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.
 

Northern (left), the 2006 Colorado PGA Professional Champ, birdied three of his last four holes Monday and is tied for the top spot with Will Panella of Buffalo Run and Kirk Trowbridge of the Country Club at Castle Pines.

Meanwhile, Doug Rohrbaugh of Ironbridge, who’s attempting to win an unprecedented fourth straight title in this event, opened with a 74 and shares 18th place with two rounds remaining.

Trowbridge made seven birdies in Monday’s round, while Panella had four.

Three other players — all former champions –broke par and share fourth place at 71: Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Ron Vlosich, Gregg Jones of Sand Creek and Chris Johnson of The Pinery.

Play will continue through Wednesday in the 54-hole championship, with a cut coming after Tuesday’s second round.

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

Colorado PGA Professional Championship
At Par-72 Cherry Creek CC in Denver

Leaders After Round 1 — 1. (tie) Will Panella, Kirk Trowbridge and Mike Northern 70; 4. (tie) Gregg Jones, Ron Vlosich and Chris Johnson 71; 7. (tie) Josephy Carlton, Graham Cliff, Bobby Quaratino, Mike Zaremba, Caine Fitzgerald and Ken Krieger 72. For complete scores, CLICK HERE.
 

Braga (pictured at left, in a Colorado PGA photo, with Section president Leslie Core-Drevecky) played her last eight holes in 3 under par to shoot a 1-under 71, giving her a 3-under 141 total and a three-stroke victory.

Sherry Andonian-Smith from Valley Country Club birdied the ninth hole to get within one of Braga, but the latter pulled away with birdies on holes 11, 12 and 14. Andonian-Smith posted a second-round 70 to check in at 144, good for second place in the nine-player field.

Former CWGA Match Play champion Stefanie Ferguson of CommonGround Golf Course placed third at 152 after two straight 76s.

The tournament was open to female players who are either PGA or LPGA members based within the Colorado PGA’s boundaries.

Colorado PGA Women’s Championship
June 22-23, 2016 (final) at Par-72 Cherry Creek CC in Denver

Alexandra Braga 70-71–141
Sherry Andonian-Smith 74-70–144
Stefanie Ferguson 76-76–152
Elena King 79-78–157
Terra Shehee 79-80–159
Lindsay Kuhle 80-83–163
Kelly Deimund 92-86–178
Andrea Niemier 91-89–180
Katie Milstead 100-84–184

Braga made four birdies and two bogeys on the day. She was 4 under par through 15 holes, but carded bogeys on Nos. 16 and 18.

Sherry Andonian-Smith of Valley Country Club holds second place at 74, while former CWGA Match Play champion Stefanie Ferguson of CommonGround Golf Course is third at 76.

Play will conclude on Thursday in the event, which features a field of nine female players who are either PGA or LPGA members based within the Colorado PGA’s boundaries.

Colorado PGA Women’s Championship
June 22-23, 2016 at Par-72 Cherry Creek CC in Denver
Scores After Day 1
Alexandra Braga 70
Sherry Andonian-Smith 74
Stefanie Ferguson 76
Terra Shehee 79
Elena King 79
Lindsay Kuhle 80
Andrea Niemier 91
Kelly Deimund 92
Katie Milstead 100

Doug Rohrbaugh apparently had come too far to be denied.

The 53-year-old golf professional from Carbondale this week has traveled from Shoal Creek, Ala., where he competed in the Regions Tradition on the Champions Tour, to French Lick, Ind., where he played a practice round for the Senior PGA Championship, and then to Denver to attempt to qualify for yet another senior major, the U.S. Senior Open.

He did indeed accomplish the task on Wednesday, and in dramatic fashion.

The PGA director of golf at Ironbridge Golf Club in Glenwood Springs hit his second shot into the water on the par-4 18th hole at Cherry Creek Country Club and appeared destined to fall short of his goal. Then, after taking a drop 98 yards from the flag, the improbable happened as he holed the shot for a far-from-routine par. (Above, he celebrated with fellow competitor Jeff Hanson.)

“How big was that dunk on the last hole? Wow,” said Rohrbaugh, who has conditional status on the Champions Tour this year. “(Son and caddie) Tristan literally before I dropped my ball goes, ‘Now drop it in a good spot so you can hole it.’ Then I spun it back in the hole.”

But even though that give him a 2-under-par 70, he still had work to do to earn a berth in the U.S. Senior Open, which will be played June 25-28 in Sacramento, Calif.

The 70 left Rohrbaugh in a sudden-death playoff for the second and final national berth available at Cherry Creek CC. Michael Grob (left), a former PGA Tour player from Billings, Mont., had earned medalist honors with a 5-under-par 67 in temperatures that hovered in the 40s. And amateur David Delich of Colorado Springs had matched Rohrbaugh’s 70 following a 3-under-par 33 on his back nine.

