The duo from Lone Tree Golf Club overcame the trying conditions to go bogey-free for the second consecutive day, giving them a wire-to-wire victory in the 36th CGA Senior Four-Ball, the association’s first championship of 2017.
Moore and Kelley fired a 1-under-par 71 in the scratch better-ball stroke-play format on Wednesday to post a 12-under 204 total, good for a two-stroke victory at The Broadlands Golf Course in Broomfield.
Jeff Slupe of Highland Meadows Golf Course and Steve Scheffel of Ptarmigan Country Club closed with a 68 to earn the runner-up spot at 206.
Bill Fowler of The Club at Rolling Hills and Robert Polk of Colorado Golf Club, the defending champions, tied for third place at 207 with 2016 CGA Senior Match Play champion Jeff Oneth and Tim Kneen of Colorado Golf Club.
Moore and Kelley (pictured holding their trophies) went progressively higher with their scores each day of the tournament — 65-68-71 — but kept the mistakes to a minimum and covered for each other when one player was in trouble on a given hole.
“I looked at (the three days) like a triathlon,” said the 55-year-old Moore. “We got out of the pool and we were doing well. We got off the bike and we were still leading. It’s like, ‘OK, we’ve got to go run a marathon — and it was going to be a marathon in bad weather.’
“It was tough conditions, but when one would take a hole off, the other one would pick it up. We didn’t make a bogey so that kind of saved our day.”
Added Kelley, 53: “We’re a solid team. We’re good partners together, so I thought we had a real good chance.”
About the closest the two Colorado natives came to making a bogey in the final two rounds was on the last hole of the tournament, where, after being way right with his tee shot, Moore drained a 15-foot par putt to close things out.
“We just save par really well,” Moore said. “We saved par in bad weather, and we didn’t really stress about it. Everybody misses a lot of birdies; we missed ours too today. But somebody was always in the hole to get the par.”
Wednesday marked the second time Kelley and Moore have been in contention to win the CGA Senior Four-Ball title. Two years ago, they finished runner-up.
This wasn’t the first CGA title for Moore or Kelley as both helped Lone Tree Golf Club win season-long CGA Team Interclub championships in 2011 and ’12.
“I think that’s a little more stressful actually,” Kelley said of the Team Interclub. “This here is just me and Doug and if we lose it’s me and Doug. Lone Tree is a group of guys who are real tight and everybody roots for everybody (so) you’re letting down the whole club (if you’re not winning).”
Play in the open division of the CGA Senior Four-Ball was limited to golfers 51 and older as the CGA is looking to eventually match the age criteria the USGA uses for the U.S. Senior Amateur (55 and older).
Netherton/Crone Chalk Up Another Title: It took three extra holes, but Larry Netherton and Kelly Crone of Highlands Ranch Golf Club added another team title to their golf resumes.
Netherton and Crone (pictured in black and blue, respectively) prevailed in a four-team playoff by making three straight pars to earn their second championship in the super-senior division of the CGA Senior Four-Ball. The pair has also captured two open-division Senior Four-Ball titles and a win in the senior division of the since-discontinued CGA Two-Man.
“It’s really not where you play golf, it’s who you play golf with,” said Netherton, who like Crone is 65 years old. “We’ve traveled all over the country and played in senior partner events and we’ve had success everywhere we’ve gone. We really enjoy playing with each other. When I make a mistake, he picks it up and (vice-versa). We’ve played a lot of events and it really helps to know each other that well.”
Netherton two-putted from 8 feet for par on the third playoff hole to prevail over Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kent Moore of Cherry Hills Country Club and Stephen Bell of Denver Country Club, who both made bogey.
The two other teams that made the playoff — Kary Kaltenbacher of Glenmoor Country Club and Rod Walters of Indian Tree Golf Club, and Bill Stevens and David Merritt of Meridian Golf Club — had been eliminated from contention for the super-senior title with bogeys on the first extra hole.
Netherton and Crone would have won the super-senior championship in regulation had it not been for a one-stroke penalty incurred when they failed to catch a marker’s error on their scorecard, leaving them with a final-round 73 instead of the 72 they actually shot. All four of the teams in the playoff carded three-day totals of 2-under-par 214.
“Justice prevailed, but it’s our fault because we didn’t really check” each individual scrore, just the team score, Crone noted.
For CGA Senior Four-Ball scores:
OPEN DIVISION
SUPER-SENIOR DIVISION
Moore and Kelley teamed up to post a bogey-free round of 4-under-par 68 in the scratch better-ball stroke-play event. That left them at 11-under 133 going into Wednesday’s final round.
Only one team is closer than five strokes to the lead heading into the final 18 as 2016 CGA Senior Match Play champion Jeff Oneth and Tim Kneen of Colorado Golf Club are in second place at 136 after a 69 on Tuesday.
Five teams share third place at 138, including defending champions Robert Polk of Colorado Golf Club and Bill Fowler of The Club at Rolling Hills, and 2014 Senior Four-Ball winners David Delich of The Broadmoor Golf Club and Bruce Hogg of Patty Jewett Golf Course. Delich carded a hole-in-one Tuesday at the 145-yard 14th.
Play in the open division is limited to golfers 51 and older as the CGA is looking to eventually match the age criteria the USGA uses for the U.S. Senior Amateur (55 and older).
In the super-senior division, for players 61 and older, things are considerably tighter with two teams sharing the lead and four others within four strokes heading into Wednesday’s final 18.
Kelly Crone and Larry Netherton of Highlands Ranch Golf Club, winners of the CGA Senior Four-Ball in 2009 and ’13, fired a 68 Tuesday to come in at 3-under 141. Also at that figure is the team of Bill Stevens and David Merritt of Meridian Golf Club, whose second-round 69 included an eagle.
For CGA Senior Four-Ball scores:
OPEN DIVISION
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With cold and rain and snow forecast for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the CGA called off the Four-Ball Championship that was set for Legacy Ridge Golf Course in Westminster those three days.
