Assuming nothing changes before Thursday’s first round, that distinction will go to Colorado Golf Hall of Famer and Colorado Sports Hall of Famer Steve Jones (left). Even though the 1996 U.S. Open champion recently turned 60, Jones is in the field at Pebble Beach.

Perhaps that has something to do with the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am being the first of Jones’ eight PGA Tour victories, coming 31 years ago. It was then that he sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to defeat Bob Tway.

It will be the former University of Colorado golfer’s first PGA Tour start in over six years, since the 2013 Humana Challenge. He competed in seven PGA Tour Champions events in 2018, finishing as high as sixth place.

Other players with strong Colorado ties who are scheduled to play on the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am — in addtion to Jones, Clark and Knous — are local resident David Duval, former Colorado State University golfer Martin Laird and former Fort Collins resident Sam Saunders.

It will be the first PGA Tour start for Duval since August.

For the entire field for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, CLICK HERE.

This week marks the first full-field event in 2019 for any of the three major professional golf tours based in the U.S.

When the PGA Tour’s Sony Open in Hawaii starts today (Jan. 10), two players who grew up in Colorado will be in the field — Wyndham Clark and Jim Knous — along with former Fort Collins resident Sam Saunders.

Clark and Knous are rookies on the PGA Tour for the 2018-19 wraparound season after graduating from the Web.com circuit. Two other golfers who spent their entire youth in Colorado — Jennifer Kupcho and Becca Huffer — will be rookies on the LPGA Tour after successfully negotiating Q-school. The 2019 LPGA season begins on Jan. 17, though Kupcho has deferred becoming a member until she completes her college eligibility at Wake Forest in May. Former University of Colorado golfer Robyn Choi likewise will be an LPGA rookie in 2019.

The remarkable thing about this year is the number of golfers who grew up in Colorado and will be competing on the three major U.S.-based tours — PGA, LPGA and PGA Tour Champions, which starts its season on Jan. 17.

On the PGA Tour, there’s Clark, Littleton-based Knous and part-time Denver resident Kevin Stadler.

On the LPGA circuit, there’s Westminster’s Kupcho and Monument’s Huffer.

And on PGA Tour Champions, there’s Hale Irwin, Brandt Jobe and Steve Jones. And depending on how you classify Mike Reid, who lived in the Denver area for a year and a half and helped Cherry Creek High School win a state team title in 1971, he might be included as well.

Add up the total for the three major circuits, and it’s an unusually high representation from Colorado. And that’s without including other major tour golfers who have lived in the state as adults or who played their college golf in the Colorado.

Some recent historical perspective may be in order.

The number of golfers who grew up in Colorado and have competed in at least 10 tournaments on one of the three major U.S.-based tours in the last decade is relatively small, indicating how tough it is to become a regular at the very highest level of golf.

Here’s the rundown:

PGA TOUR

— Kevin Stadler 159 events since the beginning of 2009.

— Mark Hubbard 84 events.

— Brandt Jobe 80 events since the beginning of 2009.

— Shane Bertsch 65 events since the beginning of 2009.

— Jonathan Kaye 28 events since the beginning of 2009.

— Leif Olson 22 events since the beginning of 2009.

— Wyndham Clark 13 events.

LPGA TOUR

— Jill McGill 38 events since the beginning of 2009.

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

— Hale Irwin 159 events since the beginning of 2009.

— Mike Reid 130 events since the beginning of 2009.

— Steve Jones 68 events.

— Brandt Jobe 64 events.

— R.W. Eaks 49 events since the beginning of 2009.

So with eight or nine Colorado-grown golfers competing on the big-three U.S.-based golf tours this year alone, it’s certainly a high-water mark for the Centennial State.

In fact, on the women’s side, just one golfer who grew up in Colorado has competed in an LPGA Tour event since the end of 2013 — Kupcho, who has played in three since 2016.

For a look at all players with strong Colorado connections on major professional tours around the world, CLICK HERE to view our weekly local pro roundup, which is updated weekly.