In the playoff, Rohrbaugh pulled his tee shot left near some trees. “I’m wondering if I’m even going to have (a second) shot,” he said. “I just squeaked a backswing — I mean, just.” With that, Rohrbaugh hit his approach long and left of the green with a hybrid.

With the upper hand in the middle of the fairway, but a little indecisive about his club selection, Delich hit his approach shot short and into the lake that borders the hole on the right.

But the former Colorado College hockey standout feathered a nice wedge shot after his drop to about 2 1/2 feet from the cup. When Rohrbaugh failed to get up and down and made a bogey, Delich had a short putt to force a second playoff hole, but pushed it right of the hole, ending his chances.

“I made a poor stroke,” said Delich (left), the 2012 CGA Senior Player of the Year. “I was jumping forward and already thinking about the result, not the process. … You shouldn’t miss 25-, 30-inch putts when you need to make them. I missed it and let Doug off the hook. So it’s a little frustrating.”

The result sent Rohrbaugh back to French, Lick, Ind. — where he’ll begin play Thursday in the Senior PGA — with a smile on his face. He’s now assured of playing in at least three of the five Champions Tour majors this year.

“This makes my whole attitude going back (to Indiana) totally different,” said Rohrbaugh, who anticipated arriving back in his French Lick hotel about 1:30 a.m. Thursday, roughly 13 hours ahead of his first-round tee time for the Senior PGA. “Now in my mind, (all the traveling back and forth) was worth it.”

Rohrbaugh, winner of the 2013 HealthOne Colorado Senior Open and the last two Colorado PGA Professional Championships, earned a berth into the U.S. Senior Open for the third time in the last four years.

“It’s another step in my goal,” said Rohrbaugh, who posted a 15th-place finish on the Champions Tour last month. “This year is different in a way; I look at it as I’m getting to do my dream (playing on the senior circuit). The previous (Senior Opens) were like, ‘Wow, awesome.’ But this is a different year for me where my whole goal is the (Champions) Tour. It’s another tour event — and it’s a major — but it’s another event on the tour. My mentality is different in the approach when I get there. It’s not the deer in the headlights.”

On Wednesday, Rohrbaugh (left) qualified despite hitting only seven greens in regulation by needing just 21 putts on the day in regulation, a career-best. He made three birdies and one bogey overall. On the last two holes of regulation, he drained a 10-foot par putt on 17 and didn’t need his putter on 18.

“I hit it so bad,” he said. “I couldn’t have squeaked another shot out of that round. But God did I roll it good. Everything was just center cut.”

Grob, who played on the PGA Tour in 2003 and ’04 with a best finish of fifth, qualified for his first USGA championship as a 51-year-old.

Despite never playing Cherry Creek CC before Wednesday, he made seven birdies and shot a 5-under-par 31 on his final nine holes, the front side.

The Montanan admits he was a little surprised by how well he performed without having ever played the course beforehand.

“They have a nice video on the website that shows every hole, so I went through that with my yardage book,” Grob said. “So I got a pretty good feel for it, though it’s not like playing it. I had to tiptoe around a few shots. They told me it was straightforward and you could see pretty much what you need to see. I trusted them on that and they were right. It worked out well.”
 

