As chairman of the CGA Tournament Committee, Robert Polk of Colorado Golf Club often has the duty of presenting trophies to winners of CGA championships, particularly when it’s a senior or super-senior event in which he’s competed.

On Thursday, that could have been a dilemma.

You see, Polk won the 47th CGA Senior Amateur at Eisenhower Golf Club, so it would have been a little awkward for him to give the trophy to himself.

Fortunately, another member of the CGA board of directors, Gary Albrecht, was also on hand, so he did the honors.

“We always try to have a board member on hand,” Polk said. “I’ve handed out trophies way too many times. I wanted to win. That was always painful.

“The older I get, the winning is wonderful but it means you didn’t lose. I take losing so much harder now, and I lose obviously a lot more than I win. It takes me a while to get over it. I think, ‘I left so many shots out there.’ You’d think I wouldn’t take it so hard. But to get it done is very exciting.”

Thursday’s victory marked Polk’s fourth in the CGA Senior Amateur, which puts him in some elite company. Only three other players have captured the title at least four times —
Larry Eaton (a seven-time champion), John Olive (five) and Les Fowler (four). All three are members of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.

“It feels wonderful to have won this again,” said Polk (above and left), who has captured 11 CGA championships in all. “Those are great players (who have claimed four or more Senior Am titles), and to be mentioned with them is very, very pleasing and satisfying.”

Bill Fowler, who has won CGA Senior Four-Ball titles with Polk two of the last three years and who finished third on Thursday, can appreciate what Polk has accomplished in the Senior Am.

“He’s a great player,” said Fowler, a former CGA president. “He could have won way more than four (titles in this event). He sometimes gets in his own way. Today he stayed out of his own way. He played really well and I’m really proud of him and I’m happy to be his Four-Ball partner.”

Polk won this event previously in 2005, ’07 and ’09, meaning he ended a nine-year drought on Thursday. In doing so at age 63, he became one of the oldest champions of the CGA Senior Amateur. Les Fowler won at age 65 in 1989, Jerry Kidney at 63 in 2011 and Harry Johnson at 63 in 2013.

“It has been so long since I’ve won this thing — it seems like forever — so I’m extremely pleased,” Polk said in accepting the trophy on Thursday.

“It’s wonderful, just wonderful. For the last nine years I didn’t know if it was going to happen again. I came close a couple of times and had a good chance last year, then couldn’t get it done. Today I just said, ‘I’m going to get it done.'”

Polk was technically a wire-to-wire winner this week, but despite his five-stroke victory margin, the tournament was deceptively close down the stretch. In fact, with three holes remaining, he was tied with 2017 champion Steve Ivan (left) of Patty Jewett Golf Course. But Ivan bogeyed two of his last three holes and Polk finished with a flurry.

He hit the par-5 16th in two with a 7-iron from 197 yards and sank a 7-foot putt for eagle. Then on the next hole, a par-3, he hit a 9-iron from 164 yards, with his ball landing right next to the hole and ending up less than 6 inches from the cup for a birdie. That stellar two-hole stretch, plus making three 5-foot par putts, left him 3 under for his final six holes.

“It’s just fun and gratifying” to finish strong for the victory. “It means an awful lot. Last year I gave away the Florida Senior Stroke Play (title). I had it won, but shot 41 on the back and lost by one. I said, ‘I’m not going to let that happen this year. I’m going to bear down and play a decent back side.'”

On the formidable Blue Course at Eisenhower that was made tougher by wind much of the week, Polk closed with a 2-under-par 70 — the low round of the tournament — to post a winning total of 1-over 217. Only two sub-par rounds were carded at the Senior Am, and Polk had both of them.

Ivan recorded a 72 on Thursday to place second at 222. That means he’s been runner-up in both CGA senior majors in 2018 — the Senior Match Play and Senior Amateur — and that’s he’s finished first-second-second in the last three senior majors.

“I played well today, but I bogeyed two of the last three. You can’t do that,” the 56-year-old Ivan said. “What I really wanted to do today — and I did it for a long time — is because I wasn’t in that last group, I wanted to have them see me making putts after putts after putts. It worked until I ran out of gas at the end. But (Robert) deserves it.”

