Blows were struck for senior golfers — once again — and for women on Wednesday in the Colorado PGA Professional Championship.

In the first major tournament hosted by TPC Colorado in Berthoud, a player in his 50s won the Section title for an amazing fifth time in the last six years.

And for the first time in the history of the event, a woman — actually two of them in this case — qualified for the national PGA Professional Championship.

Yes, it was an eventful day at the Colorado PGA’s biggest tournament of the year.

Patrick Reidy, a 52-year-old who has worked at Inverness Golf Club since he was 14, rebounded from a triple-bogey 8 on the 722-yard 13th hole — yes, you read that right — by playing his final five holes in 1 under par. That earned him the biggest victory of his career, and the $8,500 that goes with it.

“Other than playing golf at (the University of Colorado in the mid-1980s), this is hands down the greatest thing I’ve ever accomplished in my golfing career,” the left-hander said. “It’s great, seriously. It’s unexpected to be even having this conversation to be honest with you.

“To actually hold this (trophy) right now is absolutely crazy. It’s bringing tears to my eyes.”

Reidy (above and left) is just the most recent of the senior set to claim this title in recent years. Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale won three straight from 2013 through ’15 — when he was 51, 52 and 53 years old — and John Ogden prevailed last year at age 50. That means that Geoff Keffer (2016) is the only player under 50 to win the Colorado PGA Professional Championship in the last six times the tournament has been contested.

“It shows how strong our seniors are in this Section,” said Rohrbaugh, who tied for second on Wednesday with, among others, 55-year-old Sherry Andonian-Smith of Valley Country Club. “I’d take our top 10 seniors against the top 10 of any Section in the country. The results speak to that.”

The women competing this week made a statement as well. As noted, Andonian-Smith shared second place overall, while two-time Colorado PGA Women’s Champion Alexandra Braga of Denver Country Club tied for sixth place despite playing her last three holes in 3 over par.

With the top eight finishers on Wednesday earning spots in the national PGA Professional Championship, set for April 28-May 1 in Bluffton, S.C., both Andonian-Smith and Braga will be packing their bags. According to Colorado PGA executive director Eddie Ainsworth, it’ll be the first time a woman from the Colorado Section has advanced to the national tournament.

“I’ve been trying to do it since I’ve been a Colorado PGA member — so eight years — and I’ve been close a couple of times, so it’s great to get it done,” said Andonian-Smith, (left) who earlier this year qualified and played in the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open.

Joining Andonian-Smith and Braga (below) in earning berths to the national event were Reidy, Rohrbaugh, Dustin Miller and Eric Bradley from Black Bear Golf Club, Remington Post of Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks and 2012 Section champion Caine Fitzgerald of Meadow Hills.

Reidy birdied the final hole from 5 feet on Wednesday to give himself a two-stroke victory in the Section championship with a 1-over-par 217 total for three rounds. Sharing runner-up honors at 219 with Andonian-Smith (73 Wednesday) and Rohrbaugh (74) were Miller (75) and Post (80).

Braga, Fitzgerald and Bradley tied for sixth place at 221.

That Reidy ended up with the title left him a bit dumbfounded.

“I don’t know what to tell you honestly,” said Reidy, who has spent all 27 years of his PGA professional career at Inverness. “This is a complete shock.

“I win a pro-am here and there, but I don’t win anything big. Things were going well this week. A couple of putts went in. I don’t putt great, but putts went in this week. It was fun.”

As for extending that remarkable streak of 50-somethings winning this event, Reidy said, “John Ogden inspired me last year. To see Doug Rohrbaugh do what he does, that’s inspiring. It’s so comforting to see guys that can sustain their career and compete at this level. It’s such a great Section to be part of.”

Aside from his snowman on the 722-yard 13th hole, Reidy played a very strong final round on a course that measured 7,437 yards for the male competitors. On that 13th hole, he put his third shot in the bunker, failed to get it out, then after he did, he three-putt for triple bogey.

But Reidy birdied the previous hole from 5 feet and No. 18 from the same distance. And he missed three other birdie attempts inside of 15 feet in the final five holes. In the end, he seemed to hit it better than his 74 indicated.

“I could have given up right there (after No. 13),” he said. “But I came off that hole and I said, ‘Let’s man up and see what you’ve got and go do it.’ I hit great shots all the way coming in.

“I can do more mental damage to myself than anybody on the planet. Today I got out of my own way.”

