This summer marks the 24th year the CoBank Colorado Women’s Open has been held. In that time, there’s been a grand total of one amateur who has won the overall title — Paige Mackenzie, current co-host of Golf Channel’s Morning Drive, in 2006.

The reason that’s pertinent now is that an amateur — Colorado State University senior Katrina Prendergast to be precise — leads by two after Wednesday’s opening round of the $150,000 CWO at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver.

There’s obviously still a long way to go — two more rounds — but the opportunity is there to join some elite company.

“I don’t really think about that honestly,” the 20-year-old said on Wednesday evening. “I just take it day by day. If I get there, I get there, but one day at a time.”

Prendergast, who hails from Sparks, Nev., was the only player to shoot in the 60s on Wednesday as she posted a 4-under-par 68. That puts her two ahead of the five players who sit in second place.

This year has already been a special one for Prendergast (pictured above), who teamed up with fellow Ram golfer Ellen Secor to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball title in May. Not coincidentally, Prendergast and Secor were in the same threesome in Wednesday’s first round.

“I love playing with Ellen,” Prendergast said. “She’s got a great personality, always outgoing and out there. She’s so fun to play with. I’m glad I got to play with her today.”

Prendergast and Secor have qualified in Colorado for the last two U.S. Women’s Four-Balls together, going on to make it to the round of 16 in 2017 before winning this year.

On Wednesday, Secor shot a 75, playing her final 10 holes in 2 under par. Prendergast, who tied for second earlier this month in the Utah Women’s Open after a final-round 63, two-putted for birdie on the 18th hole at GVR to finish with five birdies and one bogey.

“The putter is a little hot right now, which is good,” she said. “We want to keep it that way. I’m coming here feeling good.

“This is a good start. I got up and down basically everywhere (she missed a green), which helped me out. I gave myself chances when I needed to. I had one bogey on 9 — a mess-up on the tee. Other than that it was a good day.”

Another player with strong ties to a Colorado-based college program is among those tied for second place after round 1. That would be former University of Denver golfer Jessica Dreesbeimdieke (left), who was the low amateur in this tournament two years ago. Joining her at 70 on Wednesday were Kendra Dalton of Wake Forest, N.C., Swede Jessica Vasilic, Mary Fran Hillow of Charleston, S.C., and Natalie Vivaldi, who played three seasons at the University of Colorado before transferring to San Diego State.

In all, just eight players shot sub-par rounds on Wednesday, and no one went very deep.

“They set out a good challenge with the greens,” Dreesbeimdieke said. “That’s probably why the scores are a little higher. They’re pretty quick, I’m not going to lie. They’re quicker than they were yesterday. And some of the pins out there are not that easy. They’re on some slopes, (and) it can get away from you if you’re not careful.”

Dreesbeimdieke, a native of Namibia — just northwest of South Africa — who now lives in Juno Beach, Fla., turned pro just about a month ago and is making the CWO her third event as a professional. She competed in Stage I of LPGA Tour Q-school last week and failed to advance.

“I’m really excited” about this new phase in her life, she said. “In my mind I have a lot to learn, so easing into my pro career is what I’m planning to do. Obviously it’s going to be a lot harder — and it has been. It’s been a learning experience. It’s very different suddenly playing for a paycheck. But I’m patient with myself. I’m only human. I have a lot of nerves. I’m trying to play really well, I’m trying to be perfect. I’m kind of learning that’s not how golf is.”

Dreesbeimdieke birdied her first two holes on Wednesday and was 3 under through 5, but needed a 4-foot birdie on 18 to shoot 70.

Only one player with strong Colorado connections has won the Colorado Women’s Open since 2005 — Becca Huffer in 2013. But there are several “locals” in contention after round 1. Besides Prendergast, Dreesbeimdieke and Vivaldi, there’s former CU golfers Brittany Fan (72) and Esther Lee (73).

Notable: Prendergast (68) leads the low-amateur competition by four after round 1. In second place is Aneta Abrahamova of Slovakia. … In the pro-am team competition, title sponsor CoBank’s squad shares the lead with Massage Envy at 9-under-par 63. … The championship field will be cut to the low 40 players and ties after Thursday’s second round. … The winner of the tournament — or the low pro, should an amateur prevail — will earn $50,000.

For scores from the CoBank Colorado Women’s Open, CLICK HERE.

Lindsay Kuhle has accomplished plenty in golf in her native state of Colorado, including winning a couple of state amateur championships, the CWGA Junior Stroke Play in 2000 and the CWGA Stroke Play in 2005. And she was an assistant coach when the University of Denver finished sixth and fifth in the NCAA Championship finals, though those events were obviously held out of state.

One thing she hadn’t done, though, is win a golf tournament in Colorado as a college head coach.

But on Sunday, she checked that off the list.

Kuhle, head coach of the DU women’s team since early 2013, celebrated among friends, family and co-workers Sunday as the Pioneers claimed the team championship in the ninth annual Ron Moore Women’s Intercollegiate at Highlands Ranch Golf Club.

The Pios rallied from a three-shot deficit heading into the final round to post a five-stroke victory in the 18-team field. Aside from conference championships, it was DU’s first team title since the 2009 Moore Intercollegiate. That was also the last time Denver won a team title at a Colorado-based tournament.

All in all, it was a nice way to close out the fall portion of the schedule for DU and Kuhle, whose daughter, Lucy, turned 1 year old on Saturday and happily spent the weekend at Highlands Ranch GC. (Lucy is pictured at left with mom Lindsay on Sunday.)

“It means a lot,” Kuhle said. “To get a win, especially in front of all of our friends and families at our home course is so special.

