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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.

Though he completed just 15 holes on Tuesday before play was suspended due to darkness following weather delays, Remington Post of Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks held a four-stroke lead and is one of just two players under par through two days.

Post, a 33-year-old from Dillon, carded a 4-under 32 on the front nine and was 3 under through 15. That left him at 5 under par overall with 21 holes left to play in the tournament.

Patrick Reidy of Inverness Golf Club, a 52-year-old from Littleton, holds second place after rounds of 71-72 left him with a 1-under 143 total. He made three birdies and three bogeys in Tuesday’s second round.

First-round leader Alexandra Braga of Denver Country Club, winner of two Colorado PGA Women’s Championships, trails by five after a 75 on Tuesday. She was even-par for the day through 10 holes, but bogeyed three of her final eight. Joining her at 144 were fellow Denver Country Club professional Jordan Gibbs and Dustin Miller of Black Bear Golf Club, who carded a 71 and a 73 on Tuesday, respectively.

Meanwhile, three-time champion Doug Rohrbaugh eagled the par-4 sixth hole and posted a 2-under 70 on Tuesday to move into sixth place at 145. Also 1 over par overall is Vince Buelk of Collindale — in his case through 33 holes.

Braga isn’t the only prominent women’s player from the Section on the leaderboard. Sherry Andonian-Smith shares eighth place at 146 total after a 68 on Tuesday, which is the lowest round so far in the championship.

Joining Andonian-Smith in a tie for eighth place are past champions Caine Fitzgerald (74) and Chris Johnson (73), along with Eric Bradley (74).

TPC Colorado, a new Arthur Schaupeter-designed Scottish links-style course, is hosting its first major tournament this week.

After the final four groups complete round 2 on Wednesday morning, the field will be cut roughly in half after 36 holes, then pairings will be set for Wednesday’s final round.

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

Colorado PGA Professional Championship
Sept. 10-12, 2018 at Par-72 TPC Colorado in Berthoud
Leaders
Remington Post 70-(-3 through 15 holes in round 2)
Patrick Reidy 71-72–143
Alexandra Braga 69-75–144
Dustin Miller 71-73–144
Jordan Gibbs 73-71–144
Doug Rohrbaugh 75-70–145
Vince Buelk 75-(-2 through 15 holes of round 2)
Sherry Andonian-Smith 78-68–146
Eric Bradley 72-74–146
Caine Fitzgerald 72-74–146
Chris Johnson 73-73–146

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.

Braga, a 34-year-old from Edgewater who has twice won the Colorado PGA Women’s Championship, eagled two of her first six holes (a par-5 and a par-4) and added a birdie and two bogeys to shoot the 69 at the new Arthur Schaupeter-designed Scottish links-style course.

TPC Colorado, which is hosting its first major tournament this week, bared its teeth on Monday, yielding just seven-par scores, with Braga’s being the only one in the 60s.

Remington Post of the Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks shot a 2-under-par 70, making four birdies after being 2 over par through three holes, to hold second place.

The other five players under par posted 71s: Steve Grove, Phil Gerlach, Ben Honaman, Patrick Reidy and Dustin Miller.

Two former champions — 2012 winner Caine Fitzgerald and 2006 champ Mike Northern — shot even-par-72s to open the tournament. Fitzgerald didn’t make a score higher than par until double bogeying the 18th hole. Northern made four birdies on Monday, but bogeyed the last two.

Three-time champion Doug Rohrbaugh started with a birdie-less 75.

The tournament will continue through Wednesday.

Colorado PGA Professional Championship
Sept. 10-12, 2018 at Par-72 TPC Colorado in Berthoud
Leaders
Alexandra Braga 69
Remington Post 70
Steve Grove 71
Phil Gerlach 71
Ben Honaman 71
Patrick Reidy 71
Dustin Miller 71
Eric Bradley 72
Caine Fitzgerald 72
Mike Northern 72
Michael Weingartner 72
Bryan Heim 72

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.

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

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

(For more on TPC Colorado, CLICK HERE.)

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

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

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

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

For Monday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.