The association’s tournament committee is exploring the possibility of rescheduling the championship in the late summer or early fall, and will make a determination shortly.
(Updated April 29) Also called off this weekend due to the weather were the inaugural Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado tournaments, scheduled for Pueblo Country Club and Elmwood Golf Course in Pueblo. This marks the second time this spring that the start of the first JGAC season has been delayed by the weather.
Now the first JGAC events are scheduled for May 14-15 at Todd Creek Golf Course in Thornton.
(Updated May 2) Meanwhile, the CGA Senior Four-Ball, originally set for Monday through Wednesday (May 2-4) at Black Bear Golf Club in Parker, is still on, though the event is now shortened to 36 holes, all to be played on Wednesday.
Fifty-eight two-man teams are signed up for the scratch better-ball event at Black Bear.
Bob Beiersdorf of the Ridge at Castle Pines North and Rick Kelly of Foothills Golf Course are scheduled to defend the Senior Four-Ball title that they won by three strokes last year at Todd Creek Golf Club.
Also in the field at Black Bear are 2014 champions David Delich of The Broadmoor and Bruce Hogg of Patty Jewett. Delich was the CGA Senior Player of the Year in 2015 after winning the CGA Senior Match Play and qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open.
Other former champs entered are Kelly Crone and Larry Netherton (2009 and ’13), John Applegate (2011, playing this year with Jim LeMar), Sean Forey and Scott Radcliffe (2003; Forey also won in 2008), and Robert Polk (2005 and ’07, playing with 2015 CGA Senior Stroke Play champ Bill Fowler).
For the CGA Senior Four-Ball pairings, CLICK HERE.
Friday was a long time coming for Tom Musselman.
Three-hundred and sixty-four days, to be exact.
But on Friday the 13th, the 54-year-old golfer from Telluride Ski & Golf Club finally earned the trophy that barely eluded him a year ago.
After being forced to settle for second place at the CGA Senior Match Play in 2013, Musselman made a very satisfying move up to the champion’s spot this week.
The former Kentucky state amateur champion won two matches Friday at the Pinery Country Club in Parker, claiming the Senior Match Play title with a 2-and-1 victory over Steve Bell of Denver Country Club.
“This means a lot just because I really focused and practiced over the winter to get ready for this campaign in early June,” Musselman said. “The whole goal was to try to get my game in shape for this event. I was aiming for this one.”
Another Tom, Tom Warren of Fossil Trace Golf Club, earned the CGA Senior-Senior Match Play championship for players 60 and older by defeating Roger Gunderson of Aurora Hills Golf Course, 2 and 1 in Friday’s final.
Musselman, who lost a 2-up final match to Harry Johnson of Eagle Ranch Golf Course on June 14, 2013, avenged that defeat in Thursday’s quarterfinals.
“I had so much confidence going into that final (last year), then all of a sudden I was 4 or 5 over par and get beat. It was disturbing,” said Musselman, a hotel developer from Kentucky who purchased a home in Telluride in 2000. “I knew where Harry was on the board this entire week, and I told him that. He is a competitor. We went at it. I was 3 under par just to beat him. That was my best-played match. I was psyched. I had everything dialed in — and I had to play well. I was watching all week and hoping we’d get to play.”
Then after ousting Larry Netherton of Highlands Ranch Golf Club 4 and 3 in Friday morning’s semifinals, Musselman never trailed in the title match.
Bell looked likely to square the match on the par-4 seventh after Musselman’s tee shot ended up against the trunk of a tree and he was in the front greenside bunker in three. But with Bell having a 5-foot par putt, Musselman holed out a 30-foot sand shot (left) for par, leading to a halve of the hole.
“All of a sudden I hole that damn thing out,” he said. “I know that kind of shook Steve up a little bit.”
Then Musselman won the eighth with a 6-foot birdie and the ninth with a par to go 3 up.
Bell cut the deficit to 1 down when Musselman made bogeys on 10 and 12. But Musselman birdied No. 13 with an up-and-down from the sand, made a 45-foot birdie putt on No. 16, and two-putted from 50 feet for par on No. 17 to claim the victory. Bell (left) lost despite birdies at Nos. 15 and 16, and a lipped-out birdie putt on 17.
“I felt good about most of the way I played, but I had a couple of shaggy-dog holes in the middle of the round that put me down a little bit,” Bell said. “I got a little adrenaline at the end and birdied 15 and 16 and I hit a really good putt on 17 that I thought was going to go. It feels a little bit better when you birdie two of the last three holes.”
In the Senior-Seniors, Warren (below) held the lead for most of the day against Gunderson, the 1998 CGA Senior Match Play champ who had knocked off Colorado Golf Hall of Famer John Olive in the semis. The 61-year-old Warren never trailed after making three consecutive birdies on Nos. 4-6. Still, things were all square after 14, but Warren won Nos. 15 and 17 with pars, the latter after Gunderson hit a shot out of bounds.
The win was especially satisfying considering Warren just got back into tournament golf three years ago after not playing competitively for about a decade.
“I used to play a lot of competitive golf and I took 10 years off and I forgot how much fun it was,” he said.
In his younger years, Warren qualified for two U.S. Junior Amateurs, losing to a young Texan named Ben Crenshaw in one match.
“He was a year older than me and he had a caddie and a coach and a little gallery,” Warren recalled. “I thought, ‘I better find myself another career.’ I just remember watching him hit it 50 yards past me and making 30 footers when I’m shaking on 3 footers.”
On Friday, the 70-year-old Gunderson was in decent shape until his tee shots suddenly went awry coming down the stretch.
“I hit a lot of good shots but I put myself into too many bad positions off the tee coming in,” he said. “I drove the ball really well all week until the last six or seven holes, then I couldn’t keep it on the planet.”
