The most recognizable person to advance through an 18-hole qualifier this spring has been Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz.

The former Atlanta Braves standout shot a 3-under-par 69 on Thursday in Peachtree City, Ga., and landed the third and final available national berth there by prevailing in a playoff that lasted three holes.

The 1996 National League Cy Young Award winner played his final eight holes of regulation in 4 under par after being 1 over previously. Smoltz, 51, then prevailed in the playoff despite double bogeys on the second and third extra holes, overcoming Brian Ferris. Brian Tennyson had been eliminated on the first playoff hole with a bogey. Smoltz and Ferris birdied that first extra hole, but both double bogeyed the second and continued to struggle on the third, with Smoltz doing so slightly less.

Smoltz (pictured) has long been a devoted golfer, even playing regularly even during the season, often with teammates Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux. Smoltz, who won 213 games, notched 154 saves and struck out 3,084 in his big-league career, serves as a baseball analyst for Fox, which will televise the U.S. Senior Open, with Smoltz’s partner Jack Buck calling the action.

“I’m not kidding you, it’s been more texts about this than the Hall of Fame,” Smoltz told the Detroit Free Press. “Tiger (Woods) texted me while he was getting ready to play in the Memorial. Everybody you can imagine who’s been blown away by it has been so congratulatory.”

Smoltz is an amateur who plays to about a plus-2 Handicap Index and has made eight holes-in-one.

“My first (baseball) victory, I didn’t think it could get much better with the excitement of family and friends who were there in Shea Stadium,” Smoltz said. “But I was by myself and did this myself and nobody handed it to me.

“And the feeling I had was such a sense of first, I can’t believe this. And then I got in the car and I yelled. I called my wife (Kathryn) and started yelling, basically screaming. She said she’s never seen me so happy.

“… I know this. I going to have the time of my life. No one handed me this. No sponsor’s exemption. This is something I can feel good about.”

Others who have qualified for the U.S. Senior Open are Joey Sindelar, who counts the 1988 International at Castle Pines among his seven PGA Tour victories, and former University of Colorado golfer Mikael Hogberg.

Sindelar qualified with a 72 in Telford, Pa., on Monday. Hogberg made the grade by earning medalist honors with a 66 in Fayetteville, N.C., also on Monday. Hogberg was a CU teammate of 1996 U.S. Open champion Steve Jones in the early 1980s. Jones is among the exempt players for this U.S. Senior Open.

Colorado PGA professionals Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale and Chris Jones of Castle Rock qualified for the Senior Open at The Broadmoor on Memorial Day.

(Updated June 14: Also qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open, on June 11, were major champions Larry Mize (1987 Masters) and Todd Hamilton (2004 British Open), along with 2017 CoBank Colorado Senior Open winner Jeff Gallagher. Hamilton and Mize finished second and third, respectively, in qualifying at Ankeny, Iowa, while Gallagher was the medalist in Portland, Ore.)

To see results from U.S. Senior Open qualifying around the country, CLICK HERE.

John Elway drew the majority of the crowds Monday at U.S. Senior Open qualifying at The Broadmoor Golf Club — no surprise there — but it was Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale and Chris Johnson of Castle Rock who will be competing in front of the really big galleries at the Colorado Springs resort in four weeks.

While an estimated 500 fans came to The Broadmoor to see the Pro Football Hall of Famer — an extemely high number for a Colorado-based USGA qualifying tournament — Rohrbaugh and Johnson earned the two available U.S. Senior Open berths at stake on the historic East Course. (The two qualifiers are pictured, with Rohrbaugh at left.)

The Broadmoor, of course, will host this year’s Senior Open come June 28-July 1, which makes it an even bigger bonus for Colorado PGA professionals like Rohrbaugh and Johnson, both of whom competed in last week’s KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in Michigan.

Rohrbaugh, who was paired with two of the best senior players in the world (Scott McCarron and Miguel Angel Jimenez) at the Senior PGA, fired a stellar 1-under-par 69 Monday at The Broadmoor to earn medalist honors. On a course that takes a toll on many a player’s scorecard, Rohrbaugh was rock solid. He made two birdies on the day — most notably from 3 feet on the 520-yard par-4 17th — and his only bogey came when he three-putted No. 15 by missing a 2-foot putt.

Johnson, the 2010 Colorado PGA Professional Champion, carded a 2-over 72 to land the second and final qualifying spot out of a field that originally numbered 84. He made two birdies and four bogeys on the day.

Meanwhile, Elway, the honorary chairman of the 2018 U.S. Senior Open, won’t to adding “competitor” to his title for this year’s championship. The Broncos general manager posted a 10-over-par 80 in a round that was interrupted for 75 minutes by a lightning delay. The 57-year-old was even-par for the first four holes, but ended up with eight bogeys and a double bogey. Still, an 80 was tied for the 18th-best score of the day. Oilman and philanthropist George Solich, who earned an Evans Scholarship as a caddie at The Broadmoor in the late 1970s, looped for Elway on Monday. (The two are pictured at left.)

“I played as well as I could play,” Elway said. “These are hard conditions. If you’re off the fairway by a yard, it’s hard to get it to the green. It’s a lot of work in that rough. But it was fun. I enjoyed playing in these conditions.”

Asked if he thought he had a chance to qualify had he played his best, Elway said, “No. I hadn’t been playing very well and not playing much either. But it was fun to be out here and compete.”

Next month’s championship will mark the fourth U.S. Senior Open for the 56-year-old Rohrbaugh — and the 11th PGA Tour Champions event of his career. Oddly, eight of those 11 will have been senior majors (four U.S. Senior Opens, three Senior PGAs and one Regions Tradition). In Rohrbaugh’s three previous trips to the U.S. Senior Open, he’s missed the 36-hole cut each time — by one stroke (2015), three (2012) and four (2013).

“Four times (in the Senior Open) is obviously amazing, but to play in your backyard …,” Rohrbaugh said. “I’ve been thinking about this ever since I saw it was on the schedule — thinking how cool it would be to have family and friends come down. It’s huge.”

