Jared Reid had modest goals going into the 32nd CGA Mid-Amateur Championship this weekend at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.

“This week, honestly, my goal was to make the cut and be top 30 — just so I didn’t have to qualify again for next year’s (Mid-Am),” the 28-year-old from Legacy Ridge Golf Course said.

To say that the Denver resident exceeded expectations — his own and those of others — at the Mid-Am would be an understatement of monumental proportions.

Not only did Reid finish in the top 30 on Sunday, but he won the state title in the tournament limited to players 25 and older. And not only did he win, but he did so while going head to head in the final group with two players who have won five CGA Mid-Ams between them — two-time champ Chris Thayer of Walnut Creek Golf Preserve and three-time winner Jon Lindstrom of Lakewood Country Club.

“Teeing off with those two and they’re announcing all the times they’ve won the championship and runner-ups and everything like that,” noted Reid (pictured above and below). “I’m like, ‘Geez, how am I going to do this today? Hopefully I get out of their way most of the time.'”

Certainly no need to worry about that, as it turned out. And, on top of all that, Reid became just the third player in the history of the championship to finish double digits under par, joining four-time champ Keith Humerickhouse (11 under in 2012) and seven-time winner Rick DeWitt (10 under in 2000).

The victory was the first by Reid in a CGA championship. In fact, he’s only competed in three — two Mid-Ams and the CGA Four-Ball — since moving from Michigan about five years ago.

“This is definitely, definitely” the biggest thing he’s done in golf, he said. “I never won any events in college — just maybe some best balls back home in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This is definitely the biggest individual accomplishment I’ve ever had. I couldn’t imagine what the week was going to end up like.”

Reid completed a wire-to-wire performance on Sunday by finishing with a 10-under-par 203 total at CommonGround. He avoided a playoff when Thayer, the defending champion, saw his 9-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole slip just to the right of the cup.

Reid, who played college golf at Northern Michigan University, closed with a 1-under-par 70 on Sunday — the same score as playing partners Thayer and Lindstrom.

After he was tied for the lead with Thayer through nine holes on Sunday, Reid took the lead for good when he sank a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 10. Then he two-putted the par-5 11th for another birdie, giving him three birdies in four holes. And Thayer didn’t help his cause when he slightly pulled his 6-iron second shot and it went into the water on 11, though he did save par on the relatively easy par-5, where the stroke average on Sunday was 4.36.

But Reid’s most impressive shot came on the 495-yard, par-4 15th hole, where a massive drive left him with just 140 yards for his approach shot. He hit a gap wedge to 1 foot for birdie to go two ahead.

Reid then two-putted from 65 feet for par on 16, but bogeyed 17 after going into the greenside bunker on the par-3, leaving him with a one-stroke lead going into the par-5 18th. There, he was right of the green in two and pitched over a bunker complex to 25 feet, two-putting for par.

That gave Thayer (left) a chance to force a playoff, but the 38-year-old couldn’t sink his 9-footer for birdie.

In the last five CGA Mid-Amateurs, Thayer has now finished first, second, second, first and second. He’s posted six straight sub-par rounds in this event, dating back to last year.

“I was happy with the way I hung in there,” Thayer said. “I hit the ball really well, but I missed a 7-footer on 9, a 5-footer on 13 and a 9-footer (on 18). There were a lot of putts like that.

“But Jared played great. He played smart and hit good shots under pressure. He rips it and he hit it really straight all day. With that type of clubhead speed, you could be just a little bit off and they could go a bunch of different directions.

“But this is definitely a bomber’s course. I’m not a bomber, but I’m in the top 20 percent of the field in terms of distance. But these guys that hit it 30 yards by me, it’s an edge for sure.”

Lindstrom (below) will second Thayer’s praise of Reid’s performance this week.

“It’s awesome. The guy hits it a mile,” Lindstrom said. “I had a couple of really good drives and he was 70 yards ahead of me. It’s tough to compete.”

Reid fully acknowledges the difference his driver can make. He wasn’t hitting it well on the front nine on Sunday, but on the back side, it returned to form and he was smacking it long and straight down the stretch.

“My game kind of lives and dies by my driver,” he said. After struggling off the tee in the first half of the round, “the driver was kind of working (starting on the back nine) and I didn’t miss a fairway through the rest of the day, which kept my momentum going. I started feeling good on the tee and I could swing as hard as I could and the ball was going right where I was looking for. I springboarded off that.

“When I’m hitting gap wedge into some of the par-4s and they’re hitting 7- through 5-irons, that’s definitely an advantage.”

Really, it was with nine holes left that Reid had the confidence to feel he could win the title.

“Honestly I’ve only won probably two or three tournaments, even in high school,” he said. “That’s what the most uncomfortable feeling was: Could I finish this off?

“But (after 45 holes) I thought, ‘I might as well just do it since you’ve come all this way.”

Lindstrom, who’s won the title in 2008, ’15 and ’16, finished third for the second straight year, sharing that spot this time at 205 with with former Colorado State University golfer Dominic Kieffer of Collindale Golf Course, who closed with a 68.

