It seems like wherever the CGA Mid-Amateur is held, Chris Thayer of Walnut Creek Golf Preserve finds himself either in the lead or darn close to it.

Since 2014, Thayer’s finishes in the championship have been first, second, second, first. 

And on Friday in the 32nd edition of the Mid-Am — an event limited to golfers 25 and older — Thayer put himself in position to add to his stellar record by shooting a 5-under-par 66 and sharing the lead at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.

The defending champion (left) eagled the par-5 11th hole and added four birdies while making just one bogey in the first round of the 54-hole event.

Tied with Thayer at 66 was Jared Reid of Legacy Ridge Golf Course, who started on No. 10 and played his final nine holes in 6-under-par 30. He finished with eight birdies and three bogeys on the day.

Four players share third place at 68 — Ryan Axlund of Valley Country Club, Nicholas Engen of Colorado Golf Club, Pete Mangold of Columbine Country Club and Stephen Powers of CommonGround. Mangold played his first two holes in 3 under par.

Though he hasn’t won the CGA Mid-Amateur, Axlund has finished in the top 10 five staight years, including posting four top-5s.

Also among the 15 players who broke par on Friday were past champions Michael Harrington of Garden of the Gods Club (69) and three-time winner Jon Lindstrom of Lakewood Country Club (70), along with Nick Nosewicz of Meadow Hills Golf Course (69), who won the 2015 CGA Match Play at CommonGround.

In the new Super Mid-Amateur Division for players 40 and older, Harrington, the 2014 CGA Player of the Year, leads the way with his 69, while Lindstrom and Michael Slutzsky of Cherry Hills Country Club are next best, at 70. Since the same tees are used for everyone in the championship, the Senior Mid-Ams can still contend for the overall title.

Keith Humerickhouse of Glenwood Springs Golf Club, who won this CGA Mid-Am four straight times starting in 2010, struggled to an 81 on Friday.

The championship will continue through Sunday, with a cut to the top 40 players and ties coming after Saturday’s second round.

For all the scores from the CGA Mid-Amateur, CLICK HERE.
 

Also advancing to the round of 32 were each of the top seven seeds, including stroke-play medalist Jackson Solem of The Fox Hill Club.

Korte, the former University of Denver golfer who has won both the CGA Amateur and the CGA Match Play, defeated 64th-seeded Blake Schneiter, 1 up on Tuesday.

Nick Nosewicz (left) of Meadow Hills Golf Course, the Match Play winner in 2015, posted a 4-and-2 win over Justin Weir of CommonGround Golf Course.

And 2012 champion Brian Dorfman of Cherry Creek Country Club beat former University of Colorado golfer John Luoma of Colorado Golf Club, 6 and 5.

Joining those three top-10 seeds in making the round of 32 were Solem, the DU golfer who’s seeded second and beat Freddie Gluck 3 and 2; the third and fourth seeds, AJ Ott of Ptarmigan Country Club and Colorado State University teammate Jake Staiano of Glenmoor Country Club; Jay Livsey of Lakewood Country Club (No. 5); and Jack Castiglia (No. 6)

Among those falling on Tuesday was 2017 CGA Match Play runner-up Kyle Pearson, who lost 3 and 2 to Pierce Aichinger of Glenmoor Country Club.

Wednesday will feature both the rounds of 32 and 16. Then the quarterfinals and semifinals are scheduled for Thursday, setting the stage for Friday’s 36-hole final.

For all the scores from Ravenna, CLICK HERE.

The defending champions, who still haven’t made a better-ball bogey through two rounds, fired their second straight 8-under-par 64 on Saturday, leaving them at 16-under 128 at Legacy Ridge Golf Course in Westminster.

Should Lindstrom, a three-time CGA Mid-Amateur champion, win on Sunday, he’ll become the first four-time CGA Four-Ball champ, breaking a tie with Steve Irwin. Lindstrom previously won in 2002, ’12 and last year. (The 2017 winners are pictured, with Lindstrom at left.)

The last players to win two straight CGA Four-Ball titles are Rick DeWitt and Mike Glaesel, who prevailed in both 1998 and ’99.

But two teams are just a stroke back of the leaders after Saturday’s second round, and another is three behind.

First-round leaders Alex Buecking of Columbine Country Club and Trent Isgrig of Cherry Hills Country Club backed up their Friday 62 with a 5-under-par 67 on Saturday, putting them at 15-under 129. They made six better-ball birdies and both bogeysed the 14th hole on Saturday.

