That’s when the Arthur Schaupeter-designed Scottish links-style course will host its first big-time tournament. The 54-hole Colorado PGA Professional Championship is scheduled for Monday through Wednesday (Sept. 10-12). It’ll be a worthwhile preview for what’s planned for the course (left) starting next year — a stop on the Web.com Tour, which is just one step below the PGA Tour.

The Web.com Tour — then known as the Nike Tour — previously had a tournament in Colorado in 1996 and ’97, when Riverdale’s Dunes Course in Brighton hosted the Nike Colorado Classic. Stewart Cink, who has since won six times on the PGA Tour including the 2009 British Open, claimed the title in 1996.

(For more on TPC Colorado, CLICK HERE.)

The Colorado PGA Professional Championship will feature a formidable field of most of the top professionals from the Colorado Section. That includes Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale, who won this event three straight years starting in 2013. Other winners of the event in the 21st century who are in the field next week include Caine Fitzgerald (2012), Rob Hunt (2009 and ’11), Chris Johnson (2010), Mike Northern (2006), Heikke Nielsen (2005), Bill Loeffler (2000, ’02 and ’04) and Micah Rudosky (2001). Loeffler and fellow participant Ron Vlosich are members of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.

Others who are entered are 2017 runner-up Rick Cole, 2018 Colorado Senior PGA Professional Champion Mike Zaremba, Ari Papadopoulos, TPC Colorado host head pro Stephen Arendt and Eric Bradley. Among the female members competing are Alexandra Braga and Sherry Andonian-Smith. Braga won the first two Colorado PGA Women’s Championships and Andonian-Smith qualified for the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open this year.

But the last two winners from the Colorado PGA Professional Championship aren’t in the field this time around — John Ogden (2017) and Geoff Keffer (2016). Ogden is injured and Keffer, a five-time Colorado PGA Player of the Year, didn’t enter.

The top finishers next week will advance to the 2019 PGA Professional Championship, set for April 28-May 1 in Bluffton, S.C.

For Monday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.

John Elway figures to receive much of the attention from fans and the media on Monday at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs, whether the Pro Football Hall of Famer qualifies for the U.S. Senior Open or not. More than 2,000 fans are expected to watch him try to qualify Monday at The Broadmoor.

Attention comes with the territory for Elway, who has an official role to play for this particular U.S. Senior Open even if he fails to earn a spot in the 156-man field. The Broncos general manager is the honorary chairman for this year’s Senior Open, which the East Course at The Broadmoor will host June 28-July 1.

On the golf course, Elway does have some game. He’s made the cut in the CoBank Colorado Open once, and has posted two top-30 finishes in the CoBank Colorado Senior Open. And he’ll be helped out on Monday by oilman and philanthropist George Solich, an Elway friend who grew up caddying at The Broadmoor. George Solich and brother Duffy have lent their names and support to the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy. Elway is scheduled to tee off at 10:10 a.m. from No. 1 on the East Course.

But the bar will be set high on Monday for Elway and the other 83 competitors in the 18-hole qualifying tournament at the East Course as just two players from the site will advance to the U.S. Senior Open itself.

The field is full of formidable players. Ron Vlosich of Lakewood has qualified for five U.S. Senior Opens and Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale for three, and Rohrbaugh has also won a Colorado Senior Open and three Colorado PGA Professional Championships in recent years. Dale Smigeksy of Fort Collins and Charlie Post of Castle Rock played in the 2017 Senior Open.

On top of that, there’s several Colorado Golf Hall of Famers, in addition to Vlosich — Bill Loeffler (the 1986 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion), Kent Moore and John Olive, who’s competing at his home course. There’s 2017 Colorado PGA Professional Champion John Ogden of Cherry Hills Village; Mike Zaremba of Pueblo West, winner of both a Colorado Open and a Colorado Senior Open; Mike Northern of Colorado Springs, who finished fourth in the 2016 national Senior PGA Professional Championship; amateurs David Delich, a two-time U.S. Senior Open qualifier, and Robert Polk, who went to the 2007 Senior Open; 2016 U.S. Senior Open qualifier John Hornbeck of Wyoming; and Chris Johnson, who along with Rohrbaugh is competing in this week’s Senior PGA Championship.

Besides Colorado, states represented in Monday’s field including Arizona (6), Utah (5), Wyoming (3), Oklahoma (2), California (1), Florida (1), Montana (1), Ohio (1), Tennessee (1) and Texas (1).