However it happened, the victory left a big smile on the face of a guy who endured more than his share of adversity at a young age. His dad died when Patrick was 16, and the younger Reidy lost sight in his left eye for several years after a racquetball accident during his college days.

But Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Tom Babb, a fixture as the director of golf at Inverness from 1973 to 2000, hired Reidy at the club when he was 14 and mentored him throughout his younger days.

“My dad passed away when I was 16 years old and Tom Babb was there more for me more than any other person on the planet,” Reidy said. “At 16 years old, you’re going through a tough time. I started working for Tom when I was 14. It changed my life and my golfing career.

“Tom is rolling over in his grave right now, laughing his (butt) off.”

Meanwhile, some of the runner-ups on Wednesday were left wondering, “What if?”

Miller, who eagled two of his first three holes, was in great shape to win until playing his first five holes of the back nine in 6 over par. Post, meanwhile, was riding high until playing his final 10 holes in 7 over. And Rohrbaugh (left), the Colorado PGA Player of the Year points leader, had his sights set on his fourth title until making double bogeys on 14 and 18. On the par-4 final hole, he was 40 yards from the hole in two, but caught his wedge thin and his ball flew into the back bunker and he couldn’t get it up and down.

“It’s just disappointing, very disappointing,” he said. “I played really solid all day until (the two doubles). … I just had one goal: Win. It’s real disappointing because usually when I’m in the hunt, that’s when I’m at my best. I don’t really fold typically.”

TPC Colorado, which just within the last couple of weeks started allowing some public play, is expected to host a Web.com Tour event next summer as part of a five-year contract. But the 2019 Web.com Tour schedule has yet to be released.

Colorado PGA Professional Championship
Sept. 10-12, 2018 (final) at Par-72 TPC Colorado in Berthoud
ADVANCE TO NATIONAL PGA PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
1. Patrick Reidy, Inverness 71-72-74–217
T2. Sherry Andonian-Smith, Valley 78-68-73–219
T2. Doug Rohrbaugh, Carbondale 75-70-74–219
T2. Dustin Miller, Black Bear 71-73-75–219
T2. Remington Post, Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks 70-69-80–219
T6. Alexandra Braga, Denver CC 69-75-77–221
T6. Eric Bradley, Black Bear 72-74-75–221
T6. Caine Fitzgerald, Meado Hills 72-74-75–221
ALSO
T9. Mike Zaremba, Desert Hawk 74-73-75–222
T9. Doug Wherry, Jake’s Academy 76-74-72–222
T9. Jordan Gibbs, Denver CC 73-71-78–222

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.

That’s when the Arthur Schaupeter-designed Scottish links-style course will host its first big-time tournament. The 54-hole Colorado PGA Professional Championship is scheduled for Monday through Wednesday (Sept. 10-12). It’ll be a worthwhile preview for what’s planned for the course (left) starting next year — a stop on the Web.com Tour, which is just one step below the PGA Tour.

The Web.com Tour — then known as the Nike Tour — previously had a tournament in Colorado in 1996 and ’97, when Riverdale’s Dunes Course in Brighton hosted the Nike Colorado Classic. Stewart Cink, who has since won six times on the PGA Tour including the 2009 British Open, claimed the title in 1996.

(For more on TPC Colorado, CLICK HERE.)

The Colorado PGA Professional Championship will feature a formidable field of most of the top professionals from the Colorado Section. That includes Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale, who won this event three straight years starting in 2013. Other winners of the event in the 21st century who are in the field next week include Caine Fitzgerald (2012), Rob Hunt (2009 and ’11), Chris Johnson (2010), Mike Northern (2006), Heikke Nielsen (2005), Bill Loeffler (2000, ’02 and ’04) and Micah Rudosky (2001). Loeffler and fellow participant Ron Vlosich are members of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.

Others who are entered are 2017 runner-up Rick Cole, 2018 Colorado Senior PGA Professional Champion Mike Zaremba, Ari Papadopoulos, TPC Colorado host head pro Stephen Arendt and Eric Bradley. Among the female members competing are Alexandra Braga and Sherry Andonian-Smith. Braga won the first two Colorado PGA Women’s Championships and Andonian-Smith qualified for the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open this year.

But the last two winners from the Colorado PGA Professional Championship aren’t in the field this time around — John Ogden (2017) and Geoff Keffer (2016). Ogden is injured and Keffer, a five-time Colorado PGA Player of the Year, didn’t enter.