Withdrawals come with the territory in golf tournaments, particularly when you’re dealing with players 50 and older.

But this week’s U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor has had an unusual number of big-name participants who have pulled out of the field over the last week.

Fan favorite John Daly is the latest to withdraw as the USGA announced on Monday morning that the two-time major champion isn’t coming to Colorado Springs due to a right knee injury.

Daly, who finished seventh on Sunday in the American Family Insurance Championship in Wisconsin, said via Twitter that the USGA had denied his request to use a cart at The Broadmoor:

“I had to WD from the U.S. Senior Open. The deteriorating osteoarthritis isn’t helping my rt knee,” Daly wrote on Twitter. “I fall under the ADANational but USGA turned down a cart for me this week. Just going to give the knee a rest. Don’t know what’s ahead for me.”

Said the USGA on Twitter: “Consistent with the ADA, the USGA reviews each request for cart usage on a case-by-case basis, and can confirm John Daly followed the USGA process, which includes working with a medical consultant.

“… However, his submission did not support a waiver of the walking condition. We offered Mr. Daly the opportunity to provide additional information to support his request for a cart. He informed us this morning that he decided to withdraw.

“Scott Verplank also followed the USGA process for requesting cart usage and the information he provided supported his request.

“We respect the privacy of all of our players and unfortunately we are not at liberty to discuss any player or caddie’s medical condition.”

Previously withdrawing from the U.S. Senior Open in the last week have been World Golf Hall of Famer Tom Watson (personal reasons), 1996 U.S. Open champion and former University of Colorado golfer Steve Jones (knee surgery) and 12-time PGA Tour winner Steve Stricker (overloaded schedule).

Slotted into the field with Daly’s WD on Monday was Australian David McKenzie, the first alternate from the South Bend, Ind., qualifying site.

Also withdrawing from the Senior Open on Monday was Len Mattiace (for personal reasons), who will be replaced in the field by Todd McCorkle, the second alternate from the Opelika, Ala., qualifying site. Mattiace had earlier replaced Watson in the field.

The Senior Open begins on Thursday.

Tee Times Matters: It’s not unusual for players to be paired together for a particular reason, and that’s certainly the case for a couple of tee times for the first two rounds of the Senior Open.

For example, the 1:43 p.m. tee time off No. 1 on Thursday and the 8:13 a.m. time off No. 10 on Friday will feature three winners of the U.S. Open: Hale Irwin (1974, ’79 and ’90), Tom Kite (1992) and Corey Pavin (1995).

And the group off at 1:12 p.m. on No. 1 on Thursday and 7:42 a.m. on No. 10 on Friday includes three winners of the PGA Championship: Vijay Singh (2 PGAs, one Masters), Davis Love III (one PGA) and David Toms (one PGA).

TV Factoids: For its coverage of the U.S. Senior Open this week, FS1 will utilize 38 cameras, 84 microphones, 16 miles of fiber optics, five mobile production units and 225 staffers.

Notable: During the practice days, various CGA volunteers are serving as honorary starters at The Broadmoor. And some volunteers and staffers are also helping out at one of the holes that they’ve “adopted” for the championship. (At left, CGA co-president Juliet Miner was starting on the first tee Monday.) … A total of 234 junior players are scheduled to participate in the Drive Chip & Putt qualifying event that will be held on Tuesday at the 18th hole of the West Course of The Broadmoor. … Throughout the week, a Youth Golf Experience (pictured below), hosted by the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado, is situated near the first hole of the West Course.

(Pictured at top is Bernhard Langer.)

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For all the essentials regarding this week’s U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor, CLICK HERE.

The USGA said that Watson, winner of 39 PGA Tour events and eight majors, has pulled out for personal reasons. And Jones, who in March posted his highest finish ever in a PGA Tour Champions event, withdrew due to knee surgery.

Those two WDs come on the heels of 12-time PGA Tour winner Steve Stricker withdrawing on Wednesday due to an overloaded schedule after playing in the U.S. Open last week.