Monday marks just the fourth time a U.S. Senior Open host course has also held a qualifying tournament leading up to the event. All told, 34 sites will host U.S. Senior Open qualifying events this spring.

Spectators are welcome for Monday’s qualifying tournament at The Broadmoor, and admission is free.
 

Despite that, the Lakewood resident had never won the Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship.

Until Tuesday, that is.

The 60-year-old PGA Life Member (pictured) shot a bogey-free 6-under-par 66 in Tuesday’s final round to prevail by one stroke at Valley Country Club in Centennial.

Vlosich, a five-time Colorado PGA Player of the Year and two-time runner-up in the Colorado Open, finished with a 9-under 135 total after playing his final five holes in 3 under. He made just one bogey over the 36-hole tournament. Tuesday’s victory was worth $1,125.

Finishing a stroke behind Vlosich was defending champion Mike Northern of Colorado Springs, who closed with a 70 after going 1 over for his final five holes.

Mike Zaremba of Desert Hawk at Pueblo West, the 2005 champion, tied for third place at 137 with Don Hurter of Castle Pines Golf Club. Hurter posted a final-round 68 and Zaremba a 70.

Those four players, plus Valley head professional Barry Milstead, Rick Cole and Bill Hancock, qualified for the national Senior PGA Professional Championship, scheduled for Sept. 28-Oct. 1 in Scottsdale, Ariz. Milstead, Cole and Hancock tied for fifth place on Tuesday. Bill Loeffler, who placed 11th at Valley, was exempt into the national tournament by virtue of winning it in 2007.

Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship
Aug. 14-15, 2017 (final) at Par-72 Valley CC in Centennial
1. Ron Vlosich 69-66–135
2. Mike Northern 66-70–136
T3. Don Hurter 69-68–137
T3. Mike Zaremba 67-70–137
T5. Rick Cole 68-70–138
T5. Barry Milstead 69-69–138
T5. Bill Hancock 71-67–138
T8. Chris Johnson 67-72–139
T8. Doug Rohrbaugh 68-71–139
10. Sherry Andonian-Smith 71-69–140

For complete results, CLICK HERE.
 

After two rounds of this year’s Senior PGA near Washington D.C., Jobe (pictured) shares 10th place. Rounds of 69-71 have left him at 4-under-par 140. When round 2 was suspended due to darkness on Friday night, Bernhard Langer led at 11 under par through 31 holes.

Jobe posted three top-five finishes in PGA Tour Champions majors in 2016.

(Updated May 27) Meanwhile, Mike Northern of Colorado Springs, who qualified for the Senior PGA by finishing fourth last year in the national Senior PGA Professional Championship, missed the 36-hole cut. Northern shot rounds of 73-78 for a 7-over-par 151 total. The top 72 players and ties advanced to the last two rounds, and Northern missed the mark by three shots.

Here are the scores for players with strong Colorado ties through 36 holes on Saturday morning:

Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Brandt Jobe 69-71–140
Former Colorado resident Esteban Toledo 70-73–143
Missed the 36-Hole Cut
Gary Hallberg of Longmont 71-79–150
Mike Northern of Colorado Springs 73-78–151
Former Cherry Creek HS golfer Mike Reid 74-77–151
Colorado Sports Hall of Famer Hale Irwin 76-82–158

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.
 

Northern (pictured) made four birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey in round 1 at Trump National Golf Club in Washington D.C. He’s tied for 86th place after day 1.

Northern was the runner-up in the Colorado PGA Professional Championship in September.

The weather didn’t allow everyone to complete the first round of the Senior PGA, but Bernhard Langer opened with a 65 to hold the lead.

As for tour players with strong Colorado ties competing in the event, former Colorado resident Esteban Toledo posted a 2-under-par 70, good for a share of 15th place. Gary Hallberg of Longmont stands at 1 under par through six holes and Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Brandt Jobe is 1 under through 15. Colorado Sports Hall of Famer Hale Irwin is 2 over through 11 and former Cherry Creek High School golfer Mike Reid is 2 over through eight.

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.

Northern (pictured), the reigning Colorado Senior PGA Professional Champ, placed in the top five out of 264 players despite closing with a double bogey on Sunday in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The 54-year-old shot a 1-over-par 73 in the final round to record a 9-under 279 total. That left him four strokes behind champion Steve Schneiter of Sandy, Utah, who has played in many Colorado Opens over the years.