Also at 129 are Alan Boyko of CommonGround Golf Course and Dean Siskowski of Collindale Golf Course, who shot the low round of day 2, a 9-under 63. With Siskowski posting a 66 on his own ball, the pair recorded nine better-ball birdies in round 2.

Chris Thayer of Walnut Creek Golf Preserve, winner of two CGA Mid-Ams, and Nick Nosewicz of Meadow Hills Golf Course, who claimed the 2015 CGA Match Play title, stand in fourth place at 131. They carded a second-round 64 despite a better-ball bogey on the par-3 eighth hole.

The 54-hole championship will conclude on Sunday.

For all the scores from the CGA Four-Ball, CLICK HERE.
 

A field of 82 players will be vying for four spots into the national tournament, set for Oct. 7-12 at Capital City Club in Atlanta.

Jon Lindstrom of Broomfield, the winner of the last two CGA Mid-Amateurs and the U.S. Mid-Am Qualifying medalist last year, qualified for the 2017 event earlier this week as a co-medalist in Carson City, Nev.

But among those in the Murphy Creek field are 2016 qualifiers Chris Thayer of Golden and Wes Martin of Denver. Thayer advanced to match play at the national championship, losing in the round of 64.

Among the others scheduled to compete in Aurora are Steve Irwin of Arvada, who recently competed in his third U.S. Amateur; Kyle Danford of Fort Collins, who has qualified for two U.S. Ams in recent years; 2008 CGA Amateur champion Jonathan Marsico; 2015 CGA Match Play champion Nick Nosewicz of Aurora; two-time CGA Senior Player of the Year David Delich; and this week’s CGA Super-Senior Stroke Play champion Gary Albrecht.

After next year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur is held at Charlotte, N.C., Colorado Golf Club in Parker will host the national championship in 2019, with the dates set for Sept. 21-26.

The U.S. Mid-Amateur is limited to golfers at least 25 years old.

For Tuesday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.
 

The 117th CGA Match Play, a fixture on the state golf calendar every year since 1901, will be held at The Club at Ravenna, a highly regarded Jay Morrish design in Littleton.

Stroke-play qualifying is set for Monday (June 19), with the top 64 players advancing to match play, which starts on Tuesday and runs through the 36-hole final on June 23.

Just one former CGA Match Play champion is in the field, 2015 winner Nick Nosewicz, but the last two CGA Amateur champs are entered, Colin Prater of the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (2016) and Chris Korte of the University of Denver (2015). And all three 2016 CGA players of the year — Kyler Dunkle (open), Chris Thayer (mid-amateur) and Robin Bradbury (senior) are likewise playing.

Also in the 84-man field are several players who earned spots in U.S. Open Sectionals, the second and final qualifying stage for the Open: Jake Staiano, Ross Macdonald, Jackson Solem, Daniel Pearson, Hunter Paugh and Thayer, who qualified for Sectionals but withdrew. Likewise entered are former 5A state high school champion and 2016 CGA Amateur runner-up Spencer Painton; 2016 Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational winner Coby Welch; 2016 5A state champion Kyle Pearson; and the last three winners of the Colorado Junior Amateur: Braden Bentley (2016), Isaac Petersilie (2015) and Macdonald (2013 and ’14).

For Monday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.
 

But coming on the heels of the 2016 death of someone very special to both of them — Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Ed Nosewicz, Lenny’s dad and Nick’s grandad — took it to another level.

“If it wasn’t for grandpa, neither of us would have played golf,” Nick Nosewicz said on Sunday afternoon. “If if wasn’t for grandpa, I wouldn’t have dad. So the whole tournament was pretty special.

“Honestly, I think the only reason we came up here was because of what happened last year, losing grandpa, and trying to continue the Nosewicz legacy. At a state level, that’s cool.”

The Nosewicz clan is widely known in Colorado golf circles. Nick Nosewicz won one of the CGA’s top championships, the Match Play, in 2015. And his dad Lenny has owned Lenny’s Golf in Aurora for more than three decades.

The Nosewiczes (pictured, with Lenny at left) were the only team to break par in the foursome stroke play (alternate shot) format used for Sunday’s final round at the Tom Weiskopf-designed Frost Creek course. That gave them a 10-under 134 total, good for a seven-stroke victory over 2016 champions Ray and Jimmy Makloski of Pueblo Country Club, who closed with a 73.

