Three Local Qualifying tournaments will be held again this year in Colorado: Monday (May 9) at The Heritage at Westmoor in Westminster, May 15 at the East Course at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs, and May 17 at Collindale Golf Course in Fort Collins. Collindale is serving as a Local Qualifying site for the 13th consecutive year.

At each Colorado venue, about 84 competitors will vie for five spots in the 36-hole Sectional Qualifying, set for June 6 at 10 sites in the U.S. From there, the top finishers will advance to the Open itself.

In all, 111 U.S. Open Local Qualifiers will be held. A total of 9,877 entries were sent in for this year’s championship.

At the Colorado sites, previous U.S. Open competitors in the field include Leif Olson and Jason Preeo (Heritage at Westmoor) and Derek Tolan, Steve Irwin, Nick Mason and Wil Collins (all at The Broadmoor).

Among those entered in Colorado who advanced to Sectionals last year were Nathaniel Goddard, Greg Johnson, Michael Schoolcraft, Jim Knous, Cameron Harrell and Andrew Romano (all at Heritage at Westmoor this year); Tolan, Eric Bradley and Jake Staiano (all at The Broadmoor this year); and Parker Edens (Collindale this year).

For tee times, click on the following: Heritage at Westmoor, The Broadmoor, Collindale.
 

Editor’s Note: With the CGA celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding in 1915, this is the fifth monthly installment of a series of stories looking back on the last century of golf in Colorado. All the articles are being published on coloradogolf.org. This chapter focuses on the period from 1955-64. For the previous installments, CLICK HERE 

Between what happened, golf-wise, in Colorado and what Coloradans accomplished in golf, it’s hard to top the decade from 1955 to ’64.

After all, these are just a handful of the biggest highlights of that 10-year period:

— Arnold Palmer won his only U.S. Open in Colorado.

— Jack Nicklaus claimed his first USGA title in the state.

— Also at a Colorado site, Bill Wright became the first African-American to win a USGA championship.

— A Colorado Springs resident, Barbara McIntire, earned two U.S. Women’s Amateur titles, along with a British Ladies’ Amateur, and finished second in a playoff at the U.S. Women’s Open.

— And the Colorado Open made its debut, taking a first step toward becoming one of the top state opens in the country.

Yes, it was a heady time for the game in the Centennial State.

Let’s provide a few more details.

— The 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills Country Club has been called “Golf’s Greatest Championship” in the title of one book. And why not, with three generations of golf greats battling it out down the stretch? Forty-seven-year-old Ben Hogan, a four-time U.S. Open champ, was tied for the lead on the 71st tee, But he found water on both 17 and 18, going bogey-triple bogey to finish ninth. Twenty-year-old Nicklaus, winner of the U.S. Amateur the previous year in Colorado, placed second, two back of The King.

Of course, Palmer rallied from seven shots back going into the final round, driving the green on the par-4 first hole and chipping in for birdie at No. 2 en route to a 65. It would turn out to be his only victory in the U.S. Open — one he punctuated with his famous visor toss on the 18th green (pictured at top).

— Less than a year before the U.S. Open at Cherry Hills, Nicklaus had taken down defending champion and two-time winner Charlie Coe, 1 up in the 36-hole final of the U.S. Amateur at the Broadmoor Golf Club’s East Course in Colorado Springs. (The two are pictured together at left.)

The final was all square going into the 36th hole, and though Coe missed the green, he almost chipped in for birdie, with the ball ending up on the lip of the cup. The 19-year-old Nicklaus then drained an 8-foot birdie putt to become the youngest U.S. Am champion in 50 years. He would go on to capture a second U.S. Amateur title in 1961.

— Also that same summer of 1959, some history was made in another USGA championship in Colorado. Wellshire Golf Course hosted the U.S. Amateur Public Links, and in front of a crowd estimated at 2,000, the 23-year-old Wright (left) of Seattle broke new ground as the first black golfer to capture a USGA title.

— McIntire set the all-time standard for success for Colorado women amateurs with her play during the 1950s and ’60s. In 1956, McIntire very nearly became the first amateur to win the U.S. Women’s Open as she was tied with Kathy Cornelius after four rounds, but lost an 18-hole playoff the next day (75-82) to finish runner-up.

But that wouldn’t be her only run at a USGA title. Both in 1959 and ’64, McIntire captured national championships in the U.S. Women’s Amateur. And in 1960, she became just the fourth American to win the British Ladies Amateur. (Coincidentally, the first, Babe Zaharias, was also a Coloradan when she prevailed in 1947.) McIntire (below) played on the U.S. Curtis Cup teams in 1958, ’60, ’62, ’64, ’66 and ’72, and as a youngster she was runner-up in the U.S. Girls’ Junior in both 1951 and ’52, losing in the ’52 final 1 up to one Mickey Wright. And for good measure, McIntire also won the 1962 CWGA Stroke Play.

— In 1964, one of the mainstays of the Colorado golf schedule came on the scene. The first Colorado Open was played at Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen, where it would remain through 1991. Bill Bisdorf, then the head professional at Green Gables Country Club, won three of the first four Opens, the first of which featured no prize money. And by the 1970s, the tournament drew quite a field of players. Among those who have competed in the event are Sam Snead, Phil Mickelson, Billy Casper, Hale Irwin, Fred Couples, Steve Jones, Dave Hill and Jimmy Walker.

But all that just scratched the surface of what occurred in the decade in Colorado golf beginning in 1955. Here are some of the other notable happenings:

— After fewer than 10 courses opened in the 25 years beginning in 1930, a dozen came online in the last half of the 1950s, including country clubs such as Columbine, Valley, Colorado Springs, Pinehurst, Bookcliff and Fort Collins.

— Colorado amateur Jim English had a tremendous run during the decade, winning two Broadmoor Invitations (1955 and ’64), three CGA Stroke Plays (1958, ’59 and ’61) and two CGA Match Plays (1957 and ’60). He was also low amateur in the 1959 U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

— President Dwight Eisenhower was hospitalized for a heart attack at Fitzsimons Hospital for six weeks in 1955 the day after experiencing pain while playing 27 holes at Cherry Hills Country Club.

— LPGA Tour events were held at Lakewood Country Club during the mid-1950s, with Marilynn Smith winning in 1955 and Marlene Hagge in 1956.

— The Colorado PGA, a Section of the PGA of America, was founded in 1957. Noble Chalfant, who was serving as president of the Colorado chapter of the Rocky Mountain PGA, played a key role in the separation from the Rocky Mountain Section.
The Colorado PGA became the 31st Section of the PGA of America, originally having 30 members in Colorado and eastern Wyoming.

