The way Guy and Nick Mertz started Sunday’s final round, it didn’t look particularly promising for the duo from The Fox Hill Club to win the 36th CGA Parent/Child Championship.
But after being 3 over par through their first four holes at Keystone Ranch Golf Course, the Mertzes righted the ship in a hurry, and a stellar finishing stretch in the alternate-shot format used on Sunday netted them the title by a wide margin.
The Mertzes (left) played their final eight holes in 3 under par to shoot an even-par 72, making them one of just two teams to post a score under 76 in foursomes stroke play on Sunday. They finished with a 2-under-par 141 total, good for a four-stroke victory.
“We’ve been trying to win this one so it’s pretty special,” said Guy Mertz, who now owns four CGA titles, including the 1988 Public Links and the 2010 Senior Match Play. “We’ve come close a couple of times a while back when Nick was playing more golf (finishing third in 2009 and fifth in 2006). So this was pretty unexpected. Nick hasn’t been playing as much, being a working man now. But I’d put this up there with any of the wins I’ve ever had, maybe above them all. When you win with your son it means more than just winning by yourself.”
The Mertzes went into the final day three strokes out of the top spot, but outscored Matt Porter of Pueblo Country Club and Grant Porter of CommonGround Golf Course, who led after the Day 1 modified Chapman format for the second consecutive year.
This time, the Porters carded a second-round 79 to tie for second place at 2-over 145. Also at that figure were Garrett and Scot Mortimer of Colorado National Golf Club, who had the best round on Sunday, a 71.
Four-time champions Gary and Alex Kephart finished fourth as a 78 on Sunday left them at 146.
In the net division, Bill and Steele Luoma, who led by six after round 1, held on to earn a three-stroke victory. They posted a 1-over 73 on Sunday to check in at 130. Tying for second at 133 were the Mortimers, and Russell Roehrkasse of Colorado Springs Country Club and Christopher Roehrkasse of Meridian Golf Club. The Mortimers netted a 65 on Sunday and the Roehrkasses a 70.
Another Luoma team — former University of Colorado golfer John and son Chase — landed the Loel & Caleb Lierman Award, which is given to to the team that includes a player 18 or younger with the lowest 36-hole gross score. John and Chase Luoma (left) had a total of 161 (77-84), placing 24th overall.
Meanwhile, Nick (short for Nicklaus) and Guy Mertz finished Sunday with five birdies and five bogeys.
While Guy Mertz still plays a lot of golf — the 59-year-old from Longmont finished 41st Friday in the CoBank Colorado Senior Open and he and Tony Workman were runners-up in a playoff in the CGA Senior Four-Ball last month — son Nick doesn’t get on the course much anymore. That’s especially the case since the birth of his first child, daughter Remington, four months ago.
“Whenever Nick was getting worried about a shot or whatever, I’d tell him, ‘You know, Remington is not going to care if you hit a bad shot. Don’t worry about it,'” Guy said.
And the result was the biggest win of Nick’s career. And it came after he and his dad had teamed up a dozen times or more for this event, but never before for a victory.
“This is definitely my biggest accomplishment in golf,” the 28-year-old from Broomfield said. “I was a good golfer growing up in high school and into college and I’d play all the time. I had a couple of CJGA wins growing up.
“Back then (in this event), we probably put too much pressure on ourselves, thinking that we were going to go out and win it. I play golf maybe once or twice a month at most now. We were able to go out there and try to have a good time and not even think we were going to win. I think that helped us play better than we’ve done in the past.”
Indeed, even with their strong finish, Nick Mertz didn’t believe his team was going to win on Sunday. And though Guy felt they had a chance after Nick pitched to 1 foot for a birdie Guy converted on their 18th hole Sunday, dad thought that the odds were against them.
“Our expectations were really lowered the last couple of years because Nick hasn’t been playing as much,” Guy Mertz said. “And there are some pretty good players — the Nosewiczes (Nick and Lenny) and the Porters and the Kepharts are always tough to beat and they seem to win most of the time.”
But starting on hole 12 — the Mertzes began on No. 2 — things started to go their way. Nick made an 8-foot birdie on 12, Guy sank an 18-foot birdie on 13, and Guy holed a 20-footer for par on 16, in addition to their final-hole birdie on No. 1.
And shortly thereafter, after all the scores had been posted, the Mertzes had that trophy that had long eluded them.