In Colorado, Rohrbaugh has won the 2013 CoBank Colorado Senior Open and three Colorado PGA Professional Championships. As for his day jobs, he’s an instructor at Snowmass Club and a representative at Anderson Ord apparel.

Meanwhile, this will be the second senior major of Johnson’s career, following last week’s Senior PGA. Both the 51-year-old Johnson (77-76) and Rohrbaugh (76-76) missed the 36-hole cut last week.

“I’ll tell you what: It’s been a couple of crazy weeks,” said Johnson, a Life Member of the Colorado PGA. “To get to play in one major was incredibly fun. To get to play in a second one, these are the goals you set when you’re a kid. I’m just tickled.

“I don’t know that I could have played any better than I did today. That was a pretty solid round of golf for me. If you drove the ball in the rough here, you were done. You couldn’t get it to the green. You couldn’t get it close to the hole. On the fourth hole, I hit a 7-iron out of the rough as hard as I could and advanced it 120 yards. You had to hit it in the fairway.”

Rohrbaugh’s score on Monday was surprising to many observers, who didn’t think anyone would match par or better. And as it turned out, only three players broke 76. But a strong finish netted Rohrbaugh a 69. A 310-yard drive on 17 left him 216 in, and he hit a 4 hybrid to 3 feet and sunk the putt for birdie. Then on 18, with a difficult pin placement, Rohrbaugh’s birdie putt ended up 12 feet from the hole. But with the help of a good read from son Tristan, a former 3A state high school champion and 2015 CGA Western Chapter winner, Rohrbaugh rolled in the par putt (left) to shoot in the 60s.

“Going in, I thought par or even 1 over would” qualify, Rohrbaugh said. “I played so good today. I only missed three fairways. And the lies I had when I missed the fairway were decent. And my irons today were really good. I only missed three greens and made just one bogey. That was huge. I had it under par early and just kept going par-par-par and playing smart. I managed my game pretty fricking good, I have to say.”

Besides both being Colorado PGA professionals and both having played in last week’s Senior PGA, Rohrbaugh and Johnson had one other thing in common at The Broadmoor: They both had their sons caddying for them, Tristan for Doug Rohrbaugh, and Cooper for Chris Johnson.

“Tristan was awesome,” Rohrbaugh said. “He read the greens. We all know how tricky these are, but he read them so good.”

All in all, Johnson said it shouldn’t surprise anyone that two guys who competed in the Senior PGA last week should gain the two spots at stake Monday in the U.S. Senior Open.

“It’s no coincidence,” he said. “You go out there for 36 holes grinding your butt off (in Michigan) to shoot your best possible score and you know that you’re striking it good and that you’ve worked really hard to play in that event. Then you come here and there’s this thinking, ‘I can do this.’ So I don’t think it’s coincidental that Doug and I both shot solid rounds today.”

As for Rohbaugh, watching McCarron and Jimenez operate up close for two days paid dividends. After all, the two have combined for 11 PGA Tour Champions wins, including two senior majors.

“With the pairing I had, it could have been very nerve-wracking,” Rohrbaugh said of the Senior PGA. “But I was as comfortable as I’ve ever been playing. It was the advantage of playing in those circumstances so many times. I’ve played with (Bernhard) Langer before and played well.

“And the two guys (McCarron and Jimenez) were absolute gentlemen. They were so great. It made up for the way I played. What a treat to get to play with them and witness some incredible ball-striking.”

Landing alternate spots on Monday at The Broadmoor were Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Bill Loeffler of Castle Rock (round of 74) and low amateur Steve Ivan of Colorado Springs (76). 

(At left was the gallery as Elway walked off the first tee on Monday.)

U.S. Senior Open Qualifying
At Par-70 East Course at The Broadmoor GC in Colorado Springs
ADVANCE TO U.S. SENIOR OPEN
Doug Rohrbaugh, Carbondale 35-34–69
Chris Johnson, Castle Rock 36-36–72
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Bill Loeffler, Castle Rock 39-35–74
Steve Ivan, Colorado Springs 38-38–76

For complete results, CLICK HERE.
 

John Elway figures to receive much of the attention from fans and the media on Monday at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs, whether the Pro Football Hall of Famer qualifies for the U.S. Senior Open or not. More than 2,000 fans are expected to watch him try to qualify Monday at The Broadmoor.

Attention comes with the territory for Elway, who has an official role to play for this particular U.S. Senior Open even if he fails to earn a spot in the 156-man field. The Broncos general manager is the honorary chairman for this year’s Senior Open, which the East Course at The Broadmoor will host June 28-July 1.

On the golf course, Elway does have some game. He’s made the cut in the CoBank Colorado Open once, and has posted two top-30 finishes in the CoBank Colorado Senior Open. And he’ll be helped out on Monday by oilman and philanthropist George Solich, an Elway friend who grew up caddying at The Broadmoor. George Solich and brother Duffy have lent their names and support to the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy. Elway is scheduled to tee off at 10:10 a.m. from No. 1 on the East Course.

But the bar will be set high on Monday for Elway and the other 83 competitors in the 18-hole qualifying tournament at the East Course as just two players from the site will advance to the U.S. Senior Open itself.

The field is full of formidable players. Ron Vlosich of Lakewood has qualified for five U.S. Senior Opens and Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale for three, and Rohrbaugh has also won a Colorado Senior Open and three Colorado PGA Professional Championships in recent years. Dale Smigeksy of Fort Collins and Charlie Post of Castle Rock played in the 2017 Senior Open.