When John Ogden shook hands with playoff opponent Rick Cole after winning the Colorado PGA Professional Championship on Wednesday, he did so gingerly with his left hand.

That seemed only fitting given that the two professionals who squared off for the title are seniors by PGA tournament standards, with many of the ailments and maladies that come with age.

In Ogden’s case, his right elbow has been giving him fits, so he had to improvise — both with the handshake and with his swing at Red Sky Golf Club in Wolcott.

But in spite of their age — Ogden is 50 and Cole 64 — the two finished atop the leaderboard at the Colorado PGA’s biggest tournament of the year, ahead of a field that included plenty of guys in their 20s and 30s. In fact, had Cole won, Colorado PGA records indicate he would have been the oldest champion in this event, by far, and the tournament dates back to 1958.

“The gray-haired guys, that was pretty good,” Ogden said with a smile afterward. “But Rick’s got a few more years than me on the gray hairs.”

But the “seniors make good” theme didn’t stop with Ogden and Cole. The top dozen finishers included seven pros who are 50 and older. Besides Ogden and Cole, there was three-time champion Doug Rohrbaugh (55), Barry Milstead (50), former PGA Tour player Larry Rinker (60), Paul Lobato (54) and three-time winner Bill Loeffler (61).

“I think the seniors definitely had the advantage in the tournament,” Cole said. “We’re hitting drivers on some of the holes (where younger players) are hitting 4-irons and 5-irons and 3-woods. I think that was an equalizer on this golf course, to be honest with you.”

Appropriately enough, being the PGA head professional at Cherry Hills Country Club for the last decade, Ogden (above and left) earned a trophy on Wednesday that bears the name of Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Ralph “Rip” Arnold, who himself served as the head pro at Cherry Hills. Also for being the best of the bunch this week at the Fazio Course at Red Sky, Ogden received the $8,000 first prize — and promptly announced that he was donating half of that total to the Colorado PGA REACH Foundation.

“That’s such a great foundation,” he said. “I’ve sat on that foundation board in years past. I think it’s the right thing to do. Money is money. It’s nice, but I just like to compete. I’ve never been about winning money or anything like that. I’ve been very blessed in my life and my profession, so anything I can do to help out, I’m happy to help out.”

Despite his right elbow issues — which he said might eventually require surgery — Ogden had what it took to claim this title for the first time. But, again, he had to improvise.

“I usually play right-hand (dominant), and I played left-armed this week,” he said.

“When you play left-armed, it’s kind of like old school. When I was a kid I took some lessons from Stan Thirsk, who was Tom Watson’s instructor. I kind of went back to some of those thoughts and had some of those images of those lessons with Stan. All I was doing was letting my arm get up vertical and letting my left arm pass. I kind of had an image of Tom Watson in my head too.”

And that did the job for Ogden. He hit a 400-yard drive on the downhill par-5 final hole in regulation and two-putted from 20 feet for birdie to force a playoff with Cole, then won in sudden death on the same hole with a bogey.

Ogden shot a 2-under-par 70 on Wednesday to post a 4-under 212 total.

Cole, the PGA head pro at Eaton Country Club for the last 32 years, also checked in at that figure after finishing birdie-birdie. He nearly aced the 156-yard 17th hole, then two-putted from 30 feet to close out regulation. His 67 was Wednesday’s best round by two strokes.

Kirk Trowbridge of the MetaGolf Learning Center finished tied for third at 213 after leading early on the back nine on Wednesday. After making an eagle and two birdies on the front side and shooting a 4-under 32, his Waterloo came on the par-4 13th hole. There, he lost two balls — one right off his tee shot and one over the green when the wind shifted as he was hitting his approach — and he had to sink a 6-foot putt for a triple bogey.

Still, Trowbridge would have been part of the playoff had he sunk his 6-foot eagle putt on 18, but he missed and settle for birdie. His 70 put him at 213, one back of Ogden and Cole.

Asked if he was playing “what-if” after what happened on the 13th hole, Trowbridge said no. “I also made an eagle and a couple of birdies early on, so that’s golf, right? I’m happy. I probably managed my game this week better than maybe ever.”