The top finishers next week will advance to the 2019 PGA Professional Championship, set for April 28-May 1 in Bluffton, S.C.

For Monday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.

Lanting (left) shot the only round in the 60s on Tuesday — a 3-under-par 69 — to post a 4-under 140 total for two days, good for a two-stroke victory. He finished round 2 with five birdies and two bogeys.

First-round leader and three-time champion Caine Fitzgerald of Meadow Hills Golf Course bogeyed two of his last three holes and finished second at 142 after closing with a 74.

Taking third place was University of Colorado men’s assistant coach and 2016 champion Pat Grady, who carded back-to-back 72s.

The top four finishers — Lanting, Fitzgerald, Grady and Jordan Gibbs of Denver — qualified for the National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship, set for Nov. 15-18 in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

For all the scores from Saddle Rock, CLICK HERE.

Geoff Keffer has long been an unmistakable presence on Colorado golf courses.

His colorful outfits, punctuated by knickers, have been a mainstay for him since his dad, Don Keffer, passed away in 2012. You see, Don was a big fan of Payne Stewart, who sported knickers for many years on the PGA Tour, and he liked their look.

Don was an outstanding player for many years, as a professional and later in the Colorado amateur ranks. Twice he finished runner-up in the CGA Match Play during the 1980s, losing to current Colorado Golf Hall of Famers in the finals each time (Ron Moore and Brandt Jobe).

And, not surprisingly, it was Don who introduced Geoff to the game. In fact, the first time Don took Geoff out to a golf course, the younger Keffer holed about a 50-yard shot from the fairway, showing great promise from the get-go. Geoff Keffer would go on to win the 1997 CGA Junior Amateur (then called the CGA Junior Stroke Play) in Fort Morgan.

“My dad first brought me out when I was 5,” Geoff recounted on Wednesday. “He won a junior set of clubs in some tournament. We went out, and in my first round I knocked one in from the fairway for a par. It was the first time I ever played. He was only planning on walking nine, but he walked 18 that day and 18 the next day — three or four days in a row.”

Don Keffer may be gone now, but his son did the old man proud on Wednesday by winning the Colorado PGA Professional Championship, the Section’s top tournament.

After being the Colorado PGA’s Player of the Year three of the past four seasons, the one thing Geoff Keffer had yet to accomplish in Section events was winning this tournament. And at Cherry Creek Country Club, he checked that off his bucket list.

Keffer (left and above), a Lakewood resident who now works at the PGA Learning Center at Park Hill, matched the best score of the tournament — a 5-under-par 67 — in Wednesday’s final round to rally for the title and the $8,000 that goes with it.

“For all the Section tournaments, this was the one I was missing,” he said. “It was definitely on the list to get, and I got it, so I couldn’t be happier.”

The lifelong Coloradan, now 38, finished at 6-under-par 210 to prevail by three strokes over Mike Northern of Colorado Springs, the 53-year-old who won the Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship last month. Northern, winner of this event a decade ago, played his final seven holes in 4 under par en route to a 69.

Ari Papadopoulos of Red Sky Golf Club was the only other player to finish under par, placing third at 214 after a final-round 69.

Doug Rohrbaugh of Ironbridge, who was attempting to win an unpredented fourth consecutive Colorado PGA Professional Championship, saw his winning streak end as he finished 10th, 11 back of Keffer.

Keffer, Northern and Papadopoulos, along with five other players, qualified Wednesday for the PGA Professional National Championship, set for June 18-21 at Sunriver Resort in Oregon, based on their finishes at Cherry Creek CC. Also advancing to nationals were Eric Bradley of The Pinery (217), Kirk Trowbridge of the Country Club at Castle Pines (217), Joseph Carlton of Legacy Ridge (218), Caine Fitzgerald of Meadow Hills (218) and Dale Smigelsky of Collindale (219).

It will be the second PGA PNC for Keffer and roughly the 10th for Northern, who parlayed his trip to the 2001 PNC into qualifying for his first PGA Championship that year.

“It’s a special place for that reason,” Northern said of Sunriver. “That’s like my second home. I think this will be my fourth (PGA PNC) there.”

On Wednesday, Northern (left) put the most pressure on Keffer down the stretch, but he still got no closer than two strokes during the final nine holes.

Northern birdied four holes in a five-hole stretch starting at No. 12 — including a nifty downhill chip-in at No. 13 — but he made very little headway against Keffer, who carded three straight birdies starting with a 30-footer on No. 14.