— Lakewood Country Club hosted the U.S. Girls’ Junior in 1957, when Judy Eller earned the title.

— Dow Finsterwald, who would become the longtime director of golf at the Broadmoor, won the PGA Championship in 1958, the first year it was contested in stroke play. He was the runner-up in the final match-play version of the PGA, in 1957, the year he won the Vardon Trophy for best season-long scoring average on the PGA Tour.

— Joan Birkland had a stellar run in golf in the 1960s while also being one of the state’s top tennis players. She won four out of five CWGA Match Plays starting in 1960 and three straight CWGA Stroke Plays beginning in 1964. With racket in hand, she captured two women’s open singles titles at the Colorado State Open from 1962-66.

— Two other current members of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame likewise had outstanding decades from 1955-64, with Sally Hardwick winning five state amateurs out of a possible six from 1957 through ’59. And from ’53 to ’56, she earned three CWGA Junior Match Play titles. And Marcia Bailey won the first of four CWGA Match Plays in 1963. She also prevailed in two CWGA Stroke Plays beginning in ’63.

— In 1961, the CGA merged with the Denver District Golf Association, bringing the state’s major amateur tournaments under the CGA’s umbrella.

— A founding member of the City Park Golf Course-based East Denver Golf Club, which was made up of African-American golfers, helped knock down racial barriers in state golf tournaments. After Judge James Flanigan was refused the right to play in the CGA Match Play Championship in 1961 — on the grounds he wasn’t a member of a CGA-sanctioned club — the association the next year changed its policies and admitted minority clubs, including the East Denver Golf Club.

— In 1961, the CGA established the Eisenhower Scholarship, awarded to selected college-bound junior golfers. The CGA merged the Eisenhower Scholarship with the Western Golf Association’s Evans Caddie Scholarship in 1963, and a house for the Eisenhower-Evans Scholars at the University of Colorado was purchased in the late 1960s.

— The Broadmoor hosted the Curtis Cup matches, between the best female amateurs from the U.S. and Great Britain & Ireland — in 1962. Colorado’s Judy Bell and Barbara McIntire, along with the future JoAnne Carner, led the U.S. to an 8-1 victory.

— Beginning in 1962, the CGA started measuring and rating all of the state’s golf courses in accordance with USGA procedures, creating a uniform rating system which laid the groundwork for the association to oversee a state-wide standardized handicap system starting in the late 1960s. 

— Chi Chi Rodriguez won his first PGA Tour event at the 1963 Denver Open at Denver Country Club. It would prove to be the last Denver Open the PGA Tour would hold.

— Larry McAtee won three consecutive CGA Match Plays beginning in 1963 and finished second to University of Colorado teammate Hale Irwin as he went for a four-peat in 1966. McAtee is now a member of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.

— Irwin (left) became the first player to win three consecutive CGA Stroke Plays, beginning in 1963 at age 18. The future World Golf Hall of Famer also won a CGA Junior Match in 1962 and a state high school title in 1963.

— In 1963, future USGA president Judy Bell of Colorado Springs won the Women’s Trans National title at Pinehurst Country Club in south Denver.

— In other prestigious tournaments held in Colorado, Jim Wiechers won the 1964 Western Junior at the Air Force Academy and Wright Garrett prevailed at the 1964 Trans Miss at the Broadmoor.
 

Derek Tolan will long be remembered as the first Colorado kid to qualify for the U.S. Open as a 16-year-old. But you’ll have to excuse him if he doesn’t want that to be the only thing he’s remembered for when it comes to the Open.

The Highlands Ranch resident would not only like to earn a return trip to the U.S. Open for the first time since 2002, but he’d like to parlay that into something big.

“You know, (qualifying in 2002 at such a young age) doesn’t really mean much anymore,” said the two-time HealthOne Colorado Open champion, now 29. “It was a great experience at the time. Even now if you make it, it doesn’t really mean anything unless you do well and do something with it. I don’t know if that’s part of growing up, having more expectations or my game improving. But obviously it’s good to have a chance again this year. Just getting to (the second stage of qualifying) doesn’t mean a whole lot. You’ve got to really play well, and have a chance to parlay it into a career.”

That part may come down the road, but for now — Tuesday specifically — Tolan (above) took care of business by advancing to the final stage of U.S. Open qualifying by sharing medalist honors in a Local Qualifier at the Heritage at Westmoor in Westminster.

In all, five players each from 18-hole Local Qualifiers at Westmoor and the Broadmoor Golf Club’s East Course in Colorado Springs punched their tickets to Sectionals, which will be contested over 36 holes at 10 U.S. sites on June 8. The top performers on that date will earn spots in the U.S. Open, set for June 18-21 at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash.

The five players who advanced from Heritage at Westmoor, all of whom shot 2-under-par 70s, were Tolan, 2012 CGA Junior Match Play champion Andrew Romano of Lone Tree, Jim Knous of Englewood, Greg Johnson of Lakewood, and Dino Giacomazzi of Salinas, Calif. Knous has earned Sectional berths the last three years at Heritage at Westmoor. Tolan, Johnson and Romano each birdied his final hole on Tuesday to land a share of medalist honors.

At the Broadmoor, Colin Prater of Colorado Springs birdied the last three holes and needed just 22 putts overall at the East Course to shoot a 2-under-par 69 and claim medalist honors by one shot. Prater, the NCAA Division II Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award winner in 2014 (when he played for Colorado Mesa), transferred to the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs before this school year, but had to sit out the entire season. Tuesday marked his first tournament since December.

Joining Prater (left) in advancing from the Broadmoor were Colorado PGA professional Eric Bradley of Eagle (70), former Colorado State golfer Cameron Harrell of Colorado Springs (72), 2013 CGA Junior Match Play champion Jake Staiano of Cherry Hills Village (72) and Colorado Christian University golfer Nathaniel Goddard of Fort Collins (72). Harrell, a former U.S. Amateur qualifier, posted an eagle on the 402-yard par-4 sixth hole on Tuesday. Goddard played his last seven holes in 3 under par.

The fact that Tolan, a former University of Colorado golfer, advanced should come as no surprise. By his best recollection, he’s made to to U.S. Open Sectionals six or seven times, including each of the last three years. Last June, he came relatively close to qualifying for the Open by placing 15th out of 110 players in Daly City, Calif., where the top five punched their tickets to the national championship.

On Tuesday, after three-putting his 17th hole from 12 feet, Tolan needed a 5-foot birdie on his 18th to assure himself a spot in Sectionals.

Meanwhile, Knous continued to be able to rely on the Heritage at Westmoor site to earn berths into Sectionals. The former Colorado School of Mines standout used an eagle on the sixth hole en route to his third consecutive successful Local Qualifier at the course.

