David Delich earned low-amateur honors Friday in the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open, but suffice it to say he had bigger things in mind during the final round at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club.
The Colorado Springs resident won the amateur competition by a whopping 11 strokes, and he played so well that he had a legitimate chance at the overall title.
No amateur has won the Colorado Senior Open championship since John Olive — a Broadmoor Golf Club member like Delich — captured the inaugural title in 1999.
On Friday, Delich (pictured above) was in position to match Olive’s feat, having moved into a tie for the lead after draining a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-3 13th. But in the end, he couldn’t keep up with a birdie binge by Phoenix-based professional Greg Bruckner, and Delich had to settle for a runner-up finish.
“I’m chasing John Olive,” the 55-year-old Delich said. “I’ll get a little teasing from John that I couldn’t get it done.”
Since Olive won, no amateur has finished as high in the Colorado Senior Open as Delich did on Friday.
“I have no regrets,” said Delich, who won the Southern California Senior Amateur this summer to go along with his two CGA Senior Match Play titles. “Finishing second is great, I guess. But I’m not sure I’ll get back in this position so when you do get in position you like to try to win it.”
Bruckner, a 52-year-old who has won five senior state opens in the last three years (Arizona, Texas, Nevada, California and Colorado), played holes 9 through 15 in 5 under par Friday to go ahead for good. He shot the only final round in the 60s — a 4-under-par 68, in windy conditions — to win by three strokes with a 7-under 209 total. The victory was worth $8,500.
Despite bogeying Nos. 15 and 16 to fall out of contention, Delich carded a final-round 71 to come in at 212. Another Coloradan, PGA professional Perry Holmes of Denver, finished third for the second consecutive year, this time with a 213 total after closing with a 70. He earned $5,000.
Jim Carson of Anaheim Hills, Calif., who led after each of the first two days, shot a final-round 77 to tie Barry Conser of Scottsdale, Ariz., for fourth at 214.
Coming from four behind in the final round to win “feels fantastic,” said Bruckner (pictured at left), a winner on the Web.com Tour in 1992. “I came up here with my good friend R.W. Eaks. He won last year and that was my first time here; I finished fifth. I kept it in my mind: ‘Just have a good time like R.W. did.’ It turned out fantastic.”
After three-putting from 7 feet for bogey on No. 8, Bruckner hit the pin with a 5-iron on the par-5 ninth and made a 4-foot eagle for a share of the lead. On No. 10, he caught a bad break by ending up in a divot for his second shot, but he holed a 25-foot par putt. Then he made three birdies from inside of 8 feet on Nos. 12, 14 and 15.
But Delich was on quite a role of his own on the back nine. After a 2-foot birdie on No. 12, he canned the 30-footer on 13 that briefly tied him with Bruckner for the lead. But the Colorado amateur missed a 5-foot birdie attempt at No. 14, and had a 2-foot par putt do a 180-degree lipout on 15.
Bruckner, playing in the second-to-last group, said he didn’t know exactly how he stood until the 17th or 18th holes. And he said that worked out just fine.
“It was hard to (accurately) keep track of what was going on, so I said, ‘Forget it. I’m not even going to keep track.'” Bruckner said. “So there wasn’t as much pressure. It was much easier.”
As for Delich, he thought the overall title was within his grasp on Friday, despite having started the day four out of the lead.
“There was only one guy in front of me” most of the day, he said. “It wasn’t like I had to pass six or seven guys. And when you get yourself in that position, you want to close it. And you kind of put out of your mind who you’re playing against (top mini-tour professionals). They’re just golfers at this point. They’re pretty seasoned and tough to beat, but you just go out and play.”
And though he didn’t win the overall title, Delich did capture low-amateur honors by 11 strokes over Kelly Crone of Littleton.
“That’s certainly something you like to check off the box,” the former Colorado College hockey standout said. “Being low amateur is great. Being second place is real special too. It’s a boost for the year.”
Meanwhile, 61-year-old Scott Masingill pf Payette, Idaho (75 Friday for a 221 total) captured super-senior honors for players 60 and older.
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