A sellout crowd of 190 people attended the 45th annual Colorado Golf Hall of Fame induction and awards dinner, held Sunday night at Sanctuary in Sedalia.

Included was a veritable who’s who of Colorado golf, past and present. Among the many CGHOF inductees on hand were Judy Bell, the first female president of the USGA; and longtime PGA Tour players Dale Douglass, Dow Finsterwald and Mark Wiebe, who have combined to win 17 events on the PGA Tour, 16 more on PGA Tour Champions, one major championship and two senior majors.

Inducted on Sunday was M.J. Mastalir (pictured), a former CGA president and USGA Executive Committee member, while annual awards went to the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado (Distinguished Service), Rick Polmear (Lifetime Achievement) and Jennifer Kupcho (Golf Person of the Year).

In his speech, Mastalir noted a personal bond to golf that no doubt was shared by just about everyone in the room.

“The game has provided me with a multitude of fond memories, a heck of a lot of good stories and many good friends,” he said.

For a story on some of the accomplishments of Sunday’s honorees, CLICK HERE.

Tom Green, who just wrapped up a 15-year-plus run as an anchor of Channel 2’s “Daybreak” show, served as master of ceremonies on Sunday.

Below are some photos from Sunday’s festivities: from top, representatives of the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado; From left, Hall of Famers Maggie Giesenhagen, Tish Preuss, Joan Birkland and Judy Bell; Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Rick Polmear; and a look at Sunday’s setting at Sanctuary.

This summer, there’s an opportunity to both play a stellar golf course which isn’t easy to get on, and to help honor three of Colorado’s all-time golf greats.

The Colorado Golf Hall of Fame will hold its annual tournament on June 29 at a very popular, picturesque venue — Santuary Golf Course in Sedalia — with first-come, first-served registration opening on Friday (Feb. 10) at 9 a.m.

And following the round of golf, three of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame’s most notable inductees will be recognized — Judy Bell, Dale Douglass and Dow Finsterwald.

Bell was the first female president of the USGA. Douglass won three times on the PGA Tour and 11 on the PGA Tour Champions circuit, including the 1986 U.S. Senior Open. And Finsterwald claimed a dozen PGA Tour wins, with the 1958 PGA Championship being the most notable.

The Colorado Golf Hall of Fame tournament on June 29, which will feature a “shamble” format, will begin with an 11:30 a.m. shotgun start. The cost is $1,000 per foursome. To register for the event beginning Friday at 9 a.m., CLICK HERE.

The reception where Bell, Douglass and Finsterwald will be recognized will follow the golf.

Also this year, the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame will be holding its induction dinner on May 21, also at Sanctuary. Inducted that night will be M.J. Mastalir of Denver, with annual awards going to the new Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado, Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster, and Rick Polmear of Greenwood Village.

For more information on either the induction dinner or the golf tournament, contact CGHOF executive director Sammie Chergo at sammiechergo@gmail.com or 303-594-9159. To visit the CGHOF website, CLICK HERE.

That was apparent long before Wednesday, when Saint John’s Cathedral in Denver was at near capacity for the service for Nicholson, one of just three Coloradans to have served as a president of the USGA.

Nicholson, a former chairman of the Rules and Competitions Committees at the Masters and for the last 43 years a board member for the CGA, passed away on May 28 at the age of 87.

In the wake of Nicholson’s death, CBS’ Jim Nantz paid tribute to him during the network’s coverage of Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial tournament on Sunday.

And on Wednesday, a who’s who of golf from Colorado and beyond bid Nicholson a fond farewell. Among the hundreds who attended the service at Saint John’s Cathedral were Judy Bell, the Colorado Springs resident who was the first female president of the USGA; 1958 PGA Championship winner Dow Finsterwald; CBS Sports golf producer Lance Barrow; Fred Ridley, the former U.S. Amateur champion and USGA president who succeeded Nicholson as chairman of the Masters Competition and Rules Committees; executive directors of the CGA (Ed Mate) and the Colorado PGA (Eddie Ainsworth), George Solich, who originally funded the Colorado Golf Foundation for which Nicholson served as the first chairman; former USGA Executive Committeeman M.J. Mastalir; CGA president Joe McCleary; numerous members of both the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (along with its president and CEO, former CGA president Tom Lawrence) and the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.

