Hansen Wins in Playoff for Senior Title; Keshtavar Goes Wire-to-Wire for Assistant Championship
Colorado PGA Crowns Two New Champions
Morrison, Colo. - The players were greeted with bright blue skies, light winds, and much on the line as they arrived at Red Rocks Country Club for the final round of the Senior and Assistant’s Championship. As the day began, nine players were within six shots off of Doug Rohrbaugh’s, PGA Instructor at River Valley Ranch Golf Course, lead in the Senior Championship and 19 players within six shots of Behrod Keshtavar’s, PGA Associate Professional at Buffalo Run Golf Course, lead in the Assistants Championship.
One of those nine players within six shots of Rohrbaugh’s lead was Chad Hansen, PGA Head Golf Professional at Ironbridge Golf Club. Hansen began the day one shot outside the top eight qualifying spots, for the Senior PGA Professional Championship, “My goal beginning the day was to just get into the top eight,” Hansen stated.
A ho-hum first 13 holes left Hansen at even par for his round on the 14th tee and four shots back of Rohrbaugh’s lead. Birdies on 14, 16, and 17, meant Hansen surged into the lead heading to the last hole. “When I birdied 16 and 17, we got to 18 and I heard some people chatting, you might be on top, but I was really focused on playing 18,” Hansen said. After Hansen birdied the 18th, he led Rohrbaugh by one with Doug still needing to play the last hole. After Rohrbaugh birdied the final hole, the co-leaders were headed to a sudden-death playoff. A par on the first playoff hole, to Rohrbaugh’s bogey, meant Hansen was crowned the 2024 Colorado Senior PGA Professional Champion. “This is the biggest tournament I have ever won, the putter was 100% the club that won me this championship,” Hansen stated, who rolled in a 7-foot left to right slider on the first playoff hole to capture victory.
Hansen is one of nine Colorado PGA of America Golf Professionals who qualified for the Senior PGA Professional Championship to be held on September 25-29, 2024 at Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Oregon. The other eight PGA Professionals joining Hansen in Oregon are Doug Rohrbaugh, Bill Hancock, Barry Milstead, Matt Schalk, Micah Rudosky, Ron Vlosich, Grant Jackson, and Caine Fitzgerald.
In the Assistant’s Championship, Keshtavar began the day with a one-shot lead over second place, and after his birdie on the first hole he seemed to be cruising. However, bogies on holes 2, 7, and 8 meant he trailed Justin Carlock, PGA Associate Professional at Red Rocks Country Club, by two strokes entering the back nine. “I just needed to stay patient,” Keshtavar stated.
A 375-yard drive onto the 11th green and a two-putt birdie put Keshtavar within one of Carlock with seven to play. Pars on 12 through 15 meant Keshtavar trailed Carlock by 1 with 3 to play. After a clutch birdie on 16 to tie Carlock, Keshtavar left himself with a 5-foot birdie putt on 17 to take a 1-shot lead. “I knew that putt was to take the lead,” Keshtavar said, he stepped up and calmly rolled it home. After a stress-free par at the last, Keshtavar secured the 2024 Colorado Assistant PGA Professional Championship.
The National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship, to be held on November 14-17, 2024 at PGA Golf Club, requires PGA Associates to be past Level 1 of their education towards PGA Membership to qualify. Behrod is currently working towards this level, leaving him ineligible to advance to the National Assistants Championship. The three players who qualified for and will be representing the Colorado Section at the Assistant PGA Professional Championship are Justin Carlock, Geoff Keffer, and Ben Lanting.
A huge thanks to the presenting partner for all our Major Championships, Colorado Golf & Turf, and Tom Bauerle, Drew Hunter, and Reed Tomlinson for their continued support of all Colorado PGA events.
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Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship - Qualifiers
1. Chad Hansen, PGA (Ironbridge Golf Club)—75-67—142 (E)
2. Doug Rohrbaugh, PGA (River Valley Ranch Golf Course)—69-73—142 (E)
T3. Bill Hancock, PGA (Meadow Hills Golf Course)—74-70—144 (+2)
T3. Barry Milstead, PGA (Valley Country Club)—73-71—144 (+2)
T3. Matt Schalk, PGA (Colorado National Golf Club)—71-73—144 (+2)
T6. Micah Rudosky, PGA (Conquistador Golf Course)—79-68—147 (+5)
T6. Ron Vlosich, PGA (PGA Life Member)—74-73—147 (+5)
8. Grant Jackson, PGA (Murphy Creek Golf Course)—73-75—148 (+6)
9. Caine Fitzgerald, PGA (Meadow Hills Golf Course)—73-76—149 (+7)
1st Alternate. Patrick Reidy, PGA (PGA Life Member)—73-77—150 (+8)
2nd Alternate. Dan O’Shaughnessy, PGA (Springhill Golf Course)—76-75—151 (+9)
3rd Alternate. Mark Franz, PGA (The Pinery Country Club)—78-73—151 (+9)
4th Alternate. Michael Zaremba, PGA (Desert Hawk at Pueblo West)—80-71—151 (+9)
5th Alternate. Dale Smigelsky, PGA (PGA Life Member)—77-74—151 (+9)
Full Leaderboard
Colorado Assistant PGA Professional Championship - Qualifiers
1. Justin Carlock (Red Rocks Country Club)—72-69—141 (-1)
2. Geoff Keffer, PGA (Lakewood Country Club)—73-70—143 (+1)
3. Ben Lanting, PGA (Bear Creek Golf Club)—71-72—143 (+1)
1st Alternate. Chris Hyten, PGA (Castle Pines Golf Club)—75-71—146 (+4)
2nd Alternate. Ryan Cancino, PGA (Plum Creek Golf Club)—77-70—147 (+5)
3rd Alternate. Cam Crabtree, PGA (Wellshire Golf Course)—77-71—148 (+6)
Full Leaderboard
Eligible Player Leaderboard
