Of the three Colorado Open Championships — men’s, women’s and seniors — the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open has produced the lowest percentage of in-state champions.
Out of nine previous Senior Opens, the tournament record book lists only two winners as Colorado residents at the time. A lack of Colorado contestants isn’t the reason; about 55 percent of this year’s field is from in-state.
But plenty of Coloradans are in the hunt for the 2009 title, which will be decided Friday in the third and final round at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. Among the top 14 players on the leaderboard after two days are nine Coloradans: amateurs Robert Polk of Parker and Frank Fager of Centennial, and professionals Mike Zaremba of Pueblo West, Tom Woodard of Denver, Bill Loeffler of Castle Rock, Russ Clark of Aurora, Paul Surniak of Colorado Springs, Scott Walter of Franktown and Ron Vlosich of Lakewood.
All of those players are within four strokes of the 36-hole leaders, defending champion Joe Stansberry of Minnesota and Curt Schnell of Iowa. Polk and Zaremba share third place, one stroke behind Stansberry and Schnell, after posting matching 4-under-par 68s on Thursday. Schnell, a three-time Iowa state open champion, fired a 68 Thursday and Stansberry a 70.
Zaremba (2005) and Dave Arbuckle of Colorado Springs (2007) are the two in-state residents who have won the Colorado Senior Open. John Olive listed Phoenix as his hometown when he captured the inaugural title in 1999, but he spends part of the year in Colorado Springs.
Polk, winner of the CGA Senior Match Play in the spring, made a run Thursday with a 5-under-par 31 on his final nine holes (the front side at GVR). He and Zaremba stand at 5-under 139 for 36 holes.
“I’ve been playing well, but I haven’t been able to get out of my own way,” said Polk, the CGA Senior Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008. “I was 1 over par (for the day) at the turn, and thought, “˜Just go out and hit it.’ I like the front side better, and hit some really good shots there.
“All I wanted to do was to get in the hunt, in the excitement, and I think I did that.”
Polk is attempting to become just the second amateur winner of the Colorado Senior Open, joining Olive.
Zaremba is the only player to win both the Colorado Open (1995) and the Colorado Senior Open (1995), and he’d very much enjoy adding to his collection of trophies from the Colorado Open Championships.
“They’re the best for us,” he said of Colorado club professionals.
Zaremba, the director of golf at Desert Hawk at Pueblo West, struggled with short putts on Thursday, but still found himself in contention with one round to go.
“I’ve got to putt the ball a little better,” he said. “Five- and six-footers were a struggle. But I’m still right there (on the leader board).”
Meanwhile, Woodard, Loeffler and Clark share fifth place at 140 with Wayne Wright of Fort Worth, Texas.
Woodard, the director of golf for the Foothills Parks and Recreation District, has rounded into form this year. After cutting down on his playing schedule during his 40s, Woodard has taken the last three years to become a consistently solid player again. On Thursday, he carded a 3-under-par 69.
“It’s taken forever to get it back,” said Woodard, a former University of Colorado golfer and PGA Tour player who’s now 53. “I can’t believe how long it takes. But I’ve played a lot of consistent rounds this year, and it’s been a big confidence-builder. I was looking forward to this week to see how my game held up.”
Woodard said he’s hit 32 greens in regulation through the first two rounds.
Loeffler has a stellar Colorado Open resume, having won the event three times, most recently in 2004 at GVR. Clark qualified for the 2009 U.S. Senior Open after being medalist in the qualifying this summer. Both Loeffler and Clark posted 70s for the second straight day on Thursday.
Schnell, 50, who likewise competed in this year’s U.S. Senior Open, posted a 68 Thursday in just his third round on GVR.
“I had no expectations, not knowing the course,” Schnell said. “It’s a fun course, but you’ve got to play (to score).”
Stansberry overcame a windy afternoon to shoot a 70 on Thursday.
“It was extremely difficult conditions,” he said. “I’m just glad I birdied the last hole. “¦ My goal was to get to 11 under (by tournament’s end), but it’s going to be a patience game” on Friday.
A total purse of $50,000 will be up for grabs Friday, with $8,500 going to the top professional.
NOTABLE: John Ward of Denver, who earlier this summer played in the U.S. Senior Open, made a hole-in-one Thursday, draining a 9-iron on the 13th hole from 145 yards. It was the fifth ace of Ward’s lifetime, including his third in tournament play. “That “˜1′ didn’t help,” said Ward, who finished with a 2-over-par 74 and missed the cut by two shots. “¦ The 55 players who shot 5-over-par 149 or better survived the 36-hole cut. “¦ The co-leaders, Stansberry and Schnell, along with Polk, will tee off Friday at 9:09 a.m.