“Three years in a row is pretty amazing,” said the 25-year-old, who shot a course-record 60 at Boulder Country Club during the 2010 CGA Stroke Play. “I don’t know what it is exactly, but the course just fits my eye. It’s kind of open and I can hit driver everywhere. It’s long. It sets up for me. I like the golf course.”

Knous, the 2012 NCAA Division II national runner-up, hasn’t yet qualified for a U.S. Open, but has high hopes.

“Every year I just keep getting a little bit better,” he said. “It’s a real opportunity to get to that next level. It’s about time for me to get to that next level or the dream is going to have to stop pretty soon. You just can’t sustain mini-tour golf for very long.”

As for the other Coloradans to advance from Heritage at Westmoor, Johnson will be going to Sectionals for the second time in four years, while Romano will be making his first trip ever.

Romano, who just completed his first season at the University of Northern Colorado, like Knous eagled the sixth hole Tuesday en route to co-medalist honors.

“It’s been a dream” to have a chance to play in the U.S. Open, the 20-year-old said. “I’ve been so close in a couple of USGA events. I’ve just got to keep grinding. You never know — just one day away, a couple of good rounds away.”

Of those who advanced Tuesday, Johnson cut things the closest. Knowing he likely needed a birdie to make Sectionals, he snap-hooked his drive on his final hole (No. 9), putting his ball into the native grass. With a 7-iron, “I swung pretty much as hard as I could,” the 26-year-old former Regis University golfer said. “I looked up and the ball was going all over the flag. And I happened to make the putt (a 30-footer) on top of it, too. I needed to do something. I was really trying to make that last putt there. That last hole was pretty awesome.”

Meanwhile, at the Broadmoor, Prater ruled the roost, especially with his putter. He made the most of his knowledge of the course — his grandparents are members, and he estimates he’s played that historic layout about 50 times.
    “
I’ve been able to play here for many years through (my grandparents),” the 20-year-old said. “I putted extremely well today. I had 22 putts. I attribute all of that to course knowledge. I didn’t hit the ball particularly well, but I putted extraordinarily well.

“I’ve had pretty good putting rounds, but 22 is probably the lowest I’ve had in my entire life.”

In fact, with his six-birdie round — which included a 35-footer on the closing hole — Prater was able to make his late afternoon chemistry final exam at UCCS without having to worry whether his score would be good enough to advance. As it was, he had no problem making Sectionals for the first time, despite this being just his second tournament since last summer.

“It’s real nice to get my feet wet again playing golf,” he said. “It was a goal of mine to qualify for Sectionals and I was able to accomplish that. I’m thrilled.”

A third and final Colorado-based U.S. Open Local Qualifying tournament will be held May 19 at Collindale Golf Club in Fort Collins.

U.S. Open Local Qualifying
At Par-72 Heritage at Westmoor in Westminster

ADVANCE TO SECTIONAL QUALIFYING
Greg Johnson, Lakewood, Colo., 35-35–70
Dino Giacomazzi, Salinas, Calif., 35-35–70
Derek Tolan, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 34-36–70
Andrew Romano, Lone Tree, Colo., 34-36–70
James Knous, Englewood, Colo., 33-37–70

ALTERNATES (In Order After 4-Hole Playoff)
Chris Korte, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 36-35–71
Matt Robertson, Lakewood, Colo., 37-34–71

FAILED TO QUALIFY
Dillon Mcdonald, Wolcott, Colo., 35-37–72
David Oraee, Greeley, Colo., 36-36–72
Anthony Aguilar, Phoenix, Ariz., 36-37–73
Charles Soule, Denver, Colo., 37-36–73
Bryan Kruse, Westminster, Colo., 39-34–73
Luke Symons, Aurora, Colo., 35-38–73
Tommy Carpenter, Greenwood Village, Colo., 34-39–73
Steven Kupcho, Westminster, Colo., 37-37–74
Adam Griffith, Westminster, Colo., 37-37–74
Daniel Pearson, Longmont, Colo., 38-36–74
Andrew Vance, Denver, Colo., 36-38–74
Jeremy Paul, Boulder, 35-39–74
Gus Lundquist, Parker, Colo., 38-36–74
Kane Webber, Denver, 40-34–74
Kevin Burke, Aurora, Colo., 37-38–75
Keenan Holt, Durango, Colo., 36-39–75
Steve Connell, Thornton, Colo., 39-36–75
Chris Bourdeon, Castle Pines, Colo., 38-37–75
Collin Covault, Bagdad, Ariz., 35-40–75
Cody Vance, Lakewood, Colo., 36-39–75
Joe Lord, Arvada, Colo., 37-39–76
Paul Beblavi, Denver, Colo., 38-38–76
Braden Baer, Westminster, Colo., 38-38–76
Ryan Schmitz, Greenwood Village, Colo., 38-38–76
Trevor Olkowski, Grand Junction, Colo., 38-38–76
Derek Eley, Thornton, Colo., 41-35–76
Drew Trujillo, Montrose, Colo., 40-36–76
Wesley Martin, Denver, Colo., 36-41–77
Leif Olson, Golden, Colo., 38-40–78
Grant Jackson, Aurora, Colo., 37-41–78
Zahkai Brown, Arvada, Colo., 40-38–78
Patrick Arellano, Denver, Colo., 38-40–78
Douglas Wherry, Lakewood, Colo., 41-37–78
Sean Kurzweil, Denver, Colo., 36-42–78
Grant Rogers, Boulder, Colo., 38-41–79
Nick Berry, Golden, Colo., 43-36–79
Jackson Vacek, Lafayette, Colo., 38-41–79
Dan Sniffin, Denver, Colo., 40-39–79
Oliver Jack, Cherry Hills Village, Colo., 39-40–79
Trey Lambrecht, Sterling, Colo., 41-38–79
Matt Vacek, Lafayette, Colo., 40-39–79
Behrod Keshtavar, Erie, Colo., 38-42–80
Bretton Krantz, Windsor, Colo., 38-42–80
Jack Allen, Aurora, Colo., 39-41–80
Dan Keyghobad, Aurora, Colo., 41-39–80
Ross Macdonald, Castle Rock, Colo., 40-40–80
Jason Holley, Englewood, Colo., 40-41–81
Aristides Papadopoulos, Avon, Colo., 39-42–81
Mike Chavez, Arvada, Colo., 37-44–81
Sam Taylor, Nederland, Colo., 42-40–82
Dustin Miller, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 41-41–82
Trey Fankhouser, Goodwell, Okla., 43-39–82
Luke Goeglein, Yuma, Colo., 40-42–82
Jonathan Doern, Denver, Colo., 40-43–83
Josh Pusar, Castle Rock, Colo., 43-40–83
Lamar Carlile, Denver, Colo., 42-42–84
Alex Gorman, Broomfield, Colo., 40-44–84
Lenny Urbas, Evergreen, Colo., 43-41–84
Clint Miller, Englewood, Colo., 42-43–85
Corey Stanton, Breckenridge, Colo., 40-45–85
Kyle Burns, Denver, Colo., 43-43–86
Keith Mergenthal, Westminster, Colo., 42-44–86
Ryan Tierney, Redwood City, Calif., 44-44–88
Stephen Horvey, Arvada, Colo., 45-43–88
Ethan Yamada, Arvada, Colo., 44-48–92
Austin Pilkington, Thornton, Colo., 46-46–92
Subin Lee, Englewood, Colo., 48-44–92
Matthew Oliver, Westminster, Colo., 47-57–104
Christopher Good, Denver, Colo., WD
Harrison Murphy, McKinney, Texas, WD
Thomas B. Noonan, Jr., Boulder, Colo., WD
Dean Siskowski, Johnstown, Colo., WD
Christopher Thayer, Denver, Colo., WD
Shane Bertsch, Parker, Colo., WD
Jon Lindstrom, Westminster, Colo., WD
Joshua Seiple, Castle Rock, Colo., WD

