With a strong finish on Sunday afternoon, Glenn Workman made a little history.

The golfer from Desert Hawk at Pueblo West, who soon will start his senior season at the University of Wyoming, played his final three holes in 2 under par to capture the CGA Amateur Championship at the Sonnenalp Club in Edwards.

That made Workman the winner of both the Wyoming State Amateur and the CGA Amateur in 2017, marking the first time the same player has won both titles in a single year.

In addition, Workman joins a stellar group of champions at Sonnenalp. Brandt Jobe won the CGA Amateur the last time it was played at the course, in 1985, when the layout was known as Singletree Golf Club. And Kevin Stadler captured the Colorado Open title at the course in 2002. Each of those players went on to earn more than $9 million on the PGA Tour.

“What a rich history this course has,” Workman noted. “Hosting Colorado Opens, hosting this tournament before. It’s a golf course that you have to hit it well. It’s not something where you can just overpower it. That was my advantage today because I don’t hit it long off the tee. This course, you’ve got to hit it well off the tee and putt it good.”

Only time will tell if Workman further follows in the footsteps of Jobe or Stadler and becomes a PGA Tour player and is successful at that level. For now, he’s proven himself to be one of the better amateurs in the region by winning the two aforementioned state amateur titles this summer, in addition to being low-amateur in the Wyoming State Open and finishing runner-up in the Wyoming State Match Play.

“This is incredible,” Workman (pictured left and above) said of Sunday’s victory. “It’s a huge win for me. It is my biggest. This is the highlight of my summer for sure. There’s so many good players in this, so to win this means so much.

“I felt the heat from all the good players all day.”

At Sonnenalp, the 21-year-old led after each of the last three rounds. On Sunday, he closed with a 2-under-par 69 to finish at 6-under 278, which was good for a two-stroke victory.

After being just a shot in front of Colorado State University golfer Jake Staiano and University of Denver player Isaac Petersilie, Workman gave himself some cushion. On No. 16, he sank a 4 1/2-foot birdie putt. He pushed his tee shot into a bunker on the par-3 17th, leaving himself a 36-yard sand shot. But he nestled the ball up inside of a foot for a tap-in par.

“That was the shot of the tournament,” Workman said. “Sometimes coming down the stretch you’ve got to hit shots like that. I honestly didn’t think much about it — just got up there and hit it. It worked out. It was really close. I was happy.”

Then on the par-5 18th, Workman got home in two and two-putted for birdie, earning him the N.C. “Tub” Morris Trophy. He had told himself he needed a birdie down the stretch, and he made two.

“Approaching the home stretch like that is so hard because there’s so much pressure,” Workman said. “Hitting good golf shots is difficult sometimes. I told myself, ‘Be patient, there’s a lot of golf to play.’ I had to make a lot of good shots and I’m really happy with the way I played.”

All in all, he didn’t falter. If one of his challengers were to overtake him on Sunday, it was going to take a stellar round. The way it turned out, even a 4-under-par 67 by Staiano (left) left him two shots short of a playoff.

“You don’t wish anybody to play bad. I’m glad he played well,” said Petersilie, a past Junior Amateur and state high school champion. “I’ve just got to play better (to win).”

The victory was Workman’s first in a CGA championship, though he won a Junior Tournament of Champions title in 2012.

Staiano, who finished eighth in the CoBank Colorado Open last month, made a 15-foot birdie on the final hole to shoot his 67 and finish second alone at 4-under 280. Next up for the golfer from Glenmoor Country Club is his second trip to the U.S. Amateur, where fellow Coloradan Sam Marley will caddie for him. The two were paired for Sunday’s final round, with Marley tying for sixth place.

“Honestly it’s a great builder for next week,” Staiano said of his performance at Sonnenalp. “That’s what I took it as. I sort of came in struggling and I was able to work through it the last four or five days and get my swing to something I could take to California for sure. I played better today. I finally hit the ball better. I finally putted a little better. I wish I could have done that earlier, then I would have definitely been in contention a little more. But I’m excited for next week. It’s something to build off of for sure.”

Petersilie (left), who plays out of Colorado Springs Country Club, posted a top-three finish for the second straight year at the CGA Amateur. After being runner-up in 2016, he placed third on Sunday after shooting 68-68 on the weekend for a 281 total. Petersilie one-putted six of his first seven greens on the back nine Sunday.