“Geoff played good,” said Northern, a four-time Colorado PGA Player of the Year. “He played solid all day long. I think I got within two at 13, then he birdies 14, 15 and 16. I birdied 15 and 16 as well. He played good and I was just glad to finish second.”

It didn’t hurt that Keffer played all three rounds alongside Fitzgerald, a good buddy with whom he worked about five years at Murphy Creek Golf Course. (The two are pictured together below.)

“We’re really good friends,” Keffer said. “Anytime we travel to the same place, we usually stay together. We worked together. Playing with him, we just kind of feed off each other. It’s more a fun round. We don’t get down on ourselves too much when we play with each other.”

But Wednesday wasn’t Fitzgerald’s day. The left-hander, who won the Colorado PGA Professional title at Cherry Creek CC in 2012, took a two-stroke lead into Wednesday, but struggled to a 77 and tied for seventh place.

Keffer, though, was virtually flawless after bogeying the first hole on Wednesday. The next hole, he just missed a 10-foot eagle putt and made birdie — the first of six for the day.

“Some of the best rounds I’ve ever had came after bogeying the first hole,” Keffer noted. “My whole goal this week was not to leave myself second putts (of any significant length). And I didn’t three-putt all week. I made a few really good ones, but I was really trying not to shoot myself in the foot.”

Keffer managed to do that — and a lot more — at Cherry Creek Country Club.

Notable: Among those working the Colorado PGA Professional Championship was Rich Langston, a longtime rules official in Colorado who last year moved to Oklahoma. … The 2017 Colorado PGA Professional Championship will be held at Red Sky Golf Club in Wolcott, site of the 2013 tournament.

Colorado PGA Professional Championship
Sept. 12-14, 2016 (final) at Par-72 Cherry Creek CC in Denver

Top 10 Finishers — 1. Geoff Keffer 73-70-67–210; 2. Mike Northern 70-74-69–213; 3. Ari Papadopoulos 74-71-69–214; 4. (tie) Ron Vlosich 71-73-73–217; Kirk Trowbridge 70-75-72–217; Eric Bradley 73-77-67–217; 7. (tie) Caine Fitzgerald 72-69-77–218; Joseph Carlton 72-72-74–218; 9. Dale Smigelsky 75-70-74–219; 10. (tie) Doug Rohrbaugh 74-71-76–221; Blake Sharamitaro 75-74-72–221; Ryan Wroblewski 75-72-74–221. For complete scores, CLICK HERE.
 

The left-hander shot a tourament-best-tying 3-under-par 69 on Tuesday, giving him a two-stroke lead heading into Wednesday’s final round at Cherry Creek CC.

Fitzgerald (pictured) carded four birdies and one bogey in round 2, giving him a 3-under-par 141 total.

Fitzgerald and Geoff Keffer of the PGA Learning Center are currently 1-2 on the Colorado PGA Player of the Year points list. And Fitzgerald’s closest pursuer going into the last round is none other than Keffer, the CPGA Player of the Year three of the last four years who is still looking for his first title in this event.

Keffer, who was paired with Fitzgerald each of the first two rounds, posted a 2-under-par 70 on Tuesday, putting him at 143 overall. He made four birdies and two bogeys in round 2.

Tied for third place, three behind Fitzgerald, are Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Ron Vlosich, fellow former champion Mike Northern and Joseph Carlton of Legacy Ridge. Carlton had a 72 Tuesday, Vlosich a 73 and Northern a 74.

Still among those in the hunt for the title is Doug Rohrbaugh of Ironbridge, who is seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive Colorado PGA Professional title. Rohbaugh shares sixth place at 145 after a 71 Tuesday.

Fitzgerald, Keffer and Northern will tee off for Wednesday’s final round at 9:05 a.m.

The 60 players who posted 157 totals or better for two rounds survived the 36-hole cut.

The top eight finishers on Wednesday will earn spots in the PGA Professional National Championship, set for June 18-21 in Bend, Ore.

Colorado PGA Professional Championship
Sept. 12-14, 2016 At Par-72 Cherry Creek CC in Denver

Leaders After Round 2 — 1. Caine Fitzgerald 72-69–141; 2. Geoff Keffer 73-70–143; 3. (tie) Mike Northern 70-74–144; Joseph Carlton 72-72–144; Ron Vlosich 71-73–144; 6. (tie) Kirk Trowbridge 70-75–145; Dale Smigelsky 75-70–145; Doug Rohrbaugh 74-71–145; Ari Papadopoulos 74-71–145; 10. (tie) Luke Brosterhous 77-69–146; Derek Rush 75-71–146; Will Panella 70-76–146; Remington Post 75-71–146. For complete scores, CLICK HERE.
 