U.S. Open Local Qualifying
At Par-71 Broadmoor GC East Course in Colorado Springs

ADVANCE TO SECTIONAL QUALIFYING
Colin Prater, Colorado Springs, Colo., 35-34–69
Eric Bradley, Eagle, Colo., 34-36–70
Nathaniel Goddard, Fort Collins, Colo., 38-34–72
Jake Staiano, Cherry Hills, Colo., 36-36–72
Cameron Harrell, Colorado Springs, Colo., 34-38—72
 
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Isaac Petersilie, Colorado Springs, Colo., 34-39–73
Josh Woodworth, Durango, Colo., 34-39—73
 
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Christopher Roehrkasse, Parker, Colo., 36-38–74
Derek Fribbs, Castle Rock, Colo., 36-38–74
Chase Federico, Pueblo, Colo., 37-37–74
Wilson Belk, Colorado Springs, Colo., 38-36–74
Jeffrey Chapman, Centennial, Colo., 35-39–74
Jon Roth, Colorado Springs, Colo., 38-37–75
Brandon Barron, Centennial, Colo., 36-40–76
Michael Fan, Usaf Academy, Colo., 37-39–76
Ken Tamez, Colorado Springs, Colo., 39-38–77
Kyler Booher, Carbondale, Colo., 39-38–77
Sam Nichamin, Avon, Colo., 38-39–77
Ben Krueger, Colorado Springs, Colo., 39-38–77
Nick Zinanti, Pueblo, Colo., 38-40–78
Garrett Froggatte, Colorado Springs, Colo., 40-38–78
Audie Dean, Centennial, Colo., 39-39–78
Steven Irwin, Arvada, Colo., 40-38–78
Austin Burgess, Colorado Springs, Colo., 39-39–78
Blake Young, Trinidad, Colo., 39-39–78
Taylor Stamp, Colorado Springs, Colo., 40-38–78
Jack Cummings, Arvada, Colo., 37-42–79
Timothy Amundson, Littleton, Colo., 38-41–79
Mike Swan, Crested Butte, Colo., 43-36–79
Kaleb Nichols, Peyton, Colo., 42-37–79
Gilbert Garcia, Colorado Springs, Colo., 38-42–80
Shaun Payne, Albuquerque, N.M., 38-42–80
Daniel Augustine, Castle Pines, Colo., 43-37–80
Matthew Goddard, Fort Collins, Colo., 41-39–80
Justin Fox, Montrose, Colo., 43-37–80
Devyn Solano, Aurora, Colo., 39-41–80
Matthew Hart, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 41-40–81
Joel Norwood, Denver, Colo., 43-38–81
David Delich, Colorado Springs, Colo., 42-39–81
James Vaughn, Greenwood Village, Colo., 42-39–81
Alex Kephart, Colorado Springs, Colo., 40-41–81
Marc Renjard, Colorado Springs, Colo., 38-44–82
Mitchell Smith, Elizabeth, Colo., 37-45–82
Connor Klein, Lone Tree, Colo., 41-41–82
Rob Cummings, Denver, Colo., 40-42–82
Connor Alexander, Castle Rock, Colo., 39-43–82
Mike Kerrigan, Castle Rock, Colo., 43-39–82
Ryan Connors, Montrose, Colo., 42-41–83
Jason Kroese, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 42-41–83
Derek Williams, Colorado Springs, Colo., 42-41–83
Cody Eberl, Lakewood, Colo., 40-43–83
Victor Minovich, Morrison, Colo., 42-42–84
Kale Waaso, Castle Rock, Colo., 42-42–84
Marshall Clark, Denver, Colo., 42-42–84
David Schroeder, Colorado Springs, Colo., 44-40–84
Owen Pasvogel, Colorado Springs, Colo., 46-38–84
Justin Snyder, Aurora, Colo., 42-42–84
Braden Bentley, Colorado Springs, Colo., 40-45–85
Chad Hansen, Gypsum, Colo., 43-42–85
Sam Chapman, Parker, Colo., 42-43–85
Mark Pustay, Albuquerque, N.M., 41-45–86
Chris Winter, Colorado Springs, Colo., 47-39–86
Ryne Scholl, Breckenridge, Colo., 42-44–86
Bill Parker, Denver, Colo., 38-48–86
Aaron Bevans, Parker, Colo., 41-45–86
Jonathan Marsico, Denver, Colo., 46-40–86
Cole Miller, Colorado Springs, Colo., 46-40–86
Luke Travins, Colorado Springs, Colo., 42-44–86
Joey Bast, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 41-46–87
Austin Hardman, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 40-48–88
Caleb Blass, Colorado Springs, Colo., 43-45–88
Nick Vanetten, Colorado Springs, Colo., 42-47–89
Zachary Dobrota, Sandusky, Ohio, 46-43–89
Benjamin Cockrill, Greeley, Colo., 45-44–89
Taylor Wilson, Colorado Springs, Colo., 45-45–90
Matt Pasvogel, Colorado Springs, Colo., 51-43–94
Brian Thomas, Commerce City, Colo., 46-49–95
Russ Aragon, Aspen, Colo., NS
Beau Hombach, Parker, Colo., WD
Benjamin Schlossmann, Fox Point, Wis., NS
Graham Cliff, Parker, Colo., WD
Bob Maggard, Parker, Colo., NS
Tyler Enna, Castle Rock, Colo., WD
David Lysaught, Basalt, Colo., WD
 
 

A tweet from the Pacific Coast Golf Association put it succinctly: “Dr. Joe Salvo, RIP to one of golf’s great volunteers. We will miss you”, adding the hashtag #bestsmileinthegame.