The list could go on and on.

Obviously, there was no shortage of people upon whom Nicholson had an impact over his 87 years. It’s little wonder why he was honored as the Colorado golf Man of the Century last fall during the Century of Golf Gala at The Broadmoor.

As Ridley noted when he eulogized Nicholson on Wednesday, “When Will spoke, everyone listened.”

(Nicholson is pictured above, at left, in a USGA photo while at the 2015 USGA Annual Meeting.)

For an earlier story about Nicholson’s life, CLICK HERE.
 

As birthday bashes go, this was one to be remembered. It marked a major milestone, plenty of people were in attendance, and some of the biggest names in the history of Colorado women’s golf took part. And, for good measure, there were some oversized birthdays cards and, of course, a cake commemorating the occasion.

Such was the scene at the Inverness Hotel & Conference Center on Saturday as the CWGA kicked off its centennial celebration as the centerpiece of its annual meeting.

More than 230 people attended the event, with at least 125 clubs around the state represented. Those on hand included at least eight current or past presidents of the CWGA (pictured below, from left: Juliet Miner, Jan Ford, Robin Bartlett, Joanne Braucht, Kathryn Davis, Pat Kuntz, Joanie Ott and Mary Lee Browne), one Colorado Sports Hall of Famer (Joan Birkland), several Colorado Golf Hall of Famers (Birkland, Kim Eaton and Maggie Giesenhagen), and the first two CWGA executive directors (Giesenhagen and Robin Jervey). Also in attendance were leadership from the CGA, Colorado PGA and the Colorado Open Golf Foundation.

“It was so much fun,” said Miner, the current president of the CWGA, which serves about 17,000 members. “We were so happy to have everyone here. The best part was watching the past (CWGA) presidents sit together and talk about old times, even though many of them didn’t serve that long ago. And the people who couldn’t be here like Judy Bell and Lynn Zmistowski, they were in our videos, so that was so great. People were inspired by the presentation. I think everyone enjoyed reflecting” on the last 100 years.

That reflection took the form of a 10-minute video that was shown publicly for the first time at the annual meeting. Besides featuring some historical highlights of the CWGA and noting what the association does to fulfill its mission, the video included some thoughts by women who have played major leadership roles over the years. Most notable was World Golf Hall of Famer Judy Bell of Colorado Springs, the first female president of the USGA.

“The CWGA is one of the most respected women’s golf associations in the United States,” Bell noted. “Its reputation has grown over the years right along with its membership. In all my years with the USGA, I was always very proud of the Colorado Women’s Golf Association.

“Happy birthday, CWGA. I wish I was there to blow out the candles.”

One of the centerpieces of Saturday’s centennial celebration was honoring key volunteers, outstanding players and other exceptionally “valued friends”. Receiving the highest awards were Lynn Zmistowski (volunteer of the century), Carol Flenniken (golfer of the century), and Bell, Giesenhagen and Jervey (centennial honorees). (Jervey and Giesenhagen are pictured at left.)

Zmistowski has served more than 30 years on the Course Rating Committee and in 2009 she received the USGA’s Ike Grainger Award for more than 25 years of volunteer work on USGA committees. “Lynn Z”, as she is known, represented Colorado on the USGA Handicap Procedure Committee for 25 years. She was the first captain of the Colorado’s Girls Junior Americas Cup teams, serving in that capacity in the late 1970s and early ’80s. In addition, she’s been an outstanding player, having captured five major individual CWGA championships. She’s been inducted into both the Colorado and Minnesota Golf Halls of Fame.

Flenniken has won more major CWGA individual championships than anyone (15), with eight Stroke Plays, four Match Plays and three Senior Stroke Plays. Before becoming a mainstay in Colorado, she won the 1960 U.S. Girls’ Junior, the 1962 Women’s Western Amateur and the 1964 British Ladies Amateur.