On top of that, there’s several Colorado Golf Hall of Famers, in addition to Vlosich — Bill Loeffler (the 1986 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion), Kent Moore and John Olive, who’s competing at his home course. There’s 2017 Colorado PGA Professional Champion John Ogden of Cherry Hills Village; Mike Zaremba of Pueblo West, winner of both a Colorado Open and a Colorado Senior Open; Mike Northern of Colorado Springs, who finished fourth in the 2016 national Senior PGA Professional Championship; amateurs David Delich, a two-time U.S. Senior Open qualifier, and Robert Polk, who went to the 2007 Senior Open; 2016 U.S. Senior Open qualifier John Hornbeck of Wyoming; and Chris Johnson, who along with Rohrbaugh is competing in this week’s Senior PGA Championship.

Besides Colorado, states represented in Monday’s field including Arizona (6), Utah (5), Wyoming (3), Oklahoma (2), California (1), Florida (1), Montana (1), Ohio (1), Tennessee (1) and Texas (1).

Monday marks just the fourth time a U.S. Senior Open host course has also held a qualifying tournament leading up to the event. All told, 34 sites will host U.S. Senior Open qualifying events this spring.

Spectators are welcome for Monday’s qualifying tournament at The Broadmoor, and admission is free.
 

The Broncos Pro Football Hall of Famer, who will attempt to qualify on May 28 at The Broadmoor for the U.S. Senior Open, has also committed to play in the CoBank Colorado Senior Open later that week at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver.

Elway’s entry was confirmed by tournament organizers on Monday morning. This year’s Colorado Senior Open is set for May 30-June 1. Admission is free. Elway is scheduled to tee off at 1 p.m. on May 30 and at 8:05 a.m. on May 31.

It will be Elway’s fourth appearance in the Colorado Senior Open, and he’s also competed in the Colorado Open four times, making the cut once. His Senior Open finishes have been 52nd in 2010, 19th in 2014 and 29th in 2016. In those last two events, he placed second among amateurs.

Two years ago, the Broncos general manager finished 5 over par for 54 holes, with one hole mainly proving his undoing. He went 5 over par on No. 1 at GVR. (Elway is pictured at GVR in 2016.)

Two days before the Colorado Senior Open starts, Elway, who will turn 58 on June 28, is hoping to qualify for the U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor, which will host the national championship June 28-July 1. Elway, the honorary chairman of the event, has said he’ll use George Solich, co-founder of the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, as his caddie on May 28. Solich, a friend of Elway’s, grew up caddying at The Broadmoor.

A lifelong golf amateur, Elway has placed in the top 10 14 times in the nationally televised American Century Championships celebrity tournament in the Lake Tahoe area. He and Tom Hart won the 2009 Trans-Miss Four-Ball at Cherry Hills Country Club and tied for second in the 2010 CGA Four-Ball.

Also entered in the $50,000 Colorado Senior Open are four-time PGA Tour Champions winner R.W. Eaks, the 2011 CSO champ; two-time PGA Tour winners Keith Clearwater and Donnie Hammond; one-time PGA Tour winner Guy Boros; and longtime PGA Tour veterans Larry Rinker, Skip Kendall and John Riegger.

For more information on the Colorado Senior Open, CLICK HERE.
 

It wasn’t pretty, but it’s what he had to deal with if he wanted to play the game.

But for the last couple of years, the PGA director of golf at Collindale Golf Course in Fort Collins has been feeling better than he had for a long time, which has become apparent with his results on the course.

“I’m trying to transition out of a swing I had to create when my elbow was really bad — before I got it fixed,” Smigelsky explained on Thursday. “I created some really, really bad habits, and it’s just this year where the swing is back to a decent golf swing. I had to make a really bad golf swing to be able to play when my elbow was damaged.”

How much better have things gotten for the 56-year-old from Fort Collins?

Smigelsky (pictured), fresh off a top-10 finish at last week’s CoBank Colorado Senior Open, shared medalist honors Thursday and qualified for the U.S. Senior Open for the first time.

He shot a 4-under-par 68 to lead a qualifying field that originally numbered 84 at Meadows Golf Club in Littleton. Also firing a 68 and advancing to the Senior Open was Billy Tuten of Sugar Land, Texas, a two-time U.S. Amateur Public Links champion.

This year’s U.S. Senior Open will be contested June 29-July 2 at Salem Country Club in Peabody, Mass.

“(Qualifying) is pretty cool,” said Smigelsky, who will be playing in his first major championship. “This is absolutely the tops for me thus far” as a golf accomplishment.

“We’re playing against a lot of guys who just play golf for a living. It’s exciting for me to at least be able to compete with them. Not that I’m going to beat them every time, but with as little golf as I play being a club pro, it’s very satisfying (to qualify). It’s exciting for me.”

Smigelsky, the 2015 Colorado Senior PGA Professional Champion, played his final nine holes (the front at Meadows GC) on Thursday in 4 under par to earn the Senior Open berth. For the day, he finished with six birdies and two bogeys.

“I hit it well,” he said. “I only missed one green (in regulation) and that was real close. My putter actually let me down. I didn’t putt it very well. The birdies that I made were very close and I three-putted a couple of times. I thought that was going to keep me out of it. But I played my second nine in 4 under and that got me back in it.

“It’s kind of funny to have the golf ball go where I’m aiming it. That’s probably the difference right now.”

Smigelsky has never competed in a USGA championship before. Twice the longtime Coloradan has been a medalist in U.S. Open Local Qualifying tournaments and five times he’s gone to U.S. Open Sectional Qualfying, but he’s never made it to the big show itself.

As for Tuesday’s other U.S. Senior Open qualifier, Tuten carded a five-birdie, one-bogey round to tie for the best score of the day.

Charlie Post of Castle Rock will be the first alternate after posting a 69 at Meadows. Victor Minovich of Littleton carded a 70 for the second alternate position.

Five-time U.S. Senior Open qualifier Ron Vlosich of Lakewood recorded a 72 on Thursday.
 

U.S. Senior Open Qualifying
At Par-72 Meadows GC in Littleton
QUALIFIED FOR U.S. SENIOR OPEN
Dale Smigelsky, Fort Collins 32-36–68
Billy Tuten, Sugar Land, Texas 33-35–68
ALTERNATES (In order)
Charlie Post, Castle Rock 35-34–69
Victor Minovich, Littleton 36-34–70

For all the scores from Thursday’s qualifier, CLICK HERE.