Indeed, Salvo will long be remembered for many things, not the least of which was his amiable manner and how he gave of himself and his time.

Salvo, a member of the CGA board of governors for 16 years and one of the top volunteer rules officials in Colorado, passed away unexpectedly on April 10 at the age of 78.

A memorial service will be held for the longtime Colorado Springs resident on May 26 at 1 p.m. at the Broadmoor Community Church (315 Lake Avenue in Colorado Springs).

Salvo passed away just a day after CGA executive director Ed Mate said goodbye to him in the Portland airport after both had attended the Pacific Coast Amateur spring meeting along with USGA regional affairs director Mark Passey. The next night, Mate received an email saying that Salvo had just died, leaving a significant void in the Colorado golf community.

“First and foremost, Joe was just a special person,” Mate said. “He collected friends everywhere he went. He had an incredible gift with people, whether it was with the CGA, the Pacific Coast, his medical practice or anywhere else. Everybody liked him because he was so sincere and so in the moment — and you can’t fake that. He touched people in a special way. We’re lucky because he was so passionate about golf and the Rules of Golf. He had a lot of passions, but golf was a focal point the last 20 years or so.”

Indeed, Salvo had been a CGA volunteer for more than 25 years, and he currently was chairman of the association’s Rules Committee. But Salvo’s golf-related volunteerism certainly didn’t stop there. He also gave of his time with the USGA, often working as a rules official at the U.S. Senior Amateur and the U.S. Senior Open; as a trustee for the Pacific Coast G.A. and its Pacific Coast Amateur; with the Arizona Golf Association as he was a part-time resident of that state; and in college golf.

In fact, Salvo was scheduled to work last week’s Pac-12 Conference Women’s Championships at Boulder Country Club. “He was looking forward to being here,” noted that tournament’s head rules official Bob Austin, while still taken aback at how Salvo passed away so abruptly.

And Salvo didn’t just volunteer a few hours here or there to golf. Indeed, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the oral and maxillofacial surgeon volunteered thousands upon thousands upon thousands of hours over the years.

Mike Boster, a fellow prominent rules official and a good friend of Salvo, estimates that Salvo — who’s held memberships at the Broadmoor, Kissing Camels and Tucson National — typically worked 70-75 days a year on the course, and that doesn’t include traveling and the like.

“Joe gave so much to the game and to every association he was with,” Boster said. “He was pretty much a year-round rules official.”

Another longtime rules official, Rich Langston, still remembers the first tournament he worked alongside Salvo — the 1994 CGA Senior Match Play at the Ranch Country Club.

“Joe was always just a super guy,” Langston said. “He enjoyed the game and always had good stories about growing up. He and I were probably the only two youngsters I know of who wore knickers when we were little — Joe because his dad was a tailor and could make a pair of knickers for a dollar, and me because that’s what my older brother had, and that’s what I wore.”

While many people knew Salvo through golf, he led an eventful life in many realms. He spent eight years in the Army, doing two tours in Vietnam; he played college golf at Tufts University in Massachusetts — where he was born; he spent 34 years in his private oral and maxillofacial practice; he was a member of the Professional Ski Instructors of America; and he was a certified pistol and personal defense instructor. And Joe and his wife, Beth, played golf in more than 35 countries on five continents.

All in all, a life well lived.
 

The day-long series of functions involves some of the biggest players in the Colorado Golf Industry — including the CGA, CWGA, Colorado PGA, the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, and the Mile High Chapter of the Club Managers Association of America. The event addresses challenges golf faces and how to be more effective growing the game, shares best practices and emphasizes collaboration among industry leaders.

This year’s Summit will certainly have a big-time feel to it, and it is all open to the public. (See below for registration information.)

It doesn’t hurt that the event will be held at the Broadmoor, which last year was named the top resort in North America in Golf magazine’s biennial rankings.

But beyond that, the event has attracted several notable speakers, headlined by PGA of America CEO Pete Bevacqua (pictured), who will give the keynote address. Bevacqua, who came to the PGA in 2012 after a 10 1/2-year stint with the USGA, in 2010 was named one of the 40 most influential people in golf under 40 years old. He’ll speak on the PGA of America’s Strategic Plan.

“Having Pete Bevacqua here is a big deal; he’s the CEO of one of the major golf organizations,” noted Ed Mate, executive director of the CGA. “The goal is to get people (to attend the G4 Summit) and have great content there. That starts with Pete.”

But it certainly doesn’t end there. Also among speakers from national organizations are Hunki Yun, director of strategic projects at the USGA (on the science behind pace of play), and Sandy Cross, senior director of diversity and inclusion at the PGA of America (on how understanding generational attributes and diversity and inclusion can attract more golfers).

Bevacqua, Yun, Cross and J.D. Dockstader, chief business development officer of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, will participate in an industry panel discussion moderated by golf strategist Jim Keegan.

Also at the Summit, the CGA plans to unveil its new logo as part of the association’s centennial celebration. The formal public debut of the logo will take place at the Denver Golf Expo Feb. 20-22.

And though it’s not technically a part of the G4 Summit — just held in conjunction with the event — two-time PGA Championship winner and putting guru Dave Stockton will be the headliner for the Colorado PGA Teaching and Coaching Summit that will take place Feb. 11 at the Broadmoor. Entry to that event is limited to PGA and LPGA professionals.

Last year marked the debut of the G4 Summit, which is billed as “a coming together of the golf industry in Colorado”. (For the purposes of the Summit, the CGA and CWGA together are considered one of the four founding participants in the event.) More than 125 golf industry leaders attended the 2014 Summit, and organizers hope for a marked increase this year.

The G4 Summit features a state of the industry update, thematic speeches, roundtable meetings, a panel discussion and the annual public golf operators meeting, with all the sessions designed to bolster the game of golf in Colorado.

“Last year was great, exactly what we wanted — a coming together of the golf industry,” Mate said. “We want to make sure we’re good stewards of the game.”

To register for the G4 Summit or to get more information, CLICK HERE.

This week, the focus is more on turkey than two-putts, more on pumpkin pies than pars, and more on family and fellowship than fairways and flagsticks.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t reasons to reflect on the game of golf, and reasons to be thankful for it, especially here in Colorado.

Therefore, in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, here are nine things for which to be grateful, Colorado golf-wise:

— Stellar Golf Venues: Think of the golf courses and locales that are options in the state, and it’s enough to make anyone who loves to play the game salivate as if they were sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner. And not only are venues like Arrowhead (pictured above), the Broadmoor, Ballyneal, Sanctuary, Eisenhower, Perry Park and Red Sky jaw-droppingly beautiful, but the topography of the state makes for a great variety of courses.