“Thank you to the CWGA for this great honor,” Flenniken said via messenger to annual meeting attendees. “Golfer of the Century, Wow!. … I have fond members of playing in CWGA championships over the years and I cherish the many friendships I have made along the way.”

Bell was the first female president in the history of the USGA (1996-97), was selected the Colorado golf Woman of the Century, and has been inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame and the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame. She competed in 38 USGA championships and shot a then-record 67 in the 1964 U.S. Women’s Open. She both played on and captained U.S. Curtis Cup teams. And in June, Bell will receive the USGA’s highest honor, the Bob Jones Award.

Giesenhagen served as the first executive director of the CWGA (1988-92) before spending 19 years working for the USGA. A U.S. Girls’ Junior runner-up and the 1965 Big Ten champion, she played in three U.S. Women’s Opens and nine U.S. Women’s Amateurs and claimed the 1974 CWGA Match Play title. She was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.

“I had the pleasure of following the incomparable Maggie Giesenhagen (as CWGA executive director),” Jervey said. “She was an outstanding golfer, a pioneer for women’s golf. She was a Rules expert and basically phenomenal at everything she did. I just want to commend Maggie for the influence she had on golf in the state — and for what everyone around the country tried to copy.”

Jervey was the executive director of the CWGA for 22 years (1992-2014), was a rules official at the Masters, U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Senior Open and other USGA national championships, and served as president of the International Association of Golf Administrators before taking a job as director of event management for JBC Golf — and the Legends Tour, the 45-and-over LPGA senior circuit. Jervey, who served on the USGA Rules of Golf Committee, received the 2015 Distinguished Service Award from the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.

“The CWGA has been a fabulous organization and Robin took it to new heights,” Giesenhagen said. “She came in at the right time for the CWGA. She took the CWGA right into the 21st century.”

In addition to Zmistowski, the CWGA recognized longtime stellar volunteers (pictured above, from left) Jan Ford, Georgene McConagle, Juna Orr, Jan Fincher, Ouida Neil, Karla Harding and Braucht. Volunteer honorees not pictured are Joan Scholes, Sally Lou Schultz and Zmistowski.

Besides Flenniken, outstanding players who were honored Saturday included Eaton, Lynn Larson, Birkland, Marcia Bailey, Phyllis Buchanan, Zmistowski, Janet Moore and Sally Hardwick. (Pictured at left are, from left, Birkland, Eaton and Larson.)

All in all, the centennial event “was very impressive,” Jervey said. “It was a great celebration. I loved the video they put together. It was nice to hear from people who are still involved and those who have been involved in the past.”

Jervey, who oversaw 23 annual meetings in her time as executive director, admitted it was an unusual feeling to return to the event. It was the same for the former CWGA staffers and interns who were on hand Saturday: (pictured with Jervey from left, Dawn McConkey, Ginger Washco, Kim Schwartz, former USGA P.J. Boatwright intern Bridget Coulton, Jennifer Cassell and Edie Bell.)

“I was telling the (old) staff, ‘Did you guys have deja vu on your drive into Inverness this morning?'” Jervey said. “I’m not wearing a (CWGA) blazer and I didn’t have to be here in the dark setting up, so that part was nice. But it definitely felt like old times.”

The annual meeting was the first of three events during the year in which the CWGA will celebrate its centennial. Others will come during the CWGA Stroke Play at Denver Country Club in early August, and a centennial celebration tournament Sept. 21 at Hiwan Golf Club.

Handing Out Accolades: In addition to its centennial activities, the CWGA on Saturday gave out several annual awards.

The volunteer of the year honors went to CWGA board members Phyllis Jensen and Nancy Wilson, who are heading up the association’s centennial-year activities this year. (The two are pictured at left.)

The previously announced CWGA players of the year for 2015 were Jennifer Kupcho (Player of the Year), Kim Eaton (Senior Player of the Year) and Mary Weinstein (Junior Player of the Year). For more on their accomplishments last year, CLICK HERE.