Fitzgerald, the 2012 Colorado PGA Professional Champion, posted rounds of 73-71-74-74 for a 4-over-par 292 total. He ended up 15 strokes behind champion Rich Berberian of Derry, N.H.

Two other Colorado PGA professionals also survived both cuts and played all four rounds in New York. Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale, winner of the last three Colorado PGA Professional Championships, ended up 59th at 293, while Ari Papadoulos of Eagle Vail came in 63rd at 295.

The top 20 finishers, all the men who finished at 286 or better plus the winner of the playoff at 287, qualified for next month’s PGA Championship.

Here are the final scores for the Coloradans at the PPC:

50. Caine Fitzgerald of Parker 73-71-74-74–292
59. Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale 74-69-76-74–293
63. Ari Papadopoulos of Eagle Vail 71-75-73-76–295
Missed 36-Hole Cut
127. Kyle Voska of Highlands Ranch 74-75–149
151. Rob Hunt of Highlands Ranch 80-70–150
209. Jeff Hanson of Edwards 77-76–153
209. Erik Billinger of Highlands Ranch 78-75–153
243. Barry Milstead of Centennial 77-78–155
Doug Wherry of Littleton 78-NC

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.
 

Caine Fitzgerald of Parker, Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale and Ari Papadopoulos of Eagle Vail all survived the 54-hole cut in Verona, N.Y., but they’ll have to finish in the top 20 on Wednesday to qualify for the PGA Championship, scheduled for next month at Baltusrol in Springfield, N.J.

Through three rounds, Fitzgerald (pictured) shares 48th place at 2-over-par 218, while Rohrbaugh and Papdoupolos are tied for 57th at 219. After Tuesday, the top 20 mark included players at 2 under-par 214 or better.

Former PGA Tour player Omar Uresti maintained his lead in the PGA Professional Championship, checking in with a 205 total.

Here are the scores for the Coloradans at the PPC:

48. Caine Fitzgerald of Parker 73-71-74–218
57. Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale 74-69-76–219
57. Ari Papadopoulos of Eagle Vail 71-75-73–219
Missed 36-Hole Cut
127. Kyle Voska of Highlands Ranch 74-75–149
151. Rob Hunt of Highlands Ranch 80-70–150
209. Jeff Hanson of Edwards 77-76–153
209. Erik Billinger of Highlands Ranch 78-75–153
243. Barry Milstead of Centennial 77-78–155
Doug Wherry of Littleton 78-NC

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.

Rohrbaugh shot a 3-under-par 69 on Monday and reached the halfway point of the tournament at 1-under 143, leaving him in 23rd place and eight strokes behind leader — and former PGA Tour player — Omar Uresti, who has posted 68-67.

Rohrbaugh (pictured) made an eagle and five birdies on Monday, offset by four bogeys.

Other Coloradans making the 36-hole cut to 90 and ties were Caine Fitzgerald of Parker (73-71–144, 36th place) and Ari Papadopoulos of Eagle Vail (71-75–146, 61st place.)

There will be another cut after three rounds, to the low 70 players and ties.

The top 20 finishers on Wednesday out of the original field of 312 will earn spots in next month’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol.

Here are the scores for the Coloradans at the PPC:

23. Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale 74-69–143
36. Caine Fitzgerald of Parker 73-71–144
61. Ari Papadopoulos of Eagle Vail 71-75–146
Missed 36-Hole Cut
127. Kyle Voska of Highlands Ranch 74-75–149
151. Rob Hunt of Highlands Ranch 80-70–150
209. Jeff Hanson of Edwards 77-76–153
209. Erik Billinger of Highlands Ranch 78-75–153
243. Barry Milstead of Centennial 77-78–155
Doug Wherry of Littleton 78-NC

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.
 

Papadopoulos, from Red Sky Golf Club, made four birdies and three bogeys on Sunday, leaving him four strokes behind co-leaders Ryan Helminen of Menasha, Wis., and Craig Bowden of Bloomington, Ind., with three rounds remaining.

Papadopoulos was one of nine Coloradans who qualified for the national tournament by virtue of their performances last September in the Colorado PGA Professional Championship. Next best Sunday out of the group was former PGA Championship qualifier Caine Fitzgerald of Parker, who posted a 73 and shares 61st place.

Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale, winner of the last three Colorado PGA Professional Championships, opened with a 74.

The top 20 finishers on Wednesday out of the original field of 312 will earn spots in next month’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol.

Here are the scores for the Coloradans at the PPC:

20. Ari Papadopoulos of Eagle Vail 71
61. Caine Fitzgerald of Parker 73
95. Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale 74
95. Kyle Voska of Highlands Ranch 74
200. Jeff Hanson of Edwards 77
200. Barry Milstead of Centennial 77
230. Erik Billinger of Highlands Ranch 78
230. Doug Wherry of Littleton 78
278. Rob Hunt of Highlands Ranch 80

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.

After all, the National Golf Foundation reports that out of 24.7 million golfers in the U.S., just 5.3 million are females. In other words, a little more than one in five golfers is a female.

Needless to say, encouraging women and girls to take an active role in the game is foundational for organizations committed to growing the game, and that certainly includes the Colorado PGA.

There are certainly programs in place that encourage women and girls to take up golf and stay in it, but it’s important to send the right message as well. Having women in top leadership roles can both send that message and bring new perspective to decision-making.

With that as a backdrop, the Colorado PGA broke some new ground recently when for the first time a woman became president of the board of directors for the Colorado Section. Leslie Core-Drevecky, the only head professional Murphy Creek Golf Course in Aurora has ever known, was sworn in last month for a two-year term. (Core-Drevecky is pictured in red above at a mother-daughter clinic.)

“I’m excited and humbled, but I don’t want to view it in that light,” Core-Drevecky said this week before departing for the PGA Annual Meeting in Indianapolis. “I want to provide encouragement for other females to get involved. Hopefully, we’ll bring more ladies into the game. (Fewer than) 25 percent of golfers are women, so we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

(Coincidentally, on Nov. 22, Suzy Whaley of Farmington, Conn., was elected the first female officer in PGA of America history, putting her in line to likely become the national organization’s president in 2018.)

Core-Drevecky has served on the Colorado PGA board for six years, and previously she was the Section’s vice president. She’s also a past chairperson of the Section’s Education Committee.

So will Core-Drevecky becoming president help efforts to attract more women and girls into the game?

“I hope it will,” said Colorado PGA executive director Eddie Ainsworth. “I know she’s definitely tried to do that at her own facility (Murphy Creek) — making the game more inclusive. (Her new role) can only help. Golf is still male-dominated, and we need to try to be more inclusive. The low-hanging fruit is getting more women into the game.”

Core-Drevecky is a former Oklahoma state women’s amateur champion (1984) who lettered one year at the University of Oklahoma before later turning pro in 1985. After four years of competing on the Futures Tour, Core-Drevecky held club professional jobs in Texas and Oklahoma before being hired as Murphy Creek’s first head professional in 2000.

During her years in the Colorado PGA, Core-Drevecky has twice been named the Section’s public course merchandiser of the year (2001 and ’02) and twice the CPGA’s Horton Smith Award winner for developing and improving educational opportunities for PGA professionals (2009 and ’10).

“Leslie does her homework,” Ainsworth noted when asked about Core-Drevecky’s strong points as a Colorado PGA leader. “She’s one of the most prepared people when she comes to the board room. She takes her role very seriously and works hard. And she likes to get all the facts before making a decision.”

While the Colorado PGA is certainly one of the main players in driving growth of the game in the state, working in concert with the other leading golf associations in the state is a priority for Core-Drevecky as she embarks on her two-year stint as CPGA president.

“One thing I’m really looking forward to is working more with the CGA and CWGA in doing things more together,” she said. “We can catch attention and do more as a bigger force.”

The PGA staff at Murphy Creek has certainly made its presence known within the Colorado Section in recent years. Besides Core-Drevecky becoming president, the last three Dow Finsterwald Players of the Year have come from the Aurora course’s staff. Geoff Keffer won the award both in 2012 and this year, while Caine Fitzgerald earned the honor in 2013 after qualifying for the PGA Championship.

“They’re not only fine players but wonderful golf professionals,” Core-Drevecky said of Fitzgerald and Keffer.

Meanwhile, a former Colorado PGA president, Hiwan Golf Club head professional Kyle Heyen, this week becomes the District 9 director for the national PGA board of directors. For the next three years, he’ll represent the Colorado, Utah and Rocky Mountain PGA Sections on the national board.