At age 51, Lindstrom was the first winner of the Super Mid-Amateur Division for players 40 and older. He was six strokes better than Super Mid-Am runner-up Michael Harrington of Garden of the Gods Club, who likewise posted a 70 on Sunday.

“I’m glad they have the old-man flight now,” Lindstrom said with a smile. “It feels great (to be the first Super Mid-Am champ). I was telling (CGA executive director Ed Mate) they should get us a sponsor like Joint-Ritis or Depends. How about the Depends Super-Senior Mid-Am Flight?”

For all the scores from the CGA Mid-Amateur, CLICK HERE.

Despite bogeying two of his last three holes on Saturday, Jared Reid of Legacy Ridge Golf Course grabbed a one-stroke lead through 36 holes.

Reid eagled the par-5 11th hole to stand 6 under par for the day, but bogeyed 16 and 17 to shoot a 4-under-par 67. That left him at 9-under 133 overall. Over two days, Reid has played the first 11 holes at CommonGround in 13 under par, and the final seven holes in 4 over.

Reid’s closest pursuers going into Sunday’s final round are both multiple-time champions of this event. Chris Thayer of Walnut Creek Golf Preserve, winner in 2014 and ’17, is in second place at 134 after a second-round 68. Dating back to last year, Thayer has posted five consecutive sub-par rounds in this event. He made four birdies and one bogey on Saturday and has carded just two bogeys in two days. Thayer has two victories and two seconds in the past four CGA Mid-Ams.

Jon Lindstrom of Lakewood Country Club, Mid-Am champ in 2008, ’15 and ’16, holds third place after shooting a 6-under-65 — the lowest round of the tournament so far — on Saturday. His six-birdie, bogey-free day puts him two behind Reid.

Three players share fourth place at 137 — Nick Nosewicz of Meadow Hills Golf Course, former Colorado State University University golfer Dominic Kieffer of Collindale Golf Course and Pete Mangold of Columbine Country Club. Nosewicz, who won the 2015 CGA Match Play at CommonGround, and Kieffer shot 68s on Saturday and Mangold a 69.

The field was cut to the low 40 players and ties after 36 holes, with all those at 8-over-par 150 or better advancing to Sunday.

The Mid-Amateur is limited to players 25 and older, but starting this year, there’s also a Super Mid-Amateur Division for players 40 and older. Through two days, Lindstrom holds a six-stroke lead in that division. Next best after Lindstrom’s 135 are 2014 CGA Player of the Year Michael Harrington of Garden of the Gods Club and Michael Slutzky of Columbine, who are tied at 141.

Reid, Thayer and Lindstrom will tee off for Sunday’s final round at 10:30 a.m.

For all the scores from the CGA Mid-Amateur, CLICK HERE.
 

It seems like wherever the CGA Mid-Amateur is held, Chris Thayer of Walnut Creek Golf Preserve finds himself either in the lead or darn close to it.

Since 2014, Thayer’s finishes in the championship have been first, second, second, first. 

And on Friday in the 32nd edition of the Mid-Am — an event limited to golfers 25 and older — Thayer put himself in position to add to his stellar record by shooting a 5-under-par 66 and sharing the lead at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.

The defending champion (left) eagled the par-5 11th hole and added four birdies while making just one bogey in the first round of the 54-hole event.

Tied with Thayer at 66 was Jared Reid of Legacy Ridge Golf Course, who started on No. 10 and played his final nine holes in 6-under-par 30. He finished with eight birdies and three bogeys on the day.

Four players share third place at 68 — Ryan Axlund of Valley Country Club, Nicholas Engen of Colorado Golf Club, Pete Mangold of Columbine Country Club and Stephen Powers of CommonGround. Mangold played his first two holes in 3 under par.

Though he hasn’t won the CGA Mid-Amateur, Axlund has finished in the top 10 five staight years, including posting four top-5s.

Also among the 15 players who broke par on Friday were past champions Michael Harrington of Garden of the Gods Club (69) and three-time winner Jon Lindstrom of Lakewood Country Club (70), along with Nick Nosewicz of Meadow Hills Golf Course (69), who won the 2015 CGA Match Play at CommonGround.

In the new Super Mid-Amateur Division for players 40 and older, Harrington, the 2014 CGA Player of the Year, leads the way with his 69, while Lindstrom and Michael Slutzsky of Cherry Hills Country Club are next best, at 70. Since the same tees are used for everyone in the championship, the Senior Mid-Ams can still contend for the overall title.

Keith Humerickhouse of Glenwood Springs Golf Club, who won this CGA Mid-Am four straight times starting in 2010, struggled to an 81 on Friday.

The championship will continue through Sunday, with a cut to the top 40 players and ties coming after Saturday’s second round.

For all the scores from the CGA Mid-Amateur, CLICK HERE.
 

The 54-hole event is set for Friday through Sunday (Sept. 28-30). An 84-man field is planned, and the top 40 players and ties after two rounds will advance to Sunday’s action.