Sharing third place at 213 with Trowbridge was 2016 champion Geoff Keffer from the Greater Golfer Development Center at Park Hill. Keffer had a one-birdie, one-bogey final day and shot 72.

Rohrbaugh, who’s believed to be the oldest winner of the tournament when he claimed the title in 2015 at age 53, placed fifth on Wednesday at 215 after carding a final-round 71.

The playoff on the 18th hole wasn’t pretty — as both participants readily admitted — but Ogden posted a bogey to win, while Cole made a double bogey. It was a far cry from their birdies in regulation, but both players paid the price for their tee shots.

Ogden thought his drive was as good as the one he hit in regulation on the hole, but it bounced into the environmentally sensitive area right of the rough and he was forced to take a penalty. Cole (left), usually a fixture in the fairway off the tee, double-crossed his drive and his ball shot left and “onto somebody’s back patio, but there’s no out of bounds stakes,” he noted. If Cole’s memory serves, it was just his second missed fairway of the entire tournament, though he hadn’t seen the course before Monday’s first round.

After the awry drive, “I thought I hit a perfect shot out of there,” Cole said. “I see a ball down there in the middle of the fairway — which was my provisional; I forgot I hit a provisional because I’m kind of old — so I’m thinking, ‘What a shot.’ But somebody comes down and says, ‘Rick, your ball went into a hazard’ (on the right side, where Ogden had hit his tee shot). I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. Really?’ It hit really, really hard and bounced into the hazard. So I took a drop, and it was (all but done) at that point because John was greenside in three.”

Ogden was indeed laying 3 in a greenside bunker. And after Cole hit a 7-iron to just short of the green and a pitch that ended up 18 feet shy of the cup, Ogden blasted to about 20 feet. He two-putted for bogey and Cole did likewise for double bogey and that was the tournament.

“I didn’t see this one coming,” Ogden said of the victory. “I’ve got a messed-up right elbow. And I haven’t played very good in the last month. I didn’t play good last week at the Smith-Cole (at Cherry Hills). And at 50, I thought my days of (possibly) winning this, those times were past. But you just never know.

“This means the world. It’s probably the biggest victory of my professional career, that’s for sure,” added the former University of Kansas golfer, who once beat John Daly to win the Missouri Open. “I don’t win much, so this might be No. 1 (of his career overall). Who knows? It’ll mean a lot to my family and to my club and my staff.

“Winning is hard to do, especially in our Section where we have great players. At the (Colorado PGA) Senior Championship a few weeks ago, I shot 3 under and just got it handed to me.”

Meanwhile, Cole came ever so close to winning the Section’s top championship as a 64-year-old, which would have set the new age standard in the event by 11 years.

“I don’t even think about it to be honest with you,” he said of the age factor. “I’m just happy with the way I played, happy with the way I putted.

“I’ve got the points lead (among seniors in the Section). I thought if I could just make a good showing in this tournament I might win the points championship on the senior end of it. My goal honestly was to make the cut and get some more points on (his senior challengers). I really accomplished my goal in that regard. And I managed my game probably as well as I have all year.”

Thanks to their performances at the Colorado PGA Professional Championship, eight players qualified for the 2018 national PGA Professional Championship, set for June 17-20 at Bayonet Black Horse in Seaside, Calif.

Advancing to that event were Ogden, Cole, Trowbridge (left), Keffer, Rohrbaugh, Jack Allen of Heritage Eagle Bend, Micah Rudosky of Conquistador and Barry Milstead of Valley. Allen, Rudosky and Milstead tied for sixth place on Wednesday along with Rinker, the director of instruction at Red Sky who isn’t eligible to compete at the national championship.

For Cole, it will be the first national PGA Professional Championship he’s qualified for since 1987.

“I figured there was no chance,” he said. “So to go out there is an awesome privilege.”

