Coming into this week, Greg Bruckner had won two state opens or state senior opens in four different states — California, Texas, Arizona and Nevada. The one state out of the norm was none other than Colorado, where he had just one victory.
“All of a sudden this was the one I hadn’t won twice,” he said.
But the Phoenix resident took care of that on Friday at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver.
The 55-year-old became the first two-time winner of the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open, adding to the title he captured in 2012.
Bruckner (pictured above and below) backed up his 64 on Thursday — which matched an all-time tournament-best — with a 2-under-par 70 on Friday to cruise to a five-stroke victory. His 13-under-par 203 total tied for the second-best in tournament history, behind only his friend R.W. Eaks’ 201 in 2011.
“Always when you can win something for the second time, it’s so much better,” said Bruckner, who earned $8,500 on Friday. “It’s not a fluke. I’m honored. I didn’t know (I was the first) but it’s great.”
Bruckner went into the final round with a six-stroke lead, and the closest things got on Friday was three, when former PGA Tour and Champions Tour player John Ross of Bramwell, W.Va., birdied No. 12 from 10 feet. But Bruckner responded with a 15-foot birdie on the par-3 13th, while Ross three-putted for bogey, and the margin was back to five. A three-putt bogey by Bruckner at No. 16 returned the lead to three, but Ross bogeyed 17 and Bruckner closed things out with a 9-foot birdie on 18.
“I knew (a comeback) could be done, but I figured it would take 64 or better,” said Ross (below), who like Bruckner recently qualified for the U.S. Senior Open. “I’ve known Greg for years. I know how consistent and solid a player he is. I know it’s never over until it’s over, but Greg is just not going to beat himself. He knows how to play with the lead.”
Ross’ final-round 69 left him at 208 and in solo second in his first Colorado Senior Open — and in first place in the super-senior division as he’s 63 years old. Mike Northern of Colorado Springs tied for third with Chris Starkjohann of Oceanside, Calif., at 210.
For Northern, a four-time Colorado PGA Player of the Year, it was his second straight top-3 finish in the Colorado Senior Open as he was runner-up last year. This time, he rebounded from a first-round 76 to shoot 66-68.
“After the first round I’m looking at, ‘Am I going to make the cut?’, then things went well yesterday and I played pretty good today too,” Northern said. “It feels good. And if I get that putter figured out, who knows what will happen?”
After taking a six-shot lead into Friday, Bruckner seemed to show a little chink in the armor when he double bogeyed No. 1. He hit the green in regulation, but had to pitch the ball because there was rough between himself and the hole. He ended up taking four shots from the front of the green to find the cup.
“This might sound funny, but thank goodness I made double on the first hole because it kind of woke me up,” said Bruckner, who has conditional status on the Champions Tour this year. “There’s no more nerves. That double was a really good wake-up call. It was so frazzling that it almost put me into a nice focus.”
Indeed, Bruckner rebounded from the poor start to birdie the next three holes — from 3 feet, 15 feet, and gimme range, respectively. From there, he had a nice cushion for the rest of the day.
Mercier Outduels Bradbury for Low-Am Honors: Michael Mercier from Jupiter, Fla., edged Robin Bradbury of Superior to take low amateur honors on Friday.
Mercier (left), the No. 3-ranked senior amateur in the country according to amateurgolf.com, closed with a 1-over-par 73 to post a 4-over 220 total. Bradbury likewise carded a 73 on Friday to end up at 221.
It was Mercier’s third “victory” in three weeks as he won tournaments in Gainesville, Fla., and Chattanooga, Tenn., leading up to this.
“It was a goal of mine, obviously, to win it,” said the 57-year-old, who placed 20th overall. “This is probably the strongest field of players overall — with the pros — that I’ll play in all year. I look forward to that.”
High Praise: Ross, who has played a combined five years on the PGA and Champions Tour, raved about the Colorado Senior Open following his first time playing the tournament.
“Everything they’ve done here is far beyond what I was told it was going to be like,” Ross said. “I think they should have a representative from every state — from their golf associations — to be here and witness what goes on here. They put on a first-class event. It’s the little extras that they do that make you feel wanted and appreciated — on top of having a golf course groomed and maintained the way it is, and the caliber of the field.”
Chip Shots: Longtime PGA Tour player Larry Rinker finished 45th this week after rounds of 76-75-78 for a 229 total. … Vance Pollock of Westminster, who made a hole-in-one at No. 5 on Thursday, tied Rinker for 45th. … Contestants played lift, clean and place on Friday after heavy overnight rains soaked the course and left some areas near the wetlands under standing water (left). … Jenny Siegle, an associate producer at Altitude Sports & Entertainment, on Friday received the Ralph Moore Golf Journalism Award from the Colorado Open Golf Foundation Board of Trustees.
For scores from the Colorado Senior Open, CLICK HERE.