Receiving the President’s Award on Saturday was Chad Leverenz, who’s played a key informaton technology role as the CWGA set up its new offices at the end of 2014 and beginning of 2015.

Also, the CWGA noted the contributions of retiring board of director members Joanie Ott, Patricia Latta and Patrish Bergamo.

In addition, the association recognized the Raccoon Creek Golf Course’s women’s nine-hole group for selling more than $1,000 worth of Evans Scholars bag tags, helping caddies receive college scholarships. That amount was the highest for any women’s golf club in Colorado. Overall, CWGA clubs raised in excess of $4,000 for the Evans Scholars in 2015, almost $1,000 more than in 2014. Among the Evans Scholar chapter houses is one at the University of Colorado.

Auction Raises $7,171 for LPGA*USGA Girls Golf: The silent auction that was held in conjunction with the CWGA annual meeting on Saturday raised $7,171 for LPGA*USGA Girls Golf. That total was about $1,000 more than at the same event last year.

Let the celebration begin.

On Saturday, just two weeks before the official 100th birthday of the CWGA, the association will throw a wingding commemorating the occasion.

It will be part of a meeting — the CWGA annual meeting, to be precise — which is appropriate because it all started with a meeting, the one that took place on March 14, 1916 that formed the CWGA.

At Saturday’s event at the Inverness Hotel & Conference Center in Englewood, the association will kick off its centennial year with a celebration that will draw many of the most influential figures in the history of the CWGA.

Though association officials want to leave some suspense for Saturday’s festivities, among those expected to be on hand are a Colorado Sports Hall of Famer, seven Colorado Golf Hall of Famers, at least seven past presidents of the CWGA and numerous prominent past staffers. And though World Golf Hall of Famer Judy Bell of Colorado Springs won’t be able to attend due to a recent injury, the former USGA president sent a videotaped message.

“We see this as a very big event,” CWGA acting executive director Laura Robinson said this week. “It’s a great opportunity to celebrate our history, introduce our history to new members attending, and look forward to the next 100 years.”

Also expected to attend are leaders of other major golf organizations in the state, including president Joe McCleary from the CGA, president Leslie Core-Drevecky and executive director Eddie Ainsworth from the Colorado PGA, along with representatives of the Colorado Open Golf Foundation and the LPGA.

“This shows we not only have history, but we have a history of working with partners” within the Colorado golf community, Robinson said. “It’s special that we share this with them.”

In all, the CWGA expects about 230 people on Saturday, with about 120 clubs represented.

During the centennial celebration portion of the annual meeting, a 10-minute video history of the CWGA will be shown publicly for the first time. “It was humbling and touching,” Robinson said of previewing part of the video.

And three groups of outstanding people will be recognized: 10 exceptional volunteers, nine outstanding players who have won at least five major individual CWGA championships, and three especially valued friends of the association.

A “Volunteer of the Century” and “Golfer of the Century” will be singled out.

Also at the annual meeting, three items of CWGA centennial memorabilia will be available for purchase — a ball marker, bag tag and water bottle, all featuring the association’s centennial logo.

A silent auction will be held in conjunction with the annual meeting, with proceeds benefiting LPGA*USGA Girls Golf. Among the more than 50 items that will be up for auction will be an autographed photo of Bronco DeMarcus Ware, a Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado hat autographed by former LPGA standout and current CBS on-course reporter Dottie Pepper (left), a puck from the Colorado Avalanche, and plenty of rounds of golf at Colorado courses.

In addition, the CWGA is inviting people to sign up for its Centennial Club, which will raise fund for the association’s centennial events. In addition to what will take place on Saturday, that will include a celebration during the CWGA Stroke Play at Denver Country Club in early August, and a centennial celebration tournament Sept. 21 at Hiwan Golf Club.

