Just this month, the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s Junior Series Championship for players 10 and under was held, and it wasn’t uncommon to see 7-year-olds competing.

Next week, the CGA will go to the other end of the spectrum, holding a championship for players potentially 10 times that old.

The fifth annual CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play, with separate age divisions for golfers 60 and older and 70 and older, will be contested Monday and Tuesday (Aug. 22-23) at Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club (pictured) in Aurora.

Seventy-seven competitors are signed up for the event, including seven of the eight former champions in the 60+ and 70+ divisions. Those past champs include, in the 60+ competition, Robert Polk (2015), Kary Kaltenbacher (2014) and Bob Cloud (2013). And in the 70+ age group, every past winner is back: Kirk Miller (2015), Roger Gunderson (2014), Joe Morrill (2013) and Jim Collins (2012).

Add into the mix entrants Colorado Golf Hall of Famers Kent Moore and John Olive, 2016 U.S. Senior Amateur qualifier Robin Bradbury and recent CGA senior champion Harry Edwards, and the fields are formidable.

Each division will play 36 holes over the two days.

For Monday’s tee times, CLICK HERE. 

Perhaps Bob Cloud was inspired by the jets from nearby Buckley Air Force Base that were flying overhead Tuesday during the second annual CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play Championship.

Those fighters get up to speed very fast and possess a certain “wow” factor.

That’s also a pretty good description of how Cloud performed Tuesday at Murphy Creek Golf Course in Aurora — at least for half of his round.

Cloud, who plays out of Bear Creek Golf Club, birdied his first two holes and shot a spectacular 6-under-par 30 on the front nine to vault past his nearest competition. And despite giving back three shots to par on the back nine — while shooting a personal tournament-best 3-under-par 69 — Cloud won the 60-and-older event by five strokes.

How good was Cloud’s front-nine 30? To the best of his knowledge, the lowest nine-hole score he shot before Tuesday was 34.

“It was a crazy nine holes,” said the 61-year-old Denver resident (pictured at left). “In any sport, sometimes the planets align for you. It was just nutty. On the front nine, I had seven 3s and five in a row. That’s crazy.”

Thanks largely to his eagle and four birdies on the front side, Cloud posted nine 3s on his scorecard overall Tuesday as he finished at 1-under-par 143 for 36 holes. The former USGA Senior Amateur qualifier won a CGA championship for the first time.

“I’ve played in a lot of CGA events, and to win one is kind of a dream come true,” Cloud said. “It’s just a great thrill. I’ve won (club) events before, but it’s just different when you can say you won a state championship.”

Tom Warren of Fossil Trace Golf Club placed second at 148 following a 72 Tuesday, while Mark Runyan of Canongate Colorado was third at 149 after closing with a 71.

In the 70-and-older competition, Joe Morrill of Eagle Ranch Golf Course went birdie-eagle on his 15th and 16th holes Tuesday to earn the title. The 73-year-old shot an even-par 72, leaving him at 8-over 150. That was three strokes better than defending champion Jim Collins of the Country Club at Castle Pines, who closed with a 75.

(The two champions are pictured at top, with Morrill at left in the photo.)

Cloud started out the second round one out of the lead, but he made tap-in birdies on holes 1 and 2 and sank a 40-foot par on No. 3. Then on the par-5 sixth, he hit an 8-iron second shot from 158 yards to 10 feet, then drained the putt for eagle.

Cloud followed that up with a 10-foot birdie on 7 and a 15-footer on 9.

Add it up, and it’s a smooth 30.

“And I lipped out two birdies,” he noted. “I should have shot a 28 or a 29. … And I thought I had a chance to shoot 59 the way I was hitting and putting the ball.”

But he put those ideas out of his mind when he remembered shooting a 71 in the first round of the 2011 CGA Senior Stroke Play — then following it up with an 81.

Cloud (pictured at left) didn’t make any birdies on the back nine, but by then he had opened up a nice lead. He made three bogeys on the back side, and needed to hole 20- and 10-foot putts to avoid double bogeys on Nos. 10 and 15, respectively.

All told on Tuesday, Cloud needed just 29 putts in his round.

Warren, like many of his fellow competitors, was very impressed by Cloud’s front-nine performance. But he sees how a player could get on a roll at Murphy Creek.

“The thing about this course is you have to think on every shot, but every hole can be a birdie hole,” Warren said. “I had 17 birdie putts and made two of them, and one of them was a two-putt. I can’t fault anyone else for winning the tournament when I left myself high and dry.”