Let’s run down some of the top entrants according to their past performance in the event:

— Defending champion Chris Thayer of Golden has two wins and two seconds at the Mid-Am in the last four years.

— Jon Lindstrom of Lakewood Country Club owns three titles (2008, ’15 and ’16) and finished third last year.

— Keith Humerickhouse of Glenwood Springs Golf Club won the Mid-Am four consecutive years (2010-13), becoming just the third player in history to captured the same CGA championship four times in a row.

— Steve Irwin of Lakewood CC has claimed the Mid-Am title twice (2003 and ’05) and contended on numerous other occasions.

— As for those who have yet to win the Mid-Am, Ryan Axlund of Valley Country Club has certainly been impressive, with five consecutive top-10s, including four top-5s. He placed third last year.

And those are by no means the only players who could be in the hunt for the championship come Sunday. There’s 2009 winner Michael Harrington, the 2014 CGA Player of the Year; former Colorado State University golfer Dominic Kieffer; Nick Nosewicz, who won the 2015 CGA Match Play at CommonGround; 2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur qualifier Matt Evelyn; 2008 CGA Amateur champion Jonathan Marsico; and Jeff Chapman.

The list goes on and on.

All told, the winner of every CGA Mid-Am since 2007 — when Robert Polk prevailed — is in the field this weekend.

And this year’s tournament at CommonGround has a new twist. For the first time, players who are 40 and older will also be entered in a Super Mid-Amateur competition. And since the same tees will be used for everyone at CommonGround, those older players can still contend for the overall title.

For Friday’s tee times at CommonGrond, CLICK HERE.

The Big 5-0.

People often joke about turning 50 and how that age makes them sound old. But in Jon Lindstrom’s case, what happened shortly after he reached that milestone was no joke.

Lindstrom, a Broomfield resident and the winner of eight CGA championship titles including three Mid-Amateurs, turned 50 on Sept. 3. Later that same week, his wife, Stacey, had scheduled him for a physical exam — both because it made sense to get a checkup at age 50 and because Jon’s company would deposit several hundred dollars into the family’s health savings account at the beginning of the year if he underwent a physical in September or October.

The general checkup included a blood test. Lindstrom recalls thinking “the doctor was going to call me back (a few days later) and say my cholesterol was too high and to stop eating pizza.”

The doctor did indeed call, but the message wasn’t quite so predictable.

Lindstrom’s results from a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test were alarmingly high. PSA levels above 4.0 often draw the attention of doctors, and Lindstrom’s figure was over 15. Such elevated levels can be an indication of prostate cancer, though follow-up tests are the norm to be sure.

Lindstrom initially wasn’t sure what to make of it, but his doctor explained the PSA test and gave him some websites to gather further information. He recommended that Lindstrom undergo a colonoscopy, which subsequently came back clean.

The doctor also referred Lindstrom to a Boulder-area urologist, who did an exam and an ultrasound of his bladder. Based on those two things and the PSA number, he recommended a biopsy of the prostate, which was done on Nov. 1, just three weeks after Lindstrom had made match play while competing in his fifth U.S. Mid-Amateur.

The result, which Lindstrom learned on Nov. 15, hit him like a ton of bricks. The biopsy showed he had a very aggressive cancer in his prostate in two locations.

“Your heart falls into your stomach,” he said of his initial reaction. “You start thinking about mortality and the kids (Jon and Stacey have two children, Jake, 13, and Mia, 11). Do I have life insurance in place? And what’s going to happen? Your mind goes straight to the worst possible thing and it kind of puts a timeline to your life, which forever you really don’t think about.”

Lindstrom and his doctor discussed the options and in short order he decided to undergo surgery to remove the prostate — and, hopefully, all the cancer in his body.

After the irritation caused to the prostate by the biopsy was fully healed, Lindstrom underwent the surgery in mid-January. Though such operations can last at little as two hours, he was in the O.R. for six.

And, in retrospect, it sounds as if Lindstrom and his doctors — thanks to what was found through that physical set up by wife Stacey — acted with not much time to spare.

“It was an aggressive cancer,” Lindstrom said. “My prostate was pretty close to fully engulfed with cancer; it was kind of a nasty ball of cancer. There’s always the worry that even if a handful of cancer cells get outside the prostate, then they can go anywhere in your system and cause issues. But there was no signs that it had spread. That was a good sign.

“Prior to the surgery, (the doctor) did feel like I had some time to make a decision, but once I knew the options I wanted to do it sooner rather than later. Once it was removed, the point he made was that now that I see really how bad it was — because you can’t really tell through an MRI or an ultrasound — we probably didn’t have much time before it would pierce the prostate and then the cancer could have spread. So without a doubt it was a good thing (it was discovered no later than it was).”

Since the surgery, Lindstrom has had two blood tests, both of which have indicated his PSA levels are now 0. He said he will continue to take such blood tests every three months for two years, after which he’ll have annual tests.

