By Jim Bebbington
When Shane Bertsch of Parker plays on the Champions Tour these days, he enjoys a perk he did not have during his PGA Tour career that lasted nearly 200 tournaments.
Since turning 50 and joining the PGA Tour’s Champions Tour, Bertsch said he is suddenly a big hitter.
“Ever since I turned 50 I play the Senior Tour and I’m a long player now,” Bertsch said Thursday after a strong second round at the 2026 Inspirato Colorado Senior Open. “I was never a long player my whole career. I was always a short player – like the bottom third (in distance). I’m definitely in the upper third so you don’t have a chance to get shots like that on 18 – it’s kind of fun, but it’s risky at times.”
The 18th hole at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club is a long par 5 which wraps around a sea of reeds and wetlands on the right side of the fairway. Thursday Bertsch drove to about 240 yards from the green, but to get there in two would have to carry more than 200 yards over swamp.
“I’m playing this 5-hybrid this week … I like to play it at. high altitude because I can hit it off the fairway and stuff and hit it pretty far, like 235,” Bertsch, 56, said. “So out of that rough, having that loft was my only chance. I couldn’t hit a 5-iron or something out of there.”
So from a spot in the tall rough that many other Senior Open players would lay up from, Bertsch smoothly cleared the reeds to set up a simple chip and putt for birdie to finish at 6-under par.
“It’s real important (to win this tournament),” he said. “Because that’s the only reason I’m playing. I’m trying to add it to my Colorado Open title and being a Colorado Open guy. I’m playing on fumes. My fingers hurt. My knees hurt. I’m playing the next four or five weeks in a row after this, so I want to win the thing so hopefully I’m not too far back and will have a shot at it.”
Bertsch shot 4-under Thursday and sits at 6-under for the tournament. Leading is his fellow Champions Tour veteran Willie Wood of Oklahoma, who played strong back-to-back rounds to lead the field Thursday at 9-under.
Wood, 65, is mainly retired from tournament golf but said he wanted to play here this week because it was too hot back home in Oklahoma.
Wood’s opening round was frankly bananas – featuring a hole-in-one on Green Valley’s par 3 No. 5, seven more birdies and three bogeys. Thursday he fired a much-calmer 3-under par built on four birdies and one bogey.
“I hit the ball more solid (Thursday),” he said.
Wood said he wanted to approach Friday’s final round with a simple goal – change nothing and keep sinking birdie opportunities.
The three day tournament goes until Friday at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. Go here for latest scores.
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Leaders for the Inspirato Colorado Senior Open come from the PGA Tour senior circuit By Jim Bebbington When Shane Bertsch of Parker plays on the Champions Tour these days, he enjoys a perk he did not have during his PGA Tour career that lasted nearly 200 tournaments. Since turning 50 and joining the PGA Tour’s
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