U.S. Senior Open Qualifying
At Par-72 Cherry Creek CC in Denver

QUALIFIED FOR U.S. SENIOR OPEN
Michael Grob, Billings, Mont., 31-36–67
Doug Rohrbaugh, Carbondale, Colo., 37-33–70
ALTERNATES (IN ORDER)
David Delich, Colorado Springs, Colo., 33-37–70
Bill Loeffler, Castle Rock, Colo., 35-36–71
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Rick Cole, Eaton, Colo., 36-36–72
Dan Falagrady, Denver, Colo., 34-39–73
Barry Conser, Scottsdale, Ariz., 36-37–73
Mark Armistead, Lone Tree, Colo., 36-38–74
John Hornbeck, Saratoga, Wyo., 36-38–74
Michael Cunning, Phoenix, Ariz., 35-39–74
Gregg Jones, Colorado Springs, Colo., 38-37–75
Dale Smigelsky, Fort Collins, Colo., 39-36–75
Matt Hall, Grand Junction, Colo., 37-39–76
Kent Moore, Cherry Hills Village, Colo., 37-39–76
Kevin Bolles, Louisville, Colo., 37-39–76
Rob McLelland, Aurora, Colo., 37-39–76
Don Graham, Fountain Hills, Ariz., 36-41–77
Michael Musgrave, Fort Collins, Colo., 37-40–77
Harry Johnson, Edwards, Colo., 38-39–77
Ron Vlosich, Lakewood, Colo., 38-39–77
Terry Lorenz, Littleton, Colo., 38-39–77
Mike Northern, Colorado Springs, Colo., 38-39–77
Bob Maggard, Parker, Colo., 39-39–78
Robert Cloud, Denver, Colo., 39-39–78
Jeff Hanson, Edwards, Colo., 36-42–78
Daniel Reedy, Boulder, Colo., 42-36–78
Rick Uhlir, Boulder, Colo., 40-38–78
Gregory Sharp, Lawrence, Kan., 39-39–78
Robert Polk, Parker, Colo., 39-39–78
Audie Dean, Centennial, Colo., 35-43–78
Shawn Wilcox, Denver, Colo., 38-41–79
Scott Hart, Aurora, Colo., 40-39–79
Peach Reynolds, Austin, Texas, 38-41–79
Doug Perry, Fort Collins, Colo., 39-40–79
Russ Aragon, Aspen, Colo., 41-38–79
John Olive, Phoenix, Ariz., 39-40–79
Thomas Anderson, Laurel, Mont., 37-42–79
George Andrews III, Pueblo, Colo., 39-40–79
Dave Balling, Cody, Wyo., 39-40–79
Brad Grattan, Whitefish, Mont., 39-40–79
John Hoge, Parker, Colo., 37-42–79
Tom Krause, Centennial, Colo., 40-39–79
Thomas Walter, Parker, Colo., 38-42–80
Steve Norman, Colorado Springs, Colo., 41-39–80
Todd Follmer, Park City, Utah, 39-41–80
Tom Carricato, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 42-38–80
Sam Chapman, Parker, Colo., 36-45–81
Thomas Roos, Centennial, Colo., 38-43–81
Paul Brown, Grand Junction, Colo., 39-43–82
Dean Sessions, Westminster, Colo., 40-43–83
David Merritt, Castle Pines, Colo., 39-44–83
Lynden Tennison, Omaha, Neb., 40-43–83
Charlie Post, Castlerock, Colo., 42-41–83
Greg Parson, Littleton, Colo., 43-41–84
Paul Lobato, Denver, Colo., 42-42–84
Michael Riley, Glenwood Springs, Colo., 42-42–84
George Kahrhoff, Castle Rock, Colo., 42-42–84
Rick Ellefson, Castle Rock, Colo., 44-40–84
William Oshields, Aurora, Colo., 40-45–85
Richard Wilson Jr., Colorado Springs, Colo., 41-44–85
John Ward, Denver, Colo., 44-41–85
Marshall Clark, Denver, Colo., 41-45–86
Darryl Wilson, Poncha Springs, Colo., 43-43–86
Michael Larson, Longmont, Colo., 41-45–86
Pat Bucci, Littleton, Colo., 40-47–87
Mike Reehl, Indio, Calif., 45-42–87
Scott Crone, Denver, Colo., 39-48–87
Tom Fox, New Canaan, Conn., 47-41–88
Gary Hoffman, Aurora, Colo., 44-45–89
Mark Barkley, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 46-45–91
Owen Ellis, Boulder, Colo., 43-49–92
Randy Kippes, Greenwood Village, Colo., 45-47–92
Harold Garrison, Fort Collins, Colo., 48-44–92
Scott Sullivan, Grand Junction, Colo., WD
Bruce Hayes, Golden, Colo., WD
Timothy Davis, Lubbock, Texas, WD
Tom Nosewicz, Aurora, Colo., WD
Michael Zaremba, Pueblo West, Colo., WD
 

“All too familiar,” Caine Fitzgerald said to a bystander Wednesday after completing the first playoff hole in the Colorado PGA Professional Championship at Cherry Creek Country Club.

Indeed, Fitzgerald had to be experiencing a little deja vu. Two years ago at Meridian Golf Club, he likewise was in a playoff in the same tournament. And like this year, that one had the participants play the 18th hole over and over until a winner was decided. Also, as with 2010, sudden death lasted longer than one hole.

But, fortunately for Fitzgerald, that’s where the similarities between 2010 and 2012 ended. Wednesday’s playoff went two holes, not three. And, most importantly, Fitzgerald won this time, unlike in 2010 when Chris Johnson prevailed.

After being runner-up in this event each of the last two years, the assistant professional at Murphy Creek claimed his first Colorado PGA Professional Championship title, defeating Matt Schalk on the second hole of sudden death when Schalk missed a 2-foot par putt. Ironically, Schalk had forced the playoff on the same hole about a half-hour earlier by making a 20-foot birdie putt, his third birdie in the last four holes of regulation.

