The first-round leaderboard at the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open certainly doesn’t lack for notable names.
There’s a player who’s won four times on the Champions Tour, another who’s captured five PGA Tour titles, and two Colorado Golf Hall of Famers. And that’s just among the top seven golfers at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club.
The group includes R.W. Eaks (Champions Tour winner), Danny Edwards (PGA Tour champ), and Bill Loeffler and Rick DeWitt (both Hall of Famers).
Jim Kane of Edmond, Okla., who has made the cut in three major championships during his career, leads the way after a 4-under-par 68 on Wednesday. The 53-year-old, a top-10 finisher in each of the last two Senior Opens, made a 50-foot eagle putt on his final hole (No. 9) to grab the top spot. “That was kind of nice,” he said.
Four players — Eaks, a Colorado Springs native; Arvada resident DeWitt; Don Graham of Fountain Hills, Ariz.; and 2001 champion Greg Harmon from Mesa, Ariz. — share second place at 69. Loeffler, a Castle Rock resident who’s won three Colorado Opens and one Colorado Senior Open, and Edwards are tied for sixth place at 70. Edwards, who like Harmon is 60 years old, eagled the 12th hole to highlight his round.
Eaks (pictured above) no longer is fully exempt on the Champions Tour and is using the Colorado Senior Open to help gauge whether he will return to that tour’s qualifying tournament this fall.
“I was pretty satisfied with this round actually,” said the 59-year-old. “I only had one practice round (at Green Valley Ranch), and anytime you get it under par it’s good.
“I quit playing golf for a little while, so this is just my fourth tournament this year (including one on the Champions circuit). I decided if I’m going to go back to Tour school I’ve got to play in some tournaments. So if I feel my game is coming around, I’ll go back to Tour school,” which will be held at TPC Scottsdale, Eaks’ home course.
Eaks has long battled knee problems and needs two knee replacements, which he has put off for several years.
“It’s caught up with me out there (on the Champions Tour),” he said. “All the real good tournaments out there are walking tournaments, so that cancels me out. I barely can walk from here to the cart, but I still enjoy playing golf.”
DeWitt, a former amateur standout in Colorado, likewise is trying to decide whether to return to Champions Tour Q-school. On Wednesday, he certainly saw some encouraging signs as he needed just 27 putts on the day and made 13 of 14 from inside of 12 feet.
“That was sterling,” the 54-year-old said. “That (long) putter, that’s my secret weapon.”
DeWitt has made the cut in the last few Colorado Senior Opens, but said “now it’s time for a top 10.”
Loeffler (pictured at left) can take comfort in the fact that he shot 70, the same score he posted in the first round when he won the Colorado Senior Open in 2009.
“I played better than I thought I would,” said the 55-year-old. “I haven’t been playing a lot, so this was good.”
Notable: University of Denver men’s golf coach Eric Hoos, competing in his first Colorado Senior Open, shares low-amateur honors at 71 with David Brown of Lafayette. … Play was suspended due to lightning for about 40 minutes late Wednesday afternoon. A microburst in the mid-afternoon was strong enough to blow over one of the scoring tents. … The top 55 players and ties after 36 holes will survive the cut and advance to Friday’s final round.
For HealthOne Colorado Senior Open scores, CLICK HERE.