— Diversity of Major Events: When The International PGA Tour stop took its final bow in 2006 after a 21-year run, there’s no doubt it created a big void. But looking back on the diversity of tournaments that helped fill that void is truly remarkable. Over the last seven years, Colorado has hosted the best men’s and women’s professionals in the world, the best seniors, as well as the best amateurs. There’s been the 2008 U.S. Senior Open and the U.S. Amateur Public Links, the 2009 Palmer Cup, the 2010 Senior PGA Championship, the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open, the 2012 U.S. Amateur, the 2013 Solheim Cup and the 2014 BMW Championship. Suffice it to say it’s been a pretty nice lineup for Colorado golf fans.

— Relatively Inexpensive Golf: While there are plenty of golf courses in Colorado that cost a pretty penny to play, there’s also an abundance of quality, well-maintained venues that charge $40 or less for a round. And there are even some nice courses where you can walk up to the counter on a summer weekend, pay your 18-hole green fee, and get change from the $30 you hand the golf shop attendant. For those who have played much in other states, you can get some pretty good bang for your buck in Colorado.

— Outstanding Golf Associations: While your average golfer in Colorado may or may not know it, there is tireless work being done behind the scenes by local golf associations — the CGA, CWGA, Colorado PGA, the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents and others — to assure that the game thrives not just now, but well into the future.

Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kent Moore summed it up well on Sunday at the Colorado Golf Awards Brunch. While he was speaking specifically about the CGA, it’s safe to say the general notion applies as well to the other major golf associations in the state: “I’ve seen this come from a cigar box and two guys on the first tee to an incredible organization that runs championships as professional as any you’ll ever see, and now making an incredible impact in the community. It’s just fabulous.”

— Volunteerism: While there are many paid staffers that make Colorado golf special with their day-to-day work, the amount of time and energy and wholehearted effort devoted by volunteers in the game is impressive. More than 2,500 people — 90 percent coming from Colorado — volunteered in the first week of September at Cherry Hills to help make the BMW Championship the PGA Tour’s Tournament of the Year. Other volunteers devote countless hours year-in and year-out to the CGA, CWGA, Colorado PGA and a myriad of other organizations to make the game what it is. In yet another example, just this week it was announced that Colorado Golf Club head professional Graham Cliff will serve as a volunteer assistant coach for the University of Denver men’s golf team. Without all these volunteers — and those who donate financially to the game — golf would be a shell of what it is.

— A Game of Honor: While this one certainly isn’t limited to Colorado, it’s noteworthy that golf is a leader in the world of sports regarding sportsmanship, integrity and honesty. Seldom does more than a couple of months go by without stories coming out about how a golfer reported a costly rules violation on himself or herself that no one else was aware of. Even at this year’s BMW Championship at Cherry Hills, Keegan Bradley withdrew after having lingering doubts about an embedded-ball ruling he received early in the tournament (CLICK HERE). 

— Great Programs for Juniors: Knowing that kids are the future lifeblood of the game, there is particular emphasis in recent times in drawing youngsters to golf and exposing them to all the virtues of the game, including through caddying.

Among the many worthwhile local programs that focus on youth are the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy (left) at CommonGround Golf Course, the Colorado PGA Golf in Schools program, the Evans Scholarship house for caddies at the University of Colorado, and the local First Tee chapters.

— Local Tour Players: Every golf fan has his/her favorite tour players, but many Coloradans take a special interest in those who cut their teeth in the state as junior golfers and college players, then make it to the big time. Certainly that’s true in Colorado, with players like Hale Irwin, Steve Jones, Brandt Jobe, Kevin Stadler, Martin Laird and Jill McGill. And now there’s a younger group of local players who are getting their chance on golf’s big stages, golfers like Mark Hubbard, Espen Kofstad, Emily Talley and Becca Huffer, along with transplanted Coloradans like Sam Saunders. It’s always fun to see the local kid make good on a national/international level.

— The Sheer Camaraderie Achieved Through Golf: As the world gets ever faster-paced, and more and more time is devoted to gadgetry of one type or another, spending a few hours on the golf course with friends, family or random acquaintances can be remarkably refreshing.

Kind of like Thanksgiving.
 

But that’s exactly what’s happening next week, weather-permitting. And if early-week conditions do cause rescheduling, things could be even more condensed.

As things stand, 18-hole U.S. Open Local Qualifying will be held at two sites on Monday (the Broadmoor Golf Club’s West Course in Colorado Springs and Heritage at Westmoor in Westminster) and one on Tuesday (Collindale Golf Course in Fort Collins). Then on Wednesday, it’s back to Heritage at Westmoor for 36-hole U.S. Women’s Open Sectional Qualifying.

For the record, Heritage at Westmoor is one of just three courses nationwide that will host both U.S. Women’s Open Sectionals and U.S. Open Locals this year.

The stakes are high for the players competing. The top two performers over two rounds on Wednesday will earn spots in arguably the top tournament in women’s golf, the U.S. Women’s Open, which this year will be contested at Pinehurst Resort’s No. 2 course in North Carolina June 19-22.

The U.S. Open will be held at the same site the previous week — June 12-15 — but the route there is more involved for most entrants. The 18-hole Local tournaments are the first of two stages of the qualifying process. Those who overcome the Local hurdle will play in one of a dozen 36-hole Sectionals, with the 10 qualifiers in the U.S. scheduled for June 2.

All told, a record 10,127 golfers sent in entries for the U.S. Open, while 1,702 players — also the most ever — signed up for the U.S. Women’s Open.

Given the stakes involved, next week’s qualifying events draw some of the best fields of the year for Colorado-based tournaments.

Here’s a brief rundown on each of the four qualifiers in Colorado:

— U.S. Open Local Qualifying Monday at the Broadmoor’s West Course: As of Friday, the field at the Broadmoor numbered 84, with the top five finishers advancing to Sectionals.

Two-time HealthOne Colorado Open champion Derek Tolan of Highlands Ranch and Tom Glissmeyer of Colorado Springs are two of the more notable entrants, having each qualified for the U.S. Open as 16-year-olds (Tolan in 2002 and Glissmeyer in 2003). Both made it to Sectionals from qualifying at the West Course last year, but came up short of making it back to the Open itself.

Other competitors at the Broadmoor this year are Shane Bertsch of Parker, a longtime PGA/Web.com Tour player who competed in the U.S. Open in 1998 and 2013 (he won a Sectional qualifying tournament last year); former CGA Player of the Year Steve Irwin of Arvada, a contestant in the 2011 U.S. Open; and Air Force Academy senior Kyle Westmoreland, one of the co-medalists in Local Qualifying at the West Course last year.

