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
 

On Sunday at CommonGround Golf Course, as the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy unofficially celebrated its fifth “birthday” with its annual post-season buffet and awards ceremony, Duffy Solich heard a comment from a caddie’s parent that was music to his ears.

“One of the parents told me tonight, ‘Whether my son gets an Evans Scholarship (a full tuition and housing scholarship awarded to selected caddies at the University of Colorado) or not, (the Solich Academy) has made him who he is,'” Solich recounted Sunday evening. “I’m like, ‘Wow. That’s the nicest thing you could say.’ Those are hidden benefits you don’t realize when we started this. Things mature and happen and grow.”

Indeed, the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy to which brothers George and Duffy Solich (pictured above, with Duffy at left) lent their name was a unique idea when it was launched at CGA-owned CommonGround Golf Course in 2012. The Academy promotes the use of caddies in a major way by paying the base caddie fees, with participating golfers having the option of adding a tip. But in addition to the caddying, per se, a major component of the Academy is that all of the caddies are required to attend weekly leadership classes and do volunteer community-service work each summer. And after two summers in the Academy, the youngsters who are successful graduate to other caddie programs in the area. And, ideally, some will become good candidates for the Evans Scholarship at CU.

So, having just completed season No. 5, how successful has the Solich Academy been?

With more than 1,400 caddie loops in 2016 (1,095 at CommonGround and 330 at Meridian Golf Club, which came into the fold starting last year), the two Colorado sites have generated almost 5,400 loops over the five years. CommonGround on its own has racked up almost 4,800. And nine Solich Academy caddies have gone on to earn Evans Scholarships.

“What’s really great is the kids are getting a lot out of it whether they get the Evans Scholarship or not,” said George Solich, who provided the inspiration for the Academy after reading a magazine article about a caddie camp in Nantucket, Mass. “We’ve touched a lot of kids. It’s been an awesome start.

“It’s really in a great spot. And thanks to the CGA for all its work in managing it and running it. Thanks to the Colorado Golf Foundation for supporting it. We love what it does.”

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that many of the driving forces behind the Solich Academy were caddies themselves as youngsters, and quite a few received the Evans Scholarship at CU. That includes both George and Duffy Solich, CGA executive director Ed Mate, who was responsible for the execution of George’s original inspiration, and of major supporters such as Frank Nessinger. And even though he wasn’t an Evans Scholar, Paul Lobato, the PGA head professional who championed the idea of adding a Solich Academy chapter at Meridian Golf Club, caddied at Denver Country Club as a teenager.

Meridian’s program is much smaller than CommonGround’s, but likewise has gained grassroots support.

“It gets better every year,” said Lobato (below). “It started as a 9, now it’s a 10. Probably the most fun part of my job is seeing how (the caddies) grow, seeing how they get confidence talking to adults and getting better at their job. Some of the young kids come in really meek and quiet, then they start to gain confidence and get better and better and better. It’s really fun to see. It’s a great, great program.”

This year, between the two Colorado courses, there were 46 Solich Academy caddies — 36 at CommonGround at 10 at Meridian. In their leadership classes, they learn about “Cowboy Ethics” and the 10-point “Code of the West”: 1) Live each day with courage; 2) Take pride in your work; 3) Always finish what you start; 4) Do what has to be done; 5) Be tough, but fair; 6) When you make a promise, keep it; 7) Ride for the brand; 8) Talk less and say more; 9) Remember that some things aren’t for sale; 10) Know where to draw the line.

“We love what caddying does,” said George Solich, like Duffy a success in the oil and gas business and a philanthropist. “Not only can you make money, but you can be around successful people. You can learn about leadership, you can learn principles (of success) and you can learn hard work. And regardless of where you go in life, those qualities and characteristics will benefit you for years and years. They did us, for sure.”

The formula for success adopted by the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy hasn’t gone unnoticed. Besides what has germinated in Colorado, courses in southeast Wisconsin and in Oceanside, Calif., have taken the Solich Academy template and run with it.

“It’s a really good model,” said George Solich. “The goal is to have it at a lot of different places across the country that can benefit kids and give them an opportunity.