Fowler (left), the 2015 Senior Amateur champion, recorded a 76 on Thursday to check in third at 224. John Hornbeck of Saratoga, Wyo., the 2018 CGA Senior Match Play champ, placed fourth at 225, also after a 76.

“I didn’t have my ‘A’ game the whole tournament so it was going to be a struggle to beat Robert, who obviously played very well,” Fowler said. “So to finish third and play as well as I did while not really hitting it the way I wanted, I’m very pleased.

“(Robert) birdied 2, 3 and 4 today and I knew there was no catching him. He made a couple of mistakes in the middle, then finished strong.”

Thursday’s victory by Polk looked improbable as recently as a few weeks ago, when he finished a distant fourth in the CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play. But in the interim, a short break from the game seemed to work wonders.

“I was so dejected after the Super-Senior Stroke Play at Perry Park. I was hitting some really good ones and getting nothing out of them,” Polk said. “My mind wasn’t right. I needed to take some time off. I took four or five days off and kind of got cleared out again. I played with Jim Pierce — I won my first (CGA Senior) Four-Ball with Jim (in 2005) — last Saturday, and the light kind of went on. I felt good coming into this tournament for the first time in I can’t remember when.”

And though there were some hiccups in the middle of Thursday’s round — a double bogey on No. 9 after a bogey at No. 8, then a missed par putt after a stellar drive at No. 12 — but he righted the ship and more down the stretch.

“I missed that putt (on 12) and said, ‘God bless it. It’s those par putts that you have to make on the back nine. You look at all the major championships and all the amateur events, whoever makes par putts on the back nine wins — every time.'”

And sure enough, Polk drained par putts of 5 feet on 14, 15 and 18, sandwiched around the eagle on 16 and the tap-in birdie at 17.

And judging by the way he bombed some drives on Thursday, you’d never guess that Polk is 63 years old.

“I’ve been very fortunate health-wise,” he said. “I do an awful lot of working out. I have a great workout guy, Dee Tidwell, who’s kept me stronger and flexible. I went to him five years ago and said I don’t care about hitting it any further. I just don’t want to start hitting it shorter. Let’s fight this as long as we can. And I’m as long as I’ve ever been — still. But I hadn’t been able to put anything together.”

Until this week, that is.

For all the scores from the Senior Am, which is limited to players 52 and older, CLICK HERE.
 

On Thursday, the two will be in the lead group at the 47th CGA Senior Amateur, but they’ll be competing against one another — and the field — rather than as partners.

On a formidable Blue Course at Eisenhower Golf Club that seems to be getting the best of everyone in the field, Polk retained the lead in his quest for a fourth CGA Senior Amateur title. The 63-year-old shot a 4-over-par 76 on Wednesday to check in at 3-over 147, one stroke ahead of Fowler. (Polk and Fowler are pictured earlier this year, with Fowler at left.)

Polk, winner of the event in 2005, ’07 and ’09, made one birdie and five bogeys in round 2. He’s trying to become just the fourth player to win this championship at least four times, joining Larry Eaton (a seven-time champion), John Olive (five) and Les Fowler (four).

But Bill Fowler, the 2015 CGA Senior Am champion, made up four strokes on Polk on Wednesday with an even-par 72. The former CGA president eagled the 550-yard par-5 ninth hole and added a birdie and three bogeys in round 2. Fowler and Jay Orris of Boulder Country Club tied for the best rounds of the day with their 72s.

But Polk and Fowler are far from the only ones in contention for the title on Thursday. Eight players are within six strokes of Polk.

In third place at 149 is 2018 CGA Senior Match Play champion John Hornbeck of Saratoga, Wyo., who matched Polk’s 76, triple-bogeying his first hole but also making five birdies.

Defending champion Steve Ivan of Patty Jewett Golf Course also carded a 76 and sits in fourth place at 150. Ivan was the runner-up to Hornbeck at this year’s CGA Senior Match Play.

Orris, with his 72, trails Polk by four. He double eagled the 530-yard, par-5 fifth hole for the highlight of the tournament to this point.

The field was cut from 84 to the low 40 players and ties (44 specifically) after Wednesday’s second round.

The CGA Senior Amateur is limited to players 52 and older.

For all the scores from the Senior Am, CLICK HERE.
 

Robert Polk, a member of the CGA board of directors from Colorado Golf Club in Parker, shot a 1-under-par 71 on Tuesday to take a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the 47th CGA Senior Am.