Nick and Debbie Leibold of Columbine Country Club came in third at 142 after a second-round 72. First-round leaders Grant and Matt Porter of CommonGround Golf Course (79 Sunday) tied for fourth at 143 with former CGA president Bill Fowler and son Will of The Club at Rolling Hills (77).

The Nosewiczes, who were one stroke out of the lead going into the final round, made five birdies and two bogeys in their 69 on Sunday to give themselves a comfortable margin of victory. 

It was the first CGA championship for Lenny Nosewicz, 60, and the second for Nick, 33. Ed Nosewicz was 91 when he passed away on July 27.

“It’s a great feeling to win, especially with Nick as a partner,” Lenny said. “You just let him play. But this was my first victory (in a CGA championship), and it feels pretty good.”

With Lenny missing just one fairway in two days and Nick providing some firepower, they were a formidable combination at Frost Creek.

“Alternate shot is a very difficult format,” Nick Nosewicz said. “It’s not every day you play in a true alternate shot. I was pretty nervous going into it. We both hit it well and put it in position to give ourselves chances. We made a lot of pars. In alternate shot, par is a really good score.”

Nick Nosewicz noted that he and his dad won a few father/son titles together in club events held at Bear Creek Golf Club many years ago. 

“But I didn’t know if we had the game that was good enough to travel, especially at the state level,” he said. “I’ve always known my dad was a good player. He doesn’t miss a fairway; I’m not accustomed to that.

“(Overall), this was awesome. Anytime you can play with your dad, it’s a treat, and when you’re playing in a state championship with your old man, it’s even better. Winning is a dream come true.”

On Sunday, the Nosewicz team also had the low net score for the Parent/Child — 22-under-par 122. Second were John and Steele Luoma of Colorado Golf Club (125).

Meanwhile, earning the Loel & Caleb Lierman Award — which is presented to the team that includes a player 18 or younger who has the lowest gross score — were Kyle and 17-year-old Drew Anderson, of Clubcorp Colorado and Canongate Colorado, respectively. They tied for ninth overall at 146 (70-76).

For all the scores from the CGA Parent/Child, CLICK HERE.

The Porters made eight birdies on Saturday in the modified Chapman format. They reeled off four straight birdies beginning on the sixth hole, their fifth of the day.

Nick Nosewicz, the 2015 CGA Match Play champion, and Lenny Nosewicz of Meadow Hills Golf Course trail by one heading into Sunday’s final round, which will feature foursome stroke play (alternate shot). The Nosewiczes eagled the par-5 17th hole and added five birdies in a bogey-free round of 65 on Saturday. Their 13-under 59 leads the net division of the championship.

Bill Fowler, the 2015 CGA Senior Amateur champion, and son Will of The Club at Rolling Hills checked in at 66 to stand in third place in the gross division.

Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Gary Potter of Denver Country Club and Matt Potter of CommonGround, who won the first two CGA Parent/Child titles — in 1983 and ’84 when the tournament was known as the Father/Son — share fourth place at 67 with Bradley and Daniel Becker of Plum Creek Golf Club.

Defending champions Ray and Jimmy Makloski of Pueblo Country Club opened with a 68 in Jimmy’s final tournament as an amateur.

For all the gross and net scores from Saturday, CLICK HERE. 

The Coloradans improved by one stroke over their first-round total at the Country Club of Birmingham (Ala.), but missed the 36-hole team cut by three shots. For the first time this year, a 36-hole cut was instituted that reduced the field to the top 21 teams plus ties. Colorado ended up sharing 27th place out of the 52-team field.

After a 7-over-par 149 on Thursday, the three-player Colorado team posted a 15-over-par 299 total. That left the Coloradans 18 strokes behind 36-hole leader Connecticut. Michigan went on to win the title on Friday with a 4-under-par 422 total.

Jon Lindstrom of Broomfield, who won his third CGA Mid-Amateur title on Sunday, shot a 3-over-par 74 on Thursday, while four-time CGA Mid-Am champ Keith Humerickhouse of Eagle and 2015 CGA Match Play winner Nick Nosewicz of Aurora matched 75s in round 2. On each day, the top two scores from each state’s three representatives counted toward its team total.

Lindstrom (pictured) became the top Colorado individual finisher at the last four State Teams, this time carding a 7-over-par 149 total, which left him in 49th place individually through two rounds. Humerickhouse (150) was 57th. Nosewicz was disqualified — but just for round 1 — after self-reporting signing for an incorrect score on Wednesday. His score counted on Thursday.