“This feels good,” said Fitzgerald, a 38-year-old left-hander. “A lot of friends have won the tournament, so I’m really proud to get one for myself. I’ve been trying hard for a few years.

“For us (club professionals), this is our biggest event. I won the Iowa Open in 1997, but I was 23 years old and too young to know better basically. This is the first really big thing I’ve won since then, so I’m really proud of it.”

In a final round that was played for the most part in miserable conditions — drenching rain, casual water commonplace, standing water in bunkers, etc. — Fitzgerald closed with a 2-over-par 74, which left him at 4-under 212 along with Schalk, the general manager and director of golf at Colorado National Golf Club and The Fox Hill Club. Schalk (pictured at left) tied Doug Rohrbaugh of Ironbridge Golf Club for the day’s low round with a 72.

But after making three birdies in the last four holes to get into a playoff, Schalk let his shot at the title get away with the three-putt on the second playoff hole.

“You don’t want to miss a short putt like that, but I didn’t really feel like I did anything wrong,” said Schalk, who hit his ball into the nearby lake after the crucial 2-foot miss. “I must have decelerated and pulled it a little bit. It happens. It’s disappointing, but that’s the way it goes.”

The win was worth $7,500 to Fitzgerald, while Schalk settled for $5,000.

Rohrbaugh tied 36-hole co-leader Micah Rudosky of Conquistador for third place, three strokes back of Fitzgerald and Schalk. Rudosky closed with a 77. Defending champion Rob Hunt of The Links claimed fifth place at 217 after a final-round 76.

Those five — along with sixth-place finishers John Ogden of Cherry Hills, Bill Loeffler of Highlands Ranch and Mike Northern of Valley Hi — qualified for the PGA Professional National Championship that will be held June 23-26 in Sunriver, Ore.

While the weather cleared enough Wednesday afternoon for the leaders to play the last four or five holes of regulation without rain, it was so bad earlier in the day that there were understandably a lot of unhappy campers out on the course.

Even though Schalk tied for the day’s best round, he was among them.

“We shouldn’t have been on this golf course today,” he said. “Guys are squeegeeing greens, but they’re squeegeeing for one group but not the next group. You get to the point you’re changing the integrity of the golf course.”

With casual water — or outright puddles — the norm rather than the exception, lift, clean and place rules were in effect. But beyond the golf course conditions, it was a constant battle for players to keep their equipment dry.

“It was difficult out there,” Fitzgerald said. “It was challenging for sure. All day my mentality was, ‘OK, let’s make 18 pars.’ I just wanted to make it as stress-free as possible. I felt like I was pretty dialed in with my approach — how I wanted to handle it — but making sure I had a good grip on every shot, and executing what I wanted to do, was the key.”

And Fitzgerald was remarkably consistent given the conditions. He made a double bogey on No. 2, but from then on he carded one birdie, one bogey and 14 pars.

Rudosky, not Schalk, was Fitzgerald’s main competition most of the final day. In fact, the 2001 Section champion led the tournament by a stroke with nine holes left. But a 41 on the back side Wednesday derailed Rudosky’s chances.

Then Schalk, the Section championship runner-up in 2005, kicked it into high gear on the final four holes, making birdie putts of 8, 25 and 20 feet and Nos. 15, 16 and 18. And he left an 8-footer on No. 17 short.

Schalk almost won the tournament outright in regulation. Playing a group ahead of Fitzgerald, he made his closing birdie. Then Fitzgerald (pictured hitting at left with Rudosky watching) missed the green on 18 and had to drain an 8-foot par putt to keep his hopes alive.

In the playoff, Fitzgerald and Schalk made routine pars on the first playoff hole, and looked like they’d do the same on the second. After Schalk stroked his 25-foot birdie attempt 2 feet past the cup, Fitzgerald two-putted from 20 feet for par. Schalk’s par try then hit the left lip and trickled by the hole.

“I’ve been in contention quite a few times and just didn’t get it done,” Fitzgerald said regarding this tournament. “Somebody always played a little bit better. Honestly, I thought today that was going to be Matty (Schalk) the way he finished. I never dreamed he would have missed that putt. I felt awful for him.”

Fitzgerald estimates he’s finished in the top seven of the Colorado PGA Professional Championship six times — including those second-place showings in both 2010 and 2011 — but he finally claimed the big prize on Wednesday.

“I’m the bridesmaid of this (PGA) Section,” the resident of Parker said. “I’ve never won our player of the year. I’ve been the runner-up player of the year the last three years to three different people, and I’m working on it again this year.”

For scores, CLICK HERE.