“It was fun,” said Petersilie, who made 11 birdies combined on Saturday and Sunday. “The course is in great shape. It was real easy to putt on those greens. It was fun to kind of feed off of Glenn because he hit some good shots.”

Tying for fourth place at 283 were CSU golfer AJ Ott of Ptarmigan Country Club and Cole Nygren of Colorado National Golf Club, who was competing in his final CGA amateur tournament before turning pro later this month. Nygren, who finished fifth in this event last year, closed with a 71, while Ott carded a bogey-free 69.

DU golfer Chris Korte, looking for a sweep of the CGA Match Play and Amateur titles in the same year, was among those who shared sixth place at 284.

For the final results from the CGA Amateur, CLICK HERE.

Glenn Workman has already put together a stellar summer, golf-wise, but when it comes to success, the more the merrier.

The University of Wyoming golfer, who plays out of Desert Hawk at Pueblo West, has put himself in position to add the CGA Amateur Championship title to his list of accomplishments this year as he will take a three-stroke lead into Sunday’s final round at the Sonnenalp Club in Edwards.

On a day in which just one player — Isaac Petersilie of Colorado Springs Country Club — shot in the 60s — Workman finished Saturday’s round where he started it, up by three. The 21-year-old two-putted for birdie on the final hole to shoot a 1-over-par 72, which left him with a 4-under-par 209 total.

So far this summer, Workman (left) has won the Wyoming State Amateur, finished low amateur in the Wyoming State Open and runner-up in the Wyoming State Match Play, won the Springer tournament in Colorado Springs and placed second in the Pueblo city championship.

“My game, I feel like, has always been there, but I’ve approached the game differently this summer,” Workman said. “I’ve stuck to a mental process I have, focused on working hard, putting golf first and being competitive every time I play — every time I practice, even. It’s made a big difference in my game. I’ve stayed more focused than I ever have on golf. My game is good because I’ve been working harder at it.

“I’ve been treating golf like a job this summer.”

And the approach seems to be paying off again this week. Through 54 holes, Workman has made two eagles and 11 birdies.

“It’s been good to see how I’ve been playing this summer. I’ve been solid,” he said. “I’ve just got to keep up the streak — just keep playing like I know how to play.

“Three shots is nothing in golf; it’s really not. So much can happen tomorrow. I’m going to play hard and focus on what I’ve been doing, like the last few days.”

Only one player besides Workman is under par through 54 holes at Sonnenalp. Cole Nygren (left) of Colorado National Golf Club, who finished fifth in the CGA Amateur last year, overcame a lost-ball double bogey on the 11th hole to shoot an even-par 71 on Saturday. The recent Cal Poly graduate, who is playing in one of his final amateur tournaments, stands at 1-under 212 after a day which included four birdies, two bogeys and a double.

“I’m playing pretty conservatively,” the 23-year-old said. “I can be a little more aggressive. I hit a lot of drivers during the practice round and it’s a very scoreable golf course if you can hit driver accurately. You have a lot of short shots in. But I haven’t hit a single driver so far in the tournament. I’ve hit 2-iron, 3-iron or 4-iron off pretty much every tee. If I need to push a little (on Sunday), especially on the par-5s, I’m going to pull the driver out. We’ll just have to see how everyone is playing.”

As far as catching Workman on Sunday, “Obviously it depends on how Glenn plays,” Nygren said. “If he goes out with a three-shot lead and shoots at least a few under, it’s going to take something pretty special to catch up to him. But each one of my rounds could have easily been 3 or 4 under par.”

Three local college players checked in at even-par 213 through three rounds: Colorado State University’s Jake Staiano of Glenmoor Country Club, the University of Denver’s Petersilie, and the University of Northern Colorado’s Sam Marley, who plays out of South Suburban Golf Course.

Petersilie carded six birdies and three bogeys in his 3-under-par 68, while Staiano had a 71 and Marley a 72.

The Sonnenalp course has proven relatively difficult all week, but Saturday moreso than the previous days. The greens were so fast on a couple of holes that more than one player putted his ball off a green.

“If you don’t put it in the right spot on this course, these greens are going to kick your butt,” Staino said. “If you’re above the hole at all, good luck.”

