Polk of Colorado Golf Club tied for fourth place at 227 with Paul Edwards of Meridian and Keith Atkins of Highland Meadows Golf Course. Edwards matched the low round of the tournament with a 72, while Atkins had a 74 and Polk a 76.

For Ivan, Thursday marked his first CGA title since he won the 1979 CGA Junior Match Play at The Ranch Country Club. A year later, he joined the University of Colorado golf team, where over the years he was teammates with Steve Jones, who would win the 1996 U.S. Open, Rick Cramer, Terry Kahl, Tim Smith, Matt Potter and Paul Lobato, coincidentally now the PGA head professional at Meridian.

“Today, that birdie on 16 was monumental,” Ivan said. “The momentum just switched like that. I went from no emotion to off the charts. That was the whole tournament right there. That allowed me to hit that tee shot on 17 and make that putt, which allowed me to hit a good drive on 18. It’s just the little engine that could.”

By the way, this little engine that could is a throwback of sorts. He plays his golf with 1993 Ram Laser Fx irons — of which he owns 13 sets. And because he likewise favors Royal grips, he claims to own more of those than anyone in the U.S.

“They call that OCD. The first step in recovery is admitting you’ve got a problem,” he said with a smile.

But whatever the case, Ivan makes it work. Though he hasn’t competed in many CGA championships, he’s the winner of many, many tournaments in Colorado Springs between the Pikes Peak Amateur, the Valley Hi Springer and the city championship.

But on Thursday, both Harris and Minovich came very close to overtaking Ivan afer being seven strokes down going into the day.

Harris bogeyed the last two holes, missing a 3-foot par putt on No. 17. And Minovich (left) misfired on several close putts on the back nine.

“When I realized how windy it was, and knowing what can happen on this course, for us amateurs I think everybody has a chance, even coming from seven back,” said Harris, a onetime U.S. Senior Amateur qualifier. “But a bogey-bogey finish to come in one behind is a little disappointing.”

Minovich, meanwhile, was competing in this event for the first time.

“It was the little 3-foot putts I missed coming in (that cost me),” said the multiple-time Foothills Golf Course club champion. “It really did come down to putting for me. Yesterday, the last four holes, I missed three short putts. And today I missed two 4-footers and a 3-footer on the back nine.”

The CGA Senior Amateur is limited to players 51 and older. In an effort to eventually match the age criteria for the U.S. Senior Amateur, which is limited to players 55 and older, each year beginning in 2017 the eligibility for CGA senior events will rise one year. So next year, for instance, the minimum age will be 52. From 2021 and beyond, competitors must be at least 55.

For all the scores from the CGA Senior Amateur, CLICK HERE.
 

Two players who are no strangers to golf’s major championships punched their tickets to another one on Tuesday.

Ron Vlosich of Lakewood and Steve Schneiter of Sandy, Utah earned the two qualifying spots available at Lakewood’s Fox Hollow Golf Course for the U.S. Senior Open. 

Schneiter, the 1995 PGA Professional National Champion, fired a 5-under-par 66 on Tuesday despite never having seen the course before, while Vlosich carded a 67. 

The Senior Open will be played July 10-13 at Oak Tree National Golf Club in Edmond, Okla.

Schneiter, 50, has competed in a dozen PGA Championships, plus last month’s Senior PGA Championship. 

Vlosich, 57, has qualified for a U.S. Open, a PGA Championship, three previous U.S. Senior Opens and two Senior PGAs. 

“It’s always special” playing in major championships, said Vlosich, a five-time Colorado PGA Player of the Year. “Those guys are just so good compared to what I am. So there’s no way to win the tournament, but to go is pretty cool. To participate is always nice. You hope you get a few good rounds in.

“I’m almost ready to quit trying to qualify for them just because I’ve done them. Let somebody else do them. I’m not trying to rack up 10 U.S. Senior Opens and make the cut three times in 10 years. That’s great you’re making it but …”

For the record, Vlosich (pictured above and at left with Schneiter) has made the cut in the 2007 U.S. Senior Open, and at the 2010 Senior PGA Colorado Golf Club hosted.

Vlosich, a former head professional at Green Gables Country Club who now teaches periodically at the Meadows Golf Club, recorded six birdies and two bogeys Tuesday at Fox Hollow. He qualified despite three-putting his 17th hole (for a par) and hitting into a hazard and needing to sink a 6-foot putt for a bogey on No. 18. On the other hand, he also drained a 60-foot birdie putt on No. 14.

“There are a lot of wedges (for approach shots at Fox Hollow), but you’ve got to get it in hole,” Vlosich said. “And everybody is over 50 and has a lot of those demons — not only the physical ailments but the mental demons. I’ve got them both. Everybody is fighting through those.”

