On a day when an amazing half the field was under par in the first round of the 53rd CoBank Colorado Open, out-of-state players mainly led the way Thursday at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver.
But two-time PGA Tour winner Jonathan Kaye, a part-time resident of Boulder, was a notable exception. The 1996 Colorado Open champion, who finished second last year, shot a bogey-free 5-under-par 67 and shares third place after day 1 of the $250,000 tournament.
Bryan Fox of Roswell, Ga., and Trevor Murphy of Saint Johnsbury, Vt., both of whom had to qualify to get in the championship, fired 6-under-par 66s to share the lead on Thursday. Murphy, like Kaye, didn’t have a bogey on his card, while Fox recorded seven birdies and one bogey.
With lightning causing a two-hour delay on Thursday, some players didn’t complete round 1 and will do so early Friday morning.
Kaye, who will turn 47 on Aug. 2, was part of a 10-way tie at 67. The next-best Coloradans after day 1 were Steven Kupcho of Westminster, a former CGA Player of the Year and the older brother of local women’s golf sensation Jennifer Kupcho; and amateurs Jake Staiano of Cherry Hills Village and Colorado State University; and Jack Cummings of Arvada. All three posted first-round 68s and are tied for 13th place.
Staiano and Cummings share the low-amateur lead with three rounds remaining.
The field will be cut to the low 60 playes and ties after Friday’s second round.
The winner — or low professional — on Sunday will receive $100,000.
For all the scores from GVR, CLICK HERE.