A couple of weeks ago, Staiano (left) finished eighth overall at the CoBank Colorado Open, earning low-amateur honors by seven strokes. But he said his game hasn’t been quite as sharp this week.

“I’ve been sort of battling all week,” the two-time U.S. Amateur qualifier said. “I just don’t have my best stuff out there. … Shoulda, woulda, coulda, but it could have been super low (on Saturday). My putting and chipping let me down. I know 71 doesn’t look bad, but it could have been better for sure.

“To see that I can have my ‘C’ game and still be able to shoot (71) on a course where everybody seems to be struggling a little bit, there’s definitely positives to take from it. Obviously I’m not anywhere out of the tournament, for sure.”

In all, eight players will go into the final round within five strokes of Workman.

The lead group of Workman, Nygren and Petersilie will tee off for Sunday’s final round at 9:10 a.m., while Staiano, Marley and Trevor Glen of Legacy Ridge Golf Course will tee it up at 9 a.m.

For scores from the Sonnenalp Club, CLICK HERE.

For Sunday’s pairings, CLICK HERE.

Workman, set to begin his senior season as a University of Wyoming golfer, is the only player in the 82-man field to have posted two rounds in the 60s. His 3-under-par 68 on Friday left him at 5-under 137 overall, which is good for a three-stroke advantage.

The winner of the Wyoming State Amateur and the low amateur in the Wyoming State Open this summer, Workman (pictured) eagled the 553-yard sixth hole at Sonnenalp and added three birdies and two bogeys in round 2. Through 36 holes, he’s racked up two eagles and nine birdies.

University of Colorado golfer John Souza of Colorado National Golf Club finished in second place for the second straight day as he shares that position with Tristin Goodwin of Wellshire Golf Course.

Souza started round 2 with a double-bogey 7, but backed that up with a birdie 2 and carded a 1-over 72 after playing his last three holes in 2 under par on Friday.

Goodwin made a major charge on the front nine Friday, posting a 6-under-par 30 after concluding that side with four straight birdies. But a double bogey and two bogeys on the back nine resulted in 69.

Cole Nygren of Colorado National, who finished fifth at this event last year, and University of Northern Colorado golfer Sam Marley of South Suburban Golf Course are the only other players under par, sharing fourth place at 1-under 141.

Five players are five back of Workman, including 2015 champion and 2017 CGA Match Play winner Chris Korte of Lone Tree Golf Club and the University of Denver. Also at even-par 142 is two-time U.S. Amateur qualifier Jake Staiano of Glenmoor Country Club, the Colorado State University golfer who finished eighth at last month’s CoBank Colorado Open and shot 69 on Friday despite a triple bogey. Likewise at 142 are first-round leader Kyle Pearson of Meridian Golf Club (75 on Friday), David Leede of Cherry Hills Country Club (72) and Brittain Walton of Collindale Golf Club (72).

The field was cut after 36 holes to the low 40 players and ties. Defending champion Colin Prater of The Broadmoor Golf Club made the cut on the number by shooting a 72 on Friday for a 150 total.

Play will continue through Sunday.

For scores from the Sonnenalp Club, CLICK HERE.
 

The 18-year-old from Highlands Ranch (pictured) made an eagle and six birdies on Thursday en route to a 4-under-par 67 at the Sonnenalp Club in Edwards. That gave the incoming Colorado Mesa University golfer a one-stroke lead with three rounds left in the championship.

The 2016 5A state high school champion and 2017 CGA Match Play runner-up, Pearson eagled the 553-yard sixth hole and sprinkled six birdies and four bogeys over his card. Not bad for a guy who played five rounds in three days Monday through Wednesday at the Colorado Junior Match Play.

John Souza of Colorado National Golf Club, a University of Colorado golfer, stands in second place after a round of 68 which featured five birdies.

University of Denver golfer Chris Korte from Lone Tree Golf Club, who’s attempting to become the first person since 2009 to sweep the CGA Match Play and Amateur titles in the same year, opened with a 69, leaving him tied for third place with Glenn Workman of Desert Hawk Golf Course in Pueblo West. Workman, a University of Wyoming golfer, played his final six holes in 4 under par. Korte won the CGA Amateur two years ago.

In all, 10 players broke par in round 1, which was delayed twice by lightning, for a total of 2 1/2 hours.

Defending champion Colin Prater of The Broadmoor Golf Club struggled to a 7-over-par 78 in round 1, leaving him in 58th place.