While Gunderson obviously would have like to have won another state title, making it to the super-senior final was an accomplishment by itself.
“I had no expectations coming in,” he said. “I have not been playing well. To get this far, I feel pretty fortunate.”
CGA Senior Match Play and Super-Senior Match Play Championship
At Par-72 Pinery CC in Parker
(Seeds in Parentheses)
SENIOR MATCH PLAY
Round of 64
Harry Johnson, Eagle Ranch Golf Course (1) def. Jim Dawson, Hyland Hills (64), 6 and 5
Brian Woody, Ridge at Castle Pines North (32) def. Mark Brown, Highlands Ranch Golf Club (33), 2 and 1
Jeff Sweet, Murphy Creek Golf Course (16) def. Rick George, Castle Pines GC (49), 3 and 2
Mike Larson, Boulder Country Club (17) def. Pat Bucci, West Woods Golf Club (48), 5 and 4
Sean Forey, Bear Creek Golf Club (8) def. Peter O’Connell, Commonground Golf Course (57), 6 and 5
Tom Musselman, Telluride Ski & Golf Club (25) def. Ted Warner, Greeley Country Club (40), 5 and 4
Randall Dolan, Commonground GC (56) def. Robin Bradbury, Legacy Ridge GC (9), 20 holes
Kary Kaltenbacher, Glenmoor Country Club (41) def. Ronald Swartzwelder, Commonground Golf Course (24), 4 and 3
Patrick Horvath, Murphy Creek Golf Course (4) def. Robert West, Cherry Creek Country Club (61), 19 holes
Jim LeMar, The Meadows GC (36) def. Bruce Hogg, Patty Jewett Golf Course (29), 23 holes
Brent Timm, Pinery Country Club (13) def. Mike Campbell, Aurora Hills GC (52), 4 and 3
Larry Netherton, Highlands Ranch GC (45) def. Bradley Becker, Plum Creek G & CC (20), 1 up
Pat Bowe, Commonground Golf Course (5) def. Bo Powell, West Woods Golf Club (60), 2 and 1
Jake Jacobson, Lakewood Country Club (28) def. Charlie Post, Colorado GC (37), 1 up
Bob Beiersdorf, Ridge at Castle Pines North (12) def. Don Sall, Broadmoor Golf Club (53), 3 and 2
Lance Balthaser, Englewood Men’s Golf Club (21) def. Kelly Crone, Highlands Ranch Golf Club (44), 2 and 1
Robert Polk, Colorado Golf Club (2) def. David Draper, Green Valley Ranch Golf Club (63), 5 and 4
Scott Patterson, Eagle Ranch Golf Course (31) def. Owen Ellis, Flatirons Golf Course (34), 7 and 5
Rick Tarasiewicz, Patty Jewett Golf Course (15) def. Chuck Delich, Eisenhower Golf Club (50), 1 up
Bob Chandler, Heritage at Westmoor (47) def. John Ingram, Colorado Golf Club (18), 3 and 2
Frank Wilkinson, Lincoln Park GC (58) def. Jim Reynolds, Bear Creek Golf Club (7), 2 and 1
Gary Fox, Country Club at Castle Pines (39) def. Eric Hoos, Highlands Ranch Golf Club (26), 4 and 3
Steve Bell, Denver Country Club (10) def. Laird Middleton, Coal Creek Mens Golf Club (55), 7 and 6
Richard Griggs, Desert Hawk Golf Course Men’s (42) def. Ray Makloski, Pueblo Country Club (23), 3 and 2
John Sostmann, Meadows Golf Club (3) def. Mark Barkley, Canongate Colorado (62), 4 and 3
Art Cudworth, Raccoon Creek MC (30) def. Steve Sullivan, Bear Dance Golf Club (35), 2 and 1
Thomas McGeary, Highlands Ranch Golf Club (51) def. David Delich, Broadmoor GC (14), 3 and 2
Scott Crone, Pinehurst Country Club (46) def. John Applegate, Meadow Hills Golf Course (19), 20 holes
Kent Moore, Cherry Hills Country Club (6) def. Craig Stephenson, Saddle Rock Golf Course (59), 2 and 1
Bob Kubiak, South Suburban Golf Course (27) def. Chuck Fisher, Riverdale GC (38), 5 and 4
Brian Harris, Denver Country Club (11) def. Richard Kelly, Heritage at Westmoor (54), 6 and 5
Thomas Roos, Spring Valley Golf Club (22) def. Doug Jones, Tiara Rado Golf Course (43), 2 and 1
Round of 32
Harry Johnson, Eagle Ranch Golf Course (1) def. Brian Woody, Ridge at Castle Pines North (32), 2 and 1
Mike Larson, Boulder Country Club (17) def. Jeff Sweet, Murphy Creek Golf Course (16), 2 and 1
Tom Musselman, Telluride Ski & Golf Club (25) def. Sean Forey, Bear Creek Golf Club (8), 4 and 2
Kary Kaltenbacher, Glenmoor Country Club (41) def. Randall Dolan, Commonground GC (56), 7 and 5
Jim LeMar, The Meadows GC (36) def. Patrick Horvath, Murphy Creek Golf Course (4), 4 and 3
Larry Netherton, Highlands Ranch GC (45) def. Brent Timm, Pinery Country Club (13), 1 up
Pat Bowe, CommonGround Golf Course (5) def. Jake Jacobson, Lakewood Country Club (28), 1 up
Bob Beiersdorf, Ridge at Castle Pines North (12) def. Lance Balthaser, Englewood Men’s Golf Club (21), 19 holes
Robert Polk, Colorado Golf Club (2) def. Scott Patterson, Eagle Ranch Golf Course (31), 21 holes
Bob Chandler, Heritage at Westmoor (47) def. Rick Tarasiewicz, Patty Jewett Golf Course (15), 3 and 2
Gary Fox, Country Club at Castle Pines (39) def. Frank Wilkinson, Lincoln Park GC (58), 4 and 3
Steve Bell, Denver Country Club (10) def. Richard Griggs, Desert Hawk Golf Course Men’s (42), 5 and 3
Art Cudworth, Raccoon Creek MC (30) def. John Sostmann, Meadows Golf Club (3), 1 up
Scott Crone, Pinehurst Country Club (46) def. Thomas McGeary, Highlands Ranch Golf Club (51), 19 holes
Kent Moore, Cherry Hills Country Club (6) def. Bob Kubiak, South Suburban Golf Course (27), 2 and 1
