Bill Loeffler of Castle Rock has competed in 15 USGA championships — and won one — but despite having several chances since turning 50, the U.S. Senior Open hasn’t been among them.
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