“It’s a great tournament because they have it at such cool sites,” Guy Mertz said. “We look forward to it every year because it gives us a chance to get together, especially now that he’s a dad and has less time. This is always penciled into the schedule.”
]]>ҬӬThe golfer from Walnut Creek Golf Preserve won the championship in 2014 at River Valley Ranch Golf Club in Carbondale. And on Sunday, the next time the Mid-Am was held in the high country, the Golden resident struck, well, gold again.Ӭ
ҬIn what became a two-man battle for the title, Thayer birdied the 18th hole at Keystone Ranch Golf Course to win the championship by one stroke over second-round leader Shawn Sutton of Elmwood Golf Course in Pueblo.
“¨”¨Thayer, 37, shot subpar rounds three consecutive days — including a 2-under-par 70 on Sunday — to become the sixth person to win the CGA Mid-Am at least twice. Also in that club are Rick DeWitt (seven wins), Keith Humerickhouse (four), Jon Lindstrom (three), Steve Irwin (two) and Rick Garber (two).
“It feels really good” to win for a second time, Thayer said. “I played the first two rounds with Keith and Jon. It’s pretty fun when they’re announcing from the first tee and Keith has won it four times and Jon has won it three times. I’d only won it once. It’s pretty special to now be in a multiple-winner category with those guys. They’re incredibly great players. I’m honored to join them.”
ҬThayer, who was runner-up to Lindstrom the last two years, finished at 5-under-par 211 for 54 holes. Sutton, a three-time Pueblo city golf champion, closed with a 73 to check in at 212.Ӭ
“¨After a final round that included two lightning delays totaling about two hours — Thayer and Sutton were on the eighth hole in both cases — they were tied going into the final hole after Sutton birdied Nos. 16 and 17 and Thayer bogeyed the 17th for a three-shot swing on those two holes. But Thayer’s birdie on the par-5 18th settled the matter without a playoff.
After both players hit tee shots into the middle of the fairway on No. 18, Sutton layed up, while Thayer hit a hybrid from 227 yards to about 50 feet from the cup. Sutton pitched his third to about 20 feet. After Thayer ran his ball over the lip with his eagle putt and was left with a 1-foot birdie, Sutton likewise just missed, giving Thayer the victory.
“I had a pretty difficult putt from 50 feet, but I knew if I could lag it up there close, then he’d have to make a 20-footer from the fringe to (force a playoff), so I liked my chances there,” Thayer said. “I hit probably one of my best lag putts I’ve ever hit. I picked the line perfectly and it burned the edge and went a foot past. I thought I had made it.
“He also burned the edge. It looked really good the whole way but didn’t drop for him. He hit a great putt.”
“¨Lakewood Country Club’s Lindstrom, the two-time defending champion, tied for third place at 218 with Ryan Axlund of Valley Country Club, who recently qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur, and Scott Crawford of Murphy Creek Golf Course. Axlund closed with a 73, Crawford a 74 and Lindstrom a 76.”¨ Axlund has now gone fourth-fourth-third in the last three Mid-Ams, while Lindstrom has gone first-first-third.
ҬPete Mangold of Columbine Country Club, another qualifier for the 2017 U.S. Mid-Am, and Jeff Chapman of Inverness Golf Club shared sixth place at 219.
Thayer, who came into the round trailing by two, played his front nine in a bogey-free 3-under 33 in conditions that included rain and wind. But he bogeyed thee straight starting on No. 10 before rebounding with a couple of birdies in the middle of the back nine. For the day, he carded six birdies and four bogeys.
In the end, the 70 produced Thayer’s second Mid-Am title in four years, with two runner-up finishes sandwiched in between.
“These two titles mean a lot to me, especially coming in the second half of my golf career,” said Thayer, a former Northwestern golfer who won a Virginia state junior title when he was 17. “To try to continue to play at a high level at my age is something I enjoy doing. So it means a lot.”
ҬӬThe Mid-Amateur is limited to players 25 and older.
For final scores from the Mid-Am, CLICK HERE.
]]>Sutton, a three-time Pueblo city golf champion, made three birdies on Saturday to tie Alex Kephart of Patty Jewett Golf Course for best round of the day. That left Sutton at 5-under-par 139 going into Sunday’s final round.