Thomas Roos, Spring Valley Golf Club (22) def. Brian Harris, Denver Country Club (11), 3 and 2
Round of 16
Harry Johnson, Eagle Ranch Golf Course (1) def. Mike Larson, Boulder Country Club (17), 3 and 1
Tom Musselman, Telluride Ski & Golf Club (25) def. Kary Kaltenbacher, Glenmoor Country Club (41), 2 and 1
Larry Netherton, Highlands Ranch GC (45) def. Jim LeMar, The Meadows GC (36), 5 and 4
Pat Bowe, Commonground Golf Course (5) def. Bob Beiersdorf, Ridge at Castle Pines North (12), 20 holes
Bob Chandler, Heritage at Westmoor (47) def. Robert Polk, Colorado Golf Club (2), 22 holes
Steve Bell, Denver Country Club (10) def. Gary Fox, Country Club at Castle Pines (39), 2 up
Art Cudworth, Raccoon Creek MC (30) def. Scott Crone, Pinehurst Country Club (46), 7 and 5
Thomas Roos, Spring Valley Golf Club (22) def. Kent Moore, Cherry Hills Country Club (6), 4 and 2
Quarterfinals
Tom Musselman, Telluride Ski & Golf Club (25) def. Harry Johnson, Eagle Ranch Golf Course (1), 3 and 2
Larry Netherton, Highlands Ranch GC (45) def. Pat Bowe, Commonground Golf Course (5), 2 up
Steve Bell, Denver Country Club (10) def. Bob Chandler, Heritage at Westmoor (47), 3 and 1
Art Cudworth, Raccoon Creek MC (30) def. Thomas Roos, Spring Valley Golf Club (22), 4 and 3
Semifinals
Tom Musselman, Telluride Ski & Golf Club (25) def. Larry Netherton, Highlands Ranch GC (45), 4 and 3
Steve Bell, Denver Country Club (10) def. Art Cudworth, Raccoon Creek MC (30), 20 holes
Final
Tom Musselman, Telluride Ski & Golf Club (25) def. Steve Bell, Denver Country Club (10), 2 and 1
SUPER-SENIOR MATCH PLAY
Round of 32
Patrick Mooney, Colorado GC (1) def. Tony C Key, Valley Country Club (32), 6 and 5
David Farabaugh, Broadlands Golf Club (16) def. Kirk Miller, Estes Park Golf Club (17), 4 and 3
Steve Stultz, Country Club at Castle Pines (8) def. Tom Lawrence, Lakewood Country Club (25), 6 and 4
Tom Warren, Fossil Trace Golf Club (24) def. Gary Kephart, Eisenhower Golf Club (9), 20 holes
Bob Cloud, Bear Creek Golf Club (4) def. Loren Warburg, Fox Hollow at Lakewood (29), 4 and 3
Jim Collins, Country Club at Castle Pines (13) def. Terry Pettit, Ptarmigan Country Club (20), 19 holes
Frank Hernandez, Boomerang Golf Links (5) def. Danny Wyrick, West Woods Golf Club (28), 4 and 3
Mark Runyan, Canongate Colorado (12) def. John Boyles, Pinery Country Club (21), 2 up
John Olive, Broadmoor Golf Club (2) def. Jocko Kaliszewski, Bear Dance Golf Club (31), 6 and 5
Dan Grigsby, Legacy Ridge Golf Course (18) def. Mark David Winski, Commonground Golf Course (15), 2 and 1
Bob Berglund, Pinery Country Club (26) def. Dan Birnley, Conquistador Golf Course (7), 20 holes
Fredrick Steffers, Patty Jewett Golf Course (10) def. Ken Tai, Perry Park Country Club (23), 4 and 3
Roger Gunderson, Aurora Hills Golf Club (3) def. Marc Sims, Eisenhower Golf Club (30), 19 holes
Tom Keltner, Lakewood Country Club (19) def. Joe Morrill, Eagle Ranch Golf Course (14), 2 and 1
Jim Pierce, Heritage Eagle Bend G & C (6) def. John Leamon, Littleton Golf & Tennis Club (27), 2 up
Bruce Hayes, Heritage at Westmoor (11) def. Richard Barg, Meadow Hills Golf Course (22), 6 and 4
Round of 16
David Farabaugh, Broadlands Golf Course (16) def. Patrick Mooney, Colorado GC (1), 5 and 4
Tom Warren, Fossil Trace Golf Club (24) def. Steve Stultz, Country Club at Castle Pines (8), 1 up
Jim Collins, Country Club at Castle Pines (13) def. Bob Cloud, Bear Creek Golf Club (4), 21 holes
Mark Runyan, Canongate Colorado (12) def. Frank Hernandez, Boomerang Golf Links (5), 2 and 1
John Olive, Broadmoor Golf Club (2) def. Dan Grigsby, Legacy Ridge Golf Course (18), 3 and 2
Fredrick Steffers, Patty Jewett Golf Course (10) def. Bob Berglund, Pinery Country Club (26), 6 and 4
Roger Gunderson, Aurora Hills Golf Club (3) def. Tom Keltner, Lakewood Country Club (19), 4 and 3
Bruce Hayes, Heritage at Westmoor (11) def. Jim Pierce, Heritage Eagle Bend G & C (6), 3 and 1
Quarterfinals
Tom Warren, Fossil Trace Golf Club (24) def. David Farabaugh, Broadlands Golf Club (16), 1 up
Jim Collins, Country Club at Castle Pines (13) def. Mark Runyan, Canongate Colorado (12), 2 and 1
John Olive, Broadmoor Golf Club (2) def. Fredrick Steffers, Patty Jewett Golf Course (10), 1 up
Roger Gunderson, Aurora Hills Golf Club (3) def. Bruce Hayes, Heritage at Westmoor (11), 3 and 2
Semifinals
Tom Warren, Fossil Trace Golf Club (24) def. Jim Collins, Country Club at Castle Pines (13), 2 and 1
Roger Gunderson, Aurora Hills Golf Course (3) def. John Olive, Broadmoor Golf Club (2), 2 and 1
Final
Tom Warren, Fossil Trace Golf Club (24) def. Roger Gunderson, Aurora Hills Golf Course (3), 2 and 1
Three holes earlier, Keith Humerickhouse had uncharacteristically bladed a bunker shot over the green. Now, on the 18th hole at Todd Creek Golf Club in Thornton, with the CGA Four-Ball Championship on the line, the left-hander remembered his poor shot all too well.