A field of 77 golfers will compete over 18 holes for two berths in the U.S. Senior Open, which is set for June 29-July 2 at Salem Country Club in Peabody, Mass. The 2018 U.S. Senior Open will be contested at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs.

Vlosich has qualified for the U.S. Senior Open five times, including last year. Rohrbaugh, who had conditional status on PGA Tour Champions in 2015, has gone to three U.S. Senior Opens, most recently two years ago.

Also in Thursday’s field are Utahn Steve Schneiter, who in the fall won the national Senior PGA Professional Championship; Mike Northern of Colorado Springs, who recently played in the Senior PGA Championship (along with Schneiter); Colorado Golf Hall of Famers Kent Moore, John Olive, Tom Woodard and Vlosich; three Coloradans who posted top-10 finishers at last week’s CoBank Colorado Senior Open (Rick Cole, Dale Smigelsky and Doug Wherry); three-time CGA Senior Player of the Year Robert Polk; and Wyoming resident John Hornbeck, who joined Vlosich in qualifying for the 2016 U.S. Senior Open.

For Thursday’s pairings, CLICK HERE.
 

Ron Vlosich admits his golf game wasn’t really up to par, so to speak, in the early part of the season.

“In the (Colorado PGA) Section pro-am stuff, I was shooting like 75 all the time,” the golf professional from Lakewood said. “I told my buddy, ‘I think 75 is par now.'”

Fortunately for the Colorado Golf Hall of Famer, that changed about 10 days ago, just in time for Wednesday’s U.S. Senior Open qualifying tournament, an event in which he’s thrived over the last decade.

And sure enough, despite playing half of his round in very windy conditions at Lake Valley Golf Club in Niwot, Vlosich earned medalist honors out of a starting field of 63. That means the five-time Colorado PGA Player of the Year is headed to the U.S. Senior Open for the fifth time.

“It’s nice to go back,” the 59-year-old said. “You just wish your game was sharper to compete with all those (PGA Tour Champions) guys who are so good. But it’s always fun to go and chop it around. My game is not on that (tour) level, to be honest with you. But it’s encouraging to break par today.”

Vlosich (pictured above) shot a 1-under-par 69 on a day that went from calm to very windy to calm to windy again. He was joined in qualifying by amateur John Hornbeck of Saratoga, Wyo., who locked down the second and final national berth by posting an even-par 70 and prevailing in a playoff.

Hornbeck avoided Wednesday’s early afternoon winds as he was part of the first group off the tee in the morning. He played his final 10 holes in 3 under par, chipping in from 25 feet for eagle on No. 9.

But four other players — two-time U.S. Senior Open qualifier David Delich of Colorado Springs, Doug Wherry of Lakewood, Brian Harris of Denver and Matt Hall of Grand Junction — also posted 70s, so the five played off for the second spot into the U.S. Senior Open, which will be contested Aug. 11-14 at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio.

Hornbeck (left) rolled in an 18-foot birdie on the first extra hole and Harris matched him with a tap-in birdie, leaving them to vie for the lone remaining Senior Open spot. The other three contestants were relegated to playing for the second alternate position, which eventually went to Hall after four extra holes. Delich, the 2015 CGA Senior Player of the Year, also lost out in a playoff in last year’s U.S. Senior Open qualifier, but that time he later came off the alternate list to earn a spot in the national championship.

After both Hornbeck and Harris three-putted for bogey on the second playoff hole, Harris did so again from long range on the third extra hole. And when Hornbeck’s birdie putt on that hole finished 1 foot from the cup and he made par, he joined Vlosich as a qualifier, while Harris ended up first alternate.

“I wasn’t going to give it away twice,” Hornbeck said of avoiding a second three-putt in the playoff.

While it will be the 58-year-old Hornbeck’s first U.S. Senior Open, he’s previously qualified — in Colorado — for a U.S. Senior Amateur, in 2014.

“I got to play Augusta National in 2013. (Competing in the Senior Open) will be No. 2 on my bucket list,” Hornbeck said.

As for Vlosich, he was 3 under par through 10 holes on Wednesday, but gave a couple back on the back nine when the wind was howling at times. He avoided joining the big playoff at 70 by draining a 5-foot par putt on his 18th hole.

“The wind came up on 9 for us, and it was gusting pretty good,” Vlosich said. “I couldn’t get the ball close to the hole the last nine holes. It was tough conditions and some of the pins (were difficult). I was very happy to shoot under par. Anything under par for me is good.”

Vlosich, a former longtime director of golf at the now-defunct Green Gables Country Club, previously competed in the U.S. Senior Open in 2007, ’10, ’11 and ’14. He’s also played in a U.S. Open, a PGA Championship and two Senior PGA Championships.

While Vlosich and most of the field had to deal with formidable wind at least part of the day Wednesday, Hornbeck and Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kent Moore were first off the tee and signed their scorecard before the the gusting reared its head. Moore holed a 120-yard shot on the par-4 17th hole for eagle and shot 72.

“We were real fortunate to get done before that,” Hornbeck said of the wind. “We didn’t play our best but we played pretty good. We left a few out there because we had really nice conditions.”

But Hornbeck had to battle some adversity as he was 3 over after seven holes, but rallied to make the playoff. After Moore carded his eagle on the par-4 17th, Hornbeck made a 30-foot birdie.

“I said, ‘I make a birdie and can’t even get the tee,’ Hornbeck said with a laugh.

While this year’s U.S. Senior Open is in Ohio and next year’s is in Peabody, Mass., the 2018 championship will be contested in Colorado, June 28-July 1 that year at The Broadmoor Golf Club’s East Course in Colorado Springs.
 

