The CoBank Colorado Open hasn’t been contested as less than a 72-hole tournament since being reduced to 54 holes in both 1980 and ’81.
This year, a severe Wedneday night storm led to flooding and a one-day postponement of the start of the championship — and to the event joining ’80 and ’81 as a 54-hole affair.
Which means this week’s Open will be a little more like a middle-distance run than the usual marathon.
With just three rounds, players can ill-afford a bad day and still hope to be in the hunt for the $100,000 first prize at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver.
With that in mind, plenty of players got off to quick starts on Friday, while a couple of the most prominent names in the field went backward.
While Christopher Petefish of Cumming, Ga., and Patrick Stolpe of Scottsdale, Ariz., took the lead with 8-under-par 64s under lift, clean and place rules on Friday, two past champions in the field who have won PGA Tour events struggled on day 1.
Two-time Tour winner Jonathan Kaye, a former University of Colorado golfer and a part-time Boulder resident who won his second Colorado Open last year, opened with a 4-over-par 76.
And 2002 Colorado Open champion Kevin Stadler, winner of the 2014 Phoenix Open on the PGA Tour, posted a 78. Stadler, a part-time Denver resident, shot a 6-over 42 on his first nine, the back at GVR.
Meanwhile, one PGA Tour veteran who is in contention is Shane Bertsch of Parker, the 1998 Colorado Open champion. The 48-year-old shot a 65 on Friday and shares third place with Timothy O’Neal of Savannah, Ga.
Other Coloradans in the top six include two amateurs — 2016 CGA Player of the Year Kyler Dunkle of Parker and Griffin Barela of Lakewood. Dunkle played his last 10 holes in 6 under par and shot 66. Barela carded a 67.
Four-time PGA Tour winner Notah Begay opened with a 69.
Play will continue through Sunday, with a cut to the low 60 players and ties after Saturday’s second round.
For scores from the CoBank Colorado Open, CLICK HERE.