“There’s no signs of prostate cancer, at least in my blood system or the things they test,” Lindstrom said. “The prognosis looks great. … I’ll probably always have some doubt, so the real goal now is to make sure those blood tests every three months for two years are clean. It’s something that you have to monitor, but the signs are good that we got it out in time.”

And Lindstrom said he’s experienced no residual issues from the surgical removal of his prostate.

“I joke that all my plumbing is working,” he said. “There’s a couple issues — it can affect sexual function; the other is urinary tract, incontinence and so forth. But I felt like I had a great surgeon. I was very cautious about recovery — I did everything he told me to do. A combination of those things plays into the fact that I really don’t have any issues at all now.”

Lindstrom came forward to share his health-care roller-coaster ride over the last seven months in hopes that his story can keep other men from facing the same situation — or worse — by not getting tested. Arnold Palmer famously did the same thing after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997, going on a public-awareness campaign on the subject and urging people to get screened.

“It wasn’t on my radar at all, then all of a sudden it went from 0 to 100 with a (mortality) scare,” Lindstrom said of prostate cancer. “I was telling everyone I golf with who are over 40 to go get the blood test at the very least during your next physical because you never know. I had no symptoms or family history of this.

“Now that I’m a prostate cancer expert (he said with a bit of a laugh) … Obviously I had cancer before I was 50 because it didn’t just happen overnight, so I’d recommend at least having the discussion of the blood test starting at 40. Obviously I had it at some point in my 40s. The earlier you get it, the more options you have. That’s the biggest thing. There’s several different routes you can go, but the sooner you know, the more options you have.”

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second-most-common form of cancer in American men, behind skin cancer. About one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.

Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death among American men; lung cancer is first. But early diagnosis turns the odds solidly in favor of the men involved.

“Prostate cancer can be a serious disease, but most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it,” the ACS reports. “In fact, more than 2.9 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today.”

While Lindstrom spent two nights in the hospital following his surgery, then two weeks of home rest while a catheter was in, he fully recovered in the expected six weeks.

In fact, while he wasn’t allowed to swing a golf club during that recovery period, he scheduled a Tucson golf trip six weeks to the day after his surgery. The first round he played marked the first day he had taken a full swing since the operation.

“I did go and played three rounds, and I actually played pretty good surprisingly,” he said. “Surgery is stressful and it’s all in your abdomen, so your stomach muscles are all torn up. It takes a while for those to heel, but six weeks later I had no problem playing golf. I played three days in a row (at the very end of February).

“The first nine I played, I shot 2 under, and I ended up shooting even-par the first day, 3 over the second and 2 under the last day. It really surprised me (how quickly his game returned to form given the layoff and the surgery). Granted, I was able to putt a little at home in the meantime. I was fearful of taking a full swing because I didn’t want to pull any of the sutures out. I hit a handful of chip shots the week before, but nothing more than 40 yards. So that was really the first time of making a full swing at it. I was shocked.”

Lindstrom played his first competitive round in mid-March in St. George, Utah, where he and fellow Lakewood Country Club member Brooks Ferring shot 67 but failed to qualify for the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship. “It wasn’t an ideal outcome but it wasn’t like I said I need another two or three months to recover,” Lindstrom said. “I felt like I could have shot that score whether I had the surgery or not.”

Looking ahead, Lindstrom doesn’t anticipate cutting back on his tournament schedule this year in the wake of the surgery. Quite the contrary. With him becoming eligible for many senior events, his calendar may be even more full. He plans on playing in the senior division of the Twin Peaks Invitational this weekend, then will defend his title in the CGA Four-Ball May 4-6. Also in May, he’ll compete in a tournament at Whisper Rock in Scottsdale, and will go to Tucson to try to qualify for his first U.S. Senior Open. Of course, that national championship is being held at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs, where Lindstrom and teammate Tom Lawrence won The Broadmoor Invitation scratch four-ball title last year.

All in all, things seem pretty much back to normal for Lindstrom after an anything-but-normal last seven months.
      

ҬӬThe golfer from Walnut Creek Golf Preserve won the championship in 2014 at River Valley Ranch Golf Club in Carbondale. And on Sunday, the next time the Mid-Am was held in the high country, the Golden resident struck, well, gold again.Ӭ

ҬIn what became a two-man battle for the title, Thayer birdied the 18th hole at Keystone Ranch Golf Course to win the championship by one stroke over second-round leader Shawn Sutton of Elmwood Golf Course in Pueblo.

“¨”¨Thayer, 37, shot subpar rounds three consecutive days — including a 2-under-par 70 on Sunday — to become the sixth person to win the CGA Mid-Am at least twice. Also in that club are Rick DeWitt (seven wins), Keith Humerickhouse (four), Jon Lindstrom (three), Steve Irwin (two) and Rick Garber (two).

“It feels really good” to win for a second time, Thayer said. “I played the first two rounds with Keith and Jon. It’s pretty fun when they’re announcing from the first tee and Keith has won it four times and Jon has won it three times. I’d only won it once. It’s pretty special to now be in a multiple-winner category with those guys. They’re incredibly great players. I’m honored to join them.”

