First Time Around

The Colorado PGA finished a close second Thursday in the inaugural McPherson Cup Matches, a three-team competition also featuring the Arizona-based Southwest PGA and the New Mexico-based Sun Country PGA.

The Southwest PGA won the event, played at The Glacier Club in Durango, with 21.5 points, while the Colorado PGA had 20 and Sun Country 12.5.

The biennial event features a Ryder Cup-style format, with three rounds of golf over two days. For the Colorado PGA, it replaces the Taylor Cup Matches against the Sun Country PGA.

The Colorado PGA won the singles session with 14 points, compared to 13.5 for Southwest and 8.5 for Sun Country. But it wasn’t enough to overcome Southwest’s two-point lead accumulated after Wednesday’s four-ball and foursomes matches.

Among the Colorado PGA members who won two singles matches — played simultaneously on Thursday — were Scott Sommers, Doug Rohrbaugh, Visanu Tongwarin, Bryson Hotchkiss and Dan O’Shaughnessy.

Other members of the Colorado PGA team were Ron Vlosich, Sherry Andonian-Smith, Michael Weingartner, Eric Bradley, Blake Sharamitaro, Jeff Carter and Peter Norwood.

The event features eight open-division and four senior players from each Section.

The McPherson Cup Matches are named for Ron McPherson, the CEO of The Antigua Group and a longtime supporter of all three PGA Sections and the PGA of America.