“I’m so proud of the way the girls competed. We had the best energy and attitude and we were so relaxed, and I think that tells you a lot about how you play good golf. If you’re having fun, it’s so important. That’s something I preach. No matter how you’re playing to act like you’re playing well, to also have a positive attitude, and wave to your teammates to be encouraging. I think that really helped us get this win.”

The victory was the fourth for Kuhle since she took over as head coach, on the heels of a WAC title in 2013 and Summit League championships in 2014 and ’15.

On Sunday, Denver posted the low round of the day, a 2-under-par 286, as all the DU golfers who were competing for the team score shot between 70 and 73 despite windy conditions.

With a 2-under 862 total for three rounds, the Pioneers finished five ahead of San Francisco and eight in front of Washington State.

Colorado State recorded its best tournament score — 872 — since 2009 in placing fourth. Northern Colorado (893) was 11th.

Individually, DU freshman Kathi Baratta and CSU sophomore Allie Andersen shared fifth place at 1-under-par 215, seven behind champion Kassidy Teare of Long Beach State. For Andersen, it was the best college tournament score she’s recorded.

As for Baratta (pictured at top and at left with Kuhle), she’s shaping up to be a real find for Denver. Coming from the Austrian national team, she agreed in June to sign a letter of intent with DU site unseen, after being recruited by Kuhle to fill the roster spot vacated when Elyse Smidinger transferred to Oregon State. Baratta had never set foot in Colorado before coming to Denver in late August.

The Austrian couldn’t compete in the Pioneers’ first tournament because the school doesn’t allow freshmen to miss their first week of classes, but she’s certainly shown her stuff since. In her first two college tournaments, she’s finished eighth in an event at Red Sky Golf Club in Wolcott and fifth on Sunday. In her first month as a college golfer, she was named the Summit League Women’s Player of the Month for September.

“I came here and I really just wanted to be an asset to the team,” she said Sunday. “My target was to qualify for every tournament, then try my best to support the team. If you can earn two top-10s in your first two college tournaments, that’s a bonus. I’m personally very happy with the result.”

And seeing her team claim a championship so soon after arriving was satisfying as well.

“I’m really happy,” she said. “It was only the second tournament I played, so it’s great to actually earn a victory. The whole team played great. No one had a bad score today. It was a beautiful day to finish what we started. The motivation went from the older girls to us freshmen. We really wanted to win. We knew we could win.”

DU has one of the more diverse college rosters you’ll find. Five of the Pioneers’ seven players are from oversees. Besides Baratta (Austria), there’s fellow freshman Sophie Newlove (England), juniors Mariell Bruun (Norway) and Jessica Carty (Northern Ireland, who would have had a high individual finish Sunday had she not inadvertently signed for an incorrect score on Saturday), and sophomore Jessica Dreesbeimdieke (Namibia in southwest Africa). And then there are two Americans, senior Isabel Southard (Sharon, Mass., who was sidelined this weekend due to a back injury) and sophomore Aleana Groenhout (Kirkland, Wash).

“I’m just trying to get the best student-athlete in the world,” Kuhle said of her recruiting approach. “My assistant (Daniela Lendl, daughter of former tennis great Ivan Lendl) and I will go over to Europe, but we’re looking for someone who really cares about school and golf.”

On Sunday, Baratta finished fifth individually, while Groenhout was 12th and Newlove was 17th after a final-round 70.

“They fit right in,” Kuhle said of her freshmen, Baratta and Newlove. “We didn’t skip a beat at all in the transition from losing a couple of (players) from last year to this year.”

For her part, in choosing DU, Baratta was attracted to the surroundings and climate in Colorado, which are not so different from Austria.

“If you look around, it’s beautiful here,” she said. “I decided if I want to go to the States, them I’m not going to go somewhere it’s 365 (days-per-year) heat. I can’t handle that, so Colorado was similar to home, so that’s why I came here. It basically feels like home. It’s really great.”

And Kuhle feels fortunate to have landed such a quality player just months before the season started.

“To get someone like that, I think there is some luck in that,” Kuhle said.

Ron Moore Women’s Intercollegiate
Oct. 9-11, 2015 (final) at Par-72 Highlands Ranch GC

1. (out of 18 teams) Denver 282-294-286–862
5. Kathi Baratta 71-71-73–215; 12. Aleana Groenhout 74-70-72–216; 17. Sophie Newlove 73-76-70–219; 30. Mariell Bruun 72-77-73–222; Jessica Carty 66-DQ-71. Competing as individual: 37. Jessica Dreesbeimdieke 67-74-83–224.

4. Colorado State 293-290-289–872
5. Allie Andersen 70-71-74–215; 17. Elisabeth Rau 74-70-74–215; 17. Katrina Prendergast 73-73-73–219; 37. Brianna Becker 78-77-69–224; 46. Mikayla Tatman 76-76-73–225. Competing as individual: 50. Sarah Archuleta 74-77-75–226.

11. Northern Colorado 293-300-300–893
22. Amanda Myers 71-73-76–220; 32. Kala Keltz 70-73-80–223; 46. Christina Ferrreira 74-76-75–225; 74. Baile Winslow 78-78-75–231; 89. Janet Yeo 86-78-74–238.

Also
22. Jamie Oleksiew, Colorado 72-72-76–220
25. Lauryn Keating, Colorado 73-76-72–221
32. Coloradan Bryce Schroeder, Wichita State 71-76-76–223
37. Coloradan Taylor Dorans, Wyoming 77-75-72–224
37. Gillian Vance, Colorado 74-72-78–224
68. Coloradan Jaylee Tait, Montana State 78-75-77–230
82. Coloradan Kathleen Kershisnik, Wyoming 78-77-80–235