Fifty-five players will be in the field, with the top three finishers earning spots in the Senior Am, which will be contested Aug. 25-30 at Eugene Country Club in Oregon.

Of those 55, almost one-fifth have competed in the U.S. Senior Am just in the last five years.

The list includes Wyoming resident John Hornbeck, the 2018 CGA Senior Match Play champion who has played in three U.S. Senior Amateurs, going to the quarterfinals in 2016. Also, there’s three-time CGA Senior Player of the Year Robert Polk (round of 64 in 2017), Guy Mertz (2017), Robin Bradbury (round of 64 in 2016), Gary Albrecht (2016), Jim Reynolds (2016), Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kent Moore (2015), Thomas Roos (2015), and David Delich and Harry Johnson (both 2013 and ’14).

Also competing on Tuesday are Steve Ivan, winner of the 2017 CGA Senior Amateur and runner-up in the 2018 CGA Senior Match Play; Charlie Post, who played in the 2017 U.S. Senior Open; 2015 CGA Senior Amateur winner Bill Fowler; 2014 CGA Senior Match Play champ Tom Musselman and Sean Forey.

For Tuesday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.
 

John Elway figures to receive much of the attention from fans and the media on Monday at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs, whether the Pro Football Hall of Famer qualifies for the U.S. Senior Open or not. More than 2,000 fans are expected to watch him try to qualify Monday at The Broadmoor.

Attention comes with the territory for Elway, who has an official role to play for this particular U.S. Senior Open even if he fails to earn a spot in the 156-man field. The Broncos general manager is the honorary chairman for this year’s Senior Open, which the East Course at The Broadmoor will host June 28-July 1.

On the golf course, Elway does have some game. He’s made the cut in the CoBank Colorado Open once, and has posted two top-30 finishes in the CoBank Colorado Senior Open. And he’ll be helped out on Monday by oilman and philanthropist George Solich, an Elway friend who grew up caddying at The Broadmoor. George Solich and brother Duffy have lent their names and support to the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy. Elway is scheduled to tee off at 10:10 a.m. from No. 1 on the East Course.

But the bar will be set high on Monday for Elway and the other 83 competitors in the 18-hole qualifying tournament at the East Course as just two players from the site will advance to the U.S. Senior Open itself.

The field is full of formidable players. Ron Vlosich of Lakewood has qualified for five U.S. Senior Opens and Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale for three, and Rohrbaugh has also won a Colorado Senior Open and three Colorado PGA Professional Championships in recent years. Dale Smigeksy of Fort Collins and Charlie Post of Castle Rock played in the 2017 Senior Open.

On top of that, there’s several Colorado Golf Hall of Famers, in addition to Vlosich — Bill Loeffler (the 1986 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion), Kent Moore and John Olive, who’s competing at his home course. There’s 2017 Colorado PGA Professional Champion John Ogden of Cherry Hills Village; Mike Zaremba of Pueblo West, winner of both a Colorado Open and a Colorado Senior Open; Mike Northern of Colorado Springs, who finished fourth in the 2016 national Senior PGA Professional Championship; amateurs David Delich, a two-time U.S. Senior Open qualifier, and Robert Polk, who went to the 2007 Senior Open; 2016 U.S. Senior Open qualifier John Hornbeck of Wyoming; and Chris Johnson, who along with Rohrbaugh is competing in this week’s Senior PGA Championship.

Besides Colorado, states represented in Monday’s field including Arizona (6), Utah (5), Wyoming (3), Oklahoma (2), California (1), Florida (1), Montana (1), Ohio (1), Tennessee (1) and Texas (1).

Monday marks just the fourth time a U.S. Senior Open host course has also held a qualifying tournament leading up to the event. All told, 34 sites will host U.S. Senior Open qualifying events this spring.

Spectators are welcome for Monday’s qualifying tournament at The Broadmoor, and admission is free.
 

Jobe, winner of the Principal Charity Classic on PGA Tour Champions earlier this month, shot a 1-under-par 69 Friday at Salem Country Club to check in at 1-under 139 overall. That leaves him in 29th place, 10 strokes behind co-leaders Kirk Triplett and Kenny Perry going into the weekend.

Jobe (pictured) finished in the top five at three senior majors in 2016.

Twenty-four players didn’t complete their second round on Friday due to a storm delay, including Smigelsky, who wrapped up his final two holes on Saturday morning.

Smigelsky, competing in his first senior major championship, ended up shooting a 6-over-par 76 in round 2, leaving him at 7-over 147. The top 60 players and ties — those at 141 or better — made the 36-hole cut and advance to the final two rounds.

Smigelsky, who earlier this month finished 27th in the national PGA Professional Championship, made one birdie, five bogeys and one double bogey in round 2.

As for the other players with strong Colorado connections competing in the U.S. Senior Open, former Castle Pines resident Esteban Toledo (142) also missed the cut, along with two-time champion Hale Irwin (149) and amateur Charlie Post of Castle Rock (171).

U.S. Senior Open
June 29-July 2, 2017 at Salem CC in Peabody, Mass.
29. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Brandt Jobe 70-69–139
Missed 36-Hole Cut
Former Castle Pines resident Esteban Toledo 71-71–142
Dale Smigelsky, Fort Collins 71-76–147
Colorado Sports Hall of Famer Hale Irwin 72-77–149
Amateur Charlie Post, Castle Rock 82-89–171

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.
 

Smigelsky, the PGA director of golf at Collindale Golf Course who is competing in his first senior major, was 4 over par through 11 holes at Salem Country Club, but birdied Nos. 4, 6 and 7 on his back nine to finish round 1 in 57th place. The top 60 players and ties after two rounds will make the cut.

Earlier this month, Smigelsky (pictured) finished seventh in the CoBank Colorado Senior Open and 27th at the national PGA Professional Championship.

Meanwhile, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Brandt Jobe opened with an even-par 70, good for a share of 41st place. Former Castle Pines resident Esteban Toledo matched Smigelsky’s 71. Colorado Sports Hall of Famer Hale Irwin, winner of two U.S. Senior Opens and three U.S. Opens, shot his age (72) on Thursday and is tied for 72nd place.

Amateur Charlie Post of Castle Rock, who made it into the field after being an alternate in this month’s qualifying tournament in Littleton, opened with an 82.

Kirk Triplett tied the single-round U.S. Senior Open scoring record by shooting an 8-under-par 62 to grab the first-round lead.

U.S. Senior Open
June 29-July 2, 2017 at Salem CC in Peabody, Mass.
41. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Brandt Jobe 70
57. Dale Smigelsky, Fort Collins 71
57. Former Castle Pines resident Esteban Toledo 71
72. Colorado Sports Hall of Famer Hale Irwin 72
156. Amateur Charlie Post, Castle Rock 82

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.