Jones, the winner of eight PGA Tour events, finished a PGA Tour Champions career-best sixth at the Toshiba Classic in March. His two tournaments on the circuit this year were his first since December 2015, when he suffered an elbow injury. The knee problem is the latest in a series of injuries and maladies that have considerably curtailed the former Buff’s career.

Filling the spots previously held in the 156-man field by Watson and Jones will be PGA Tour veterans Len Mattiace and Guy Boros, who were the first alternates at separate qualifying sites.
 

(June 21 Update: This story was updated after the USGA announced on Thursday that Steve Jones has withdrawn from the U.S. Senior Open field due to knee surgery.)

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Last week’s U.S. Open marked just the second time since the 1960s that that event was held without a single competitor with strong Colorado ties.

But that certainly won’t be an issue for the next USGA championship.

When The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs hosts the U.S. Senior Open June 28-July 1, the 156-man field will feature two Colorado residents, another two competitors who grew up in the Centennial State, one more who just went to college in Colorado, and others who have resided in the state over the years.

Local players have a rich history in the event — even though it’s only been held since 1980 — and this is the third time the state has hosted the championship. Jack Nicklaus won at Cherry Hills in 1993 and Eduardo Romero prevailed at The Broadmoor’s East Course in 2008.

Four times a player with major Colorado connections has won the Senior Open. Colorado Sports Hall of Famer Hale Irwin, who grew up in Boulder and played golf and football at the University of Colorado, claimed the titles in 1998 at Riviera in Pacific Palisades, Calif., and in 2000 at Saucon Valley in Bethlehem, Pa.

Dale Douglass, a product of Fort Morgan who also played at CU and now lives at Castle Pines during the summer, won as a Senior Tour rookie in 1986 at Scioto in Columbus, Ohio.

And Orville “Sarge” Moody, who was stationed at Fitzsimons during part of his Army career, earned the victory at Laurel Valley in Ligonier, Pa., in 1989, 20 years after his improbable U.S. Open win.

Here’s a rundown of the locals who will compete next week at The Broadmoor, their history in the U.S. Senior Open, how they’re playing now, and their connection to Colorado:

— Hale Irwin (20 PGA Tour wins, including 3 U.S. Opens; record 45 PGA Tour Champions victories, including 7 senior majors).

Colorado Connection: Grew up in Boulder. Played golf and football at CU. Inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame, the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame and the CU Athletic Hall of Fame.

At the U.S. Senior Open: Has competed in the event 22 times. Won in 1998 and 2000, giving him five USGA championships overall. Has finished in top five eight times, including two runner-ups, with a fourth-place showing in 2011 at age 66.

Recent Play: At age 73, competes only occasionally. He’s played in four PGA Tour Champions events in 2018, with a best finish of 23rd in the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Cedar Lodge team event.

Notable: Has missed just one U.S. Senior Open (2003) since becoming elibible for the event in 1995. … In his first nine U.S. Senior Open appearances, finished no worse than 11th. … Placed 40th in 2008 U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor. … Irwin won The Broadmoor Invitation, a prestigious amateur championship at the club, in 1967.

— Brandt Jobe (1 PGA Tour Champions win).

Colorado Connection: Lived in Colorado from 1970 to ’99. Kent Denver High School graduate. Inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.

At the U.S. Senior Open: In two starts, finished third in 2017 tournament.

Recent Play: Has posted two top-10 finishes in 2018 on PGA Tour Champions, with a best showing of fifth place at Insperity Invitational in May. Ranks 33rd on 2018 money list with $247,375.

Notable: Shot a 62 in the third round of the 2017 Senior Open en route to a third-place finish, matching the all-time single-round tournament scoring record. … Last year’s victory at the PGA Tour Champions’ Principal Charity Classic was his first in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event. … Among his four PGA Tour runner-ups was one at The International at Castle Pines in 2005.

— Doug Rohrbaugh.

Colorado Connection: Resident of Carbondale.