Though the centennial celebration and related activities are a big draw for Saturday’s annual meeting, there are also some things on the agenda that take place every year at this event. Most notably, there’s a business meeting and several breakout sessions planned, including on the Rules of Golf (Karla Harding, Jan Fincher, Sandy Schnitzer), an update on GHIN/Handicapping (Gerry Brown), Test Your Golf Knowledge and Play the Rules Game (Jennifer Lorimor), a Club Presidents Roundtable (Kathy Malpass), and Acupuncture for Golfers.

With just a few days left in the year, it’s almost time to turn the calendar page to 2016. But before we move on, it’s worthwhile to reflect on the top stories of 2015 in Colorado golf. This marks our seventh consecutive year of compiling the rankings, and for suspense sake, we like to go in reverse order, from 25 to 1, then note the honorable-mention selections.

And away we go …:

25. Delich’s Third CGA Senior Match Play Title: David Delich of Colorado Springs became the sixth golfer to win the CGA Senior Match Play at least three times. Full story: CLICK HERE. But that was hardly the former hockey standout’s only significant golf accomplishment in 2015. Delich also qualified for the U.S. Senior Open and U.S. Mid-Amateur, won the senior division of the Charlie Coe Invitational (with Ben Hargis) and earned CGA Senior Player of the Year honors for the second time.

24. Another Honor for Bell: Part-time Colorado Springs resident Judy Bell, the first female president of the USGA, accepted an honorary membership at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St. Andrews in Scotland, becoming one of the first female members at the historic club. Full story: CLICK HERE.

23. Eaton ‘Unretires’ from CWGA Play, But Falls Short of Another Win: Almost two years after “retiring” from CWGA championship play after accumulating the second-most titles in CWGA history, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton decided to return to action in an association championship in 2015. But after winning the CWGA Senior Stroke Play each of the first four times she competed in the event, Eaton had to settle for runner-up this year, as Jill Gaschler prevailed by two for the title. Full story: CLICK HERE.

22. Bertsch Wins Web.com Event, Regains PGA Tour Card: Shane Bertsch of Parker notched his third career victory on the Web.com Tour — and first in a decade — when the 45-year-old prevailed in the Rust-Oleum Championship in Westlake, Ohio. That helped Bertsch finish high enough on the season-long money list to regain his PGA Tour card for the first time since 2012. Full story: CLICK HERE.

21. Coloradans Shine at Junior America’s Cup: The CGA has been fielding teams in the Junior America’s Cup annually since 1975, and this year the Coloradans matched their best finish ever in the event that features representatives from the western U.S., Canada and Mexico. The CGA placed third in the 18-team field in Flagstaff, Ariz. The Coloradans also were third in 2011 at Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen. Full story: CLICK HERE.

20. Craig Stadler, Finke to be Inducted: Former Masters champion Craig Stadler, a resident of Colorado for more than two decades, and Ann Finke of Colorado Springs, the first female member of the Colorado PGA and a national leader in junior golf, were voted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame. Stadler, an Evergreen resident since 2003 and a Coloradan since 1994, has won 13 times on the PGA Tour, including the 1982 Masters, plus nine times on the Champions Tour, along with the 1973 U.S. Amateur. Finke has been a fixture on the Colorado golf scene for three decades. During that time — all spent at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs, where she’s now director of instruction — she’s given about 38,000 lessons, more than 40 percent of those to juniors. Full story: CLICK HERE.

19. Moores Go Back-to-Back in USGA Qualifying: Janet Moore earned medalist honors for the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur qualifying the day after husband — and fellow Colorado Golf Hall of Famer — Kent Moore was medalist in U.S. Senior Amateur qualifying. And one day after the back-to-back feat, the Moores hosted a kickoff event leading up to the Century of Golf Gala, for which they served as honorary chairs. Full story: CLICK HERE.

18. Recent Skull Fracture Doesn’t Stop Saunders: Sam Saunders of Fort Collins finished tied for fourth in the Web.com Tour’s Hotel Fitness Championship for the second straight year, but that hardly was the most remarkable thing about his performance. No, it was the fact that Saunders played that well just weeks after suffering a fractured skull and an epidural hematoma in falling while riding an electric scooter in late August. He spent two nights in intensive care. Full story: CLICK HERE. Earlier in the year, Saunders posted his best finish ever on the PGA Tour, placing second after a playoff in the Puerto Rico Open. 