Cloud was the only player to break 70 during the Super-Senior Stroke Play.

As for the 70-and-over tournament, Morrill trailed Collins by two after 14 holes Tuesday. But Collins lost a ball and made bogey on his 15th hole, while Morrill birdied his 15th and eagled his 16th, the par-4 seventh hole at Murphy Creek.

For the eagle, Morrill chipped in from about 20 yards. (He’s pictured at left picking the ball out of the hole.)

“It was one of those lucky things,” said the Eagle resident, a regular playing partner of Harry Johnson, winner of the CGA Senior Match Play and Senior Stroke Play this year. “And that was the turning point of the match.”

Morrill, winner of the super-senior division of a past CGA Senior Stroke Play, finished fourth — behind Collins, among others — in the 70-and-older division last year, but he’s gained considerable confidence since.

“I was a very mediocre to sub-mediocre putter — until this year,” Morrill said. “Don’t ask me why but I don’t yip anymore. I have the same putter, the same grip. … So there’s hope for everybody. That’s really why I’ve been able to compete this year. This is the best year I’ve had in the last five.”

CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play
At Par-72 Murphy Creek GC in Aurora

60 & OVER DIVISION
Bob Cloud, Bear Creek GC 74-69–143
Tom Warren, Fossil Trace GC 76-72–148
Mark Runyan, Canongate Colorado 78-71–149
Sean Forey, Bear Creek GC 78-72–150
Frank Wilkinson, Lincoln Park GC 79-75–154
Jim LeMar, Meadows GC 78-76–154
Bruce Hayes, Heritage at Westmoor 84-71–155
Daniel Dymerski, Columbine CC 73-82–155
Frank Hernandez, Pelican Lakes G & CC 77-79–156
Richard Griggs, Desert Hawk GC 80-76–156
Jim Pierce, Saddle Rock GC 80-77–157
John Sostmann, Raccoon Creek GC 74-83–157
Steve Ivy, Pelican Lakes G & CC 80-77–157
John Leamon, Littleton GC 79-79–158
Robert Espinoza, Riverdale GC 82-76–158
Roger Gunderson, Aurora Hills GC 81-77–158
Richard Barg, Meadow Hills GC 81-78–159
Bill Knobbe, Raccoon Creek GC 82-78–160
Bill Weinman, Canongate Colorado 83-77–160
Bob Rognmoe, Raccoon Creek GC 83-77–160
Dan Birnley, Conquistador GC 81-79–160
Fredrick Steffers, Patty Jewett GC 81-79–160
Alton Marsh, Fossil Trace GC 81-80–161
Steven Hill, Aurora Hills GC 84-78–162
Bob Sims, Canongate Colorado 82-81–163
Dan Grigsby, Legacy Ridge GC 87-76–163
Dave Bell, Hiwan GC 84-79–163
Art Pitman, Denver Amateur Golf Tour 84-80–164
Chuck Fisher, Riverdale GC 89-75–164
Doug Jones, Tiara Rado GC 84-80–164
Jeffrey English, Colorado AvidGolfer Passport Club 85-79–164
Terry Pettit, Mariana Butte GC 85-81–166
David Farabaugh, Broadlands GC 81-86–167
Jeffrey Wagner, Fox Hollow GC 85-82–167
Steven Humphrey, Legacy Ridge GC 88-79–167
John Vanderbloemen, Haymaker GC 83-85–168
Louis Gerig, CommonGround GC 83-86–169
Michael Clark, Heritage at Westmoor 82-87–169
Terry Hymans, Canongate Colorado 85-84–169
Ed Hollister, Omni Interlocken GC 86-85–171
Dennis Hartman, Wellshire GC 88-84–172
Bill Hancock, The Club at Flying Horse 87-86–173
Rick Newberg, Hiwan GC 92-82–174
John Livingston, Colorado AvidGolfer Passport Club 92-85–177
Gary Custer, Patty Jewett GC 91-87–178
Danny Wyrick, Spring Valley GC 90-89–179
Daniel Kinney, SouthRidge GC 97-83–180
Ron Crowder, Broadmoor GC 96-86–182
Charlie Ogren, Collindale GC 95-89–184
Phil Talbott, Buffalo Run GC 96-97–193
Jerry Kidney, Overland Park GC 84-WD
Ken Tai, Perry Park CC 89-WD
Kronin Kelley, Heritage at Westmoor 83-NC
Larry Pate, Fox Hollow GC 95-WD
Rod Walters, Heritage at Westmoor 84-WD