At the U.S. Senior Open: Has played in three previous U.S. Senior Opens, missing the cut in 2012, ’13 and ’15.

Recent Play: Competed in the 10th PGA Tour Champions event of his career, the Senior PGA Championship, in May, missing the cut. Had conditional status on PGA Tour Champions in 2015.

Notable: Earned a spot in the event by landing medalist honors with a 1-under-par 69 in qualifying at The Broadmoor on Memorial Day. … This will be the eighth senior major in his career (four U.S. Senior Opens, three Senior PGAs and one Regions Traditions). … In Colorado, Rohrbaugh has won the 2013 CoBank Colorado Senior Open and three Colorado PGA Professional Championships.

— Chris Johnson.

Colorado Connection: Resident of Castle Rock.

At the U.S. Senior Open: This will be his first appearance.

Recent Play: Missed cut at his first senior major, the Senior PGA Championship in May.

Notable: Earned a spot in the event by shooting a 2-over-par 72 in qualifying at The Broadmoor on Memorial Day … Won the Colorado PGA Professional Championship in 2010.

— Mikael Hogberg.

Colorado Connection: The native of Sweden played golf at CU from 1980-84.

At the U.S. Senior Open: Has played in four previous Senior Opens, making the cut twice and finishing 23rd in 2011.

Recent Play: Earned a spot in the event by being medalist with a 66 in qualifying in Fayetteville, N.C. on June 4. Hogberg is a resident of Greensboro, N.C.

Notable: Hogberg was a freshman at CU the year 1996 U.S. Open champion Steve Jones was a senior. That year (1981), the Buffs finished 11th in the NCAA Championships, their best showing at nationals since 1968.

— Esteban Toledo (4 PGA Tour Champions wins).

Colorado Connection: Lived in Castle Pines earlier in the new millennium.

At the U.S. Senior Open: Has made three cuts in five U.S. Senior Open appearances, with a best finish of 14th in 2014.

Recent Play: Top finish in 2018 PGA Tour Champions event was 12th in the Mitsubishi Electric Classic in April. Stands 47th on 2018 PGA Tour Champions money list with $171,793.

Notable: The native of Mexico won four times on PGA Tour Champions from 2013 through ’16.

Note: There are other players in the field who have lived in Colorado (for example, John Daly resided in Castle Pines briefly in the early 1990s and Tommy Armour III was born in Denver), but their local connections are relatively short-lived.

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The Essentials: 2018 U.S. Senior Open

— What: The 39th U.S. Senior Open.

— Where: The Broadmoor Golf Club’s East Course in Colorado Springs, designed by Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones Sr.

— When: Championship rounds June 28-July 1. Practice rounds June 25-27. Tee times run 7 a.m.-1 p.m. off first and 10th tees on Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. off first tee Saturday and Sunday. Trophy ceremony, Sunday, 7 p.m.

— Format: 72 holes of stroke play. A playoff, if necessary, will be a two-hole aggregate. If the participants are still tied, sudden death would then decide the champion.

— Field: 156 players, all age 50 and older as of June 28. After two rounds, the field will be reduced to the top 60 players and ties. The USGA originally accepted 2,738 entries for the event.

— Course Setup: 7,264 yards, Par-70. (Note: The seventh and 17th holes, normally par-5s, will be par-4s for the championship.) It will be the second-longest yardage for a U.S. Senior Open course, behind only the 7,269 at Crooked Stick in Carmel, Ind., in 2009.

— Defending Champion: Kenny Perry, who won in 2013 as well as 2017.

— World Golf Hall of Famers in Field: Hale Irwin, Vijay Singh, Davis Love III, Tom Kite, Mark O’Meara, Fred Couples, Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie.

— Players With Strong Colorado Ties in Field: Colorado Sports Hall of Famer Hale Irwin, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Brandt Jobe, Colorado residents Doug Rohrbaugh and Chris Johnson, former CU golfer Mikael Hogberg. Also, Esteban Toledo and John Daly once had residences in Castle Pines and Tommy Armour III was born in Denver.