ҬThayer, who was runner-up to Lindstrom the last two years, finished at 5-under-par 211 for 54 holes. Sutton, a three-time Pueblo city golf champion, closed with a 73 to check in at 212.Ӭ

“¨After a final round that included two lightning delays totaling about two hours — Thayer and Sutton were on the eighth hole in both cases — they were tied going into the final hole after Sutton birdied Nos. 16 and 17 and Thayer bogeyed the 17th for a three-shot swing on those two holes. But Thayer’s birdie on the par-5 18th settled the matter without a playoff.

After both players hit tee shots into the middle of the fairway on No. 18, Sutton layed up, while Thayer hit a hybrid from 227 yards to about 50 feet from the cup. Sutton pitched his third to about 20 feet. After Thayer ran his ball over the lip with his eagle putt and was left with a 1-foot birdie, Sutton likewise just missed, giving Thayer the victory.

“I had a pretty difficult putt from 50 feet, but I knew if I could lag it up there close, then he’d have to make a 20-footer from the fringe to (force a playoff), so I liked my chances there,” Thayer said. “I hit probably one of my best lag putts I’ve ever hit. I picked the line perfectly and it burned the edge and went a foot past. I thought I had made it.

“He also burned the edge. It looked really good the whole way but didn’t drop for him. He hit a great putt.”

“¨Lakewood Country Club’s Lindstrom, the two-time defending champion, tied for third place at 218 with Ryan Axlund of Valley Country Club, who recently qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur, and Scott Crawford of Murphy Creek Golf Course. Axlund closed with a 73, Crawford a 74 and Lindstrom a 76.”¨ Axlund has now gone fourth-fourth-third in the last three Mid-Ams, while Lindstrom has gone first-first-third.

ҬPete Mangold of Columbine Country Club, another qualifier for the 2017 U.S. Mid-Am, and Jeff Chapman of Inverness Golf Club shared sixth place at 219.

Thayer, who came into the round trailing by two, played his front nine in a bogey-free 3-under 33 in conditions that included rain and wind. But he bogeyed thee straight starting on No. 10 before rebounding with a couple of birdies in the middle of the back nine. For the day, he carded six birdies and four bogeys.

In the end, the 70 produced Thayer’s second Mid-Am title in four years, with two runner-up finishes sandwiched in between.

“These two titles mean a lot to me, especially coming in the second half of my golf career,” said Thayer, a former Northwestern golfer who won a Virginia state junior title when he was 17. “To try to continue to play at a high level at my age is something I enjoy doing. So it means a lot.”

ҬӬThe Mid-Amateur is limited to players 25 and older.

For final scores from the Mid-Am, CLICK HERE.

Sutton, a three-time Pueblo city golf champion, made three birdies on Saturday to tie Alex Kephart of Patty Jewett Golf Course for best round of the day. That left Sutton at 5-under-par 139 going into Sunday’s final round.

Chris Thayer of Walnut Creek Golf Preserve, winner of the Mid-Am the last time it was held in western Colorado (2014 at River Valley Ranch Golf Club in Carbondale), stands in second place at 141 after a 71 on Saturday. Thayer had an eventful round 2, making seven birdies, three bogeys and a triple bogey.

Jon Lindstrom of Lakewood Country Club, winner of the last two Mid-Amateurs and three overall, dropped into third place on Saturday and trails Sutton by three after a second-round 73. Lindstrom made two straight birdies in the middle of his round, but also chalked up a double bogey and a bogey, leaving the Broomfield resident at 142.

Nick Nosewicz of Meadow Hills Golf Course, winner of the 2015 CGA Match Play, shares fourth place at 144 with Scott Crawford of Murphy Creek Golf Course. Nosewicz made six birdies and shot a 71 on Saturday, while Crawford had a 73.

The field was cut to the low 40 players and ties — 44 in all — after Saturday’s second round. One player who rallied to play on Sunday was four-time champion Keith Humerickhouse of Glenwood Springs Golf Club, who followed up an 80 with a 71, making an eagle and two birdies on Saturday.

The Mid-Amateur is limited to players 25 and older.

For scores from the Mid-Am, CLICK HERE.

Lindstrom, who’s won the Mid-Am in 2008, ’15 and ’16, birdied his final two holes and finished with five birdies and two bogeys on the day.

Should the Broomfield resident win on Sunday, he’d join Keith Humerickhouse (2010-13) and Rick DeWitt (1999-2002) as a winner of this event at least three straight years.

Five players share second second place at 70, including 2014 champion Chris Thayer of Walnut Creek Golf Preserve, the 2015 and ’16 CGA Mid-Amateur Player of the Year who carded three birdies on Friday. Also at 70 at Pete Mangold of Columbine Country Club, who recently qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur (as did Lindstrom), 2016 CGA Senior Player of the Year Robin Bradbury of Walnut Creek, Michael Slutzky of Cherry Hills Country Club and Shawn Sutton of Elmwood Golf Course. Slutzky eagled the 527-yard first hole on Friday and played the par-5s in 4 under par.

