Carlock and Fitzgerald Capture Colorado PGA Titles

Two Colorado PGA pros punch tickets to national competitions

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It was a month of thrilling finishes in the Colorado PGA, with Justin Carlock and Caine Fitzgerald, both PGA professionals, each capturing major victories and earning the chance to compete on the national stage.

At Saddle Rock Golf Course, sunny skies and warm conditions set the stage for the Colorado Assistant PGA Professional Championship, where Carlock, Assistant Professional at Eaton Country Club, staged a determined comeback.

Trailing first-round leader Geoff Keffer, PGA, by three shots, Carlock came out firing in the final round with birdies on holes No. 2,3 and 7 to pull even by the turn. The two battled shot-for-shot until the closing stretch, when a double bogey on 16 halted Keffer’s momentum.

Carlock’s birdie on 17 proved decisive, as Keffer lipped out a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole that would have forced a playoff. Carlock claimed his first Colorado PGA Major Championship and will head to the National Assistant PGA Professional Championship in Port St. Lucie, Fla., this November, joined by Keffer, PGA Assistant Professional at Lakewood Country Club, and Matt Hardman, Assistant Professional at Eagle Springs Golf Club near Edwards.

At Fox Hill Club in Longmont, the Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship brought its own excitement.

Caine Fitzgerald, PGA Head Professional at Meadow Hills Golf Course, held a three-shot lead after a stellar 3-under-par 67 in round one. The final round proved far from smooth sailing. After a stretch of bogeys on holes No. 10 through 12, Fitzgerald found himself tied with two past champions – Matt Schalk, PGA, and Micah Rudosky, PGA.

A clutch birdie on 14 helped him edge back into the lead, while steady pars over the next three holes preserved his position. On the 36th hole, Fitzgerald calmly two-putted from 20 feet to seal the victory — his first Colorado PGA Senior Championship title.

He will represent the Colorado Section at the Senior PGA Professional Championship in Florida this October alongside eight other qualifiers, including Micah Rudosky, PGA Head Golf Professional at Conquistador Golf Course, Matt Schalk, PGA General Manager at Colorado National Golf Club, Doug Rohrbaugh, PGA Lead Instructor at River Valley Ranch Golf Course, Michael Zaremba, PGA Director of Golf at Desert hawk at Pueblo West, Ron Vlosich, PGA Life Member, Bobby Quaratino, PGA Head Golf Professional at West Woods Golf Club, Scott Sommers, PGA Teaching Professional at Optimum Golf – Thornton, and Chris Johnson, PGA General Manager, at Country Club at Woodmoor.

Both events not only crowned deserving champions, but also highlighted the depth of talent and camaraderie across the Colorado PGA Section — with players now set to showcase their skills on a national stage at PGA Golf Club.