Despite not seeing the course beforehand, Schneiter made nine birdies on Tuesday, offset by a double bogey and two bogeys. His flight from Salt Lake City on Monday was delayed by eight hours, so he didn’t arrive in Denver until 11:30 p.m.

Asked if he was surprised by shooting a 66 after going in “blind”, Schneiter said, “Not really. Sometimes that might be better.” Nevertheless, the double bogey he took — on No. 14, where his ball went left into an environmentally sensitive area — was a direct result of not knowing the course.

But the golfer who has won state opens in Arizona, Wyoming and Idaho bounced back nicely with birdies on his final two holes on Tuesday.

“I figured 5 under or better was what I needed to do,” Schneiter said. “But I wanted to go as low as I could go — 5 under or better. I try not to limit myself.”

Certainly the bottom line — qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open in his first attempt — was satisfying.

“It’s nice,” said Schneiter, runner-up in the 1991 Colorado Open. “I never played in a U.S. Open, so this will be fun.”

Amateur Brian Harris of Denver beat out Mike Zaremba of Pueblo West for the first alternate spot on Tuesday after both players shot 69.

A total of 77 players competed on Tuesday. Doug Rohrbaugh of Ironbridge Golf Club, who qualified for the U.S. Senior Open each of the last two years, shot a 73 at Fox Hollow. And Texan David Ogrin, winner of a PGA Tour event in 1996, carded a 77.

U.S. Senior Open Qualifying

At Par-71 Fox Hollow GC (Canyon/Meadow) in Lakewood

ADVANCE TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Steve Schneiter, Sandy, Utah, 32-34–66
Ron Vlosich, Lakewood, Colo., 34-33–67

ALTERNATES (In Order)
Brian Harris, Denver, Colo., 34-35–69
Michael Zaremba, Pueblo West, Colo., 35-34–69

FAILED TO QUALIFY
Michael Grob, Billings, Mont., 33-37–70
Ken Cosper, Fort Collins, Colo., 40-31–71
Rick Dewitt, Arvada, Colo., 35-36–71
Mike Northern, Colorado Springs, Colo., 36-35–71
Robert Polk, Parker, Colo., 38-34–72
Tom Krystyn, Denver, Colo., 39-33–72
Patrick Murphy, Broomfield, Colo., 37-35–72
Audie Dean, Centennial, Colo., 36-36–72
Dale Smigelsky, Fort Collins, Colo., 37-35–72
Kenneth Krieger, Cheyenne, Wyo., 37-35–72
Thomas Roos, Centennial, Colo., 38-35–73
David Delich, Colorado Springs, Colo., 37-36–73
Sean Forey, Morrison, Colo., 37-36–73
Doug Rohrbaugh, Carbondale, Colo., 37-36–73
Gregg Jones, Colorado Springs, Colo., 37-36–73
Tom Nosewicz, Aurora, Colo., 36-37–73
Marshall Clark, Denver, Colo., 35-39–74
James Reynolds, Centennial, Colo., 37-37–74
Steve Norman, Colorado Springs, Colo., 38-36–74
Mike Musgrave, Fort Collins, Colo., 40-34–74
Tom Krause, Centennial, Colo., 38-36–74
Matt Hall, Grand Junction, Colo., 38-37–75
Charlie Post, Castle Rock, Co., 41-34–75
Mark Bassett, Colorado Springs, Colo., 39-36–75
Mark Armistead, Lone Tree, Colo., 38-37–75
Quentin Sasser, Salt Lake City, Utah, 38-37–75
Thomas Carricato, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 37-38–75
John Hull, Clayton, Mo., 38-37–75
James Lemar, Littleton, Colo., 37-38–75
Grant Porter, Castle Pines, Colo., 37-39–76
Zane Zwemke, Aurora, Colo., 35-41–76
John Ward, Denver, Colo., 36-40–76
Rob McLelland, Aurora, Colo., 39-37–76
Mark Crabtree, Lakewood, Colo., 37-39–76
Richard Kelly, Golden, Colo., 39-37–76
Thomas Walter, Franktown, Colo., 37-39–76
John Karamigios, Lakewood, Colo., 39-37–76
Glen Barrett, Colorado Springs, Colo., 41-35–76
Thomas White, Bozeman, Mont., 38-38–76
Robert Cloud, Denver, Colo., 41-35–76
John Sostmann, Littleton, Colo., 39-38–77
David Ogrin, New Braunfels, Texas, 39-38–77
Ron Stelten, Palm Desert, Calif., 39-38–77
William Oshields, Aurora, Colo., 41-37–78
Owen Ellis, Boulder, Colo., 40-39–79
Bruce Hogg, Colorado Springs, Colo., 40-39–79
Dean Sessions, Westminster, Colo., 38-41–79
Jeff Seltz, Arvada, Colo., 40-39–79
Tom Schultz, Trinidad, Colo., 39-41–80
Paul Lobato, Denver, Colo., 38-42–80
Van McCarlie, Provo, Utah, 40-40–80
Mr. Harry Johnson, Edwards, Colo., 42-39–81
Mark Runyan, Centennial, Colo., 41-40–81
Rick Ellefson, Castle Rock, Colo., 42-39–81
Thomas Taylor, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 40-41–81
Rustin Triplette, Holyoke, Colo., 41-40–81
Perry Holmes, Denver, Colo., 40-42–82
Eric Hoos, Denver, Colo., 38-45–83
Leonard Zeggert, Morrison, Colo., 42-42–84
Jack Rule, Lone Tree, Colo., 43-42–85
Chuck Fisher, Westminster, Colo., 42-44–86
Robert Beiersdorf, Castle Rock, Colo., 46-41–87
Greg Parson, Littleton, Colo., 40-50–90
John Henderson, Colorado Springs, Colo., DQ
Mark Barkley, Highlands Ranch, Colo., WD
Kary Kaltenbacher, Englewood, Colo., NS
Robert Cooley, Parker, Colo., WD
Stephen Bell, Denver, Colo., WD
John Hoge, Parker, Colo., NC
Greg Hall, Wichita, Kan., NC
John Bevere, Colorado Springs, Colo., NS
Bob Kearney, Houston, Texas, NS
Michael Prostrollo, Aurora, Colo., NC 