“We have some good momentum. It would be great to see it thrive (further). The Evans Scholars Foundation is moving this way too. They have a (WGA Caddie Academy) for girls in Chicago. John (Kaczkowski, president and CEO of the WGA) and I have talked (about) how does all this kind of fit together. I think the idea is, finding more kids you can give the opportunity to.”

Suffice it to say that in five years the Solich Academy has succeeded beyond what anyone foresaw.

“I would have guaranteed you none of us had this kind of expectations (five years ago),” said Duffy Solich. “It’s far exceeded anything we expected. There was nothing like it in the country that I’m aware of. And some of the byproducts that come from it are not something you could have ever planned on.”

This year, when BMW became a presenting partner of the CGA, it also became the exclusive partner for the Solich Academy at CommonGround. The PGA Tour’s BMW Championship, which just concluded in Indiana, has raised, from the tournament’s inception in 2007 through 2015, more than $21 million for the Evans Scholars Foundation.

Also new this year, a Solich Academy Invitational was held at CommonGround with the intention of giving supporters and potential supporters a first-hand experience with Academy caddies and the program overall.

While the Soliches, Mate, Lobato and others have provided big-picture guidance to the Solich Academy, the day-to-day operations have mainly been in the hands of Emily Olson, the CGA’s manager of caddie development; Erin Gangloff, the CGA’s managing director of programs; and the caddiemasters at the respective courses, Matt Tedeschi (CommonGround) and Melyzjah Smith (Meridian). Smith is one of 53 Evans Scholars currently living at the newly renovated scholarship house at CU.

“This program would not work without the four of them,” George Solich said. “It’s really neat to see that they actually own it. They’re accountable, they’re responsible. They’re thinking about new ways to make it better.”

Added Duffy Solich: “My first round out here (at CommonGround), Melyzjah was my caddie. I was totally taken by her and I thought we have to get this girl an Evans Scholarship. She was light on loops so she had to go to school on her own (at CU) for a year. She came back and got the Evans Scholarship and now she’s a leader at the Meridian Chapter. That’s a pretty good story.”

The fruits of the labor of Olson, Gangloff, Tedeschi, Smith and others are being seen at other major clubs in the Denver metro area that utilize Solich Academy graduates in their own caddie programs.

“Personally, I’d tell you the kids that come to Cherry Hills (Country Club) from the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy are always the best kids — because they’re trained, they know the deal,” George Solich said. “That’s one of the hard parts about clubs is training caddies. I think this model really works if we can send 15 kids a year to five or six other clubs.”

Besides the benefits of kids earning money through caddying — and possibly qualifying for an Evans Scholarship — the Academy’s leadership training and volunteerism remain equally important aspects of this whole initiative.

“I really, really love the Code of the West,” George Solich said. “It’s the perfect age to talk to these kids about character, which is what Code of the West really is. When you look at programs that are very successful, it’s all about character traits and moving that into a kid’s thought process. It really adds to the experience they get at a golf course.

“When we launched, I’m so glad we decided to do that along with the caddie program. It’s as meaningful as the hard work on the golf course and as the money these kids take home.”

As part of Sunday’s festivities, awards were given out to some of the oustanding Solich Academy caddies at CommonGround and Meridian:

Caddie Leader of the Year (CommonGround)
David Acevedo
 
Caddie Leader of the Year (Meridian)
Ricardo Angel-Lucero

Congeniality Award (CommonGround)
Sydney McCleary
 
Congeniality Award (Meridian)
Courtney Lopez

Rookie of the Year (CommonGround)
Kyle Arbuckle
 
Rookie of the Year (Meridian)
Davis Helmerich

Most Improved Caddie (CommonGround)
Dillon Zastrocky
 
Most Improved Caddie (Meridian)
Oliver King

3D Award: Determination, Dedication, Desire (CommonGround)
Eliannah Angel-Lucero

3D Award: Determination, Dedication, Desire (Meridian)
Fenton Dowling
 

Northern (pictured), 53, shot back-to-back 5-under-par 67s to prevail by one over Lobato at Indian Peaks Golf Course in Lafayette. Both players went bogey-free on Tuesday, with Northern chalking up five birdies and Lobato four.

