It was an eventful opening round Wednesday in the Colorado Senior Open, the first day of competition with CoBank as the the title sponsor of the Colorado Open championships:
— Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway (left) was known as the king of the comebacks during his playing days, and Wednesday apparently that carried over to his golf. The Broncos general manager hit a low liner into a hazard off the heel of his driver on his first tee shot at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club and needed to make a 7-foot putt for a double bogey.
“I don’t know what happened there. I haven’t done that for a while,” he said later.
But he immediately bounced back with two consecutive birdies and ended up shooting an even-par 72. He received a very good break on the 18th hole when his second shot on the par-5 hit a 6-inch-wide wooden crossbar bordering a hazard and his ball stayed in play. After a stellar third shot off an awkward lie, he left his 12-foot birdie attempt just short, making par.
“I haven’t been playing as much as I’d like, so the expectations weren’t real high,” said Elway, who placed 19th in the Colorado Senior Open two years ago. “I haven’t played as much as normal. The weather hasn’t been great, so I haven’t been able to practice, and I like to practice. So I was really happy to get in at even.”
— Three players who between them have competed in 1,349 PGA Tour events were in the field, with 58-year-old Larry Rinker gaining a share of the lead at 5-under-par 67. Two-time PGA Tour winner Keith Clearwater posted a 69 in his first round at GVR, and five-time PGA Tour winner Danny Edwards shot a 75.
Rinker serves as the director of instruction at Red Sky Golf Club in Wolcott during the summer, hosts a Sirius XM radio show on weekends, and said this will be his only three-day (or more) tournament this year.
“It’s fun to do what I did today,” he said of the bogey-free round. “It’s been a while since I’ve done something like this. If I do what I did today more often, I might be tempted (to compete more).”
Rinker finished 45th at the Senior Open last year.
— A winner of three Colorado Opens and the 2009 Colorado Senior Open was on the golf course Wednesday — but just as a caddie. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Bill Loeffler (left) looped for amateur Tom Krystyn of Denver, who shot a 72. Loeffler underwent back surgery earlier this year and thus couldn’t compete. He anticipates being able to play again sometime next month.
— Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale, who finished first and second in his last two Colorado Senior Opens before skipping last year’s tournament to compete in a PGA Tour Champions event, picked up pretty much where he left off, shooting a 3-under-par 69 on Wednesday.
“You always miss playing in tournaments where you know everybody and all your friends,” said Rohrbaugh, winner of the last three Colorado PGA Professional Championships. “I like this golf course. I’ve been looking forward to this. This is my first event of the year — not (counting) a one-day pro-am or something. I’ve been anxious. I’ve been practicing getting ready for this because I want to do it again (win). I’m hitting it good right now.”
— Then, of course, there were the guys who vaulted to the top of the leaderboard after Wednesday. Sharing the top spot with Rinker at 67 after round 1 was Ben Sauls of Austin, Texas, who said he’s won more than 100 titles on various mini-tours during his career.
“I’ve had a lot of success on mini-tours, but I’m ready to graduate. I would like to,” said the 56-year-old Sauls, who played his first competitive round at GVR on Wednesday.
Patrick Reidy (left) of Lone Tree, fresh off becoming eligible by turning 50 in March, shot a 68 in the first group off Wednesday morning and is tied for third place with Steve Jurgensen of Houston, who played on the PGA Tour for three years and is a newcomer to GVR.
Reidy admitted he hadn’t been playing well, but he posted the 68 despite taking a double bogey on arguably the easiest hole on the course, the 326-yard, par-4 fourth.
“It doesn’t surprise me,” he said. “I’m a box of chocolates. I don’t know who’s showing up (day to day), so we’ll see tomorrow. I have the capability; it’s just a matter of getting it done. That’s all it is. It’s just about confidence.”
Reidy, who instructs at Inverness Golf Club and does some technology consulting, finished the day with seven birdies, including one at the 18th hole, where he drained a 22-foot putt.
On a day that lift, clean and place rules were in effect after about a half-inch of rain fell very early Wednesday morning at GVR, 24 players broke par.
Notable: Former champion R.W. Eaks, a four-time winner on PGA Tour Champions, withdrew on Tuesday, citing an injury. … The chief rules official for the Colorado Senior Open is a familiar face to many in Colorado golf: Rich Langston. Langston moved to Bartlesville, Okla., late last year after a 23-year run as a highly respected volunteer rules official based in Colorado. Langston also plans to officiate at the Colorado PGA Professional Championship in September. … The field will be cut to the low 55 players and ties after 36 holes on Thursday. … The low amateur after the first round is Randy Reeves of Lubbock, Texas, who carded a 2-under-par 70. Elway shares second place among the amateurs at 72.
For all the Colorado Senior Open scores, CLICK HERE.