— U.S. Open Local Qualifying Monday at Heritage at Westmoor: This qualifier also features 84 players vying for five spots in the Sectionals.

The field here includes reigning HealthOne Colorado Open champion Zahkai Brown of Arvada; 2013 CGA Match Play winner David Oraee of Greeley; Keith Humerickhouse of Eagle, a former playing professional who has won the last four CGA Mid-Amateurs; University of Colorado freshman Jeremy Paul, a second-team All-Pac-12 Conference selection this year; Scott Petersen of Parker, who won a Web.com Tour event and the Colorado Open in 2000; and Caine Fitzgerald of Parker, who qualified for the 2013 PGA Championship.

— U.S. Open Local Qualifying Tuesday at Collindale: Eighthy-three players are signed up for this site, with the top four finishers moving on to Sectionals.

Former PGA Tour player Leif Olson of Golden will compete at Collindale, along with former HealthOne Colorado Open champion Nathan Lashley of Scottsdale, Ariz.

Also in this field are Jason Preeo of Highlands Ranch, who made the cut in the 2010 U.S. Open and who advanced to Sectionals last year; 2010 CGA Public Links champion Riley Arp, who likewise made the grade at the Collindale Local Qualifying in 2013; and several college golfers from Colorado State and the University of Northern Colorado (Cameron Harrell, Parker Edens, Steven Kupcho and Ben Krueger among them).

— U.S. Women’s Open Sectional Qualifying Wednesday at Heritage at Westmoor: This field will include 57 players who will battle it out over 36 holes for just two Women’s Open berths. Westmoor will be one of 24 Sectional sites internationally.

The great majority of entrants at this site are amateurs — 45, to be exact. Those include some of the top players at Colorado-based Division I universities — including Norwegians Tonje Daffinrud (pictured) and Mariell Bruun from the University of Denver, and Jennifer Coleman of the University of Colorado — as well as two-time CWGA Player of the Year Somin Lee, who competes for Pepperdine. Daffinrud is ranked No. 15 among the nation’s women’s college golfers by Golfstat.

The four players who qualified in Colorado for the U.S. Women’s Amateur last year — Jennifer Kupcho, Coleman, Jennifer Yang and Hannah Wood — are also in the field.

Some of the top contenders for the state high school titles, which are set for May 19-20, are likewise competing at Westmoor: Wood, Kupcho, Calli Ringsby and Sydney Merchant.

Among the professionals entered is former HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open champion Erin Houtsma. Also playing is Kayla Riede, medalist in the last two U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links qualifiers held in Colorado.
 

But that’s exactly what’s happening next week, weather-permitting. And if early-week conditions do cause rescheduling, things could be even more condensed.

As things stand, 18-hole U.S. Open Local Qualifying will be held at two sites on Monday (the Broadmoor Golf Club’s West Course in Colorado Springs and Heritage at Westmoor in Westminster) and one on Tuesday (Collindale Golf Course in Fort Collins). Then on Wednesday, it’s back to Heritage at Westmoor for 36-hole U.S. Women’s Open Sectional Qualifying.

For the record, Heritage at Westmoor is one of just three courses nationwide that will host both U.S. Women’s Open Sectionals and U.S. Open Locals this year.

The stakes are high for the players competing. The top two performers over two rounds on Wednesday will earn spots in arguably the top tournament in women’s golf, the U.S. Women’s Open, which this year will be contested at Pinehurst Resort’s No. 2 course in North Carolina June 19-22.

The U.S. Open will be held at the same site the previous week — June 12-15 — but the route there is more involved for most entrants. The 18-hole Local tournaments are the first of two stages of the qualifying process. Those who overcome the Local hurdle will play in one of a dozen 36-hole Sectionals, with the 10 qualifiers in the U.S. scheduled for June 2.

All told, a record 10,127 golfers sent in entries for the U.S. Open, while 1,702 players — also the most ever — signed up for the U.S. Women’s Open.

Given the stakes involved, next week’s qualifying events draw some of the best fields of the year for Colorado-based tournaments.

Here’s a brief rundown on each of the four qualifiers in Colorado:

— U.S. Open Local Qualifying Monday at the Broadmoor’s West Course: As of Friday, the field at the Broadmoor numbered 84, with the top five finishers advancing to Sectionals.

Two-time HealthOne Colorado Open champion Derek Tolan (pictured) of Highlands Ranch and Tom Glissmeyer of Colorado Springs are two of the more notable entrants, having each qualified for the U.S. Open as 16-year-olds (Tolan in 2002 and Glissmeyer in 2003). Both made it to Sectionals from qualifying at the West Course last year, but came up short of making it back to the Open itself.

Other competitors at the Broadmoor this year are Shane Bertsch of Parker, a longtime PGA/Web.com Tour player who competed in the U.S. Open in 1998 and 2013 (he won a Sectional qualifying tournament last year); former CGA Player of the Year Steve Irwin of Arvada, a contestant in the 2011 U.S. Open; and Air Force Academy senior Kyle Westmoreland, one of the co-medalists in Local Qualifying at the West Course last year.

— U.S. Open Local Qualifying Monday at Heritage at Westmoor: This qualifier also features 84 players vying for five spots in the Sectionals.

The field here includes reigning HealthOne Colorado Open champion Zahkai Brown of Arvada; 2013 CGA Match Play winner David Oraee of Greeley; Keith Humerickhouse of Eagle, a former playing professional who has won the last four CGA Mid-Amateurs; University of Colorado freshman Jeremy Paul, a second-team All-Pac-12 Conference selection this year; Scott Petersen of Parker, who won a Web.com Tour event and the Colorado Open in 2000; and Caine Fitzgerald of Parker, who qualified for the 2013 PGA Championship.

— U.S. Open Local Qualifying Tuesday at Collindale: Eighthy-three players are signed up for this site, with the top four finishers moving on to Sectionals.

Former PGA Tour player Leif Olson of Golden will compete at Collindale, along with former HealthOne Colorado Open champion Nathan Lashley of Scottsdale, Ariz.

Also in this field are Jason Preeo of Highlands Ranch, who made the cut in the 2010 U.S. Open and who advanced to Sectionals last year; 2010 CGA Public Links champion Riley Arp, who likewise made the grade at the Collindale Local Qualifying in 2013; and several college golfers from Colorado State and the University of Northern Colorado (Cameron Harrell, Parker Edens, Steven Kupcho and Ben Krueger among them).