The champion in this event in 2005, ’07 and ’09, Polk (left) is attempting to become just the fourth person to win the CGA Senior Amateur at least four times, joining Larry Eaton (a seven-time champion), John Olive (five) and Les Fowler (four).

Polk made four birdies and three bogeys on Tuesday.

Keith Atkins of Highland Meadows Golf Course, the 2017 CGA Senior Player of the Year, trails by one after a five-birdie day.

Three players — including Wyoming resident John Hornbeck, winner of the 2018 CGA Senior Match Play — opened with 73s and share third place. Also at that figure are Owen Ellis of Flatirons Golf Course and Mark Spenner of Front Range Golf Club.

The last two champions in this tournament carded first-round 74s — Steve Ivan of Patty Jewett Golf Course (winner in 2017) and Kevin Ott of The Club at Rolling Hills (2016). John Hull of Collindale Golf Course also started with a 74.

The field will be cut from 84 to the low 40 players and ties after Wednesday’s second round. The tournament, limited to players 52 and older, will conclude on Thursday.

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

The 54-hole event for players 52 and older will run Tuesday through Thursday (Sept. 11-13).

The list of past champs entered include 2017 winner Steve Ivan of Patty Jewett Golf Course, who also was runner-up in the CGA Senior Match Play earlier this year.

Other past champions teeing it up in the Senior Am are Kevin Ott (2016), Bill Fowler (2015), Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kent Moore (2014), Harry Johnson (2013), David Delich (2012) and three-time winner Robert Polk (2005, ’07 and ’09).

Also scheduled to be in the 84-man field are this year’s CGA Senior Match Play champ John Hornbeck, a Wyoming state Golf Hall of Famer from Saratoga; other recent Senior Match Play champions Pat Bucci (2017) and Jeff Oneth (2016); Guy Mertz, who just competed in his second straight U.S. Senior Amateur; and recent CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play winners Sean Forey (2018) and Gary Albrecht (2017).

The field will be cut to the low 40 players and ties after Wednesday’s second round.

For Tuesday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ivan didn’t quite reach that level, but more than three decades later, he’s in position to add a nice CGA title of his own.

The golfer from Patty Jewett Golf Course in Colorado Springs, who led the CGA Senior Amateur after round 1, expanded his lead to five strokes Wednesday at Meridian Golf Club in Englewood.

Coincidentally, another one of Ivan’s CU teammates, Paul Lobato, is the PGA head professional at Meridian.

Ivan shot a 1-over-par 73 on Wednesday, giving him a 1-over 145 total going into Thursday’s final round. He made one birdies and two bogeys in round 2.

John Hornbeck of Saratoga, Wyo., who competed in the 2016 U.S. Senior Open after qualifying in Colorado, stands in second place at 150 after a second-round 76.

Three-time champion Robert Polk of Colorado Golf Club shares third place at 151 with James Pullin of Collindale Golf Club. Pullin carded a 75 on Wednesday and Polk had a 76.

Seven back of Ivan and tied for fifth are Brian Harris of Denver Country Club, Shane Unfred of Highlands Meadows Golf Course and Victor Minovich of Foothills Golf Course. Harris matched Ivan’s 73, while Minovich posted a 75 and Unfred a 78.

The field was cut to the low 40 players and ties after Wednesday’s second round, with the 42 golfers at 161 or better advancing to Thursday. Among those who missed the cut by one was defending champion Kevin Ott of The Club at Rolling Hills.

The final threesome — Ivan, Hornbeck and Pullin — will tee off for Thursday’s final round at 9:57 a.m.

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

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

Ivan, a former University of Colorado golfer, made four birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey on the day, and overcame two 6s on his card.

Shane Unfred of Highland Meadows Golf Course, Scott Sullivan of Bookcliff Country Club and John Hornbeck of Saratoga, Wyo., share second place after opening with 74s. Hornbeck, who competed in the 2016 U.S. Senior Open, made three birdies on Tuesday, while Unfred and Sullivan managed two each.

Tied in fifth place at 75 were three-time champion Robert Polk of Colorado Golf Club and Bob Schuler of Inverness Golf Club. They each carded two birdies in the first round.