With a narrow strip of green running away from him, a big lake on the other side of the putting surface, and his playing partner having hit into the water, the former playing professional worked a little magic.
He cozied his sand shot down to within 2 feet of the hole and made the putt for a birdie.
That gave Humerickhouse and partner Jared Bickling a one-stroke victory in the season-opening CGA Four-Ball.
“The shot of the tournament for me was the bunker shot on 18,” said Humerickhouse, winner of the last four CGA Mid-Amateur titles. “That bunker shot was awesome. That (bladed sand shot on 15) was basically my last thought going into that bunker shot. And the (one on 15) was a cakewalk compared to that one — no green, the slant going right toward the water. My partner hit it in the water, so I was like, ‘Here we go.’ But the shot (pictured at left) came off awesome.”
It led to the third consecutive birdie by Humerickhouse and to his sixth CGA title, while Bickling won his first.
Humerickhouse, who plays out of Glenwood Springs Golf Club, and Bickling, from Gypsum Creek Golf Course, shot the low round of the tournament, an 8-under-par 64, on Sunday to rally for the championship.
Second-round leaders Jon Lindstrom and Richard Bradsby of Lakewood Country Club pulled into a tie for the top spot with a birdie on the 15th hole.
But after Lindstrom drained an 18-foot birdie putt on 16, Humerickhouse holed a 15-foot birdie to keep things all square. Humerickhouse then sank an 8-foot birdie on the 17th hole to give his team the lead for good. And on 18, after Bickling had hit his second shot into the water, Humerickhouse showed steady nerves making his winning birdie.
“This is awesome,” said Bickling, who is 38 years old, like Humerickhouse. “This is our third year playing this event. The first year we were garbage, the second year we were not quite so garbage, and then this year … We don’t come out here to just play golf; we come here to win.”
Humerickhouse and Bickling’s 64 on Sunday gave them an 18-under-par 198 total for three days.
Lindstrom and Bradsby closed with a 66 in the scratch best-ball event to place second at 199. Nick Nosewicz and Heath Andersen of Meadow Hills Golf Course finished third at 202.
Humerickhouse and Bickling started Sunday with a bogey, and Humerickhouse bogeyed the second hole. But Bickling’s 20-foot birdie there gave the team a spark, and the two made nine birdies on the last 17 holes.
“That (birdie) calmed us both down,” said Bickling, pictured in the dark shirt at left, with Humerickhouse.
Humerickhouse, who shot 70 on his own ball each of the three days, relished sharing the title with Bickling.
“We play a lot of golf together,” the left-hander said. “With him as my partner, I feel like we can contend every time we play. To finally get it done, it’s awesome. I feel really good for him because it’s his first one. Every time you win one of these it’s great because the field is so good.
“We played really good as a team today — really good. If somebody was in trouble, we picked each other up. It was ham and eggs for sure today.”
For the CGA Senior Four-Ball Championship story, CLICK HERE.
For CGA Four-Ball score details, CLICK HERE.