The field will be cut from 83 to the top 40 players and ties after Friday’s second round, then the championship will continue through Sunday.

This year marks the first time since 2003 that the CGA Amateur has been contested in western Colorado.

For scores from the Sonnenalp Club, CLICK HERE.
 

For the first time since 2003 — when Kane Webber won the second of his two consecutive CGA Amateurs, this one at River Valley Ranch Golf Club in Carbondale — the championship will be contested west of the Continental Divide.

Specifically, the Sonnenalp Club (pictured) in Edwards, west of Vail, will host the 72-hole event Thursday through Sunday (Aug. 3-6). The course is where Kevin Stadler won the CoBank Colorado Open in his pro debut in 2002.

A field of 84 players is expected for arguably the most prestigious amateur golf championship held annually in Colorado. The top 40 players and ties after two rounds will advance to the final 36 holes.

The champions from the last two years will return, with Colin Prater of The Broadmoor Golf Club defending his title, and Chris Korte of Lone Tree Golf Club back after winning in 2015. Korte will be trying to become the first player since Steve Ziegler in 2009 to win both the CGA Amateur and the CGA Match Play in the same year as he prevailed in the Match Play at The Club at Ravenna earlier this season.

Also scheduled to compete at Sonnenalp are Jake Staiano of Glenmoor Country Club, a two-time U.S. Amateur qualifier who finished eighth at the recent Colorado Open, taking low-amateur honors by seven strokes; Kyler Dunkle of The Club at Pradera, the CGA Player of the Year in 2016; Jon Lindstrom of Lakewood Country Club, winner of the last two CGA Mid-Amateurs; and Isaac Petersilie of Colorado Springs Country Club, a runner-up to Prater last year.

Likewise in the field are 2015 CGA Match Play champion Nick Nosewicz of Meadow Hills Golf Course; U.S. Amateur qualifiers (along with Staiano) AJ Ott of Ptarmigan Country Club and Li Chen of Legacy Ridge Golf Course; 2017 CGA Match Play runner-up Kyle Pearson of Meridian Golf Club; and CGA Match Play medalist Jake Kelley of Columbine Country Club.

For Thursday’s tee times at Sonnenalp, CLICK HERE.

For a feature story on 2001 CGA Amateur champion Marty Jertson, who’s now the director of product development at Ping, CLICK HERE.
 

In fact, in the 43-year period from 1972 through 2014, there’s was only one year (2007) that Colorado didn’t host at least one event that fell into the aforementioned category.

The LPGA Tour held tournaments in the state for 16 consecutive years beginning in 1972. The Senior/Champions Tour had a six-year run in Colorado beginning in 1982. And the PGA Tour visited annually from 1986-2006 thanks to The International at Castle Pines Golf Club. In addition, there were numerous USGA championships and other big events held in the Centennial State during that time span.

And since The International exited, Colorado has hosted the U.S. Senior Open and the U.S. Amateur Public Links in 2008, the 2009 Palmer Cup (a Ryder Cup-like competition for the best college players), the 2010 Senior PGA Championship, the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open, the 2012 U.S. Amateur, the 2013 Solheim Cup and Junior Solheim Cup, and the 2014 BMW Championship.

But since September 2014, the state has experienced a bit of a lull in hosting major spectator golf competitions in the state — the kind that draw national or even international attention. That will continue in 2017, but a couple of USGA championships are on the horizon, with the 2018 U.S. Senior Open coming to The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs and Colorado Golf Club in Parker hosting the U.S. Mid-Amateur in 2019.

However, that certainly doesn’t mean the almost four-year period from the 2014 BMW Championship at Cherry Hills Country Club to the 2018 U.S. Senior Open has been/will be without significant golf events in Colorado. Last year, for instance, the NCAA Division II men’s and women’s national championships were held in the Centennial State along with the first four majors in Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado history, and in 2015 Colorado hosted the 100th CWGA Match Play and the Women’s Pac-12 Conference Championships.

Which brings us to 2017. What will the new year hold for golf fans and competitors in the way of significant new, different or otherwise notable events? Here’s a brief rundown:

— Pac-12 Tourney Coming to Boulder: For the first time since 1972, the University of Colorado will host a men’s golf conference championship as the Pac-12 meet comes to Boulder Country Club April 28-30. BCC hosted the women’s Pac-12 tournament in 2015.