17. Nosewicz, 31, Oldest Winner of CGA Match Play Since ’90s: Most winners of the CGA Match Play in recent years have been college-aged. But 31-year-old Nick Nosewicz prevailed in the 115th Match Play this year, becoming the event’s oldest champion since 1994. Full story:  CLICK HERE.

16. Weinstein Makes History: Mary Weinstein of Highlands Ranch recorded the best finish ever by a Coloradan in the girls 15-17 age division of the prestigious IMG Academy Junior World Golf Championships in San Diego, placing 15th. Full story: CLICK HERE. Also in 2015, Weinstein won the CWGA Junior Stroke Play and the CJGA Junior Series Chamionship. 

15. Broken Tee Earns National Player Development Award: Broken Tee Golf Course in Englewood received a prestigious national honor, earning the 2015 Player Development Award from the National Golf Course Owners Association. The award is given to “a course which has implemented a true and tested player development program, providing effective return-on-investment and an overall welcoming atmosphere for new golfers of all ages.” Full story: CLICK HERE.

14. Record-Tying Round at Inaugural AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior: Reese Ramsey of Austin, Texas not only set a course record at CommonGround but he tied the low round in the 37-year history of the AJGA with a 10-under-par 61 that vaulted the 16-year-old to victory in the inaugural AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior. Full story: CLICK HERE. Earlier in the event, competitors made three holes-in-one in a single day. And three-time U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin held a clinic on the eve of the tournament, just days before his 70th birthday.

13. Oraee Makes Round of 16 at U.S. Amateur, Earns CGA Player of Year Award: Former University of Colorado golfer David Oraee put together a memorable U.S. Amateur, finishing second out of 312 players in the stroke-play portion of the event. Then he advanced to the round of 16 in match play before losing to Paul Dunne of Ireland, who made many headlines over the summer for sharing the British Open lead after three rounds. Also in 2015, Oraee became the first CU player since 2008 to compete in the NCAA men’s finals, and he went on to capture the CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year Award. Full story: CLICK HERE.

12. Fossil Trace’s Hajek Adds to Colorado PGA’s National Award Winners: The Colorado PGA and its members have made it a very pleasant habit in recent years to earn PGA of America national awards, and 2015 was no exception. Jim Hajek, the PGA head professional at Fossil Trace Golf Club in Golden, was named national Public Merchandiser of the Year. Hajek became the eighth Colorado PGA national honoree in the last nine years. Full story: CLICK HERE.

11. Littleton’s Leibold Wins National USGA-AJGA Presidents’ Leadership Award: Nick Leibold of Littleton earned a prestigious national honor for leadership, being named the male recipient of the 2015 USGA-AJGA Presidents’ Leadership Award. The award was created to recognize one male and one female junior golfer who demonstrate leadership, character and community service through their involvement with the Leadership Links program, a joint initiative founded by the USGA and AJGA to further develop junior golfers through volunteerism. Full story: CLICK HERE.

10. Jobe Wins Champions Tour Q-School Finals: Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Jobe, who turned 50 on Aug. 1, will go into his rookie season on the Champions Tour in style after winning the Q-school tournament outright. It was a big shot in the arm for Jobe, who has had limited status in recent seasons and has competed in just six PGA Tour events in the last two years. Full story: CLICK HERE.

9. CoBank Takes Over Title Sponsorships of Colo. Open Championships: After a dozen years of being known as the HealthOne Colorado Open, the venerable tournament will undergo a name change as the third title sponsor in the history of the event comes on board. After the conclusion of the 51st Open and with Denver mayor Michael Hancock on hand, tournament officials announced that Greenwood Village-based CoBank has signed a five-year agreement to become title sponsor of the Colorado Open, Colorado Women’s Open and Colorado Senior Open. Full story: CLICK HERE. The final HealthOne Colorado Open saw Jimmy Gunn make two eagles in the final seven holes to overcome 2013 champion Zahkai Brown. Gunn went on to earn his Web.com Tour card for 2016, while Brown landed conditional status.