— Other Notables in Field: Baseball Hall of Famer John Smoltz, Mark Calcavecchia, John Cook, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Tom Lehman, Scott McCarron, Jesper Parnevik, Corey Pavin, Kenny Perry.

— Complete Field: CLICK HERE.

— Tee Times: CLICK HERE.

— Fan Information: CLICK HERE.

— Public Parking: Free public parking is located at 3819 Janitell Road in Colorado Springs. Complimentary shuttles will run continuously to and from the public parking lot. The public lot will open 30 minutes prior to gate times each day.

— Purse: Was $4 million in 2017.

— TV Schedule (broadcast in more than 100 countries):
Wednesday, June 27 — Preview, 10-11 a.m., FS2
Thursday, June 28 — First round, 2-7 p.m., FS1
Friday, June 29 — Second round, 1:30-6:30 p.m., FS1
Saturday, June 30 — Third round, 2-7 p.m., FS1
Sunday, July 1 — Final round, 2-7 p.m., FS1

— Live Streaming on USGA.org:
Thursday, June 28 — 10 a.m.-noon and 2-7 p.m.
Friday, June 29 — 9:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-6:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 30 — 2-7 p.m.
Sunday, July 1 — 2-7 p.m.

— Tickets: Available at 2018ussenioropen.com. Note: Kids 17 and under admitted free when accompanied by a ticketed adult. Also, active duty and retired military and immediate dependents admitted free on June 25 and receive 50 percent off the standard cost the remainder of the week.

— Actitivies Leading Up To And During Senior Open Week:

Friday, June 22 at Cherokee Ridge Golf Course in Colorado Springs — Play9 Day, a by-invitation event hosted by USGA and CGA, with former USGA president Judy Bell expected to be on hand. Cherokee Ridge is home of the Pikes Peak Linkers, a program in which kids receive golf instruction from professionals and have free access to the par-3 course at Cherokee Ridge. The Linkers receive support from the USGA and Colorado Golf Foundation.


Monday, June 25, through Sunday, July 1, generally from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. — Youth Golf Experience, hosted by the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado, on first hole of West Course.

Monday, June 25 through Sunday, July 1 — Colorado PGA is co-sponsoring “The Bunker”, a hospitality area for active-duty military and vets to receive complimentary food and beverage.

Monday, June 25, 2 p.m. — Warrior Challenge. Three wounded veterans face a U.S. Senior Open competitor in four-hole affair on West Course.

Monday, June 25, 7 p.m. — Military appreciation concert by Vince Gill and Amy Grant. The Colorado REACH Foundation, in partnership with the Military Warriors Support Foundation, will present a mortgage-free home to a combat-wounded veteran during this event.

Tuesday, June 26, 8:30 a.m. — Drive, Chip & Putt qualifying on 18th hole of West Course.

Tuesday, June 26, 2 p.m. — Hale Irwin exhibition, geared toward juniors, at driving range.

Wednesday, June 27, 8 a.m. — Colorado PGA REACH Foundation hosting a Women’s Leadership Summit, with an accompanying free women’s clinic.

Wednesday, June 27, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. — Junior Day actitivities.

Wednesday, June 27, 10 a.m. — Colin Montgomerie exhibition, first green of West Course.

Wednesday June 27, 1 p.m. — Mark Calcavecchia autograph signing in merchandise tent.

Thursday, June 27, through Sunday, July 1, 5-6 p.m. — Fan appreciation hours. $2 off beverages and hot dogs during that hour at concession stands and Centennial Club.

Friday, June 28, 9 p.m. — The Broadmoor’s 100th birthday fireworks show around 18th green.

— Championship Qualifiers: 79 players qualified for the U.S. Senior Open through their performance at 34 qualifying tournaments.

— Volunteers: More than 2,600 will help out at the Senior Open.