After all, when the part-time Colorado Springs resident earned medalist honors Monday in USGA Senior Amateur Sectional Qualifying at Heritage Todd Creek Golf Club, it marked roughly the 12th time Olive has landed a spot in a USGA championship.

In addition, he’s won at least 10 CGA individual titles, including the 1977 Stroke Play and nine senior championships, in addition to capturing the inaugural Colorado Senior Open. It’s little wonder why he’s in the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.

Still, Monday’s achievement was pretty special given that Olive will turn 66 years old later this month, and he was competing against a field primarily made up of 50-somethings. (The Senior Amateur is limited to players 55 and older.) And he beat every one of them, plus all his fellow 60-somethings.

“It means more the older you get,” said Olive (pictured). “I’m 66 this month. It just feels really good to be still competitive. I still play pretty good at times, but not all the time. You appreciate the good that you can have where when you’re younger you take it for granted sometimes. Now you don’t take it for granted anymore. So it means a lot.”

Olive shot an even-par 72 to set the standard out of Monday’s field of 55 golfers. He was one of three players who landed berths in the USGA Senior Amateur, which will be contested Sept. 10-15 in Manakin-Sabot, Va.

Joining him at the national championship will be Rick George of Greenwood Village and Brian Harris of Rochester, N.Y., Bausch & Lomb’s chief financial officer, who still owns a home in Denver. George and Harris posted 1-over-par 73s.

Olive will be going to his third USGA Senior Amateur, while George and Harris qualified for their first USGA championship.

Olive has previously landed spots in a U.S. Amateur, a U.S. Senior Open, “six to eight” U.S. Mid-Amateurs, along with his two other USGA Senior Amateurs.

While fellow competitor Robert Polk of Parker playfully joked that “anybody that old ought not be able to qualify” when Olive had to hold his scorecard at arm’s-length to see the numbers clearly, Olive’s fellow players fully realize he has plenty of game as he approaches his 66th birthday. He’s already shot below his age a couple of times — “In another week (when he turns 66) it’s going to be easier,” he said with a laugh. “All I’ve got to do is try to stay upright.” — and two years ago he advanced to match play at the Senior Amateur. Then on Monday he battled back to shoot an even-par 72 after being 2 over par through six holes.

“There were a lot of times when I was probably the favorite that I didn’t (qualify) because you put a lot of pressure on yourself,” said Olive, who plays out of the Broadmoor Golf Club. “I’m sure there are some guys here who just know they’re plenty good enough to be medalist and who don’t do it. Sometimes, you don’t have any expectations and you come and play golf and somehow I think it works better. When I was younger sometimes you’re trying too hard. I’m thinking there’s a half-a-dozen guys here who I would guess day in and day out would really be better than me, but they’re trying too hard. So you never know.”

Olive used to be a hard-core tournament player, but his attitude has mellowed a bit over time.

“Now I’m a social golfer who occasionally plays a tournament,” he said. “And I’m happy to say that. It was tough to get to that point psychologically. It used to be, ‘I’m a tournament player. That social golf is sissy stuff.’ But I’m proud to say now that I’m a social golfer playing the white tees with lots of friends.”

Meanwhile, George and Harris are happy to get a chance to compete in a USGA championship for the first time.