U.S. Senior Open Qualifying
At Par-70 Lake Valley GC in Niwot

QUALIFIED FOR SENIOR OPEN
Ron Vlosich, Lakewood, Colo. 33-36–69
John Hornbeck, Saratoga, Wyo. 36-34–70
ALTERNATES (in order)
Brian Harris, Denver, Colo. 35-35–70
Matt Hall, Grand Junction, Colo. 34-36–70
DID NOT QUALIFY
Douglas Wherry, Lakewood, Colo. 34-36–70
David Delich, Colorado Springs, Colo. 37-33–70
Billy Tuten, Sugar Land, Texas 33-38–71
Kent Moore, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 36-36–72
Rick Cole, Eaton, Colo. 37-35–72
Doug Rohrbaugh, Carbondale, Colo. 37-35–72
Guy Mertz, Longmont, Colo. 37-36–73
George Andrews III, Pueblo, Colo. 37-36–73
Gregg Jones, Colorado Springs, Colo. 36-37–73
Michael Larson, Longmont, Colo. 34-39–73
James Blair, St George, Utah 37-37–74
John Hull, Sheridan, Wyo. 36-38–74
Dale Smigelsky, Fort Collins, Colo. 39-35–74
Thomas Roos, Centennial, Colo. 39-35–74
Robert Polk, Parker, Colo. 39-35–74
Victor Minovich, Littleton, Colo. 34-40–74
Doug Perry, Fort Collins, Colo. 40-35–75
Rick Uhlir, Boulder, Colo. 36-39–75
Tom Krystyn, Denver, Colo. 36-39–75
Terry Lorenz, Littleton, Colo. 37-38–75
Richard Kelly, Golden, Colo. 37-39–76
Ray Makloski, Pueblo, Colo. 36-40–76
Patrick Reidy, Littleton, Colo. 37-39–76
Scott Sullivan, Grand Junction, Colo. 39-37–76
Robin Bradbury, Superior, Colo. 39-37–76
Andy Titterton, Parker, Colo. 35-42–77
Jeff Oneth, Greenwood Village, Colo. 38-39–77
Bill Hancock, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 40-37–77
Jeff Crosier, Aliso Viejo, Calif. 35-43–78
Jeff Slupe, Windsor, Colo. 37-41–78
Peter Sylvester, Oro Valley, Ariz. 39-39–78
Greg Parson, Littleton, Colo. 39-39–78
Shawn Wilcox, Denver, Colo. 39-39–78
Mike Rawles, Costa Mesa, Calif. 34-44–78
Mike Northern, Colorado Springs, Colo. 39-39–78
Dennis Cirbo, Littleton, Colo. 37-41–78
Jay Orris, Boulder, Colo. 39-39–78
James Sisneros, Colorado Springs, Colo. 39-40–79
Tom Nosewicz, Aurora, Colo. 38-41–79
John Ward, Denver, Colo. 40-39–79
Owen Ellis, Boulder, Colo. 39-40–79
Quentin Sasser, Salt Lake City, Utah 36-43–79
Thomas Walter, Parker, Colo. 41-38–79
Scott Peterson, Windsor, Colo. 44-36–80
Fred Ward, Willard, Utah 38-42–80
Marshall Clark, Denver, Colo. 40-40–80
Kevin Ott, Arvada, Colo. 38-44–82
Tom Carricato, Castle Rock, Colo. 42-40–82
Jeff Reich, Chandler, Ariz. 40-42–82
Keith Gockenbach, Erie, Colo. 42-40–82
Gary Sladek, Fort Collins, Colo. 42-41–83
Dean Sessions, Westminster, Colo. 40-43–83
Paul Boggini, El Dorado Hills, Calif. 42-42–84
Tom Krause, Centennial, Colo. 41-44–85
Michael Lovato, Colorado Springs, Colo. 47-43–90
Marty Mosher, Bastrop, Texas 48-44–92
Bobby Rennick, Cedaredge, Colo. WD
Todd Waldron, Winter Park, Colo. WD
Scott Hart, Aurora, Colo. WD
 

The top two finishers out of Wednesday’s field of 67 will advance to the 2016 Senior Open, set for Aug. 11-14 at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio.

Two competitors who came through a Colorado qualifier last year to play in the 2015 U.S. Senior Open will be back for this week’s qualifying tournament: professional Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale and amateur David Delich of Colorado Springs. (They’re pictured, with Delich at left.)

Rohrbaugh, who was conditionally exempt on the PGA Tour Champions last year, made it into a playoff in last year’s qualifying when he holed a 98-yard shot for par on his final hole of regulation. Then he beat Delich in a playoff, apparently for the last national berth. But later Delich, the 2015 CGA Senior Player of the Year, also advanced, in his case off the alternate list.

Others scheduled to compete at Lake Valley are four-time U.S. Senior Open qualifier Ron Vlosich of Lakewood; two-time Colorado Open champion Jim Blair; amateur Kent Moore, like Vlosich a Colorado Golf Hall of Famer; and Dale Smigelsky, winner of the 2015 Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship.

For Wednesday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.
 

Doug Rohrbaugh apparently had come too far to be denied.

The 53-year-old golf professional from Carbondale this week has traveled from Shoal Creek, Ala., where he competed in the Regions Tradition on the Champions Tour, to French Lick, Ind., where he played a practice round for the Senior PGA Championship, and then to Denver to attempt to qualify for yet another senior major, the U.S. Senior Open.

He did indeed accomplish the task on Wednesday, and in dramatic fashion.

The PGA director of golf at Ironbridge Golf Club in Glenwood Springs hit his second shot into the water on the par-4 18th hole at Cherry Creek Country Club and appeared destined to fall short of his goal. Then, after taking a drop 98 yards from the flag, the improbable happened as he holed the shot for a far-from-routine par. (Above, he celebrated with fellow competitor Jeff Hanson.)

“How big was that dunk on the last hole? Wow,” said Rohrbaugh, who has conditional status on the Champions Tour this year. “(Son and caddie) Tristan literally before I dropped my ball goes, ‘Now drop it in a good spot so you can hole it.’ Then I spun it back in the hole.”