Meanwhile, Tuesday proved a struggle for numerous players who have won this championship. Defending champ Kevin Ott of The Club at Rolling Hills shot an 85, while David Delich of The Broadmoor Golf Club carded an 84, Bill Fowler of Rolling Hills an 83, Charlie Post of Colorado Golf Club an 82 and Kent Moore of Cherry Hills Country Club and Harry Johnson of Eagle Ranch Golf Course a pair of 80s. And 2017 CGA Senior Match Play winner Pat Bucci of West Woods Golf Club opened with an 82.

The 54-hole championship, limited to players 51 and older, will continue through Thursday. The field will be cut to the low 40 players and ties after two rounds.

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

Meridian Golf Club in Englewood will host the tournament for the first time since 1992, when now-Colorado Golf Hall of Famer John Hamer claimed the first of his two CGA Senior Amateur titles.

The 54-hole championship, limited to players 51 and older, will run Tuesday through Thursday (Sept. 19-21). In an effort to eventually match the age criteria for the U.S. Senior Amateur, which is limited to players 55 and older, each year beginning in 2017 the eligibility for CGA senior events will rise one year. So next year, for instance, the minimum age will be 52. From 2021 and beyond, competitors must be at least 55.

The former CGA Amateur champions scheduled to compete at Meridian include Kevin Ott of The Club at Rolling Hills (2016 winner), Bill Fowler of Rolling Hills (2015), Kent Moore of Cherry Hills Country Club (2014), Harry Johnson of Eagle Ranch Golf Course (2013), David Delich of The Broadmoor Golf Club (2012), Robert Polk of Colorado Golf Club (2005, ’07 and ’09), Kelly Crone of Highlands Ranch Golf Club (2003) ad Charlie Post of Colorado Golf Club (2000).

Other former CGA senior champions entered include Jeff Oneth of Colorado Golf Club, Tom Musselman of Telluride Ski & Golf Club, Guy Mertz of the Fox Hill Club and Pat Bucci of West Woods Golf Club, who won the 2017 CGA Senior Match Play.

Also in the 84-man field are 2016 U.S. Senior Open qualifier John Hornbeck of Saratoga, Wyo., 2016 CGA Senior Player of the Year Robin Bradbury of Walnut Creek Golf Preserve and 2017 CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play champion Gary Albrecht of CommonGround Golf Course.

The field will be cut to the low 40 players and ties after two rounds.

For Tuesday’s first-round pairings, 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.
   

When Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kent Moore was apprised of who stood atop the leaderboard with nine holes left in the 45th CGA Senior Amateur Championship, he noted, “It’s like a club championship.”

Indeed, with Club at Rolling Hills members Kevin Ott and Bill Fowler setting the pace throughout much of the CGA Senior Am — which just happened to be played at Rolling Hills — it had some of the flavor of an intraclub tournament.

And the final outcome on Thursday further bore that out. Ott and Fowler battled it out through the final round and ended up finishing 1-2, with Thomas Roos of Spring Valley Golf Club tying Fowler for the runner-up spot.

“This is definitely a home-course advantage, for sure,” Ott said after celebrating his 51st birthday with the victory. “… It’s got to be a couple strokes a day (advantage). It just is. It’s not an accident that (Fowler) and I were so high up (the leaderboard). It just helps. I’ve played these greens so much, I know how they’re going to break. But you still have to hit good putts.”

Ott (left and above) went wire-to-wire and fended off Fowler and Roos in claiming his first CGA championship. But it was definitely an eventful final few holes, with Ott going double bogey-double bogey-birdie, and Fowler going birdie-triple bogey-birdie.

“I tell you what: It was a rollercoaster,” Ott said of final stretch.

Ott took a three-stroke lead into the 16th hole Thursday, but a tee shot that went into the right trees, resulting in a pitch-out, led to a double bogey after he three-putted. And Fowler, last year’s champion, rolled in a 10-foot birdie to erase all of his three-shot deficit in one hole.

“I felt like I was going to do it,” Fowler said of winning a second straight title. “After I got even on 16, I thought, ‘You know what? I can do this.’ I thought it was my tournament to win, and that didn’t happen.”

Amazingly, Ott regained the lead on the 17th hole despite taking another double bogey. Both he and Fowler (left) missed the green on the par-3, and the defending champion mishit his short pitch shot from a tight lie and his ball ended up in the bunker that was between him and the hole. Fowler left his next shot — from a plugged lie — in the sand and ended up with a very costly triple bogey. Meanwhile, Ott couldn’t hold the green with his pitch, then took three to get down from there for his double bogey.

