Going into this weekend, there had been a grand total of two golfers who had won the Rocky Mountain Open in consecutive years, which is saying something considering this was the 80th RMO.
Pat Rea captured the title in Grand Junction each year from 1961 through ’64, and Skip Tredway went back-to-back in 1982 and ’83.
But on Sunday, those two had to make room in their elite club for former Brigham Young University golfer Justin Keiley.
The 2017 winner made it two straight at Tiara Rado Golf Course, but needed a playoff to do it. After tying former Montrose resident Brandon Bingaman at 21-under-par 192 for three rounds, Keiley birdied the first extra hole (No. 18) for the victory and the $10,000 that goes with it.
The result foiled the bid of Bingaman, who shot a course-record 11-under-par 60 in Sunday’s final round and eagled the 18th hole in regulation. Bingaman, a former Colorado Mesa University standout, won the National Car Rental Colorado PGA Assistants Championship in 2017. He went on to finish 28th in the national Assistant PGA Professional Championship in November.
Keiley shot rounds of 67-61-64, while Bingaman went 65-67-60.
Former Grand Junction resident Monte Montgomery (66-63-67), a three-time RMO winner, placed third at 196.
Taking low-amateur honors on Sunday was incoming University of Denver freshman Cal McCoy of Highlands Ranch, who went 68-68-71–207 to prevail by two in that division. Low senior am by two was Owen Ellis of Boulder (76-70-74–220).