8. 100th CWGA Match Play is One for the Books: The CWGA Match Play Championship was contested for the 100th time, with current social media phenom Paige Spiranac (left) edging Brittany Fan for the title. In the 35-hole final, the two players combined to make 22 birdies and were 15 under par. Full story: CLICK HERE.

7. Kupcho Blows Away Field in CWGA Stroke Play: Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster continues to amaze with her periodic dominance of tournaments in Colorado. Particularly eye-catching in 2015 was her 21-shot victory in the CWGA Stroke Play Championship, making it one of the largest — if not the largest — margin of victory in an event which dates back to 1948. The 18-year-old was 16 under par for three rounds. Also this season en route to repeating as CWGA Player of the Year, Kupcho won her second straight 4A state high school title, placed third in the Big “I” National Championship, made it to the final 16 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur before falling to eventual champion Hannah O’Sullivan, and posted three top-10 finishes in the fall as a freshman at Wake Forest. Kupcho currently sits 70th in the women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings. Full story: CLICK HERE.

6. Trifecta for Rohrbaugh: Not only did Doug Rohrbaugh match a record by winning his third consecutive Colorado PGA Professional Championship, but he continued to break the standard he’s previously set by claiming the title at unprecedented ages (53 in this case). Full story: CLICK HERE. Besides Rohrbaugh’s accomplishments in Colorado, the Carbondale resident competed in six events on the Champions Tour, placing as high as 15th.

5. Two More National Championships Set for Colorado: Colorado was awarded not one but two USGA championships in the final several months of 2015, marking the 32nd and 33rd USGA national championships to be set for the Centennial State. The association announced that the 2018 U.S. Senior Open will be held at The Broadmoor the same year the Colorado Springs resort turns 100 years old. Full story: CLICK HERE. Then the next year, Colorado Golf Club will host the U.S. Mid-Amateur, with CommonGround Golf Course serving as the second stroke-play course. Full story: CLICK HERE.

4. Colorado Golf Greats Pass Away: There’s no getting away from the passage of time, but far more than the usual number of people who have made an indelible mark in Colorado golf passed away during the course of the year. A partial list includes Colorado Golf Hall of Famers Warren Smith (a national PGA Golf Professional Hall of Famer), Jim Bailey (a life member of the PGA of America) and Jay Morrish (a renowned golf course architect). Also passing were former CGA president Bill Waggener, highly-regarded performance coach and psychologist Denise McGuire, longtime Colorado PGA professional Marv Mazone, and respected and well-liked volunteer rules official Joe Salvo, to whom the CGA dedicated its championship season. Suffice it to say the Colorado golf community is poorer for their passing.

3. CGA, Colorado PGA Join Forces for Junior Golf: When the executive directors and the staffs from the CGA and the Colorado Section PGA met in October 2014 to determine what programs it made the most sense to team up on, junior golf ended up major priority No. 1. A year later — after plenty of brainstorming, meetings and work on all sides — the seeds bore fruit as it was announced that the CGA and Colorado PGA are joining forces in a major effort to bolster junior golf in the state. Included will be a Junior Tour, including four junior major championships, and a developmental Junior Series. Another aspect of the collaboration will be the creation of a website that acts as a clearinghouse for all things junior golf-related in Colorado, including but not limited to registration for Junior Tour and Junior Series events; the PGA Junior League; the Colorado PGA Golf in Schools program, which exposes school kids to the game through P.E. classes; the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy; and the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship. Full story: CLICK HERE.

For the 2016 junior tour schedule, CLICK HERE.