But even though that give him a 2-under-par 70, he still had work to do to earn a berth in the U.S. Senior Open, which will be played June 25-28 in Sacramento, Calif.

The 70 left Rohrbaugh in a sudden-death playoff for the second and final national berth available at Cherry Creek CC. Michael Grob (left), a former PGA Tour player from Billings, Mont., had earned medalist honors with a 5-under-par 67 in temperatures that hovered in the 40s. And amateur David Delich of Colorado Springs had matched Rohrbaugh’s 70 following a 3-under-par 33 on his back nine.

In the playoff, Rohrbaugh pulled his tee shot left near some trees. “I’m wondering if I’m even going to have (a second) shot,” he said. “I just squeaked a backswing — I mean, just.” With that, Rohrbaugh hit his approach long and left of the green with a hybrid.

With the upper hand in the middle of the fairway, but a little indecisive about his club selection, Delich hit his approach shot short and into the lake that borders the hole on the right.

But the former Colorado College hockey standout feathered a nice wedge shot after his drop to about 2 1/2 feet from the cup. When Rohrbaugh failed to get up and down and made a bogey, Delich had a short putt to force a second playoff hole, but pushed it right of the hole, ending his chances.

“I made a poor stroke,” said Delich (left), the 2012 CGA Senior Player of the Year. “I was jumping forward and already thinking about the result, not the process. … You shouldn’t miss 25-, 30-inch putts when you need to make them. I missed it and let Doug off the hook. So it’s a little frustrating.”

The result sent Rohrbaugh back to French, Lick, Ind. — where he’ll begin play Thursday in the Senior PGA — with a smile on his face. He’s now assured of playing in at least three of the five Champions Tour majors this year.

“This makes my whole attitude going back (to Indiana) totally different,” said Rohrbaugh, who anticipated arriving back in his French Lick hotel about 1:30 a.m. Thursday, roughly 13 hours ahead of his first-round tee time for the Senior PGA. “Now in my mind, (all the traveling back and forth) was worth it.”

Rohrbaugh, winner of the 2013 HealthOne Colorado Senior Open and the last two Colorado PGA Professional Championships, earned a berth into the U.S. Senior Open for the third time in the last four years.

“It’s another step in my goal,” said Rohrbaugh, who posted a 15th-place finish on the Champions Tour last month. “This year is different in a way; I look at it as I’m getting to do my dream (playing on the senior circuit). The previous (Senior Opens) were like, ‘Wow, awesome.’ But this is a different year for me where my whole goal is the (Champions) Tour. It’s another tour event — and it’s a major — but it’s another event on the tour. My mentality is different in the approach when I get there. It’s not the deer in the headlights.”

On Wednesday, Rohrbaugh (left) qualified despite hitting only seven greens in regulation by needing just 21 putts on the day in regulation, a career-best. He made three birdies and one bogey overall. On the last two holes of regulation, he drained a 10-foot par putt on 17 and didn’t need his putter on 18.

“I hit it so bad,” he said. “I couldn’t have squeaked another shot out of that round. But God did I roll it good. Everything was just center cut.”

Grob, who played on the PGA Tour in 2003 and ’04 with a best finish of fifth, qualified for his first USGA championship as a 51-year-old.

Despite never playing Cherry Creek CC before Wednesday, he made seven birdies and shot a 5-under-par 31 on his final nine holes, the front side.

The Montanan admits he was a little surprised by how well he performed without having ever played the course beforehand.

“They have a nice video on the website that shows every hole, so I went through that with my yardage book,” Grob said. “So I got a pretty good feel for it, though it’s not like playing it. I had to tiptoe around a few shots. They told me it was straightforward and you could see pretty much what you need to see. I trusted them on that and they were right. It worked out well.”
 