George, a member of the CGA Board of Governors, birdied two of his last three holes Monday to qualify. But even with that, he was stunned that he had a chance at a national berth.

“I was surprised,” said the 59-year-old who plays out of Castle Pines Golf Club. “I thought I had missed enough birdie opportunities that I wasn’t going to make it. I missed a lot of chances and I thought that would come back to haunt me.”

But with some tough pin placements, no one in the field broke par, which left George a happy man.

“This will be a very special experience for me,” George said of playing in the USGA Senior Amateur.

Harris will just meet the age requirement for the Senior Amateur as he turns 55 between now and the start of the national tournament. On Monday, he qualified despite taking a double bogey on the 17th hole.

So when Harris said, “I just get in under the wire” regarding his age, he could have also been talking about qualifying with no room to spare.

Advancing to nationals “is fantastic,” he said. “It’s always a thrill to qualify for a USGA event. I’m more of a club golfer, but when the opportunity presents itself … My game has been a bit mixed to be honest, so it was nice to put a steady round together today.”

Harris was a resident of Denver until 2009, when he was named CFO of Bausch & Lomb and moved to the company’s worldwide headquarters in Rochester. The native of Scotland still keeps a home in Denver.

Polk and Rich Morrison of Marana, Ariz., will be the first and second alternates, respectively, from the Todd Creek USGA Senior Amateur qualifying site.

USGA Senior Amateur Sectional Qualifying
At Par-72 Heritage Todd Creek GC in Thornton

QUALIFIERS
John Olive, Colorado Springs, Colo., 37-35–72
Brian Harris, Rochester, N.Y., 37-36–73
Rick George, Greenwood Village, Colo., 38-35–73

ALTERNATES (in order)
Robert Polk, Parker, Colo., 36-38–74
Rich Morrison, Marana, Ariz., 39-35–74

FAILED TO QUALIFY
Van Lefferdink, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., 37-38–75
Steve Summers, Dallas, Texas, 37-38–75
Robert Cloud, Denver, Colo., 38-37–75
Gary Albrecht, Denver, Colo., 37-38–75
Jim Lemar, Littleton, Colo., 37-38–75
David Brown, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 39-36–75
Jim Pierce, Oro Valley, Ariz., 39-37–76
Stephen Bell, Denver, Colo., 39-37–76
Robin Bradbury, Louisville, Colo., 38-38–76
Jerry Kidney, Littleton, Colo., 37-39–76
Kelly Crone, Littleton, Colo., 42-35–77
Tom Turner, Fort Collins, Colo., 40-37–77
Doug Jones, Grand Junction, Colo., 39-38–77
Scott Radcliffe, Golden, Colo., 40-37–77
Mark Runyan, Centennial, Colo., 38-39–77
Jon Campbell, Casper, Wyo., 36-41–77
Kelly Cox, Midland, Texas, 43-35–78
Charlie Post, Castle Rock, Colo., 36-42–78
Jim Reynolds, Denver, Colo., 37-41–78
Larry Netherton, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 40-38–78
David Davis, Lakewood, Colo., 39-40–79
Bruce Hayes, Niwot, Colo., 42-37–79
Steve Ivy, Fort Collins, Colo., 38-41–79
Frank Wilkinson III, Grand Junction, Colo., 41-38–79
Jim English, Boulder, Colo., 38-41–79
Tom Keltner, Silverthorne, Colo., 41-38–79
John Sostmann, Littleton, Colo., 40-39–79
Kary Kaltenbacher, Englewood, Colo., 37-42–79
Roger Gunderson, Aurora, Colo., 41-38–79
Chris Pennels, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 39-41–80
David Merritt, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 39-41–80
Jack Clevenger, Castle Rock, Colo., 41-39–80
Randy Miller, Boulder, Colo., 39-42–81
Fredrick Steffers, Colorado Springs, Colo., 39-42–81
John Applegate, Littleton, Colo., 40-42–82
Jeff Wagner, Golden, Colo., 40-42–82
Tim McAdam, Edwards, Colo., 43-40–83
Tom Johnson, Tampa, Fla., 43-40–83
Laird Middleton, Centennial, Colo., 41-43–84
Don Berthiaume, Littleton, Colo., 45-40–85
Alan Diercks, Davie, Fla., 42-44–86
Danny Wyrick, Arvada, Colo., 43-43–86
Bob Berglund, Parker, Colo., 43-43–86
Michael Davis, Denver, Colo., 42-44–86
Dan Grigsby, Thornton, Colo., 41-45–86
Thomas Kundinger, Horseshoe Bay, Texas, 41-46–87
Robert Hallmark, McLean, Va., 47-41–88
Mark Barkley, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 45-45–90
Duwayne Lewis, Cheyenne, Wyo., NS
Gary Potter, Denver, Colo., WD