Northern finished particularly strong, gong 4 under par in his last seven holes to post a 10-under 134 total. He won $1,275.

Lobato closed with a 68 to check in at 135.

Tying for third place, at 138, were Jeff Hanson of Red Sky Golf Club and Doug Wherry of Jake’s Academy.

The top seven finishers, in addition to 2007 national champion Bill Loeffler, landed spots in the 2016 Senior PGA Professional Championship, set for Nov. 17- 20 in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Joining Northern, Lobato, Hanson, Wherry and Loeffler in advancing to the national tournament were Don Hurter of Castle Pines (139), Mike Zaremba of Desert Hawk (139) and Steve Crane of Hiwan (139).

Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship
Aug. 15-16, 2016 (final) at Par-72 Indian Peaks GC in Lafayette
Top 10 Finishers — 1. Mike Northern 67-67–134; 2. Paul Lobato 67-68–135; 3. (tie) Jeff Hanson 69-69–138; Doug Wherry 70-68–138; 5. (tie) Don Hurter 72-67–139; Mike Zaremba 72-67–139; Steve Crane 69-70–139; 8. (tie) Scott Hart 72-69–141; C.J. Parry 72-69–141; Dale Smigelsky 71-70–141; Vance Pollock 69-72–141.
For all the scores, CLICK HERE.

Northern, a PGA Life Member from Colorado Springs, made six birdies and one bogey on Monday, while Lobato (pictured) eagled the 17th hole to go with four birdies and a bogey.

On a day when 15 players posted sub-par rounds — including defending champion Dale Smigelsky of Collindale Golf Club (71) — Patrick Reidy of Inverness Golf Club holds third place at 68 in a round which featured both an eagle and a double bogey.

The top seven finishers, plus 2007 national champion Bill Loeffler, will earn spots in the 2016 Senior PGA Professional Championship, set for Nov. 17- 20 in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

The Colorado championship will conclude after Tuesday’s second round.

Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship
Aug. 15-16, 2016 at Par-72 Indian Peaks GC in Lafayette
Top 10 on Leaderboard — 1. (tie) Mike Northern and Paul Lobato 67; 3. Patrick Reidy 68; 4. (tie) Steve Crane, Vance Pollock, Ken Krieger and Jeff Hanson 69; 8. Doug Wherry 70; 9. (tie) Craig Stephens, Rick Cole, Dale Smigelsky, Gregg Jones, David Arbuckle, Bill Hancock and Shawn Wilcox 71. For all the scores, CLICK HERE.

Having grown up as a caddie, Paul Lobato has a soft spot in his heart for kids who tote clubs for a little spending money and learn valuable lessons along the way.

In fact, when Lobato wanted to start a small caddie program at Meridian Golf Club in Englewood, where he’s the head professional, he personally kicked in $20 for each caddie loop, with the member utilizing the caddie ponying up another $20.

But when it got right down to it, there was a better way — and why reinvent the wheel?

The Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy at CommonGround Golf Course has been thriving since making its debut in 2012. And Lobato is friends with brothers George and Duffy Solich, for whom the Solich Academy is named, and he’s given lessons to George over the years.

So when the subject came up, George Solich and Lobato figured that establishing a new chapter of the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy at Meridian made sense. And after working out the details with CGA executive director Ed Mate and CGA manager of caddie development Emily Olson — the CGA and CWGA own and operate CommonGround Course — Meridian this year will become the third Colorado course to feature the Solich Academy, joining CommonGround and the Spike Baker Chapter at Fort Collins Country Club.

“I think the program is unbelievable,” said Lobato, who played intercollegiate golf at the University of Colorado, where the Solich brothers went to school on Evans Caddie Scholarships. “We had the best day out at CommonGround when I played with George, Duffy and (noted instructor) Bill Harmon (son of 1948 Masters champion Claude Harmon and brother of renowned instructor Butch Harmon). I think every one of the caddies with us have gone on to earn Evans Scholarships. I love caddying and how people learn the game through caddying.