Lindstrom made one birdie — on his opening hole — and two bogeys and a double bogey on Thursday. Humerickhouse carded two birdies and six bogeys, and Nosewicz five bogeys and a closing-hole birdie.

Each of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, fielded teams consisting of three in-state residents, none of which could be an active college golfer.

27. Colorado 150
Jon Lindstrom of Broomfield 75-74–149
Keith Humerickhouse of Eagle 75-75–150
Nick Nosewicz of Aurora DQ-75

For complete scoring from the USGA Men’s State Team, CLICK HERE.

The Coloradans improved by one stroke over their first-round total at the Country Club of Birmingham, but missed the 36-hole team cut by three shots. For the first time this year, a 36-hole cut was instituted that reduced the field to the top 21 teams plus ties. Colorado ended up sharing 27th place out of the 52-team field.

After a 7-over-par 149 on Thursday, the three-player Colorado team posted a 15-over-par 299 total. That left the Coloradans 18 strokes behind leader Connecticut.

Jon Lindstrom of Broomfield, who won his third CGA Mid-Amateur title on Sunday, shot a 3-over-par 74 on Thursday, while four-time CGA Mid-Am champ Keith Humerickhouse of Eagle and 2015 CGA Match Play winner Nick Nosewicz of Aurora matched 75s in round 2. On each day, the top two scores from each state’s three representatives count toward its team total.

Lindstrom (pictured) became the top Colorado individual finisher at the last four State Teams, this time carding a 7-over-par 149 total, which left him in 49th place individually. Humerickhouse (150) was 57th. Nosewicz was disqualified — but just for round 1 — after self-reporting signing for an incorrect score on Wednesday. His score counted on Thursday.

Lindstrom made one birdie — on his opening hole — and two bogeys and a double bogey on Thursday. Humerickhouse carded two birdies and six bogeys, and Nosewicz five bogeys and a closing-hole birdie.

Each of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, fielded teams consisting of three in-state residents, none of which can be an active college golfer.

27. Colorado 150
49. Jon Lindstrom of Broomfield 75-74–149
57. Keith Humerickhouse of Eagle 75-75–150
Nick Nosewicz of Aurora DQ-75

For complete scoring from the USGA Men’s State Team, CLICK HERE.
 

At 8-over-par 150, the Coloradans are tied for 26th place in the 52-team field for the biennial event. Both Jon Lindstrom of Broomfield, winner on Sunday of his third CGA Mid-Amateur title, and four-time Mid-Am champion Keith Humerickhouse of Eagle posted 4-over-par 75s on Wednesday, leaving them tied for 59th place individually.

The third member of the Colorado squad, 2015 CGA Match Play champion Nick Nosewicz of Aurora, was disqualified for round 1 for signing for a score lower than he took. The player keeping Nosewicz’s scorecard marked him down for a bogey on a hole in which he made a double bogey. Nosewicz didn’t catch the error in the scoring area, but noticed it later and reported the problem to USGA officials, resulting in the DQ.

Though Nosewicz’s actual score of 74 didn’t count toward Colorado’s Wednesday total, his score can be used for both or either of the final two rounds of the 54-hole event. On each day, the top two scores from each state’s three representatives count toward its team total.

As it was, counting two 75s left Colorado 10 strokes behind team co-leaders Missouri, Connecticut, Ohio and Texas.

Humerickhouse, who went to the round of 16 at the 2013 U.S. Mid-Am at the Country Club of Birmingham, made a birdie, three bogeys and a double bogey in his first round ever at the USGA Men’s State team.

Lindstrom, representing Colorado in the event for the fifth consecutive time and for the sixth time overall, carded two birdies and six bogeys for the day.

The teams representing Colorado and the CGA have finished in the top half of the field in four of the last five USGA Men’s State Team Championships, including 22nd the last time the Men’s State Team was conducted, in 2014.

Each of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, field teams consisting of three in-state residents, none of which can be an active college golfer.

26. Colorado 150
59. Keith Humerickhouse of Eagle 75
59. Jon Lindstrom of Broomfild 75
Nick Nosewicz of Aurora DQ

For complete scoring from the USGA Men’s State Team, CLICK HERE.

(The Colorado contingent is pictured, from left: non-playing captain Alex Crall from the CGA, Humerickhouse, Nosewicz and Lindstrom, along with a junior golfer from the Country Club of Birmingham.)