70 & OVER DIVISION
Joe Morrill, Eagle Ranch GC 78-72–150
Jim Collins, CC at Castle Pines 78-75–153
Bruce Kaldenberg, Broken Tee GC 80-77–157
Ken Schweitzer, Eisenhower GC 79-80–159
Richard Sage, Indian Tree GC 81-80–161
Loren Warburg, Fox Hollow GC 84-81–165
Tom Latourrette, Bear Creek GC 83-82–165
Bill Holmes, Boulder CC 87-80–167
Paul Scheidig, Applewood GC 88-80–168
Dave Lawson, Hyland Hills GC 90-80–170
Dick Schmaltz, Elmwood GC 84-86–170
Fred Blanchfield, Spring Valley GC 91-80–171
Bill Bogdanoff, CommonGround GC 90-84–174
Matt Quinn, Estes Park GC 86-89–175
Michael Straud, Aurora Hills GC 89-87–176
Armando Torres, CommonGround GC 89-88–177
Bill Myers, Meadows GC 87-91–178
Alan Cooper, Wellshire GC 85-94–179
Bob Brown, Desert Hawk GC 111-92–203
Jon Burnett, River Valley Ranch GC 94-WD
Richard Langston, Broken Tee GC 91-WD
Wayne Klassen, Littleton GC 98-WD
 

When it was noted Tuesday that the turnout was great for the first CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play Championship, competitor Scott Crone couldn’t resist chiming in.

“We may be old, but we ain’t dead,” he said with a laugh.

Besides that, the 60-and-over set proved it can still play some tournament golf.

And no one made the case better than Jerry Kidney of Overland Golf Course. The 64-year-old retired fireman shot the only sub-par round on Tuesday at CommonGround Golf Course and rallied to win the inaugural Super-Senior Stroke Play Championship.

Kidney fired a 1-under-par 70 to finish at even-par 142, which was good for a three-stroke victory in the event limited to players 60 and older.

Though Kidney’s name will be the first engraved onto the tournament’s trophy, he felt like he just continued his run of success after being the super-senior division champion in 2010 and 2011 at the CGA Senior Stroke Play. But this year, the 60-and-overs commanded a championship until themselves.

Asked if it was special to be the first champion of the event, Kidney said, “I never thought of it that way. To me, I won last year and the year before also.”

Actually, the Littleton resident (pictured putting on No. 18 Tuesday) didn’t just win the super-senior division last year, he won the overall title in the 2011 CGA Senior Stroke Play. And he prevailed by six strokes, to boot.

Tuesday’s victory wasn’t quite so lopsided, but Kidney’s three-birdie, two-bogey day was enough for him to finish three clear of runner-up Harry Johnson of Eagle Ranch Golf Course. Johnson, who posted a 145 total after closing with a 72 on Tuesday, finished second in a CGA championship for the third time in the last year. He was also runner-up in the 2011 CGA Mid-Amateur and the 2012 CGA Senior Stroke Play.

“You just try,” said Johnson, who couldn’t overcome a balky putter at CommonGround. “There are some really good players here. Just to be in that company and have a shot at it is fabulous. I do expect some things, but that’s a good result.”

Roger Gunderson of CommonGround and Bob Cloud of Bear Creek Golf Club shared third place at 147 after matching final-round 75s.

Bob Sims of Black Bear Golf Club, who led after round 1 with a 67, struggled to an 82 Tuesday and tied for ninth place at 149.

In the 70-and-older division, 70-year-old Jim Collins of the Country Club at Castle Pines won by four strokes after carding a 3-over-par 74 Tuesday for a 145 total. Mark Barlau of Lakota Canyon Ranch Golf Club finished second after closing with a 73.

Competitors in the 70-and-over division played the course 277 yards shorter than their younger cohorts, but it was nonetheless impressive that Collins was under par through the first 28 holes of the tournament.

As for Kidney, he was just happy to get back on the right track after missing the cut in his title defense at the 2012 CGA Senior Stroke Play and shooting an 85 in the USGA Senior Amateur qualifying.

“I’ve been playing so bad it felt great to finally play well, though the last five holes I kind of fell apart (going 2 over par),” Kidney said. “The scores I’ve been turning in have been awful. I don’t know what happened. But I hit the ball just terrific today — I was 3 under and it seemed easy — until about the last five holes. It just got cold and windy I guess.”
 

CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play Championship
At Par-71 CommonGround GC in Aurora

60-AND-OVER DIVISION
Jerry Kidney, Overland Park GC 72-70–142
Harry Johnson, Eagle Ranch GC 73-72–145
Bob Cloud, Bear Creek GC 72-75–147
Roger Gunderson, CommonGround GC 72-75–147
Patrick Mooney, Colorado GC 72-76–148
Pete Perry, South Suburban GC 75-73–148
Robert Bulthaup, Valley CC 76-72–148
Terry Pettit, Collindale GC 73-75–148
Bob Sims, Black Bear GC 67-82–149
Jeffrey English, AvidGolfer Passport Club 76-73–149
John Vanderbloemen, Haymaker GC 70-79–149
Rod Walters, Indian Tree GC 76-73–149
Scott Crone, Pinehurst CC 74-75–149
Tim Daniel, Eaton CC 78-71–149
Tom Warren, CommonGround GC 74-75–149
Glenn Hyde, Riverdale GC 75-75–150
Jeffrey Wagner, Fox Hollow GC 72-78–150
Dan Grigsby, Riverdale GC 80-71–151
Randy Miller, Boulder CC 77-74–151
William Scott Peterson, Patty Jewett GC 74-77–151
Bill Weinman, Canongate Colorado 73-79–152
Chuck Fisher, Riverdale GC 78-74–152
Dan Birnley, Conquistador GC 76-76–152
Dave Roylance, CommonGround GC 75-77–152
John Sostmann, Columbine CC 79-73–152
Richard Griggs, Desert Hawk GC 78-74–152
Bob Rognmoe, Raccoon Creek GC 74-79–153
John Leamon, Littleton GC 73-80–153
Richard Barg, Aurora Hills GC 74-79–153
Michael Clark, Flatirons GC 79-75–154
Doug Jones, Tiara Rado GC 77-78–155
Frank Wilkinson, Lincoln Park GC 76-79–155
Tony Tormey, Inverness GC 79-76–155
Bruce Hayes, Heritage at Westmoor 79-77–156
Steven Hill, CommonGround GC 79-77–156
Ken Tai, Perry Park CC 75-82–157
Larry Pate, Fox Hollow GC 78-79–157
Art Pitman, Denver Amateur Golf Tour 78-80–158
Daniel Dymerski, Columbine CC 81-77–158
Terry Hymans, Canongate Colorado 82-76–158
Tom Keltner, Raven at Three Peaks 80-78–158
Charlie Ogren, Collindale GC 78-81–159
Gary Custer, Patty Jewett GC 81-79–160
Marc Sims, Eisenhower GC 83-77–160
Danny Wyrick, AvidGolfer Passport Club 78-83–161
Fred Blanchfield, Spring Valley GC 79-83–162
Styles Adamson, CommonGround GC 78-84–162
Gary Keogh, Columbine CC 84-79–163
John Livingston, AvidGolfer Passport Club 86-78–164
Chet Baker, The Meadows GC 80-85–165
Michael Straud, The GC at Heather Ridge 83-82–165
John Warkentin, Inverness GC 82-84–166
Nick Lusero, Walking Stick GC 83-83–166
Rich Trout, The Club at Rolling Hills 87-80–167
Bernie Mares, City Park GC 84-92–176
David Farabaugh, Broadlands GC 79-DQ

70-AND-OVER DIVISION
Jim Collins, The CC at Castle Pines 71-74–145
Mark Barlau, Lakota Canyon Ranch GC 76-73–149
John Litvay, Collegiate Peaks GC 74-77–151
Joe Morrill, Eagle Ranch GC 77-75–152
Dave Lawson, The Courses at Hyland Hills 77-77–154
Larry Hayes, The Courses at Hyland Hills 79-75–154
Frank Wagner, Coal Creek GC 77-78–155
John South, Fox Hill CC 79-76–155
Larry Brown, Lakewood CC 77-80–157
Bill Bogdanoff, South Suburban GC 77-81–158
Allen Phelon, South Suburban GC 85-74–159
Dick Schmaltz, Elmwood GC 81-78–159
Richard Langston, Broken Tee Englewood 81-78–159
David Gross, Flatirons GC 81-81–162
Jon Burnett, River Valley Ranch GC 81-84–165
Dave Shaub, Desert Hawk GC 85-84–169
Matt Quinn, Estes Park GC 89-84–173
Bob Brown, Desert Hawk GC 83-93–176
John Carroll, GC at Bear Dance 93-91–184
Isaiah Knott, Black Canyon GC 98-113–211
Jim Mcveigh, Patty Jewett GC 102-WD
John Golden, CommonGround GC 78-WD