2. Colorado Golf People of the Century Honored: As part of the Century of Golf festivities that marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CGA, six Colorado golf People of the Century were named and then honored at the Century of Golf Gala held last month at The Broadmoor. The honorees were:

Man of the Century — Will Nicholson Jr.
Woman of the Century — Judy Bell
Golf Professional of the Century — Charles “Vic” Kline
Superintendent of the Century — Dennis Lyon
Male Player of the Century — Hale Irwin
Female Player of the Century — Barbara McIntire

“This is one of those moments where you need to take it all in — to be able to say, ‘I was in the room when these people were honored.'” noted CGA executive director Ed Mate. “I mean, they’re legends of golf in Colorado. Of all the things we could have done to celebrate 100 years, I think this may be the most important, honoring these six people.” Full story: CLICK HERE.

1. Century of Golf Gala Draws 1,250 People, Raises $380,000: Choosing the Colorado golf story of the year was pretty much a no-brainer in 2015. After all, how many times do you have an event that attracts 1,250 people including a who’s who of Colorado golf, have Jack Nicklaus as a featured guest, honor six People of the Century, and raise $380,000 for the Colorado Golf Foundation — and its mission of youth development through golf — in the process? The Gala at The Broadmoor was the culmination of a year of initiatives and events built around the 100th anniversary of the CGA’s founding. “We made the most of the centennial,” Mate noted. The Gala was “the biggest golf gathering of our time. We raised a ton of money. We launched an exciting relationship with the PGA. It’s a home run. I look back on this as a special year. It’ll be a tough act to follow.” Full story: CLICK HERE. (Pictured at top are Nicklaus and Mate chatting on the 18th green of the East Course at The Broadmoor, where Nicklaus defeated Charlie Coe to win the 1959 U.S. Amateur)

Honorable Mention:

— Fort Collins HS Golfers Finish 1-2 in 5A State Meet in Their Hometown

— Welch Becomes First Player to Win All Age Divisions of Jr. Series Championship

— Former CU Golfer Talley Earns Ladies European Tour Card

— Keating, Trujillo, Chin Earn Spots in Drive, Chip & Putt Finals at Augusta

— DU’s Korte Fires 65, Overcomes 4-Shot Deficit to Win CGA Stroke Play

— Chitkoksoong, 14, Becomes One of Youngest Winners of CWGA Jr. Match Play

— Bruckner Becomes First Two-Time Winner of Colorado Senior Open

— Strauss, Medalist at U.S. Women’s Open Qualifier, Goes On to Earn LPGA Tour Card

— At Boulder CC, CU Posts Best Pac-12 Finish Ever (5th), Beats Nation’s No. 1 Team

— Keffer Finishes Off Threepeat at Colorado PGA Assistants Championships

— CU’s Edwards Named One of Nation’s Top 20 Men’s College Coaches in Survey

— CSU-Pueblo’s Kim Finishes 12th in NCAA Div. II Women’s Finals

— Former DU Golfers Kempter, Sue Kim Earn Symetra Tour Victories
Kempter: CLICK HERE.
Kim: CLICK HERE.

— Coloradan Hannah Wood Notches Individual Win as College Freshman

— Flatirons GC’s Brown Ties for Senior Title at National Superintendents Tourney

— Denver-Area Resident Duval Becoming Analyst for Golf Channel

— Langston Departing State After 23 Years as Highly-Regarded Rules Official

About 1,250 people attended the festivities, which were a culmination of a year of activities and initiatives held in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Colorado Golf Association.

The Gala featured a fireside chat with Jack Nicklaus and the honoring of six Colorado golf People of the Century:

Man of the Century — Will Nicholson Jr.

Woman of the Century — Judy Bell

Male Player of the Century — Hale Irwin

Female Player of the Century — Barbara McIntire

Golf Professional of the Century — Charles “Vic” Kline

Superintendent of the Century — Dennis Lyon

The Colorado Golf Foundation, which was founded three years ago, benefits youth player development, caddie programs, community partnerships, and college scholarships.

For links to Gala-related information:

— Article on the Gala: CLICK HERE

— YouTube: Nicklaus Reflects on Career in Colorado at The Broadmoor: CLICK HERE

— Photos for Download: CLICK HERE