— Previous USGA championships at The Broadmoor:
1959 U.S. Amateur (East Course), won by Jack Nicklaus.
1962 Curtis Cup Matches (East Course), won by USA over Great Britain & Ireland.
1967 U.S. Amateur (West Course), won by Robert Dickson.
1982 U.S. Women’s Open (South Course), won by Juli Simpson Inkster.
1995 U.S. Women’s Open (East Course), won by Annika Sorenstam.
2008 U.S. Senior Open (East Course), won by Eduardo Romero.
2011 U.S. Women’s Open (East Course), won by So Yeon Ryu.

— Previous U.S. Senior Opens in Colorado:
1993 at Cherry Hills CC, won by Jack Nicklaus.
2008 at The Broadmoor’s East Course, won by Eduardo Romero.

— Additional Information on the Senior Open: CLICK HERE.

The former University of Colorado golfer finished strong to tie for sixth place in the Toshiba Classic in Newport Beach, Calif.

The 59-year-old had dropped back with a 1-over-par total on the front nine Sunday, but shot a 3-under-par 33 on the back nine to card a 2-under 69 in the final round. With three consecutive sub-par rounds (68-69-69), Jones finished at 7-under 206, four strokes behind winner Vijay Singh.

Jones, who counts the 1996 U.S. Open among his eight PGA Tour victories, hadn’t finished better than ninth in his 61 PGA Tour Champions starts prior to this week. But after last competing in an official tour event in November 2015, Jones (pictured) established a new personal Champions best. The showing on Sunday was worth $61,200.

For all the scores from the Toshiba Classic, CLICK HERE.

Elsewhere in tour golf this weekend:

— Hubbard Sixth in Web.com Event: Denver native Mark Hubbard, who like Jones grew up in Colorado, scored his second top-10 finish of the season on the Web.com Tour by tying for sixth Sunday in the El Bosque Mexico Championship.

The former CJGA Player of the Year, who is back on the Web circuit in 2018 after three seasons on the PGA Tour, went 73-65-70-71 for a 9-under 279 total. He made five birdies on Sunday, including one on the 18th hole.

Martin Trainer won the tourament at 274.

Hubbard’s other top-10 this season came at The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic in January, where he placed 10th.

For all the scores from Mexico, CLICK HERE.

— Gilman Runner-up on Golden State Tour: Former University of Denver golfer Chris Gilman recorded his fourth top-10 finish in the last five Golden State Tour events by tying for second Friday in the Q-School Shootout in Santee, Calif.

Gilman posted scores of 70-69 for a 5-under-par 139 total, which left him three strokes behind champion Cody Blick of Alamo, Calif.

Gilman, a regular on the Web.com Tour in 2015, won the Moorpark Classic on the Golden State Tour last month.

In fact, the 1996 U.S. Open champion shared the lead on the back nine on Saturday before bogeys on the par-5 15th and the par-3 17th dropped him back a bit.

Still, Jones (pictured) shot a 2-under-par 69 on Saturday, leaving him in a tie for sixth place going into Sunday’s final round. The Colorado Sports Hall of Famer is on pace for his best PGA Tour Champions finish ever as his current top showing is a ninth place at the 2015 Senior PGA Championship.

Jones, winner of eight PGA Tour events, stands at 5-under-par 137, which leaves him three strokes behind leader Tom Pernice Jr. Jones, 59, carded five birdies and three bogeys on Saturday.

For all the scores from the Toshiba Classic, CLICK HERE.

Elsewhere in tour golf:

Gilman Runner-up on Golden State Tour: Former University of Denver golfer Chris Gilman recorded his fourth top-10 finish in the last five Golden State Tour events by tying for second Friday in the Q-School Shootout in Santee, Calif.

Gilman posted scores of 70-69 for a 5-under-par 139 total, which left him three strokes behind champion Cody Blick of Alamo, Calif.

Gilman, a regular on the Web.com Tour in 2015, won the Moorpark Classic on the Golden State Tour last month.

The former University of Colorado golfer, winner of the 1996 U.S. Open, birdied his first three holes en route to a 3-under-par 68 Friday, which left him tied for ninth place after the first round.

