“No woman has ever played in that — anywhere in the country,” said Andonian-Smith (left), who had a sparkle in her eye at the prospect at becoming the first.

And the 56-year-old from Centennial did just that this week at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla. “I’ve wanted this for a few years,” she said earlier this week.

Then Andonian-Smith became the first woman to make the 36-hole cut in the event.

Then she became the first to survive the 54-hole cut.

And on Sunday she capped off a dream week by finishing 29th out of a field of 264 and being the top performer out of the representatives of the Colorado PGA. Though the top 35 finishers advance to the 2019 Senior PGA Championship, because Andonian-Smith was playing from a shorter set of tees this week — and at the Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship — she wasn’t eligible to qualify for the PGA Tour Champions major. But a top-30 finish on Sunday was certainly stellar.

Andonian-Smith, who works out of Valley Country Club and was named the Colorado PGA’s inaugural Women’s Player of the Year in 2018, shot rounds of 72-72-72-73 for a 1-over-par 289 total in Florida.

She climbed 12 spots on Sunday to move inside the top 30, with a birdie on her 17th hole helping the cause down the stretch. Andonian-Smith finished with two birdies and three bogeys in the final round.

One other Coloradan made the 54-hole cut at the Senior PGA Professional Championship, with Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale placing 57th on Sunday.

Rohrbaugh, this year’s CPGA Player of the Year, shot a 2-over-par 74 on Sunday to post a 5-over 293 total. He carded three birdies and five bogeys in the final round.

Here are the round-by-round scores for competitors from the Colorado PGA:

29. Sherry Andonian-Smith, Valley CC 72-72-72–216
57. Doug Rohrbaugh, Snowmass Club 73-72-74–219
MISSED 36-HOLE CUT
97. Barry Milstead, Valley CC 69-78–147
97. Mike Zaremba, Desert Hawk at Pueblo West 70-77–147
119. Chris Johnson, Colorado PGA Life Member 71-77–148
145. Jeff Hanson, Red Sky GC 73-77–150
247. Mike McCutchen, Family Sports 81-79–160

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.

Clearly, the 56-year-old from Valley Country Club is not satisfied at just being the first female competitor ever at the event.

A day after surviving the 36-hole cut in the 264-person tourament, Andonian-Smith easily did likewise regarding the 54-hole cut to the low 70 players and ties. In fact, in an event that will reward spots in the 2019 Senior PGA Championship to the top 35 finishers on Sunday, Andonian-Smith is tied for 41st place after Saturday’s third round.

Andonian-Smith (left), the Colorado PGA’s inaugural Women’s Player of the Year, shot her third consecutive even-par 72 at PGA Golf Club. She overcame a double bogey on the sixth hole on Saturday to play her final dozen holes in 2 under.

Joining Andonian-Smith in making the 54-hole cut was Colorado PGA Player of the Year Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale, who advanced on the number with a three-day total of 3-over-par 219, which leaves him in a tie for 67th place.

Rohrbaugh, a three-time winner of the Colorado PGA Professional Championship, fired a 2-over-par 74 on Saturday. He parred his first 14 holes of the day, but bogeyed two of his last four.

Besides the top 35 finishers on Sunday landing berths in the Senior PGA Championship in Rochester, N.Y., May 23-26, the top top five on the leaderboard will earn exemptions into the final stage of the 2018 PGA Tour Champions Q-School.

Here are the round-by-round scores for competitors from the Colorado PGA:

41. Sherry Andonian-Smith, Valley CC 72-72-72–216
67. Doug Rohrbaugh, Snowmass Club 73-72-74–219
MISSED 36-HOLE CUT
97. Barry Milstead, Valley CC 69-78–147
97. Mike Zaremba, Desert Hawk at Pueblo West 70-77–147
119. Chris Johnson, Colorado PGA Life Member 71-77–148
145. Jeff Hanson, Red Sky GC 73-77–150
247. Mike McCutchen, Family Sports 81-79–160

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.

On Friday, she added a layer to that feat by making the 36-hole cut at the tournament in Port St. Lucie Fla.

Andonian-Smith (left) and three-time Colorado PGA Professional Championship winner Doug Rohrbaugh were the two members of the Colorado Section to advance to Saturday’s third round of the 72-hole event. Another cut will come after Saturday — to the low 70 players and ties.

Andonian-Smith, the Colorado PGA’s Women’s Player of the Year, shot her second even-par 72 and shares 63rd place out of the 264-player field. The 56-year-old Centennial resident carded four birdies and four bogeys on Friday to check in at 144.

Rohrbaugh, the Colorado PGA’s Player of the Year and Senior Player of the Year in 2018, matched Andonian-Smith’s 72 and stands at 145, in a tie for 75th place. The 56-year-old Carbondale resident had two birdies and two bogeys on Saturday.

The tournament will continue through Sunday.

The low 35 finishers on Sunday will earn berths into the 2019 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in Rochester, N.Y., May 23-26, and the top top five finishers will land exemptions into the final stage of the 2018 PGA Tour Champions Q-School.

Here are the round-by-round scores for competitors from the Colorado PGA:

63. Sherry Andonian-Smith, Valley CC 72-72–144
75. Doug Rohrbaugh, Snowmass Club 73-72–145
MISSED 36-HOLE CUT
97. Barry Milstead, Valley CC 69-78–147
97. Mike Zaremba, Desert Hawk at Pueblo West 70-77–147
119. Chris Johnson, Colorado PGA Life Member 71-77–148
145. Jeff Hanson, Red Sky GC 73-77–150
247. Mike McCutchen, Family Sports 81-79–160

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.

Milstead (left) carded three birdies in a bogey-free round on Thursday. He sits five strokes out of the lead.

Also posting under-par totals for Colorado PGA players were reigning Colorado Senior PGA Professional Champion Mike Zaremba of Desert Hawk at Pueblo West (70, good for 34th place) and PGA Life Member Chris Johnson of Castle Rock (71, 54th place).

Sherry Andonian-Smith of Valley CC, who became the first woman to compete in the national Senior PGA Professional Championship, opened with an even-par 72, leaving her in 80th place. Andonian-Smith, the Colorado PGA’s inaugural Woman’s Player of the Year who originally was an alternate for the competition, recorded three birdies and three bogeys in round 1.

“If you would have given me that score, I would have taken it,” Andonian-Smith told PGA.com. “But once I got out there, I was a little embarrassed on the greens (putting). I’m trying to make Bermuda (grass) my friend.”

The 72-hole tournament will continue through Sunday. The field will be cut to the low 90 players and and ties after 36 holes, and to the low 70 and ties after 54 holes.

The low 35 finishers on Sunday will earn berths into the 2019 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in Rochester, N.Y., May 23-26, and the top top five finishers will land exemptions into the final stage of the 2018 PGA Tour Champions Q-School.

Here are the round-by-round scores for competitors from the Colorado PGA:

16. Barry Milstead, Valley CC 69
34. Mike Zaremba, Desert Hawk at Pueblo West 70
54. Chris Johnson, Colorado PGA Life Member 71
80. Sherry Andonian-Smith, Valley CC 72
103. Doug Rohrbaugh, Snowmass Club 73
103. Jeff Hanson, Red Sky GC 73
252. Mike McCutchen, Family Sports 81

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