CGA Four-Ball Championship
At Par-72 Todd Creek GC in Thornton
Jared Bickling,Gypsum Creek GC/Keith Humerickhouse,Glenwood Springs GC–68-66-64–198
Richard Bradsby,Lakewood CC/Jon Lindstrom,Lakewood CC–68-65-66–199
Nick Nosewicz,Meadow Hills GC/Heath Andersen,Meadow Hills GC–66-68-68–202
Brian Richmeier,Meadow Hills GC/Andy Dannewitz,Meadow Hills GC–66-69-70–205
Alex Buecking,Columbine CC/Paul Robinson,Columbine CC–68-68-71–207
Pat Diaz,Meridian GC/Scott Shore,Meridian GC–72-67-68–207
Tim Fitzgerald,Meridian GC/James Kurtenbach,South Suburban GC–66-73-69–208
Blake Anderson,Omni Interlocken Resort/Tom Sweetman,Omni Interlocken Resort–67-71-70–208
Gary Driber,Denver Amateur Golf Tour Club/Dallas Massey,South Suburban GC–69-69-71–209
Paul Erdman,Colorado National GC/Jeff Searing,Canongate Colorado–69-69-71–209
Christopher Wilson,Eisenhower GC/Jeff Chapman,Inverness GC–70-68-72–210
Greg Braford,CommonGround GC/Jason Dunkle,Pradera, the Club at–66-72-72–210
Andy Brooks,CommonGround GC/Kade Sessions,CommonGround GC–70-70-71–211
Dean Siskowski,CommonGround GC/Greg Speer,CommonGround GC–69-75-68–212
Tom Richardson,Highlands Ranch GC/James M Richardson,South Suburban GC–71-68-73–212
Shawn Mercer,Lake Valley GC/Jeremy W Deems,Lake Valley GC–72-73-67–212
John J Grillion,CommonGround GC/Nick Simmons,CommonGround GC–68-72-73–213
Ryan Aweida,Colorado National GC/Erik Helton,Colorado National GC–71-70-73–214
Bob Athey,CC of Colorado/Chris Pratz,Springs Ranch GC–68-72-74–214
Chris Tenan,Harmony Club/Keith Atkins,Harmony Club–71-71-73–215
John Perry,Highland Meadows GC/David Hunn,Collindale GC–71-70-75–216
Bert Sartori,Todd Creek GC/Guy Hollowell,Todd Creek GC–76-71-69–216
Tristan Sanders,CommonGround GC/Tim Kratz,CommonGround GC–73-71-73–217
Thomas Russo,Canongate Colorado/Aaron Brown,Canongate Colorado–78-68-71–217
Adam Thoutt,Legacy Ridge GC/Brad Hernandez,Heritage at Westmoor–72-74-72–218
James Richardson,CommonGround GC/Brian O’Connor,CommonGround GC–73-69-76–218
Jay Orris,Boulder CC/James McHose,Boulder CC–75-69-75–219
Wes Martin,CommonGround GC/Shane Unfred,Highland Meadows GC–70-73-76–219
Sam Solomon,Todd Creek GC/Brian McCloy,Saddle Rock GC–75-74-70–219
Matt Reinick,Todd Creek GC/Jim Cole,Riverdale GC–72-73-74–219
Alan Boyko,Heritage at Westmoor/Jeremy Thibault,Heritage at Westmoor–71-74-76–221
Timothy Nowak,Ute Creek GC/Daniel Price,Murphy Creek GC–73-75-76–224
Ryan Brown,Ute Creek GC/Joe Larsen,Riverdale GC–75-77-74–226
Aaron Spear,Broadlands GC/Taylor Osieczanek,Broadlands GC–77-79-75–231
Chris Welch,CommonGround GC/Jed Greenblatt,Denver CC–81-79-73–233
Todd Stemm,Heritage at Westmoor/JD Cohen,CommonGround GC–89-86-86–261
He even felt some of that on Sunday in the final round of the CGA Four-Ball Championship at Legacy Ridge Golf Course in Westminster. But as a practical matter, he had a couple of dogs in the fight.
Hoos didn’t end up winning the tournament, but the University of Denver men’s golf coach finished second to two of his players, senior Jordan Burgess and junior Ole Ramsnes. So even though Hoos might catch a little friendly grief about that, it was kind of a win-win situation for him.
“Being pretty competitive, I really don’t ever like to lose, but I’d rather lose to them than anybody else,” Hoos said with a little chuckle. “My job now is to make them better. It gives me great pride to do that.”
Ramsnes and Burgess, who just completed their college season, overcome their head coach — and his partner, Tom Krystyn of Meridian Golf Club — on Sunday thanks to the round of the tournament, a 10-under-par 61 in the scratch two-man best-ball format. That gave the Pioneers teammates a two-stroke victory over Hoos and Krystyn.
(In the photo above, Burgess, left, congratulates Ramsnes after the latter made a birdie on the 18th hole Sunday.)
Meanwhile, 60-year-olds Kelly Crone and Larry Netherton — who like Burgess and Ramsnes play out of Highlands Ranch Golf Club — claimed the CGA Senior Four-Ball title for the second time in five years, this time at Todd Creek Golf Club in Thornton. (Netherton is pictured at left in the accompanying photo.)The two four-ball tournaments, held concurrently, marked the first championships of the 2013 season for the CGA.
At the Four-Ball at Legacy Ridge, Ramsnes and Burgess each captured his first CGA championship after posting a 15-under-par 127 total. But just as important was beating Hoos.
“It was a tournament within the tournament for all of us,” said Burgess, the runner-up in the CGA Stroke Play Championship last year.
“They knew it was a big competition between us,” said Hoos, the low amateur in the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open two years ago. “It was fun to get out there and battle. But I’m very proud of them. Both Jordan and Ole worked so hard during the year and they haven’t had the success they probably would have liked. I’m so happy for them that (the win) showed the work ethic is paying off and they’re going in the right direction.”
Ramsnes, a Norwegian who just completed his junior season at DU, made an eagle and seven birdies on his own ball Sunday. Playing his first CGA championship, he didn’t putt out everything in the team format, but if he had he probably would have shot a 62 individually. Meanwhile, Burgess, a resident of Windsor, birdied their final hole to give the teammates the two-stroke victory.
“That was my best round (ever),” said Ramsnes, who eagled the par-5 third hole by hitting driver-4 iron to 12 feet and draining the putt. “I just had one of those days where putts were dropping and I felt really good. We had a great time, and that just made us play good. (Hoos and Krystyn) played really well. It was kind of fun to see that it actually mattered that we shot 10 under to beat them by two.”
The “just have fun attitude” obviously paid off in the end for Burgess and Ramsnes (pictured at left with their trophies).“It feels good to win,” said Burgess, who tentatively plans to turn professional sometime next year. “It’s nice just to come out here and have fun the last couple of days after just finishing up our college season. Obviously we definitely wanted to win too, so it worked out.”
Hoos, of Bear Creek Golf Club, and Krystyn were the only team closer than five shots to Ramsnes and Burgess. The elder twosome carded a 7-under-par 64 on Sunday and likewise went bogey-free for 36 holes, finishing at 129.
First-round leaders Eric Hallberg and Connor Klein closed with a 68 to be one of four teams tied for third place at 132.
At the Senior Four Ball, 2009 champions Crone and Netherton won by two at Todd Creek after consecutive rounds of 4-under-par 68. They made five birdies and one bogey each day en route to their 8-under 136 total.