Jones (pictured), an eight-time winner on the PGA Tour and a Colorado Sports Hall of Famer, made four birdies and one bogey in round 1 and trails leader Tom Pernice Jr., by four shots.

Jones, a 59-year-old who’s been plagued by injuries and ailments in his career, is playing in just his 62nd PGA Tour Champions event ever. It’s his first start this same tournament at the beginning of November 2015. Jones’ best finish in a PGA Tour Champions event is a ninth in the 2015 Senior PGA Championship.

Elsewhere in tour golf:

Gilman Runner-up on Golden State Tour: Former University of Denver golfer Chris Gilman recorded his fourth top-10 finish in the last five Golden State Tour events by tying for second Friday in the Q-School Shootout in Santee, Calif.

Gilman posted scores of 70-69 for a 5-under-par 139 total, which left him three strokes behind champion Cody Blick of Alamo, Calif.

Gilman, a regular on the Web.com Tour in 2015, won the Moorpark Classic on the Golden State Tour last month.

Most notably, after the Ryder Cup-style competition between the top amateurs and Colorado PGA professionals in the state was limited to an open division for its first dozen years, it broadened its reach. A senior division was added in 1983 and a women’s division in 2002.

But now, the Colorado Cup will undergo changes that make the earlier tweakings pale in comparison.

By agreement of the organizations involved — the CGA, Colorado PGA and the CWGA — the event will undergo the following alterations:

— This year’s 47th annual Colorado Cup, which will be held Oct. 17 at The Broadmoor Golf Club’s East Course in Colorado Springs, will mark the last time it’s conducted on an annual basis. From here on, it will be limited to odd-numbered years — the years the Colorado PGA doesn’t hold Taylor Cup Matches against the Sun Country PGA, based in New Mexico.

— Instead of being three separate Cups being at stake — men’s open, senior and women — the Colorado Cup will now be just a single competition.

— The event also will be streamlined. Instead of each team including a dozen open, a dozen senior and six women players, it will be eight, eight and four, respectively, for each squad.

— The Colorado Cup, which normally was held in mid-season, will be moved to October. In all likelihood, that will mean fewer — if any — college players competing, given that’s in the middle of the fall portion of the college schedule. And with college golfers often being among the best players on the open and women’s amateur squads, that may be a factor in the overall results.

“I love the changes because let’s just go back to everyone working together — collaboration, one big team,” said Dustin Jensen, the CGA’s managing director of operations. “It will kind of re-energize (the matches). That was the hope we had: Let’s have some fun with it.

“When you get to the tournament you’ve got the open division ams sitting here, the open professionals on this side, the seniors separate. Let’s get everybody together to compete. We started to see that in the Junior Ryder Cup: We pulled the girls in and had a great experience with the girls and boys playing together. We pulled the 10-and-unders in last year to get more kids in. Everybody just enjoys it. I think it will revitalize (the Colorado Cup Matches) a little. It should be kind of fun.”

The Colorado PGA and the CWGA second that thought.

“We want to make it more meaningful,” CPGA executive director Eddie Ainsworth said earlier this year. “Having it every other year will add more significance — like the Ryder Cup. And instead of squeezing it in every year for a date in June when everyone is so busy, we can do it at the end of the season.”

Said Laura Robinson, executive director of the CWGA: “We are very excited about the format as I think it will be more competitive all around. We will obviously miss the presence of our college players, all of whom helped the women amateurs to win last year. It was a great experience for them to play against the pros, but we look forward to this new format on such a wonderful course as The Broadmoor.”

The Colorado Cup Matches, which feature four-ball and singles matches held on the same day, are seen by many as a matter of bragging rights between the pros and the amateurs. Last year marked the first time the amateurs have swept all three divisions, prevailing in the open division 13-5, in the senior division 9.5-8.5, and in the women’s division 6-3.

This year will mark a record 13th time the Colorado Cup Matches have been held at The Broadmoor, but the first time since 1989.

