With all the changes going on with the Colorado Cup Matches starting this year — and there are many — the one that potentially may have the most impact on the outcome in the amateur vs. pro Ryder Cup-style competition wasn’t dictated by any rules or policy tweaking enacted by the CGA, Colorado PGA or the CWGA.
When the 47th annual matches are held on Tuesday (Oct. 17) at the East Course at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, one thing will be missing that has been present for virtually each of the previous 46 versions of the event: college players.
With the matches being moved from summertime to October — in the midst of the fall portion of the college golf schedule — the NCAA recently informed Colorado Cup organizers that college players cannot compete in such events during the school year.
The result is that this week it will be exclusively up to mid-amateur and senior amateur players representing the CGA and CWGA to take on professionals from the Colorado PGA.
Last year, the amateurs swept all three divisions of the Colorado Cup matches for the first time, but more than half of the Open and Women’s Division amateurs were college-age players.
Over the years, some of the now-famous players who have competed as college golfers for the CGA amateur squad in the Colorado Cup include Steve Jones, Kevin Stadler, Bob Byman and Brandt Jobe.
As it turned out, 2016 was the last time there will be three separate competitions (Open Division, Senior Division and Women’s Division) at the Colorado Cup Matches.
Starting this year, in one of the major changes the Cup Matches are undergoing, there will just be one competition, albeit still with three divisions of players.
Other significant changes for the Colorado Cup Matches starting this year:
— After being conducted annually since 1971, it will become a biennial competition, with the next one after this year scheduled for 2019, and in odd-numbered years thereafter. In even-numbered years in the fall, the Colorado PGA plays in Taylor Cup Matches against the Sun Country PGA, which is based in New Mexico.
And, instead of being a mid-season event in the Centennial State, the Colorado Cup has been moved to the fall.
— Traditionally, the Colorado Cup has featured a dozen players each for the pros and the amateurs in the Open and Senior Divisions, and six in the Women’s Division. Now it will be eight, eight and four, respectively, for each squad.
— And now, instead of separate 18-hole singles and four-ball matches, there will be three nine-hole matches: four-ball in the morning, foursomes starting at noon, and singles late in the day, with shotgun starts for each.
But some things don’t change, and that means that bragging rights will be at stake when the two teams square off on Tuesday, as always.
For the record, when there were separate competitions, the Colorado PGA professionals led the all-time series in the Open Division, 30-14 with two draws. The CGA’s amateurs led the Senior Division series 16-15, with three draws. And the CWGA’s amateurs have won all 11 Colorado Cup Matches in which they’ve competed against the pros.
This will be the 13th time The Broadmoor has hosted the Colorado Cup Matches — a record — but the first since 1989.
For results as they become available on Tuesday, CLICK HERE.
Here are the rosters for the CGA and CWGA amateur teams and the Colorado PGA professional squads for Tuesday’s matches:
OPEN DIVISION
CGA Amateurs
Ryan Axlund
Jeff Chapman
Scott Crawford
Todd Edwards
Nick Nosewicz
Jon Lindstrom
Brad Rowe
Chris Thayer
Colorado PGA Professionals
Eric Bradley
Caine Fitzgerald
Geoff Keffer
Peter Norwood
Ari Papadopoulus
Visanu Tongwarin
Kirk Trowbridge
Kyle Voska
SENIOR DIVISION
CGA Amateurs
Keith Atkins
David Delich
Owen Ellis
Steve Ivan
Guy Mertz
Kent Moore
Thomas Roos
Brian Woody
Colorado PGA Professionals
Rick Cole
Dave Detweiler
Chris Johnson
Ken Krieger
Paul Lobato
Doug Rohrbaugh
Dale Smigelsky
Ron Vlosich
WOMEN’S DIVISION
CWGA Amateurs
Christie Austin
Deb Hughes
Kelly Martin
Janet Moore
Colorado PGA Professionals
Sherry Andonian-Smith
Alexandra Braga
Holly Champion
Tara Morris