U.S. Senior Open Qualifying
At Par-72 Cherry Creek CC in Denver

QUALIFIED FOR U.S. SENIOR OPEN
Michael Grob, Billings, Mont., 31-36–67
Doug Rohrbaugh, Carbondale, Colo., 37-33–70
ALTERNATES (IN ORDER)
David Delich, Colorado Springs, Colo., 33-37–70
Bill Loeffler, Castle Rock, Colo., 35-36–71
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Rick Cole, Eaton, Colo., 36-36–72
Dan Falagrady, Denver, Colo., 34-39–73
Barry Conser, Scottsdale, Ariz., 36-37–73
Mark Armistead, Lone Tree, Colo., 36-38–74
John Hornbeck, Saratoga, Wyo., 36-38–74
Michael Cunning, Phoenix, Ariz., 35-39–74
Gregg Jones, Colorado Springs, Colo., 38-37–75
Dale Smigelsky, Fort Collins, Colo., 39-36–75
Matt Hall, Grand Junction, Colo., 37-39–76
Kent Moore, Cherry Hills Village, Colo., 37-39–76
Kevin Bolles, Louisville, Colo., 37-39–76
Rob McLelland, Aurora, Colo., 37-39–76
Don Graham, Fountain Hills, Ariz., 36-41–77
Michael Musgrave, Fort Collins, Colo., 37-40–77
Harry Johnson, Edwards, Colo., 38-39–77
Ron Vlosich, Lakewood, Colo., 38-39–77
Terry Lorenz, Littleton, Colo., 38-39–77
Mike Northern, Colorado Springs, Colo., 38-39–77
Bob Maggard, Parker, Colo., 39-39–78
Robert Cloud, Denver, Colo., 39-39–78
Jeff Hanson, Edwards, Colo., 36-42–78
Daniel Reedy, Boulder, Colo., 42-36–78
Rick Uhlir, Boulder, Colo., 40-38–78
Gregory Sharp, Lawrence, Kan., 39-39–78
Robert Polk, Parker, Colo., 39-39–78
Audie Dean, Centennial, Colo., 35-43–78
Shawn Wilcox, Denver, Colo., 38-41–79
Scott Hart, Aurora, Colo., 40-39–79
Peach Reynolds, Austin, Texas, 38-41–79
Doug Perry, Fort Collins, Colo., 39-40–79
Russ Aragon, Aspen, Colo., 41-38–79
John Olive, Phoenix, Ariz., 39-40–79
Thomas Anderson, Laurel, Mont., 37-42–79
George Andrews III, Pueblo, Colo., 39-40–79
Dave Balling, Cody, Wyo., 39-40–79
Brad Grattan, Whitefish, Mont., 39-40–79
John Hoge, Parker, Colo., 37-42–79
Tom Krause, Centennial, Colo., 40-39–79
Thomas Walter, Parker, Colo., 38-42–80
Steve Norman, Colorado Springs, Colo., 41-39–80
Todd Follmer, Park City, Utah, 39-41–80
Tom Carricato, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 42-38–80
Sam Chapman, Parker, Colo., 36-45–81
Thomas Roos, Centennial, Colo., 38-43–81
Paul Brown, Grand Junction, Colo., 39-43–82
Dean Sessions, Westminster, Colo., 40-43–83
David Merritt, Castle Pines, Colo., 39-44–83
Lynden Tennison, Omaha, Neb., 40-43–83
Charlie Post, Castlerock, Colo., 42-41–83
Greg Parson, Littleton, Colo., 43-41–84
Paul Lobato, Denver, Colo., 42-42–84
Michael Riley, Glenwood Springs, Colo., 42-42–84
George Kahrhoff, Castle Rock, Colo., 42-42–84
Rick Ellefson, Castle Rock, Colo., 44-40–84
William Oshields, Aurora, Colo., 40-45–85
Richard Wilson Jr., Colorado Springs, Colo., 41-44–85
John Ward, Denver, Colo., 44-41–85
Marshall Clark, Denver, Colo., 41-45–86
Darryl Wilson, Poncha Springs, Colo., 43-43–86
Michael Larson, Longmont, Colo., 41-45–86
Pat Bucci, Littleton, Colo., 40-47–87
Mike Reehl, Indio, Calif., 45-42–87
Scott Crone, Denver, Colo., 39-48–87
Tom Fox, New Canaan, Conn., 47-41–88
Gary Hoffman, Aurora, Colo., 44-45–89
Mark Barkley, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 46-45–91
Owen Ellis, Boulder, Colo., 43-49–92
Randy Kippes, Greenwood Village, Colo., 45-47–92
Harold Garrison, Fort Collins, Colo., 48-44–92
Scott Sullivan, Grand Junction, Colo., WD
Bruce Hayes, Golden, Colo., WD
Timothy Davis, Lubbock, Texas, WD
Tom Nosewicz, Aurora, Colo., WD
Michael Zaremba, Pueblo West, Colo., WD
 

Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale had never played in a USGA championship until last year at age 50, but now he’s set to go to his second consecutive U.S. Senior Open.

Thanks to their performances on Monday, the two Colorado PGA professionals both punched their tickets to the 2013 U.S. Senior Open, which will be contested July 11-14 at Omaha (Neb.) Country Club.

“This will be my first (Senior Open),” said Loeffler, winner of three HealthOne Colorado Opens. “I’ve been to four Senior PGAs, but this will be the first Senior Open, so that will be fun. It’ll be great to play in it. I love the USGA events.”

As for Rohrbaugh, recent winner of the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open, he said earning consecutive U.S. Senior Open berths “is unbelievable. I couldn’t wait to turn 50 (last year), and it’s certainly been good for me. I wanted to get back to (the Senior Open) badly because I feel like I can compete at it. Last year I learned so much about the situation and myself. So I was like, ‘Give me another shot, please.'”

Loeffler, 56, and Rohrbaugh, 51, each shot 1-over-par 72 to land the two U.S. Senior Open berths available at Monday’s 83-man qualifier at the West Course at the Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs. (The two are pictured above, with Rohrbaugh at left.)

Loeffler, winner of the 1986 U.S. Mid-Amateur and two PGA of America national titles (Assistant Professional and Senior Professional), was 4 over par after six holes on Monday. But he battled back with three birdies the rest of the way, including one on No. 18.

“I just started playing better and better and finally got the speed of the greens right and was placing the ball in the correct spot, which you have to do here,” Loeffler said. “I hit some really good shots coming in and made up those three shots.”

Monday marked one of the most encouraging tournament rounds recently for Loeffler, a Colorado Golf Hall of Famer who had been struggling following neck fusion surgery in November 2011.

“I played in the Hall of Fame tournament (a week ago) and shot 78,” he said. “That’s kind of been my norm. I didn’t expect to make it today, but I did some (good) things, which was nice.”

Rohrbaugh, the head professional at Ironbridge Golf Club, likewise needed a late birdie to secure a national berth. He drained a big-breaking 15-foot birdie putt on his 17th hole to avoid what would have been a playoff.

Rohrbaugh missed the cut in last year’s U.S. Senior Open after a triple bogey on the back nine of his second round. But he figures he might perform all the better this year because of the 2012 experience.

“I’ve told people if I get back it won’t be as much, ‘Wow, there’s Fred Couples, there’s Tom Watson,'” he said. “I’ve had a chance to do it. This time it will be different. I’m going there to compete, period. If I’m hitting the ball like I’m hitting it now, and if I can just get the putter going …”

Like last year — and on Monday — Rohrbaugh plans to have son Tristan, now 17, caddying for him at the Senior Open.

“My wife and other son were also there last year,” the elder Rohrbaugh said. “It was just an amazing week. (Tristan and I) are a good tandem, a good team, and we have fun. I mean, you have your kid there. How much more relaxed can you be?”

Six players tied for third place on Monday, with Grand Junction amateur Matt Hall and Colorado Springs-based professional Mike Northern earning the No. 1 and 2 alternate spots, respectively.

The Broadmoor is one of 34 Sectional Qualifying sites for this year’s U.S. Senior Open.