Chris Thayer of Walnut Creek Golf Preserve, winner of the Mid-Am the last time it was held in western Colorado (2014 at River Valley Ranch Golf Club in Carbondale), stands in second place at 141 after a 71 on Saturday. Thayer had an eventful round 2, making seven birdies, three bogeys and a triple bogey.
Jon Lindstrom of Lakewood Country Club, winner of the last two Mid-Amateurs and three overall, dropped into third place on Saturday and trails Sutton by three after a second-round 73. Lindstrom made two straight birdies in the middle of his round, but also chalked up a double bogey and a bogey, leaving the Broomfield resident at 142.
Nick Nosewicz of Meadow Hills Golf Course, winner of the 2015 CGA Match Play, shares fourth place at 144 with Scott Crawford of Murphy Creek Golf Course. Nosewicz made six birdies and shot a 71 on Saturday, while Crawford had a 73.
The field was cut to the low 40 players and ties — 44 in all — after Saturday’s second round. One player who rallied to play on Sunday was four-time champion Keith Humerickhouse of Glenwood Springs Golf Club, who followed up an 80 with a 71, making an eagle and two birdies on Saturday.
The Mid-Amateur is limited to players 25 and older.
For scores from the Mid-Am, CLICK HERE.
]]>Lindstrom, who’s won the Mid-Am in 2008, ’15 and ’16, birdied his final two holes and finished with five birdies and two bogeys on the day.
Should the Broomfield resident win on Sunday, he’d join Keith Humerickhouse (2010-13) and Rick DeWitt (1999-2002) as a winner of this event at least three straight years.
Five players share second second place at 70, including 2014 champion Chris Thayer of Walnut Creek Golf Preserve, the 2015 and ’16 CGA Mid-Amateur Player of the Year who carded three birdies on Friday. Also at 70 at Pete Mangold of Columbine Country Club, who recently qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur (as did Lindstrom), 2016 CGA Senior Player of the Year Robin Bradbury of Walnut Creek, Michael Slutzky of Cherry Hills Country Club and Shawn Sutton of Elmwood Golf Course. Slutzky eagled the 527-yard first hole on Friday and played the par-5s in 4 under par.
Among those at 71 are Robert Polk of Colorado Golf Club, the 2007 Mid-Am champion.
The 84-man field will be cut to the low 40 players and ties after Saturday’s second round. Among those who will have to rally to stick around for Sunday’s final round is Humerickhouse, who needed to birdie his final two holes on Friday to shoot 80.
The Mid-Amateur is limited to players 25 and older.
For scores from the Mid-Am, CLICK HERE.
]]>When the Mid-Am — which is limited to players 25 and older — is held Friday through Sunday (Sept. 8-10) at Keystone Ranch Golf Course, it will mark the 13th time in the 31 years of the event that it’s been hosted by a course in the high country.
Just since 2011, the CGA Mid-Am has been contested at Red Sky Golf Club in Wolcott (2011), Eagle Ranch Golf Club in Eagle (2012), River Valley Ranch Golf Club in Carbondale (2014) and now Keystone Ranch (pictured) for the first time.
A total of 84 players are scheduled to tee it up this weekend, with that field cut to the top 40 players and ties after two rounds of the 54-hole event. The field includes the winners of each of the last 10 Mid-Ams.
Jon Lindstrom of Lakewood Country Club will aim for his third consecutive championship and fourth overall, having won his first title in 2008. Keith Humerickhouse of Glenwood Springs Golf Club won four straight Mid-Ams from 2010-13. Other winners from the past decade participating again this year are Chris Thayer of Walnut Creek Golf Preserve (2014), 2014 CGA Player of the Year Michael Harrington of Garden of the Gods Club (2009) and Robert Polk of Colorado Golf Club (2007).
Other former champions entered are Steve Irwin of Lakewood CC (2003 and ’05) and Chris Carlson of Highlands Ranch Golf Club (2004).
Add it up and the winners of 13 CGA Mid-Ams are aiming for more this weekend.
Joining them at Keystone Ranch will be 2015 CGA Match Play champion Nick Nosewicz of Meadow Hills Golf Course and two recent U.S. Mid-Amateur qualifiers (in addition to Lindstrom), Ryan Axlund of Valley Country Club and Pete Mangold of Columbine Country Club.
For Friday’s first-round tee times, CLICK HERE.