Among those at 71 are Robert Polk of Colorado Golf Club, the 2007 Mid-Am champion.

The 84-man field will be cut to the low 40 players and ties after Saturday’s second round. Among those who will have to rally to stick around for Sunday’s final round is Humerickhouse, who needed to birdie his final two holes on Friday to shoot 80.

The Mid-Amateur is limited to players 25 and older.

For scores from the Mid-Am, CLICK HERE.

Well, the CGA is among those doing something about prolonged rounds of golf, specifically in its championships. And, so far it’s yielding positive results.

In 2010, the CGA implemented a group pace of play policy for its championships — specifically, those now known as the CGA Amateur, CGA Senior Amateur, CGA Mid-Amateur and later the CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play — and has kept yearly records for each event.

And, of the seven seasons since, 2016 produced the best results regarding pace of play. In fact, the average round in the aforementioned four championships was 22 minutes faster last year than in 2015, with the norm for 2016 being 4 hours and 19 minutes in threesomes.

Over a longer term, last season’s average round time was 13 minutes better than the norm for all the championships from 2010 through 2015.

“For us, it’s incredible news,” said Dustin Jensen, the CGA’s managing director of operations. “You always hear that rounds in tournaments take five-plus hours. But this shows you can play high-end, quality golf in under 4:20. It proves this program works. It just needed a little tweaking.”

Jensen attributes the significant improvement in pace of play to two things: expanding tee-time intervals to 10 or 11 minutes, and more stringest standards at the time checkpoints at the ninth and 18th holes.

Regarding tee-time intervals, the CGA in 2015 used nine minutes for all four of the stroke-play events mentioned. But in 2016, 10- or 11-minute intervals were utilized for the CGA Amateur at Boulder Country Club and the Mid-Amateur at Saddle Rock Golf Course. In the final round of those events — after a 36-hole cut had been made — the average round times were 4:11 and 4:07, respectively.

“A nine-minute interval tends to create an accordian effect,” Jensen said. “Ten or 11 minutes is better (and is expected to be utilized again this year). You add a minute or two on the front end, but you get it back in droves at the back end.”

In retrospect, Jensen said the CGA team learned a lesson from the 2014 CGA Amateur at Lakewood Country Club. The CGA typically did nine-minute tee-time intervals in 2014, but because the first hole at Lakewood is a driveable par-4, the CGA went to 10 minutes. The average round time for the championship that week was 4:04.

“There was no backup with a 10-minute interval,” Jensen noted. “Minor tweaks like that can make a 20-minute difference (in round times).”

As for the second reason Jensen believes pace of play has improved, it’s another adjustment the CGA made for these events. Competitors in the championships can avoid receiving a slow-play penalty by completing their rounds in no more than the designated time par matrix for a given venue. But even if they exceed that time, they can still avoid a penalty by completing designated holes (9 and 18 for CGA events) no more than 13 minutes after the previous group finished them. The change Jensen thinks made a difference was lowering that time in 2016 from the previously-used 15 minutes to 13 minutes.

“Those are the standards used nationally and by the USGA,” he said. “That’s pretty much the gold standard.”

“Players want to play fast. It really comes down to holding people accountable. And people understand we’re serious about (pace of play issues).”

How serious? The CGA does, on occasion, issue slow-play penalties. There were 10 given out in the four 2016 championships, including five in the Mid-Amateur on day 1 at Saddle Rock and four total on days 1 and 2 at the CGA Amateur at Boulder CC — though some penalties were successfully appealed.

Of course, the average round length at championships can be affected by the venue being used. In 2016, besides the CGA Amateur at Boulder CC and the Mid-Amateur at Saddle Rock, the other stroke-play sites were Heritage Eagle Bend for the Super-Senior Stroke Play and the Club at Rolling Hills for the Senior Amateur.

For the record, here’s the average annual round times at these four CGA championships over the last seven years: 4:32 in 2010; 4:34 in 2011; 4:31 in 2012; 4:32 in 2013; 4:21 in 2014; 4:41 in 2015; and 4:19 in 2016.

Given the significant improvement last year, the CGA will go with the same plan in 2017 championships. The association leaves the door open to other tweaks that might speed up rounds further, but officials like the way things are trending.

This year, the schedule for the four CGA championships will be: CGA Amateur Aug. 3-6 at Sonnenalp Golf Club in Edwards, CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play Aug. 22-23 at Buffalo Run Golf Course in Commerce City, CGA Mid-Amateur Sept. 8-10 at Keystone Ranch Golf Course, and the CGA Senior Amateur Sept. 19-21 at Meridian Golf Club in Englewood.
   

As Herman’s Hermits sang a half-century ago in one of their hit songs, “second verse, same as the first.”

In the case of the CGA Mid-Amateur Championship the last two years, the second “verse” at least was remarkably close to the same as the first.