“I lost my focus,” said Fowler, a former CGA president. “After I pulled even with him through 16, I just didn’t gather myself and collect myself and play a smart 17th hole. That’s where you need a caddie to settle you down a little bit. I didn’t do what I needed to do.

“I had a little adrenaline, so I took one less club, then I mis-hit it. Then I had the tight lie, and the ball plugged in the bunker. It was a comedy of errors. “

All of which left Ott tied with Roos and one up on Fowler going into the final hole. There, Fowler hit the pin with his third shot on the par-5 and had just a foot left for his birdie. “It went down, half into the hole,” Ott said of Fowler’s approach shot. “I thought it was in. Somehow it just kind of rimmed out.”

Ott, who had driven over a ditch that crosses the 18th fairway then hit a hybrid to the front of the green, two-putted from about 70 feet for a birdie of his own. He knocked in a 3 footer and signaled the victory with a fist pump.

“I thought I gave it away after 16,” said Ott, who has competed in just a handful of CGA championships in his life. “Then Bill helped me out on 17, then I finished strong.

“This is the best win I’ve ever had by far. It’s unbelievable really. I never thought I’d pull it off.”

Ott, who also led after the first two days, closed with a 5-over-par 76 on Thursday, leaving him with a winning total of 6-over 219. “I made 10 birdies the first two days. I only made two today — and I needed those two,” Ott noted with relief.

Fowler ended up runner-up the year after winning, shooting a final-round 75. Tying him at 220 was Roos (left), who closed with a 72, matching the best round of the day on a Rolling Hills course that features very formidable greens.

Though Roos lamented parring the 18th hole — he put a 54-yard approach shot into a bunker, but got up and down for a 5 — his showing was a career-best of sorts.

“I feel good,” he said. “It’s the best finish I’ve ever had in a (CGA) major.”

Brian Woody of The Ridge at Castle Pines North placed fourth at 225, while three-time champion Robert Polk of Colorado Golf Club ended up fifth at 226 as both carded 78s on Thursday.

Interestingly, while it wasn’t hard to predict that Rolling Hills members would do well at the Senior Amateur — given how confounding the greens can be for players unfamiliar with them — Ott (left) didn’t seem likely to head the local contingent. After all, Fowler was the defending champion in the event, Scott Radcliffe has won two CGA senior majors and Sean Forey was the 2010 CGA Senior Player of the Year.

But that’s part of the beauty of golf and other sports. There’s always a level of unpredictability that keeps things interesting.

After moving around as a youth — he lived in Australia and Indonesia, along with Colorado and Wyoming — Ott has resided in Colorado continuously since 1992. The Arvada resident joined Rolling Hills about 15 years ago, but interestingly, has never won an open-division club championship there.

“I’ve been second a lot,” Ott said. “Bill Fowler, Sean Forey and Scott Radcliffe — they’re three of the best amateur golfers in the state. But this year I won the senior club championship with those three guys (in the field).”

And now, like those three players, Ott has earned statewide golf acclaim.
 

CGA Senior Amateur Championship
At Par-71 The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden

Kevin Ott, Club at Rolling Hills, 70-73-76–219
Thomas Roos, Spring Valley GC, 73-75-72–220
Bill Fowler, Club at Rolling Hills, 72-73-75–220
Brian Woody, Ridge at Castle Pines N, 75-72-78–225
Robert Polk, Colorado GC, 73-75-78–226
Mark Brown, Highlands Ranch GC, 76-73-79–228
Michael Smith, Rifle Creek GC, 74-74-80–228
John Ingram, Hiwan GC, 75-76-78–229
Michael Larson, Boulder CC, 74-78-78–230
Mark Franz, Saddle Rock GC, 81-78-72–231
James Sisneros, Eisenhower GC, 74-81-76–231
Lance Balthaser, Englewood GC, 77-79-76–232
Scott Radcliffe, Club at Rolling Hills, 75-79-78–232
Ray Makloski, Pueblo CC, 76-73-83–232
Randy Dolan, CommonGround GC, 76-76-80–232
Robin Bradbury, Heritage at Westmoor, 82-75-76–233
Jeff Slupe, Highland Meadows GC, 77-73-83–233
Jim LeMar, Meadows GC, 77-77-80–234
Sean Forey, Club at Rolling Hills, 78-75-81–234
Dave Brown, Highlands Ranch GC, 73-82-79–234
Keith Atkins, Harmony Club, 79-77-78–234
Paul Edwards, Meridian GC, 78-75-81–234
Kent Moore, Cherry Hills CC, 80-77-78–235
Harry Johnson, Eagle Ranch GC, 75-79-81–235
Scott Sullivan, Bookcliff CC, 79-76-80–235
Bob Chandler, Foothills GC, 75-79-82–236
Dan Falagrady, Heritage at Westmoor, 78-76-82–236
Mike Lohse, West Woods GC, 72-78-87–237
David Merritt, Meridian GC, 79-76-82–237
Pat Stanton, Breckenridge GC, 76-80-81–237
Robert West, Cherry Creek CC, 75-78-84–237
Jay Orris, Boulder CC, 78-81-79–238
James Pullin, Collindale GC, 74-85-81–240
Gary Fox, CC at Castle Pines, 82-76-82–240
Brent Timm, Pinery CC, 81-75-85–241
Gary Driber, Ridge at Castle Pines N, 80-77-85–242
John Meredith, Indian Peaks GC, 78-81-83–242
Steve Sullivan, Lone Tree GC, 84-75-85–244
Pat Bowe, CommonGround GC, 81-78-DQ
Tom Musselman, Telluride GC, 75-78-WD
Kary Kaltenbacher, Glenmoor CC, 77-79-WD

Missed the 36-Hole Cut
Patrick Horvath, Murphy Creek GC, 80-80–160
Owen Ellis, Flatirons GC, 77-83–160
Rick George, Castle Pines GC, 82-78–160
Steve Kass, Aurora Hills GC, 80-80–160
Guy Mertz, Fox Hill Club, 81-80–161
Scott Crone, Pinehurst CC, 78-84–162
Ted Warner, Greeley CC, 82-80–162
Roger Lawson, Wellshire GC, 81-81–162
Doug Phelps, Foothills GC, 82-80–162
Robert Bulthaup, Valley CC, 83-80–163
Bob Beiersdorf, Ridge at Castle Pines N, 84-79–163
Mark Armistead, Highlands Ranch GC, 87-76–163
Tony Goodman, Silver Spruce GC, 88-76–164
Bradley Becker, Plum Creek GC, 80-84–164
Mark Bedinger, Club at Rolling Hills, 81-83–164
Bill Bolgar, Ridge at Castle Pines N, 84-80–164
Eugene Cahill, West Woods GC, 80-84–164
Mark Dunivan, Silver Spruce GC, 78-86–164
Dave Mittan, Red Hawk Ridge GC, 84-80–164
Jim Jagels, Hiwan GC, 85-81–166
Jake Jacobson, Lakewood CC, 85-81–166
David Snow, Saddle Rock GC, 86-81–167
Dennis Fields, Heritage at Westmoor, 84-84–168
Mike Portelance, Collindale GC, 80-88–168
Brian O’Hara, Lakewood CC, 87-81–168
Bob Rennick, Ironbridge GC, 86-82–168
Dan Grigsby, Todd Creek GC, 87-83–170
John Sostman, Meadows GC, 88-83–171
Scott Woodrum, Twin Peaks GC, 88-83–171
Paul Casey, Club at Rolling Hills, 82-89–171
Frank Wilkinson, Lincoln Park GC, 87-85–172
Bob Cloud, CommonGround GC, 83-89–172
Mark Inboden, Raccoon Creek GC, 82-90–172
Mark Breese, Indian Peaks GC, 84-88–172
Richard Kelly, Foothills GC, 87-87–174
Alton Marsh, Fossil Trace GC, 88-87–175
Rod Walters, Indian Tree GC, 88-92–180
Mark Lundquist, Fox Hollow GC, 101-92–193
David Delich, Broadmoor GC, 80-WD
Bob Schuler, Colorado Avidgolfer, 83-NC
Tad Willenbrock, Glenmoor CC, 80-WD
Jeff Oneth, Colorado GC, 82-WD
Scott Fullmer, Colorado GC, 79-WD