Colorado PGA Professional Championship
Sept. 11-13, 2017 (final) at Par-72 Fazio Course at Red Sky GC in Wolcott
Top Finishers
1. John Ogden (won playoff on first extra hole) 72-70-70–212
2. Rick Cole 70-75-67–212
T3. Kirk Trowbridge 74-69-70–213
T3. Geoff Keffer 70-71-72–213
5. Doug Rohrbaugh 72-72-71–215
T6. Jack Allen 75-72-69–216
T6. Micah Rudosky 77-69-70–216
T6. Barry Milstead 71-72-73–216
T6. Larry Rinker 71-70-75–216
10. Paul Lobato 76-70-72–218

For complete results, CLICK HERE.
 

Keffer (pictured), from the Greater Golfer Development Center at Park Hill, is tied for the top spot after Tuesday’s second round with former PGA Tour player Larry Rinker of Red Sky and Derek Rush from Cherry Hills Country Club. All three sit at 3-under-par 141 through 36 holes at the Fazio Course.

But plenty of players still have a chance at the title as 19 contestants are either leading or within five strokes of the top spot going into Wednesday’s final round.

Keffer, the 2016 champion, fired a 1-under-par 71 while making five birdies on Tuesday.

Rinker, a 60-year-old who has made 525 starts on the PGA Tour, shot a second-round 70 at his home facility, chalking up four birdies on Tuesday.

And Rush, the first-round leader, posted a second-round 74, also after making four birdies.

John Ogden, Rush’s boss at Cherry Hills, sits in fourth place, a stroke back of the leaders, after a 70 on Tuesday.

Three-time champion Bill Loeffler from The Links Golf Course, at 61 years old remains very much in the hunt at 1-under 143, along with Barry Milstead of Valley Country Club, Kirk Trowbridge of the MetaGolf Learning Center and Mike Swan of Crested Butte. Swan had the best score of round 2, a 67.

Three-time winner Doug Rohrbaugh of Ironbridge and fellow former champ Mike Northern share ninth place at even-par 144.

The field was cut to the low 51 players and ties after round 2, with everyone at 154 or better advancing to Wednesday.

Eight players will earn spots in the 2018 national PGA Professional Championship based on their performance at Red Sky.

For scores from the Colorado PGA Professional Championship, CLICK HERE.

In fact, in the 43-year period from 1972 through 2014, there’s was only one year (2007) that Colorado didn’t host at least one event that fell into the aforementioned category.

The LPGA Tour held tournaments in the state for 16 consecutive years beginning in 1972. The Senior/Champions Tour had a six-year run in Colorado beginning in 1982. And the PGA Tour visited annually from 1986-2006 thanks to The International at Castle Pines Golf Club. In addition, there were numerous USGA championships and other big events held in the Centennial State during that time span.

And since The International exited, Colorado has hosted the U.S. Senior Open and the U.S. Amateur Public Links in 2008, the 2009 Palmer Cup (a Ryder Cup-like competition for the best college players), the 2010 Senior PGA Championship, the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open, the 2012 U.S. Amateur, the 2013 Solheim Cup and Junior Solheim Cup, and the 2014 BMW Championship.

But since September 2014, the state has experienced a bit of a lull in hosting major spectator golf competitions in the state — the kind that draw national or even international attention. That will continue in 2017, but a couple of USGA championships are on the horizon, with the 2018 U.S. Senior Open coming to The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs and Colorado Golf Club in Parker hosting the U.S. Mid-Amateur in 2019.

However, that certainly doesn’t mean the almost four-year period from the 2014 BMW Championship at Cherry Hills Country Club to the 2018 U.S. Senior Open has been/will be without significant golf events in Colorado. Last year, for instance, the NCAA Division II men’s and women’s national championships were held in the Centennial State along with the first four majors in Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado history, and in 2015 Colorado hosted the 100th CWGA Match Play and the Women’s Pac-12 Conference Championships.

Which brings us to 2017. What will the new year hold for golf fans and competitors in the way of significant new, different or otherwise notable events? Here’s a brief rundown:

— Pac-12 Tourney Coming to Boulder: For the first time since 1972, the University of Colorado will host a men’s golf conference championship as the Pac-12 meet comes to Boulder Country Club April 28-30. BCC hosted the women’s Pac-12 tournament in 2015.

The Pac-12 has traditionally been one of the top men’s golf conferences in the nation, winning four national team titles since 2004, including Oregon claiming the crown last spring. The Ducks will defend their title this year, almost certainly with Colorado’s own Wyndham Clark in the lineup.