“Afterward, I said to George and Duffy, ‘You guys are changing lives.’ I fell in love” with the program.

The Solich Academy is novel in that base caddie fees are paid by the Academy, with participating golfers having the option of adding a tip. The caddies attend weekly leadership classes and do at least six hours of volunteer community-service work each summer. (Duffy and George Solich are pictured at left.)

Lobato certainly isn’t the only one enamored by the template the Solich Acadeny established. Besides Colorado now having three chapters of the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, there are others who have followed — or are following — the same path. There’s the Caddie & Leadership Academy of Southeast Wisconsin, and people in Philadelphia and Oceanside, Calif., have also expressed a significant interest.

“The whole goal is to get more kids introduced to caddying,” said Mate, who plays an integral role in overseeing the Solich Academy at CommonGround. “We can only reach so many kids at CommonGround, so this is all part of the master plan.”

But the key, Mate said, is to have at least one person at each Academy site that will go to the mat for the program.

“We always talk about planting the seed,” Mate said. “You need somebody on the ground that really owns it. That person is John Hanrahan (director of golf) in Fort Collins and Paul Lobato at Meridian. You have to have someone who gets it. It’s better if someone comes to us (to demonstrate that interest and commitment). And if the facility won’t embrace it, it won’t succeed.”

As is the case at Fort Collins Country Club, the Solich Academy at Meridian will be much smaller scale than at CommonGround, where about 30 kids participate each year. Lobato is currently training eight caddies — all currently in seventh through 10th grades — with the fourth and final training scheduled for April 28. Then on May 2 during men’s opening day at Meridian, Lobato plans to lay out the program for members. The eight kids, including one “graduate” of the CommonGround Academy who has about 40 caddie loops to his credit, will caddie through the summer, with the goal of each getting 36 loops by the end of the season.

“When the members understand, they’ll get behind it,” Lobato said.

Melyzjah Smith, who’s completing her sophomore year as an Evans Scholar at CU, will be the caddiemaster at Meridian.

“Meridian is perfect” for a Solich Academy chapter, Mate said. “There are a lot of walkers.”
 

John Elway had the orange mojo going on Wednesday.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback had Bronco orange grips on some of his golf clubs and predominantly orange shafts on some of his woods Wednesday as he competed in the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open for the first time since 2010.

“He’s definitely representing the Broncos,” caddie Davis Bryant said of the current Broncos general manager.

And though Elway is busy these days as a team executive, his game held up very well at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. He was one of just seven players who broke par on Wednesday as his 1-under 71 left him in a share of fourth place.

Elway trails co-leaders Kent Moore of Cherry Hills Village, fellow amateur Tom Musselman of Telluride and Colorado PGA professional Mike Northern of Colorado Springs by one stroke in the 54-hole event. Moore is a member of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame, Northern is a four-time Colorado PGA Player of the Year, and Musselman was runner-up in the 2013 CGA Senior Match Play.

Suffice it to say it was a pleasant surprise for Elway to be near the top of the leaderboard.

“I didn’t make a lot of putts but I played about as good as I could play,” the 53-year-old said. “I was thrilled to be 1 under. It was a great start.

“I love to be able to play competitive golf. I don’t get to do it a lot. But it gets some butterflies going, gets the competitive juices flowing. I really enjoy it.”

Elway has played in four HealthOne Colorado Opens and is competing in his second Colorado Senior Open. In 2010, he was tied for low amateur at the event after one round and finished in 52nd place overall.

On Wednesday, while paired with his longtime swing instructor, Meridian Golf Club head professional Paul Lobato, and three-time HealthOne Colorado Open champion Bill Loeffler, Elway shot the best round of the threesome. He made three birdies and two bogeys on the day.

Elway (left) said he’s gotten in five or six rounds since the NFL draft three weeks ago. But he’s not on the course nearly as much as he was prior to becoming a Broncos executive early in 2011.