Schneiter sank a 15-foot par putt on the final hole for the victory, which makes him the first person to win both the PGA Professional Championship (1995) the Senior PGA Professional Championship. Schneiter, who holed out for eagle from 115 yards on the second hole Sunday, won $21,500.

Northern, the runner-up in the Colorado PGA Professional Championship in September, was trying to become the second Coloradan to win the national Senior PGA Professional Championship as Bill Loeffler captured the title in 2007.

Northern made two birdies, a bogey and the final-hole double bogey on Sunday.

Jeff Hanson of Edwards came ever so close to joining Northern as a 2017 Senior PGA Championship qualifier. With the top 35 finishers and ties earning spots in the Senior PGA, Hanson placed 39th, one shot shy of what was necessary to qualify. What was even more agonizing was that Hanson triple bogeyed his final hole on Sunday.

Hanson closed with a 5-over-par 77 on Sunday after three straight sub-par rounds. He posted an even-par 288 total when 287 was needed to qualify.

Here are the scores of all the Colorado PGA members who competed in the Senior PGA Professional Championship:

4. Mike Northern of Colorado Springs 69-71-66-73–279
39. Jeff Hanson of Edwards 69-71-71-77–288

Missed 36-Hole Cut
109. Paul Lobato of Englewood 75-71–146
126. Mike Zaremba of Pueblo West 76-71–147
176. Dale Smigelsky of Fort Collins 74-76–150
192. Vance Pollock of Westminster 74-77–151
210. Don Hurter of Castle Rock 74-78–152
261. Steve Crane of Lakewood 79-87–166
 

Northern (pictured), who won the Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship this year and finished second in the Colorado PGA Professional Championship, made six birdies and no bogeys in round 3. The 54-year-old stands at 10-under-par 206, three strokes behind leader Gene Fieger of Naples, Fla., and one back of second-place Jeff Roth of Farmington, N.M. Fieger won the 2013 Assistant PGA Professional Championship, while Roth claimed the title in the 1993 PGA Professional Championship.

The other Coloradan to make the 36-hole cut, Jeff Hanson of Edwards, shares 26th place after three rounds. He shot a 1-under-par 71 on Saturday, leaving him at 5-under 211 overall. Hanson carded an eagle, three birdies and four bogeys on Saturday.

With just Sunday’s final round remaining in the $300,000 championship, the top 35 finishers will earn spots in the 2017 Senior PGA Championship, set for May 25-28 at Trump National Golf Club in suburban Washington D.C.

Here are the scores of all the Colorado PGA members competing in this week’s Senior PGA Professional Championship:

3. Mike Northern of Colorado Springs 69-71-66–206
26. Jeff Hanson of Edwards 69-71-71–211

Missed 36-Hole Cut
109. Paul Lobato of Englewood 75-71–146
126. Mike Zaremba of Pueblo West 76-71–147
176. Dale Smigelsky of Fort Collins 74-76–150
192. Vance Pollock of Westminster 74-77–151
210. Don Hurter of Castle Rock 74-78–152
261. Steve Crane of Lakewood 79-87–166
 

Both Hanson and Northern have matched rounds of 69-71 for 4-under-par 140 totals, which leaves them tied for 21st place. They trail co-leaders Lee Houtteman of Michigan and Gene Fieger of Florida by six strokes.

Northern (pictured) and Hanson were the only Coloradans to survive the 36-hole cut — to the low 70 players and ties — out of the eight who started the 264-man event. Hanson, who played his final dozen holes in 4 under par on Friday, made five birdies and four bogeys on Friday, while Northern carded four birdies and three bogeys.

The tournament will continue through Sunday. The top 35 finishers will earn spots in the 2017 Senior PGA Championship, set for May 25-28 at Trump National Golf Club in Washington D.C.

Here are the scores of all the Colorado PGA members competing in this week’s Senior PGA Professional Championship:

21. Mike Northern of Colorado Springs 69-71–140
21. Jeff Hanson of Edwards 69-71–140

Missed 36-Hole Cut
109. Paul Lobato of Englewood 75-71–146
126. Mike Zaremba of Pueblo West 76-71–147
176. Dale Smigelsky of Fort Collins 74-76–150
192. Vance Pollock of Westminster 74-77–151
210. Don Hurter of Castle Rock 74-78–152
261. Steve Crane of Lakewood 79-87–166
 

Northern made an eagle, four birdies and three bogeys on Thursday, while Hanson chalked up five birdies and two bogeys.