Going into the spring portion of the college schedule, five Pac-12 teams are ranked among the top 30 in the nation, according to Golfweek: USC (sixth), Stanford (eighth), Colorado (24th), Oregon (28th) and Arizona State (30th).

— High-Country Golf: Both the CGA and the Colorado PGA will hold major championships in the mountains this year.

The 81st CGA Amateur is set for Aug. 3-6 at the Sonnenalp Club in Edwards, west of Vail, marking the first time the tournament has been contested in the mountains since 2003, when Kane Webber won at River Valley Ranch in Carbondale. Meanwhile, the Colorado PGA Professional Championship will be hosted by Red Sky Golf Club at the Fazio Course in Wolcott Sept. 11-13.

Other 2017 CGA championships scheduled for the mountains are the Parent/Child (June 3-4 at Frost Creek Ranch & Club in Eagle) and the Mid-Amateur (Sept. 8-10 at Keystone Ranch Golf Course).

The CWGA also will on the Western Slope or in the mountains for several events in 2017: the Brassie Championship at Rifle Creek Golf Course Aug. 5-6; the Chapman Championship at Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks in Silverthorne Sept. 16-17; the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur qualifying at Pole Creek Golf Club in Tabernash Aug. 1; and the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur qualifying at Vail Golf Club Aug. 28.

The CWGA two-person Chapman Championship, by the way, is returning after a one-year hiatus.

As for the biggest CGA championships, in addition to the Amateur at Sonnenalp, the 117th Match Play is set for June 19-23 at The Club at Ravenna in Littleton.

On the CWGA side, the Stroke Play is scheduled for June 19-21 at Lone Tree Golf Club and the 102nd Match Play for July 17-20 at Buffalo Run in Commerce City.

Overall, the first CGA championship of 2017 will be the Senior Four-Ball May 1-3 at Broadland Golf Course in Broomfield. The CWGA will open with the Mashie June 6-8 at Todd Creek in Thornton and Saddleback in Firestone.

— USGA Qualifiers: Colorado once again will host two final-stage qualifying tournaments for USGA open championships.

U.S. Women’s Open Qualifying is scheduled for May 24 at Riverdale Dunes in Brighton, while U.S. Senior Open Qualifying is planned for June 8 at Meadows Golf Club in Littleton.

And while no final-stage qualifiers for the U.S. Open are set in Colorado, the state will host three Local Qualifiers: May 8 at Heritage at Westmoor, May 15 at CommonGround and May 16 at Collindale.

— Colorado Open Championships: This year’s schedule for the CoBank Colorado Open Championships at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver will be similar to last year’s, with the Senior Open set for May 31-June 2, the Open scheduled for July 20-23, and the Women’s Open planned for Aug. 30-Sept. 1.

— Junior Golf: On the junior golf end of things, not all the sites for the four Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado major championships have been set, but Eisenhower Golf Club at the Air Force Academy will be a host for a JGAC major for the second time in two years.

Here’s the JGAC major schedule as it stands:

June 12-14 — Colorado Junior PGA Championship, Eisenhower GC

July 10-12 — Colorado Junior Amateur Championship, site TBD

July 31-Aug. 2 — Colorado Junior Match Play, Black Bear GC

Oct. 7-8 — JGAC Tour Championship, site TBD

Meanwhile, Heritage at Westmoor in Westminster will be the new host of the AJGA Transamerica / Hale Irwin Colorado Junior June 6-8, beginning at least a three-year run at the course.

— Winter Events: While the statewide tournament golf season won’t begin until spring, there are several significant events in the interim that can serve to whet the appetite.

The Denver Golf Expo will be held Feb. 10-12 at the Denver Mart. The G4 Summit, which brings together many of the leaders in the Colorado golf industry to hear about and discuss key issues facing the game, is set for Feb. 21 at the Omni Interlocken Resort in Broomfield. And the CWGA’s annual meeting is scheduled for March 4 at the Inverness Hotel & Conference Center in Englewood.
 

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.