Besides previously winning the Senior Four-Ball, Crone and Netherton paired up to claim the CGA Senior Two-Man Team Championship in 2007.
“We’re both super-seniors (over 60) now, so it’s fun beating ‘the kids’,” Netherton said.
The key this time, said Crone, was ham-and-egging it.
“When one of us was in trouble, the other stepped up,” said Crone, a past champion in both the CGA Senior Stroke Play and Senior Match Play. “That really helps. You’ve got to have a good partner when you need it.”
Robert Polk of Colorado Golf Club, a two-time winner of the Senior Four-Ball, teamed with Bill Fowler of Bear Creek to finish second as a closing 67 left them at 138.
Both the Four-Ball and Senior Four-Ball were originally scheduled to be 54-hole events, but the snowstorm earlier in the week led to them being shortened to two rounds each.
CGA Four-Ball Championship
At Par-71 Legacy Ridge GC in Westminster
View Leaderboard and Scorecards
Jordan Burgess, Highland Hills GC / Ole Ramsnes, Highlands Ranch GC 66-61–127
Tom Krystyn, Meridian GC / Eric Hoos, Bear Creek GC 65-64–129
Gary Driber, Golfweek Amateur Tour / Dallas Massey, South Suburban GC 66-66–132
Mark Zbrzeznj, Eagle-Vail GC / David Harris, Eagle Vail GC 68-64–132
Connor Klein, Lone Tree GC / Eric Hallberg, Colorado GC 64-68–132
Rocky Ariano, Dalton Ranch GC / Ben Hayes, CommonGround GC 67-65–132
Steve Irwin, Lakewood CC / Pat Diaz, Meridian GC 68-65–133
Danny Hahn, CommonGround GC / Matthew Neam, City Park GC 67-66–133
Derek Fribbs, Colorado National GC / Steve Kass, CommonGround GC 65-68–133
Michael Harrington, Garden of the Gods Club / Jim Doidge, Pueblo CC 68-66–134
Brian Richmeier, Meadow Hills GC / Andy Dannewitz, Meadow Hills GC 67-67–134
Alex Buecking, Columbine CC / Paul Robinson, Columbine CC 67-67–134
Alex Kephart, Eisenhower GC / Nick Tarasiewicz, Patty Jewett GC 65-69–134
Jared Bickling, Glenwood Springs GC / Keith Humerickhouse, Gypsum Creek GC 72-62–134
Paul Erdman, Colorado National GC / Charles Santaularia, CommonGround GC 68-67–135
Curt Jenkins, Lakewood CC / Richard Bradsby, Lakewood CC 68-68–136
Christopher Good, Lone Tree GC / Jim Reynolds, Bear Creek GC 67-70–137
Cameron Brown, Sonnenalp GC / Dillon McDonald, Red Sky GC 73-64–137
Dean Siskowski, CommonGround GC / Eric Tabanico, CommonGround GC 67-70–137
Wes Martin, The Courses at Hyland Hills / Shane Unfred, Highland Meadows GC 69-69–138
Tim Fitzgerald, Meridian GC / James Kurtenbach, South Suburban GC 70-68–138
Tim Kratz, CommonGround GC / Tristan Sanders, CommonGround GC 71-67–138
Jeremy Thibault, Heritage at Westmoor / Alan Boyko, Heritage at Westmoor 67-71–138
Perry Rickel, Colorado GC / Chris Egan, Colorado GC 69-69–138
Danny Riskam, Columbine CC / Pete Mangold, Cherry Creek CC 70-69–139
Shawn Mccaskey, South Suburban GC / Stu Allen, Fox Hollow GC 71-68–139
Kyle Danford, Fort Collins CC / Chris Schwartz, Harmony Club 69-70–139
Doug Moore, Lone Tree GC / James Tatro, Lone Tree GC 70-71–141
Don Stoner, Indian Tree GC / Patrick Wethington, Indian Tree GC 72-69–141
Jon Lindstrom, Heritage at Westmoor / Dean Clapp, Meadow Hills GC 69-72–141
Henry Bissell, Meadows GC / Kevin Burke, CommonGround GC 72-69–141
Timothy Nowak, Ute Creek GC / Daniel Price, Murphy Creek GC 70-72–142
Bob Athey, CC of Colorado / Chris Pratz, Springs Ranch GC 75-67–142
Roger Chivukula, Omni Interlocken GC / Owen Ellis, Flatirons GC 72-70–142
Levi Fladebo, CommonGround GC / Brian Edelman, Raccoon Creek GC 68-74–142
Sam Solomon, Broadlands GC / Mitchel Solomon, Broadlands GC 72-71–143
Alex Leonida, Inverness GC / Brian McCloy, Saddle Rock GC 72-72–144
John Perry, Highland Meadows GC / Richard Brown, Raccoon Creek GC 72-72–144
Erich Weiss, The Ranch CC / Patrick Mansfield, The Ranch CC 72-73–145
Chris Carlson, Highlands Ranch GC / Michael Love, The Club at Pradera 72-73–145
Andy Brooks, CommonGround GC / Eric Butler, CommonGround GC 74-72–146
Stephen King, Green Valley Ranch GC / Faraj Elmagbari, Canongate Colorado 76-71–147
Mark Brown, Highlands Ranch GC / Adam Benshoof, CommonGround GC 76-72–148
Wyck Brown, Lakewood CC / Brian Ohara, Lakewood CC 73-76–149
Adam Thoutt, Legacy Ridge Golf Course / Brock Voss, Riverdale GC 79-71–150
Matt Reinick, Todd Creek GC / Mike Cordell, Buffalo Run GC 73-77–150