(Updated June 25) Another longtime Colorado professional, Stacey Hart, later joined Loeffler and Rohrbaugh in qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open: READ MORE. And former University of Colorado golfer Mikael Hogberg also earned a berth, shooting a 68 in High Point, N.C., then winning a playoff over two-time PGA Tour winner John Inman.

U.S. Senior Open Qualifying
At Par-71 West Course at Broadmoor GC in Colo. Springs
(a) — indicates amateur

QUALIFIED FOR U.S. SENIOR OPEN
Bill Loeffler, Castle Rock, Colo., 38-34–72
Doug Rohrbaugh, Carbondale, Colo., 35-37–72

ALTERNATES (in order)
(a) Matt Hall, Grand Junction, Colo., 33-40–73
Mike Northern, Colorado Springs, Colo., 37-36–73

FAILED TO QUALIFY
David Rummells, Kissimmee, Fla., 36-37–73
Gregg Jones, Colorado Springs, Colo., 38-35–73
(a) Todd Follmer, Park City, Utah, 36-37–73
(a) Scott Radcliffe, Golden, Colo., 37-36–73
(a) Thomas Musselman Jr, Telluride, Colo., 36-38–74
Jim Kane, Edmond, Okla., 36-38–74
Zane Zwemke, Aurora, Colo., 39-37–76
Doug Perry, Fort Collins, Colo., 35-41–76
James Chancey, Kissimmee, Fla., 37-39–76
Perry Arthur, Plano, Texas, 39-37–76
(a) David Delich, Colorado Springs, Colo., 36-41–77
(a) Ron Garland, Bozeman, Mont., 37-40–77
Rick Cole, Eaton, Colo., 37-40–77
Paul Lobato, Denver, Colo., 41-36–77
Rick Dewitt, Arvada, Colo., 40-37–77
Don Hurter, Sedalia, Colo., 40-37–77
Thomas Anderson, Laurel, Mont., 41-37–78
(a) Mark Armistead, Lone Tree, Colo., 37-41–78
Ron Stelten, Palm Desert, Calif., 39-39–78
(a) John Pierce, San Antonio, Texas, 37-41–78
(a) Robert Polk, Parker, Colo., 41-38–79
(a) John Olive, Colorado Springs, Colo., 38-41–79
(a) Harry Johnson, Edwards, Colo., 39-40–79
Thomas Walter, Franktown, Colo., 38-41–79
Perry Holmes, Denver, Colo., 41-38–79
(a) Kent Moore, Cherry Hills Village, Colo., 37-43–80
Dean Sessions, Westminster, Colo., 37-43–80
(a) John Hoge, Parker, Colo., 40-40–80
Les Winter, Williston, N.D., 41-39–80
(a) Chuck Fisher, Westminster, Colo., 42-39–81
(a) Guy Mertz, Longmont, Colo., 42-39–81
(a) Grant Porter, Castle Rock, Colo., 40-41–81
(a) Glenn Hyde, Denver, Colo., 37-44–81
(a) Thomas Grawe, Conifer, Colo., 39-42–81
(a) Dave Balling, Cody, Wyo., 42-39–81
(a) Lance Balthaser, Littleton, Colo., 42-40–82
(a) Bruce Hogg, Colorado Springs, Colo., 40-42–82
(a) James Lemar, Littleton, Colo., 42-40–82
James Cusworth, Aurora, Colo., 40-42–82
Rick Uhlir, Boulder, Colo., 43-40–83
(a) John Bevere, Colorado Springs, Colo., 40-43–83
(a) Robert Burke, Longmont, Colo., 43-41–84
(a) Sean Forey, Morrison, Colo., 40-44–84
(a) Tom Schultz, Trinidad, Colo., 39-45–84
Gary Hoffman, Aurora, Colo., 40-44–84
Jeff Seltz, Arvada, Colo., 44-40–84
(a) David Nelson, Reno, Nev., 44-40–84
Craig Stephens, Frederick, Colo., 43-42–85
Russ Aragon, Aspen, Colo., 43-42–85
Ralph Delao, Albuquerque, N.M., 39-46–85
Mike Musgrave, Fort Collins, Colo., 42-43–85
(a) Hal Marshall, Littleton, Colo., 43-43–86
William Oshields, Aurora, Colo., 45-41–86
(a) Steve Norman, Colorado Springs, Colo., 44-42–86
(a) Stephen Bell, Denver, Colo., 43-43–86
(a) Mark Barkley, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 38-49–87
(a) Mark Runyan, Centennial, Colo., 44-43–87
(a) Robert Gill, Jackson, Wyo., 43-44–87
Mark Bassett, Colorado Springs, Colo., 38-49–87
(a) Richard Church, Panguitch, Utah, 42-45–87
(a) John Fife, Albuquerque, N.M., 44-44–88
Greg Woodhouse, Thornton, Colo., 44-45–89
Kevin Gannon, Rawlins, Wyo., 41-48–89
(a) Rob McLelland, Aurora, Colo., 44-46–90
(a) Ronny Roberts, Arcadia, Okla., 43-47–90
(a) Alan Honeyman, Hays, Kan., 44-47–91
(a) Michael Riley, Glenwood Springs, Colo., 42-50–92
(a) Thomas Roos, Englewood, Colo., WD
(a) Charlie Post, Castle Riock, Colo., NS
(a) Bill Fowler, Lakewood, Colo., WD
Dale Smigelsky, Fort Collins, Colo., WD
(a) Mark Mattarocci, Pueblo, Colo., WD
Tom Woodard, Denver, Colo., WD
Ron Vlosich, Lakewood, Colo., WD
Jeff Klein, Scottsbluff, Neb., DQ
Raymond Gibbons, Dallas, Texas, WD
Tommy Thomas, Boulder, Colo., WD
(a) James Sanborn, Arvada, Colo., WD
(a) Scott Dorney, Tulsa, Okla., NC