— U.S. Women’s Open Sectional Qualifying Wednesday at Heritage at Westmoor: This field will include 57 players who will battle it out over 36 holes for just two Women’s Open berths. Westmoor will be one of 24 Sectional sites internationally.

The great majority of entrants at this site are amateurs — 45, to be exact. Those include some of the top players at Colorado-based Division I universities — including Norwegians Tonje Daffinrud and Mariell Bruun from the University of Denver, and Jennifer Coleman of the University of Colorado — as well as two-time CWGA Player of the Year Somin Lee, who competes for Pepperdine. Daffinrud is ranked No. 15 among the nation’s women’s college golfers by Golfstat.

The four players who qualified in Colorado for the U.S. Women’s Amateur last year — Jennifer Kupcho, Coleman, Jennifer Yang and Hannah Wood — are also in the field.

Some of the top contenders for the state high school titles, which are set for May 19-20, are likewise competing at Westmoor: Wood, Kupcho, Calli Ringsby and Sydney Merchant.

Among the professionals entered is former HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open champion Erin Houtsma. Also playing is Kayla Riede, medalist in the last two U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links qualifiers held in Colorado.
 

There aren’t too many people living today who can say they’ve personally played golf with Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson and Arnold Palmer.

Jim English can truthfully make that claim, even though the first four out of that illustrious fivesome were born more than 100 years ago.

The longtime Denver-area resident, who will turn 88 this month, played a couple of holes with Sarazen in Omaha when English was 12 or 13. Then he played three holes with 1930 Grand Slam winner Jones during a practice round for the 1947 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach, where English competed that year but Jones did not.

“When you’re around this number of years, you’re going to have a few stories,” English noted in an interview this week.

Yes, English has lived a memorable life in golf. And with U.S. Open qualifying beginning this month, it’s worth noting that 55 years ago he enjoyed one of his biggest moments in the game, earning low-amateur honors in the 1959 U.S. Open at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, N.Y.

English, who had moved from Kansas to Colorado two years earlier, remembers seeing Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison in “My Fair Lady” — along with a couple of other Broadway shows — that week, making for a “pretty wonderful vacation too.” But it was English’s performance at Winged Foot that’s particularly memorable.

In the U.S. Open, he bettered the likes of then-reigning U.S. Amateur champion Charlie Coe and Jack Nicklaus, who three months later would beat Coe in the final match at the Broadmoor to win the first of his two U.S. Amateurs. Also finishing behind English at Winged Foot were defending U.S. Open champion Tommy Bolt, Bob Goalby and Ken Venturi. Billy Casper won the tournament with a 282 total.

“I played fairly steadily” that week at the U.S. Open, noted English, who shot 74-75-77-73 for a 299 total. “Nicklaus missed the cut and I beat Charlie Coe by two. I chipped in for birdie on 16 in the last round, and I guess that made the difference. That U.S. Open had a pretty good amateur field.”

Though English accomplished plenty in his amateur golf career, that U.S. Open stands out as perhaps the biggest highlight.

“That’s because it was on a national scale,” he said. “Most of the other things I did were on a regional or local basis, though they were good tournaments to win.”

Qualifying for the U.S. Open back then wasn’t quite the task it is now. For instance, there were no “Local” qualifying tournaments, just 36-hole “Sectionals”. But still, 2,385 people entered the 1959 U.S. Open, so making it in the final field of about 150 players was anything but a cakewalk.

Despite that, English said he successfully qualified for nine U.S. Opens over the years. But the odd thing is, he competed in that national championship just five times (1951, ’53, ’58, ’59 and ’60).

There were different reasons different years why he didn’t go to the U.S. Open after qualifying several times in the latter 1940s and in 1950 — he was going to summer school at Creighton a couple of years, his wife was having a difficult pregnancy another, etc. Whatever the case, the USGA apparently took notice and sent English a letter basically asking, why do you bother qualifying if you don’t intend to compete in the U.S. Open?

“After that, they made it a point to ask qualifiers if they would actually go (to the Open),” English recalls. “But one of the reasons I went to the Sectional qualifying was that it was 36 holes at good golf courses and the entry fee was only $10. I liked the competition and I liked to play good golf courses.”

But English finally did compete at the U.S. Open in 1951 at Oakland Hills in Michigan. He missed the cut there, but on a course that allowed only two sub-par scores in four rounds, he was able to follow Ben Hogan during the champion’s final-round 67. That just whet English’s appetite for more.

The 20 years after the end of World War II were a very impressive time for English and his amateur golf career. He won three tournaments with big-time national amateur reputations: the 1950 Trans-Mississippi and the Broadmoor Invitation in 1955 and ’64. In the Trans-Miss, English put together one of the most dominating performances in the history of the championship match, winning 11 and 10.

English also competed in five U.S. Amateurs between 1947 and ’61, with the first and last being at Pebble Beach.

And English really made hay in state and regional tournaments in Colorado and the surrounding states.

He’s won six CGA championships, including three Stroke Plays, two Match Plays and a Senior Stroke Play. (He’s pictured at left with fellow Colorado Match Play champion Joan Birkland in 1960.) He’s claimed two Kansas amateur titles, one in Nebraska, the Iowa Open and Iowa Masters. He even won a championship in a previous incarnation of the Colorado Open.

“For a long time, I just couldn’t get enough golf,” he said.

It’s no surprise, then, that English has been inducted into three state golf halls of fame — for Colorado, Nebraska and Iowa.

In fact, English was so good, he gave some serious consideration to becoming a playing professional. Besides the U.S. Open, he finished low amateur in a PGA Tour event in Kansas City in the 1950s.

“I was sorely tempted to turn pro,” he said. “I competed with the pros successfully. I played four exhibitions with Byron Nelson in the ’40s. He told me I could make money (on the PGA Tour), but I needed to be a better putter to win. But back then, the total purse for tournaments was about $10,000-$12,000. (After learning English had a degree, Nelson) recommended I just stay amateur and enjoy it.

“Later, when Orville Moody was an amateur out at Fitzsimons, he was making a decision whether to re-app (for another Army stint) or turn pro. I told him my experience. I said I’ve got a lot of regrets that I didn’t give it a go. I think I could have made it on the pro tour, but I don’t really regret it now. If I would have (played on the tour), I wouldn’t have the large family I have now.”

English has 11 kids, 25 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

English probably could have added to his list of golf accomplishments, but an injury in the mid-1960s slowed him down. He badly hurt his right hand while hitting a shot on the sixth hole at Denver Country Club. “After that, I was never quite the same,” he said.

While English had a successful career in the insurance business, he still relishes his days as a competitive golfer. Just two years ago (pictured at top), he was among the local U.S. Amateur veterans who participated in a U.S. Amateur Alumni Day leading up to the 2012 championship coming to Colorado.