Not only did Jon Lindstrom of Lakewood Country Club win the CGA Mid-Am by four strokes for the second straight year on Sunday, but the top four finishers were the same in 2016 as they were in 2015. In fact, they were almost in the exact same order, with the only difference being Steve Irwin tying for second this year and placing third alone in 2015.

Lindstrom, the 49-year-old Broomfield resident who previously won the Mid-Amateur in 2008 and ’15, became just the third player to have captured the championship at least three times, joining Rick DeWitt (seven victories) and Keith Humerickhouse (four).

And Lindstrom became the fourth player to have won back-to-back CGA Mid-Ams, following Rick Garber (1991-92) and DeWitt (1999-2002) and Humerickhouse (2010-13), who each captured four straight titles. (Lindstrom is pictured above receiving the trophy Sunday from CGA board member Buddy Noel, who plays out of Saddle Rock Golf Course, where the Mid-Am was held.)

“Now that you mention it, it’s kind of cool (being a three-time winner of the event),” said Lindstrom (left). “It’s a big tournament for me. I enjoy coming out and playing it each year. The fact that I can still compete pushing 50 (years old) is fun.”

This time, Lindstrom led wire-to-wire at Saddle Rock, shooting rounds of 71-70-73 for a 2-under-par 214 total. Two-time winner Irwin, who also plays out of Lakewood CC, shared second place at 218 with 2014 champion Chris Thayer of Bear Creek Golf Club. Irwin closed with a 73 and Thayer a 76 after playing his last eight holes in 3 over par.

Ryan Axlund of Inverness Golf Club placed fourth at 220 after carding a 72 on Sunday.

“Last year I felt like I had a definite advantage because (the Mid-Am) was at my home course at Lakewood,” Lindstrom said. “I hadn’t played out here (at Saddle Rock) in 10-12 years, so to come to a completely different style of golf course (and win), it proves that my game travels. That’s important to me.”

Thayer (left) got within two strokes of Lindstrom when the latter bogeyed three straight holes on the back nine (Nos. 12-14), the last two via three-putt greens. But Lindstrom gave himself a more comfortable cushion when he made a two-putt birdie on the par-5 17th. He finished the day with three birdies and four bogeys.

“I was going for pins, playing smart aggressive golf,” said Thayer, who has finished first, second and second the last three years at the Mid-Am. “I just couldn’t covert any birdies. If I put a little more pressure on him … but it was never quite within reach. I tried.

“I got beat by a better player today, no doubt. He deserved to win.”

Like Thayer, Irwin has been in the hunt in this event on a regular basis in recent years. Sunday marked his third top-four finish in the last four years.

“It’s always nice to be somewhat in contention,” said Irwin, the 2004 CGA Player of the Year. “But it was a pretty frustrating week for me. I had a hard time reading the greens and I didn’t make many putts at all. The ball just wasn’t disappearing as quickly as I wanted it to. 

“Jon obviously is playing some good golf. He’s proven that over the last few years. I feel proud to represent Lakewood (Country Cub) and I know he feels the same. We have a good core group of guys out there.”

Earlier this summer, Lindstrom (left) had been frustrated with his game. But seeing a sports psychologist in recent weeks has helped him, and it apparently paid some dividends at Saddle Rock.

“A good friend of mine is Robin Bradbury (who recently played in the U.S. Senior Amateur),” Lindstrom said. “He and I play a lot of golf together. He started seeing a sports psychologist and I started seeing her as well. A lot of it is reminding you of things you probably already know — but maybe having a fresh look at it. That’s been a significant help. To get out of the pattern of working on my swing, working on technique — more seeing it and hitting it. It doesn’t always work, but it worked out this week. The first nine holes the first day where I had six birdies, that was that process working to a T. 

“It clears my mind. It’s really easy when you start hitting it bad or hitting a bad putt to analyze the technical reason why you did that. And that does no good. During my three bogeys in a row (on Sunday), two of those were three-putts. A month ago, I probably would have let that spiral out of control. But instead, once I was done with it, I honestly forgot about it. Even though one was a pull and one was a push, I didn’t adjust my stroke. I still just picked a spot and hit it. It’s more clearing my head than anything else.”

Lindstrom will quickly turn around from his Mid-Am win to represent Colorado in the USGA Men’s State Team Championship Wednesday through Friday in Birmingham, Ala. Also on the Colorado team are Humerickhouse and 2015 CGA Match Play champion Nick Nosewicz, who tied for fifth place on Sunday.

The Mid-Amateur is limited to players 25 and older.

For interactive scores from the Mid-Am, CLICK HERE.