Tom Gysin, Lakewood CC / Tom Mesch, Lakewood CC 77-74–151
Garrett Farnsworth, Lone Tree GC / Dale Chavez, CommonGround GC 76-77–153
Chuck Scheinost, Boomerang GL / Jim Turk, Boomerang GL 78-77–155
Billy Ramsey, Lone Tree GC / David Ramsey, Lakewood CC 79-76–155
Taylor Osieczanek, Broadlands GC / Ed Connors, Legacy Ridge GC 81-79–160
Matt Keeler, Broadlands GC / Mark Ury, Heritage at Westmoor 78-83–161
CGA Senior Four-Ball Championship
At Par-72 Todd Creek GC in Thornton
View Leaderboard and Scorecards
Larry Netherton, Highlands Ranch GC / Kelly Crone, Highlands Ranch GC 68-68–136
Bill Fowler, Bear Creek GC / Robert Polk, Colorado GC 71-67–138
Mr Harry Johnson, Eagle Ranch GC / Ken Sady, Eagle Ranch GC 71-69–140
Kary Kaltenbacher, Glenmoor CC / Rod Walters, Heritage at Westmoor 70-70–140
Chuck Delich, Eisenhower GC / Rick George, Castle Pines GC 70-70 140
Pat Bowe, CommonGround GC / Dave Brown, Rmgcsa GL 73-67–140
Bob Dameron, The Courses at Hyland Hills / Bobby Ortega, The Courses at Hyland Hills 73-67–140
Randal Gaddis, Lone Tree GC / Jerry Beren, Coal Creek GC 72-69–141
Guy Mertz, The Fox Hill Club / Mike Larson, Boulder CC 72-69–141
Dennis Fields, CommonGround GC / Thomas Roos, Spring Valley GC 74-67–141
Bob Chandler, Heritage at Westmoor / Gary Albrecht, CommonGround GC 71-70–141
Jeffrey English, AvidGolfer Passport Club / Bill Bolgar, The Ridge at Castle Pines North 70-72–142
Mike Lohse, West Woods GC / Len Mize, West Woods GC 71-71–142
Bob Kubiak, South Suburban GC / Allen Phelon, South Suburban GC 71-71–142
Bob Cloud, Bear Creek GC / Hal Marshall, Bear Creek GC 68-75–143
Jeff Sweet, Saddle Rock GC / Daryl Fengler, Murphy Creek GC 69-74–143
Frank Wilkinson, Lincoln Park GC / Carter Mathies, The GC at Redlands Mesa 69-74–143
Phil Herrera, Lincoln Park GC / Dennis Lucero, Lincoln Park GC 71-73–144
Mark Hirsch, Lone Tree GC / Michael Davis, Meadow Hills GC 75-70–145
Grant Porter, CommonGround GC / Jim LeMar, Meadows GC 72-73–145
Sean Forey, Bear Creek GC / Terry Kunz, Applewood Golf Club 72-73–145
Mark Franz, Saddle Rock GC / Charlie Post, Colorado GC 73-72–145
Robert Blayney, Highlands Ranch GC / Thomas McGeary, Highlands Ranch GC 75-70–145
Art Cudworth, Raccoon Creek GC / Scott Crone, Pinehurst CC 69-76–145
Keith Masters, Meadow Hills GC / John Applegate, Meadow Hills GC 72-74–146
Gary Fox, CC at Castle Pines / Steve Stultz, CC at Castle Pines 76-70–146
Tom Coates, South Suburban GC / Pete Perry, South Suburban GC 75-72–147
Mark Runyan, Blackstone CC / Mark Barkley, Blackstone CC 72-75–147
Robert Sherrill, Columbine CC / Gary Keogh, Columbine CC 71-76–147
Bradley Smith, Ptarmigan CC / Richard Sabo, Ptarmigan CC 72-75–147
Jerry Kidney, Overland GC / Daniel Dymerski, Columbine CC 75-74–149
Glenn Hyde, Riverdale GC / Chuck Fisher, Riverdale GC 74-75–149
John Sostmann, Raccoon Creek GC / Robert Burke, Twin Peaks GC 73-76–149
Bruce Hogg, Patty Jewett GC / David Delich, Broadmoor GC 78-72–150
Joe Morrill, Eagle Ranch GC / Rick Pirog, The Club at Cordillera 77-73–150
Darin O’Shea, Raccoon Creek GC / Bob Rognmoe, Raccoon Creek GC 76-74–150
Tom Warren, Fossil Trace GC / Bartley Corfee, Fossil Trace GC 74-76–150
Mike Campbell, Aurora Hills GC / Steve Kosarek, CommonGround GC 74-76–150
Frank Carson, Meridian GC / Scott Anderson, Harmony GC 74-77–151
Joe Distefano, Telluride GC / Ken Bailey, Telluride GC 77-74–151
Bill Stevens, Raccoon Creek GC / Jerry Molitor, Colorado Springs CC 76-76–152
Bradley Becker, Plum Creek GC / Perry Umlauf, CommonGround GC 76-76–152
Robin Bradbury, Heritage at Westmoor / Scott Sullivan, Bookcliff CC 75-77–152
Jim Brown, The Fox Hill Club / Bob Bauers, Boulder CC 76-77–153
Richard Harrison, Ptarmigan CC / Mark Hailey, The Olde Course at Loveland 79-75–154
Paul Yoon, Pueblo CC / Roger Larsen, Pueblo CC 77-78–155
Mark Davidson, Hiwan GC / Dave Bell, Hiwan GC 81-74–155
Tim Kromer, Inverness GC / Tony Tormey, Inverness GC 75-81–156
Bill Boyd, Highland Hills GC / Bob Heiny, Highland Hills GC 78-82–160
Bill Lundquist, The Club at Pradera / Mike Gilbert, The Club at Pradera 83-77–160
John Leamon, Littleton GC / Don Gaines, Littleton GC 87-78–165
Art Pitman, Golfweek Amateur Tour / Rick Newberg, Hiwan GC 80-86–166
John Chahbandour, Denver CC / Steve Bell, Denver CC 76-NS
Reed Myer, Denver CC / Craig Gardiner, Denver CC 76-WD