Kent Moore started making a name for himself state-wide when he won the 1973 CGA Junior Match Play at Flatirons Golf Course. So it’s little wonder why he has a fond place in his heart for the Boulder venue.
“I really, really like this place, and I always have,” said the Colorado Golf Hall of Famer from Cherry Hills Village. “It’s in great shape and it’s really fun.”
Jeff Reich feels likewise about Flatirons, having basically “lived here” from age 12-17, with his mom dropping him off at the course on the way to work and picking him up there on the way home.
Both golfers, now in their late 50s, had their good feelings about the Boulder course reinforced on Thursday as they qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur there. And Thomas Roos of Centennial no doubt also finds himself taking a shine to Flatirons after joining Moore and Reich in punching their tickets to the national championship for amateurs 55 and older.
Of course, Flatirons was where players such as three-time U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin and 1972 U.S. Junior Amateur champion Bob Byman cut their teeth, golf-wise, so there’s some history to draw upon.
On Thursday, Coloradans Moore and Roos shared medalist honors in the qualifier, and Reich, who moved to Arizona at age 17, secured the third and final berth available for the national championship.
Moore and Roos matched 1-under-par 69s to land the top two spots, and Reich, a reinstated amateur, shot 72 and prevailed in a playoff. (Roos, in red shirt, and Moore are pictured together above.)
By finishing in the top three Thursday out of a field that originally numbered 47, Moore, Roos and Reich will advance to the U.S. Senior Amateur, which will be held Sept. 26-Oct. 1 in Egg Harbor Township, N.J.
It will be the first U.S. Senior Amateur for each of the three.
“It’ll be great,” said Roos, 56, whose first USGA championship was last year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur. “To get to go to another one is just a bonus. Not many people get to go at all. (USGA championships) are the top of the food chain. It is. It’s so much fun.”
Moore (left) knows something about that as this will be his 10th USGA championship, having previously gone to three U.S. Amateurs, five U.S. Mid-Ams and a USGA State Team.
“I’ve always really wanted to do this,” said the 59-year-old, who has twice been an alternate in U.S. Senior Amateur qualifying. “I missed the Junior Amateur, but I will have played in the Amateur, Mid-Amateur and Senior Am. That’ll be really run.”
Reich, who was a PGA club professional for 24 years, has never had the pleasure of competing in a USGA championship, but has long had qualifying as a major goal.
“I got my amateur status back six years ago with the whole goal being qualifying for the U.S. Senior Amateur. So this is exciting for me,” said the 58-year-old, who bears a striking resemblence to Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
On Thursday, Moore made four birdies — including three straight starting on No. 12 — offset by a bogey, and a double bogey on No. 16.
Roos eagled the 492-yard, par-5 14th hole from 21 feet and added two birdies — one on the formidable 16th hole — while carding three bogeys.
“It just felt comfortable today,” Roos said. “I played here for a stroke play qualifier a few years ago and I just like the back tees.”
Reich (left), whose brother Bob used to be an assistant pro at Flartirons, was one of four players who tied for third place at 2-over-par 72. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer John Olive couldn’t wait for a playoff because he had to catch a plane, leaving Reich, fellow Arizonan John Hull and Texan Hollis Sullivan to vie for the third national berth.
Sullivan, who could have won the playoff had he made a 4-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole, instead bowed out with a bogey on the second playoff hole. Both of the Arizonans hit their drives on No. 18 — the third extra hole — to the left and had to deal with trees on their second shots. After Hull missed the green and pitched to 8 feet, he couldn’t sink his par putt. Reich, who had punched his second shot through trees to the collar behind the green, putted to 4 feet then sank the par attempt to earn the final spot. It was a similar putt to one Reich had missed in regulation, preventing him from avoiding a playoff to claim the third national berth.
“My brother (Jim) was out following me,” said Reich, a graduate of Centaurus High School in Lafayette. “I told him, ‘I should have done this work earlier.’
“I just had some opportunities and kept playing. I’m very thankful to be in.”
U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifying
At Par-70 Flatirons GC in Boulder
ADVANCED TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Thomas Roos, Centennial, Colo., 36-33–69
Kent Moore, Cherry Hills Village, Colo., 34-35–69
Jeff Reich, Chandler, Ariz., 34-38–72
ALTERNATES (in order)
John Hull, Scottsdale, Ariz., 37-35–72
Hollis Sullivan, Westworth Village, Texas, 35-37–72
FAILED TO QUALIFY
John Olive, Colorado Springs, Colo., 36-36–72
Ken Sady, Avon, Colo., 37-36–73
Harry Johnson, Edwards, Colo., 35-38–73
William Farmer, Dallas, Texas, 38-35–73
Sean Forey, Morrison, Colo., 35-38–73
Laird Middleton, Centennial, Colo., 35-39–74
Paul Brown, Grand Junction, Colo., 36-38–74
Robert Polk, Parker, Colo., 38-36–74
Robin Bradbury, Superior, Colo., 36-39–75
Kary Kaltenbacher, Englewood, Colo., 36-39–75
Brad Grogg, Colorado Springs, Colo., 37-38–75
Doug Phelps, Golden, Colo., 38-37–75
Stephen Bell, Denver, Colo., 39-36–75
Robert Cloud, Denver, Colo., 38-37–75
Guy Mertz, Longmont, Colo., 35-41–76
Randy Miller, Boulder, Colo., 36-40–76
David J Brown, Lafayette, Colo., 40-36–76
Roger Gunderson, Aurora, Colo., 38-39–77
Pat Bowe, Denver, Colo., 40-37–77
Daniel Reedy, Boulder, Colo., 37-40–77
Mike Brummer, Rapid City, S.D., 39-38–77
Bruce Hayes, Golden, Colo., 39-38–77
Rick George, Greenwood Village, Colo., 38-39–77
Randy Kippes, Englewood, Colo., 42-36–78
Kelly Crone, Englewood, Colo., 39-39–78
Stephen Barlow, Cherry Hills, Colo., 41-37–78
David Delich, Colorado Springs, Colo., 37-41–78
Bob Chandler, Black Hawk, Colo., 40-39–79
John Hoge, Parker, Colo., 40-39–79
Mark Tolson, Lafayette, La., 40-39–79
Jim Reynolds, Denver, Colo., 38-41–79
Dave Runberg, Centennial, Colo., 40-39–79
Chuck Fisher, Westminster, Colo., 43-37–80
Jim Lemar, Littleton, Colo., 39-41–80
James English, Boulder, Colo., 40-40–80
Mark Barkley, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 41-40–81
Ted Warner, Greeley, Colo., 38-43–81
Paul Yoon, Lamar, Colo., 42-40–82
Frank Wilkinson, Grand Juntion, Colo., 43-40–83
Greg Bjerke, Fargo, N.D., 43-44–87
Duwayne Lewis, Cheyenne, Wyo., WD
Bryan Winnett, Ennis, Texas, WD