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Not even four strokes worth of penalties assessed during the first round were enough to keep Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster and Jaclyn Murray of Grand Junction from cruising to victory Sunday in the CWGA Chapman Championship.
The two high schoolers prevailed by six strokes in the 36-hole team event at Keystone Ranch Golf Course. And they did it despite drawing the four penalty strokes on Saturday for substituting balls once one common ball was picked for the team in the Chapman format.
In the Chapman, each competitor tees off on each hole, then plays her partner’s ball for the second shot. After that the partners select the ball with which they will score, and they play that ball alternately into the hole. Once that common ball is chosen, balls shouldn’t be substituted depending on the player — something Kupcho and Murray, as well as runners-up Deb Hughes and Sue Davis, didn’t initially understand.
Those two teams subsequently drew two two-stroke penalties on their first holes in which the breach occurred, up to a maximum of four shots total per round. That’s similar to the penalty for carrying too many clubs.
With that situation behind them on Sunday — when they started with a four-stroke lead — Kupcho and Murray recorded the only sub-par score of the tournament, a 1-under-par 70, to post a 4-over-par 146 total for the two-day event. (The winners are pictured above, with Murray at left.) That was six strokes better than 2014 CWGA Senior Match Play champion Hughes, of Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, and teammate Davis, of Saddle Rock Golf Course. Hughes and Davis made five birdies in their round of 72 on Sunday.
“It was a great experience to have,” said Murray (left), who won her first CWGA championship. “And it’s special to share it with Jennifer.”
Claiming third place in the championship flight, 17 shots behind Kupcho and Murray, were Ron Irons and Pat Wenger of Eisenhower Golf Club, who closed with an 83.
With their penalties, and three additional early bogeys, Kupcho and Murray were 7 over par through seven holes on Saturday. But they settled down and played their final 29 holes of the tournament in 3 under. On Sunday, they made three birdies and two bogeys.
The Chapman marked the third CWGA championship of 2014 for Kupcho (below), a 17-year-old senior from Jefferson Academy. The Wake Forest recruit earlier won the CWGA Match Play and the Junior Stroke Play. She’s also claimed the title in the 4A state high school meet and finished second in the HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open.
“It’s really exciting to get another state championship,” she said. “It’s been a great summer, a great year. It’s nice to see all the hard work pay off.”
So how did Kupcho and Murray join forces for the Chapman?
Both qualified for the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship this year, but more notably, they were both on the CWGA’s Girls Junior America’s Cup team that competed in Walla Walla, Wash., in late July. And when both expressed an interest in playing in the Chapman, they simply teamed up.
Murray lives in Grand Junction during the summer, but stays in the Denver metro area with her mother during the school year, attending Regis Jesuit High School. As a freshman, Murray helped Regis win the 5A state high school team title in May.
Murray is now 15 years old, while Kupcho is 17.
In all, 50 teams divided into six flights competed in the CWGA Chapman.
For Chapman scores, CLICK HERE.
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Thanks to a case of “like father, like son,” Pueblo Country Club will have two prestigious golf bookends to display in its clubhouse.
It was nice when club member Ray Makloski won the CGA Senior Match Play Championship a month ago, but it was doubly a coup when son Jimmy claimed his own CGA title by winning the Junior Stroke Play Wednesday at Keystone Ranch Golf Course.
“It’s unbelievable,” said proud father Ray Makloski, who was a spectator in Keystone. “We’re going to have both of those trophies on display at the club.”
Jimmy (pictured above) rallied on the final day to earn his first CGA championship. The younger Makloski, a senior-to-be at Pueblo’s South High School, shot an even-par 72 in windy conditions on Wednesday to overtake the four players ahead of him going into the final round.
Asked about the Makloskis’ father-son feat, Jimmy said, “It feels good. I got some jokes from my friends about how my dad was better because I didn’t win any CGA championships, so it feels good to win one.
“This has been one of my goals ever since I was little. I always looked up to those kids who won it. To be one of them feels so good.”
Makloski finished with a 5-over-par 221 total, one stroke better than 2011 5A state high school champion Gus Lundquist of The Club at Pradera and Ross Macdonald of the Ridge at Castle Pines North.
The University of Louisville-bound Lundquist (pictured at left) double bogeyed the 17th hole — taking four shots to get down from just off the green about 70 feet from the cup — and he closed with a 76.