CGA Mid-Amateur Championship

At Par-72 Saddle Rock GC in Aurora

Jon Lindstrom, Lakewood CC, 71-70-73–214
Steven Irwin, Lakewood CC, 75-70-73–218
Chris Thayer, Bear Creek GC, 74-68-76–218
Ryan Axlund, Inverness GC, 77-71-72–220
Andrew Tapia, Ridge at Castle Pines North, 74-76-71–221
Nick Nosewicz, Meadow Hills GC, 77-68-76–221
Matt Evelyn, Bear Creek GC, 75-72-74–221
Barry Erwin, Murphy Creek GC, 74-73-75–222
Danny Riskam, Omni Interlocken Resort, 77-72-75–224
Michael Love, Colorado GC, 75-76-73–224
Jeff Tyrrell, Collindale GC, 77-74-73–224
Mark Zbrzeznj, Eagle Vail GC, 74-75-77–226
Thomas Roos, Spring Valley GC, 76-73-78–227
Tristan Sanders, CommonGround GC, 75-78-74–227
Wes Heusel, Desert Hawk GC, 77-72-78–227
Ben Sherlund, Colorado GC, 75-75-78–228
Sean Griswold, Dalton Ranch GC, 76-74-78–228
Nicholas Engen, Colorado GC, 77-77-74–228
Zack Neiditz, Aspen GC, 83-73-73–229
Brion After, River Valley Ranch GC, 77-76-76–229
Michael Slutzky, Cherry Hills CC, 80-73-76–229
Josh Thomas, Green Valley Ranch GC, 76-78-76–230
Robin Bradbury, Heritage at Westmoor, 78-79-74–231
Keith Humerickhouse, Gypsum Creek, 78-78-75–231
Bryan Rusin, Green Valley Ranch GC, 80-74-78–232
Brandon J Shupick, Broadlands GC, 75-76-81–232
Jeff Slupe, Highland Meadows GC, 73-77-83–233
Mark Franz, Saddle Rock GC, 77-75-82–234
Clint Miller, Meadow Hills GC, 82-71-81–234
Kyle Sullivan, Meridian GC, 76-80-78–234
Alex Kephart, Eisenhower GC, 81-76-78–235
Joey Haack, Ironbridge GC, 79-74-82–235
Joel Atkinson, Pelican Lakes G & CC, 78-77-80–235
Pat Stanton, Breckenridge GC, 84-72-80–236
Nigel Harris, Indian Peaks GC, 78-75-83–236
Dave Johnson, Collindale GC, 77-78-82–237
Michael Abrams, Lake Valley GC, 80-75-82–237
James Sisneros, Eisenhower GC, 79-77-81–237
Brian McCloy, Colorado GC, 78-78-81–237
Adam Pladson, Green Valley Ranch GC, 82-75-81–238
Ryne J Scholl, Breckenridge GC, 78-78-82–238
Jon Lopez, Meadow Hills GC, 82-75-81–238
Bob Beiersdorf, Ridge at Castle Pines N, 77-78-87–242

MISSED 36-HOLE CUT
Robert Polk, Colorado GC, 81-77–158
Dallas Massey, South Suburban GC, 80-78–158
Brad Rowe, Ute Creek GC, 79-79–158
Jeff Chapman, Inverness GC, 82-76–158
Curt Jenkins, Lakewood CC, 80-78–158
Matthew Armetta, Murphy Creek GC, 79-80–159
Travis Tomlin, Harmony Club, 82-77–159
Joe Frey, Willis Case GC, 84-76–160
Andy Dannewitz, Club at Ravenna, 85-75–160
Robert Bedan, Todd Creek GC, 82-78–160
Rob Glucksman, Commonground GC, 83-78–161
Alex Leonida, Ridge at Castle Pines N, 82-79–161
Jeff Oneth, Colorado GC, 80-81–161
Bryce Babcock, Thorncreek GC, 83-78–161
Joel Perez, Colorado National GC, 79-83–162
Chris Carlson, Highlands Ranch GC, 87-76–163
Dan Deppen, Broadlands GC, 81-82–163
John Buccos, Riverdale GC, 84-79–163
Kenny Burnham, Fossil Trace GC, 78-86–164
Bryan Cannon, Raccoon Creek GC, 80-84–164
Teddy Sullivan, Green Valley Ranch GC, 79-85–164
John Luoma, Colorado GC, 81-84–165
John Skelton, Silver Spruce GC, 91-74–165
Jonathan Doern, City Park GC, 87-79–166
Patrick R Manning, Pinehurst CC, 84-82–166
Pete Severson, Elmwood GC, 86-81–167
Michael Glaesel, Indian Tree GC, 83-84–167
Brandon McElhiney, Highlands Ranch, 81-86–167
Michael Ventimiglia, Legacy Ridge GC, 84-84–168
Shane Unfred, Highland Meadows GC, 88-80–168
Corey Davidson, Omni Interlocken, 84-84–168
Jeff Ruden, Highlands Ranch GC, 80-89–169
Dan Jones, Fox Hollow at Lakewood, 87-82–169
Arnold Hoy, Colorado GC, 90-80–170
Josh Whitney, Aspen GC, 84-86–170
Steve Sullivan, Lone Tree GC, 82-89–171
Taylor Osieczanek, Legacy Ridge GC, 84-87–171
Grant Javernick, Meadow Hills GC, 86-86–172
Dewey Burke, Lakewood CC, WD
Calum White, Murphy Creek GC, 80-WD
Scott Crawford, Murphy Creek GC, 82-WD