The Pac-12 has traditionally been one of the top men’s golf conferences in the nation, winning four national team titles since 2004, including Oregon claiming the crown last spring. The Ducks will defend their title this year, almost certainly with Colorado’s own Wyndham Clark in the lineup.

Going into the spring portion of the college schedule, five Pac-12 teams are ranked among the top 30 in the nation, according to Golfweek: USC (sixth), Stanford (eighth), Colorado (24th), Oregon (28th) and Arizona State (30th).

— High-Country Golf: Both the CGA and the Colorado PGA will hold major championships in the mountains this year.

The 81st CGA Amateur is set for Aug. 3-6 at the Sonnenalp Club in Edwards, west of Vail, marking the first time the tournament has been contested in the mountains since 2003, when Kane Webber won at River Valley Ranch in Carbondale. Meanwhile, the Colorado PGA Professional Championship will be hosted by Red Sky Golf Club at the Fazio Course in Wolcott Sept. 11-13.

Other 2017 CGA championships scheduled for the mountains are the Parent/Child (June 3-4 at Frost Creek Ranch & Club in Eagle) and the Mid-Amateur (Sept. 8-10 at Keystone Ranch Golf Course).

The CWGA also will on the Western Slope or in the mountains for several events in 2017: the Brassie Championship at Rifle Creek Golf Course Aug. 5-6; the Chapman Championship at Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks in Silverthorne Sept. 16-17; the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur qualifying at Pole Creek Golf Club in Tabernash Aug. 1; and the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur qualifying at Vail Golf Club Aug. 28.

The CWGA two-person Chapman Championship, by the way, is returning after a one-year hiatus.

As for the biggest CGA championships, in addition to the Amateur at Sonnenalp, the 117th Match Play is set for June 19-23 at The Club at Ravenna in Littleton.

On the CWGA side, the Stroke Play is scheduled for June 19-21 at Lone Tree Golf Club and the 102nd Match Play for July 17-20 at Buffalo Run in Commerce City.

Overall, the first CGA championship of 2017 will be the Senior Four-Ball May 1-3 at Broadland Golf Course in Broomfield. The CWGA will open with the Mashie June 6-8 at Todd Creek in Thornton and Saddleback in Firestone.

— USGA Qualifiers: Colorado once again will host two final-stage qualifying tournaments for USGA open championships.

U.S. Women’s Open Qualifying is scheduled for May 24 at Riverdale Dunes in Brighton, while U.S. Senior Open Qualifying is planned for June 8 at Meadows Golf Club in Littleton.

And while no final-stage qualifiers for the U.S. Open are set in Colorado, the state will host three Local Qualifiers: May 8 at Heritage at Westmoor, May 15 at CommonGround and May 16 at Collindale.

— Colorado Open Championships: This year’s schedule for the CoBank Colorado Open Championships at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver will be similar to last year’s, with the Senior Open set for May 31-June 2, the Open scheduled for July 20-23, and the Women’s Open planned for Aug. 30-Sept. 1.

— Junior Golf: On the junior golf end of things, not all the sites for the four Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado major championships have been set, but Eisenhower Golf Club at the Air Force Academy will be a host for a JGAC major for the second time in two years.

Here’s the JGAC major schedule as it stands:

June 12-14 — Colorado Junior PGA Championship, Eisenhower GC

July 10-12 — Colorado Junior Amateur Championship, site TBD

July 31-Aug. 2 — Colorado Junior Match Play, Black Bear GC

Oct. 7-8 — JGAC Tour Championship, site TBD

Meanwhile, Heritage at Westmoor in Westminster will be the new host of the AJGA Transamerica / Hale Irwin Colorado Junior June 6-8, beginning at least a three-year run at the course.

— Winter Events: While the statewide tournament golf season won’t begin until spring, there are several significant events in the interim that can serve to whet the appetite.

The Denver Golf Expo will be held Feb. 10-12 at the Denver Mart. The G4 Summit, which brings together many of the leaders in the Colorado golf industry to hear about and discuss key issues facing the game, is set for Feb. 21 at the Omni Interlocken Resort in Broomfield. And the CWGA’s annual meeting is scheduled for March 4 at the Inverness Hotel & Conference Center in Englewood.