“I just didn’t hit it solid,” Lundquist said of the pivotal chip. “I just didn’t quite catch it right and it came up in a bad spot. Then the wind pushed my (first) putt down there a little further than it should have gone, then I missed that one.
“It’s disappointing. I definitely didn’t play my best today.”
Macdonald, a sophomore-to-be at Valor Christian High School, birdied his last two holes to shoot 74. Playing in the same group as Makloski, Macdonald and his late surge forced Makloski to make a downhill 3-foot par putt on the final hole to come out a stroke ahead.
“The is my first Junior Stroke Play ever, so I couldn’t be happier,” said the 15-year-old Macdonald (pictured at left). “I’m only a sophomore so I’ve got more time.”
Ethan Freeman of Glenmoor Country Club, a two-time 3A state high school champion, finished fourth at 225 after carding a 78 on Wednesday.
As for Makloski, he used some advice from his old man to eke out the victory. The greens at Keystone Ranch were challenging in several respects, so Ray Makloski stressed that a key would be concentrating on minimizing three-putts.
“He just wanted me to be smart,” Jimmy said. “If you’re smart and limit your three-putts on these greens you’re hanging in there good.”
For Makloski, Wednesday marked his third statewide victory of the young junior golf season. The 2011 CJGA Tournament of Champions winner came out on top in a qualifying tournament to earn a spot in the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships, and he also prevailed at the CJGA Haywhacker Championship.
“The last few years the only thing that’s held me back is putting,” the 17-year-old said. “I’ve been working on it a lot and it’s been coming around. I’m playing pretty good.”
CGA Junior Stroke Play Championship
At Par-72 Keystone Ranch GC
Jimmy Makloski, Pueblo CC 77-72-72–221
Gus Lundquist, The Club at Pradera 75-71-76–222
Ross Macdonald, Ridge at Castle Pines North 71-77-74–222
Ethan Freeman, Glenmoor CC 70-77-78–225
Braden Baer, Ranch CC 74-76-77–227
Cole Cunningham, Valley CC 82-75-72–229
Dylan Mitchell, Lakewood CC 81-74-74–229
Cole Nygren, Colorado National GC 74-72-83–229
Jesse Beetham, Aspen GC 78-75-77–230
Benjamin Moore, Glenmoor CC 78-78-75–231
Chris Korte, The Links GC 75-78-79–232
Josh Gardella, Ridge at Castle Pines North 78-75-80–233
Jack Adolfson, Fox Hill CC 81-73-80–234
Kyler Dunkle, The Club at Pradera 77-78-79–234
Josh Mclaughlin, Loveland GC 79-78-77–234
Jake Staiano, Glenmoor CC 74-78-82–234
Hayden Nicholaides, South Suburban Family Sports 77-77-81–235
Jack Stimple, Broadmoor GC 83-75-77–235
Jack Cummings, Omni Interlocken Resort 80-74-81–235
Adam Douglas Griffith, Thorncreek GC 71-80-84–235
Kyle Peterson, Hiwan GC 84-75-77–236
Nicholas Reisch, Thorncreek GC 79-77-81–237
Donny Kinnaman, Lincoln Park GC 84-76-77–237
Dylan Wonnacott, Fox Hill CC 78-76-84–238
Ethan Yamada, Omni Interlocken Resort 76-78-84–238
Peter Hassan, Lake Valley GC 76-81-81–238
Li Chen, Legacy Ridge GC 84-77-78–239
Kevin Klatman, Boulder CC 77-80-82–239
Andrew Vance, Raccoon Creek Men’s Club 80-79-81–240
Colin Prater, Broadmoor GC 81-75-85–241
Aj Ott, Ptarmigan CC 83-79-79–241
Will Fowler, Bear Creek GC 77-81-85–243
Pierce Aichinger, Bear Creek GC 81-82-81–244
Austin Johnson, Park Hill GC 83-80-81–244
Sean Kato, Highland Hills GC 81-80-83–244
Quade Mitchell, Highlands Ranch GC 85-75-85–245
Dylan Swanson, Pueblo CC 80-79-86–245
Jack Pedersen, Omni Interlocken Resort 81-83-87–251
Matthew Vacek, Indian Peaks GC 80-84-88–252
Chris Beabout, South Suburban GC 79-82-WD