“I used to be able to get out to Palm Springs and spend a couple months out there,” he said. “I’m not playing nearly as much now, especially because we ended late (in the Super Bowl), which is what we want.

“I don’t remember my bad habits yet,” he joked.

One of the rounds Elway played recently was at GVR with Lobato, course general manager Matt Bryant and Bryant’s 14-year-old son, Davis.

After that, Elway asked Davis, a regular competitor in CJGA events, to caddie for him at the Senior Open, if Davis’ schoolwork permitted.

“He’s a great little player,” Elway said of Bryant. “He’s been around this track so many times and he knows the greens like the back of his hand. He was such a huge help. I’m glad he was able to get out of school and take care of it with his teachers and help me out.”

Coincidentally, Davis Bryant’s first day caddying for Elway came the same day his dad Matt celebrated his 40th birthday. (Elway is pictured at top with Davis Bryant.)

“My teachers said, ‘definitely, take advantage’ (of the opportunity to loop for Elway) but I had to make sure I had everything done in school,” Davis Bryant said. “It’s a very special opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime thing that I’ve been able to experience. I got to hold his clubs, sit in the cart with him. Everything about it was amazing.”

Elway usually plays in the Charlie Coe Invitational team event at Castle Pines Golf Club this week, but this time he opted for the Senior Open.

“I’ve got a great partner there (at the Charlie Coe, Tom Hart), but sometimes I rely too much on my partner there,” Elway said. “I’ve got to get a little more experience (on my own). Tahoe is the third week in July, and before I play there I’d like to play some other tournaments.”

Elway has finished third and sixth in the last two American Century Championship celebrity tournaments in Lake Tahoe.

Elway was one of three amateurs to break par on Wednesday, along with Moore and Musselman.

Joining Elway in a share of fourth place at 71 were defending champion Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale, Scott Sommers of Frederick and Bill Harvey of Hampton Bays, N.Y.

Andonian-Smith Starts Strong in History-Making Appearance: Sherry Andonian-Smith of Castle Rock not only scored a first on Wednesday — by becoming the first female to compete in the Colorado Senior Open — but her first-round performance was very competitive.

The 51-year-old PGA teaching professional at Valley Country Club in Centennial shot a 2-over-par 74 and shares 21st place after round 1 at Green Valley Ranch.

“I hit the ball fantastic. It exceeded my expectations,” Andonian-Smith (pictured above) said. “It would have been nice to make a couple of putts, but that’s golf. Maybe tomorrow they’ll fall. But that’s as good as I’ve hit it this year.”

Andonian-Smith said she’s never played a tournament round on a course so long as GVR was set up on Wednesday (6,942 yards). But that didn’t keep her from a strong, consistent round — one birdie, three bogeys and 14 pars on a course that didn’t yield a score lower than 70 on Wednesday.

“I’ve never played in a tournament this long ever,” she said. “Even the major championships I’ve played in have not been this long. And I’m old now.

“I’ve never made the first fairway before (over a 230-240-yard forced carry), and I made it today. That was my goal for the whole round really. It was downwind today. I think my dad was up there watching over me and giving me some downwind.”

So did Andonian-Smith get a sense of making some history on Wednesday?

“Yes, definitely, especially from all of the women” on hand, she said. “It’s very special. I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t think it was going to be special. That ball that made it over on the first hole is going to be saved. That’s one of the harder shots I’ve ever had to hit in my life. It was cool.”

Andonian-Smith said it would be “awesome” to make the 36-hole cut on Thursday. To do that, she’ll have to remain in the top 55 players and ties.

Notable: Rohrbaugh, who competed in the Senior PGA Championship last week, opened with a 1-under-par 71 on Wednesday, making five birdies and four bogeys. … The overall low professional after 54 holes will earn $8,500. … Bill Loeffler, winner of three Colorado Opens and one Colorado Senior Open, was bogey-free and 2 under par going into No. 16 Wednesday. But he double bogeyed 16 and 18 coming in and shot 74. He had no bogeys for day, but carded two doubles.

For Colorado Senior Open scores, CLICK HERE.