The two trail co-leaders Lee Houtteman of Michigan and Brad Lardon of New Mexico by three strokes in the 264-person competition.

The tournament will continue through Sunday. The top 35 finishers will earn spots in the 2017 Senior PGA Championship, set for May 25-28 at Trump National Golf Club in Washington D.C.

Here are the scores of all the Colorado PGA members competing in this week’s Senior PGA Professional Championship:

14. Mike Northern of Colorado Springs 69
14. Jeff Hanson of Edwards 69
130. Dale Smigelsky of Fort Collins 74
130. Vance Pollock of Westminster 74
130. Don Hurter of Castle Rock 74
160. Paul Lobato of Englewood 75
192. Mike Zaremba of Pueblo West 76
245. Steve Crane of Lakewood 79
 

The Colorado PGA will recognize some of its best of 2016 tonight (Nov. 4) at its Awards Gala at Colorado Golf Club in Parker.

Most of the award winners were announced in August (READ MORE), including Leslie Core-Drevecky being named the Section’s 2016 Golf Professional of the Year, its highest honor. Core-Drevecky, the PGA head professional at Murphy Creek Golf Course in Aurora, became the first female president of the Colorado PGA in 2014.

Finalized more recently have been the Colorado PGA’s Players of the Year. Player honorees will be:

— Dow Finsterwald Player of the Year: Geoff Keffer (pictured above), PGA Learning Center at Park Hill. Keffer, who won his first Colorado PGA Professional Championship in September, receives this award for the third consecutive year and for the fourth time in the last five seasons. Others who have been Player of the Year three straight times include Bob Hold (1966-71), Vic Kline (1977-79) and Ron Vlosich (1986-88).

— Senior Player of the Year: Mike Northern, Colorado Springs. Northern, a three-time Dow Finsterwald Player of the Year, claimed the title in the Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship in mid-August.

— Apprentice Player of the Year: Pat Grady, University of Colorado men’s golf assistant coach. Grady won the National Car Rental Colorado PGA Assistants Championship in August and on Sunday he placed 11th in the National Assistant PGA Professional Championship.

Here are the recipients of the Colorado PGA’s special awards for 2016:

— Golf Professional of the Year (overall performance, including leadership, service and promotion of the game of golf): Leslie Core-Drevecky, Murphy Creek Golf Course.

— Teacher of the Year: Steve Patterson, Hiwan Golf Club.

— Assistant Golf Professionals of the Year: Brad Gannaway, Colorado Springs Country Club.

— Bill Strausbaugh Award (mentoring fellow PGA professionals): Dale Smigelsky, Collindale Golf Course.

— Horton Smith Award (exceptional contributions to promote and improve PGA educational programs): Mark Bacheldor, UCCS PGA-PGM.

— Warren Smith Award (special contributions to game of golf, the Colorado PGA, junior golf and their facility): Craig Parzybok, Fox Hollow Golf Course.

— Noble Chalfant Inductee (distinguished service to the Colorado PGA) — Tom Apple, Country Club of the Rockies

— Player Development Award: Trent Wearner, Trent Wearner Golf Academy.

— Youth Player Development Award: Katie Milstead, The First Tee at Green Valley Ranch.

— Private Merchandiser of the Year: Greg Bryan, Roaring Fork Club.

— Resort Merchandiser of the Year: Rich Parker, Kissing Camels Club.

— Public Merchandiser of the Year: Mark Pfingston, The Golf Club at Bear Dance.

— President’s Award: Ed Mate, CGA

— Dow Finsterwald Player of the Year: Geoff Keffer, PGA Learning Center at Park Hill

— Senior Player of the Year: Mike Northern, Colorado Springs

— Apprentice Player of the Year: Pat Grady, University of Colorado

— Charles “Vic” Kline Award (outstanding service and leadership in the Colorado PGA through work on CPGA Board of Directors): Theo Gregory, El Pomar Foundation.
 

Gott Receives National Clubfitter Honor from Callaway: The people who will be recognized tonight aren’t the only members of the Colorado PGA Section who have been honored recently. Brian Gott, PGA director of instruction at Gott Golf, was named Callaway Golf’s National Club Fitter of the Year on Oct. 17 in San Diego.

Gott opened Gott Golf in 2008 and was named one of Golf Digest’s top 100 club fitters in America in 2015 and ’16. Among the clubs Gott works with in Colorado are Cherry Hills, Castle Pines, The Broadmoor and Maroon Creek.

Gott Golf is based at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.