Among the players who have competed in the Colorado Cup over the decades are Dow Finsterwald, Steve Jones, Kevin Stadler, Bob Byman, Brandt Jobe and Fred Wampler, all of whom have now won on the PGA Tour and/or PGA Tour Champions. 

There’s something about the PGA Tour’s Waste Management Phoenix Open that seems to bring out the best in golfers from Colorado.

Over the last 50 years, an amazing four different golfers who grew up in the Centennial State have won the tournament. Kevin Stadler pulled off the trick most recently, three years ago, preceded by Jonathan Kaye (2004), Steve Jones (1997) and Dale Douglass (1970).

And on Monday, those good vibes seemed to be in full effect again.

In a Monday qualifier in which just the top three players earned spots in the Phoenix Open, two of qualifiers were Colorado residents. Michael Schoolcraft (pictured above) of Denver landed medalist honors with a bogey-free 10-under-par 62 at McCormick Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale, while Jim Knous of Littleton finished third (after Californian Alex Kim) with a 65.

The result is that Knous will be competing in his first PGA Tour event ever, while Schoolcraft will be making PGA Tour start No. 2. The Phoenix Open will run Thursday through Sunday amid the raucous atmosphere at TPC Scottsdale, which annually draws the largest galleries of the year on the PGA Tour. More than 600,000 people attended in 2016.

Schoolcraft, who finished ninth on the 2016 PGA Tour Canada money list, missed the cut in his PGA Tour debut, in the Shriners Hospital for Children Open in October 2015. The former University of Oklahoma golfer has conditional status on the Web.com Tour in 2017 after posting six top-20 finishes on PGA Tour Canada last year.

The 24-year-old Schoolcraft made an eagle and eight birdies in Monday’s qualifier.

As for Knous (left), it’s been a very eventful last couple of months.

In December, the former Colorado School of Mines golfer earned solid status on the Web.com Tour for the first time by finishing 23rd in the final stage of Q-school. Then this month, he played his first two events as a card-carrying member of the Web circuit, although he missed the cut in each case by an agonizing one stroke.

Then on Monday, less than a week after turning 27 years old, Knous took another big step, earning his first PGA Tour start. Knous made nine birdies at McCormick Ranch Golf Club in shooting 65 to land the final berth into the Phoenix Open. Cory Bacon, a friend from Mines, caddied for him on Monday and will do so in the tournament itself.

Knous is relishing the accomplishment all the more because for the last several years Knous and a bunch of college friends have made it a point to rent houses around Scottsdale and attend the Phoenix Open. This time around, all of them will be back for the 2017 edition, only Knous will be competing.

“It’s going to be incredible,” Knous told PGATour.com. “My college buddies and I … we all come down here and pile on 16 (the famously raucous par-3 at TPC Scottsdale), and get there super early and go watch and get rowdy …

“To be on the other side, actually hitting shots, is going to be wild. I’ve yelled at my fair share of golfers on No. 16, and now I’m going to be the guy getting yelled at.”

Knous, the 2012 NCAA Division II individual runner-up while at Mines, has long been known for his ability to shoot remarkably low scores in competition. Most notably, that includes the 2010 CGA Amateur, where he closed with a course-record 10-under-par 60 at Boulder Country Club to force a playoff, which was won by Wyndham Clark.

Schoolcraft and Knous will be joined in this year’s Phoenix Open field by Denver native Mark Hubbard, with whom Knous played junior golf in Colorado. Last year, Knous and his friends, wearing Broncos jerseys the day before the team won the Super Bowl, watched Hubbard play the 16th hole during the Phoenix Open. There, Hubbard also sported a Broncos jersey and tossed footballs into the stands. Knous turned out to be one of his “receivers” that day.

Perhaps this year Knous will be the one on the throwing end.

Also joining Schoolcraft and Knous in the field this week will be former Colorado State University golfer Martin Laird, a Scottsdale resident who has posted third- and fifth-place finishes at the Phoenix Open since 2011.