Illinois pro Britt Pavelonis goes wire-to-wire, shooting 14-under.
Nearly 1,000 miles separates Denver’s Green Valley Ranch Golf Club from Shawnee Hills Country Club, the nine-hole course in Harrisburg, Ill., that Britt Pavelonis calls home.
But at last week’s CoBank Colorado Senior Open (Aug. 28-30), Pavelonis more than bridged the distance. Playing the Colorado course for the first time, he posted scores of 66, 67 and 69 for a 14-under-par score of 202.
The 50-year-0ld former Southern Illinois University star led after each of the three rounds. His closing-round 69 tied him with seven other players for the second-l0west round of the day.
One of those was runner-up Kevin Dillen of Paris, Tex., who finished four shots behind Pavelonis, who cruised to the title and the $8,500.00 winner’s check.
For his efforts, Pavelonis also won an invitation to next year’s $250,000 CoBank Colorado Open to compete for the $100,000 winner’s check.
In solo third at 9-under (207 total) was two-time Colorado Open runner-up Barry Conser of Scottsdale, Ariz. Thomas Kalinowski, also of Scottsdale, finished fourth at 7-under 209 after his even par round of 72 on Friday.
Erdman earns low-am honors
Tying for fifth with Montana’s Mike Grob at 5-under (211) and earning low-amateur honors was Paul Erdman of Erie. The highest Coloradan finisher, Erdman, who is recovering from two cancer surgeries, held off 2017 CGA Senior Amateur champion Steve Ivan of Colorado Springs for low-am honors.
Other notables in the field included past champions Jeff Gallagher of Henderson, Nev. (T-10, 2-under 214), Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale, Colo. and Mike Zaremba of Pueblo West, Colo. (T-14, 1-under 215), John Ross of Bramwell, WV (T-17, even par), Ron Schroeder of Montgomery, TX (T-25, 2-over 218) and four-time PGA TOUR Champions winner and past champion R.W. Eaks of Scottsdale (T-29, 3-over 219).
The three-day event saw three hole in ones on three different holes.
On Thursday, Texan Danny Gonzalez aced the par-3 5th and Elizabeth amateur Thomas Roos jarred one on the par-3 17th. Then, in Friday’s final round, Castle Pines Golf Club Teaching Professional Don Hurter of Castle Rock knocked in a 7-iron from 179 yards on the par-3 13th to record his third career ace.
A complete listing of the final results follows. For event details, including hole-by-hole scores and player profiles, visit coloradoopen.com.
CoBank Colorado Senior Open Final Results – Green Valley Ranch GC, Denver, CO
6,879 yards, Par 72—216
(a) denotes amateur
1. Britt Pavelonis–Harrisburg, IL–66-67-69–202, -14, $8,500.00
2. Kevin Dillen–Paris, TX–69-68-69–206, -10, $5,400.00
3. Barry Conser–Scottsdale, AZ–68-70-69–207, -9, $3,300.00
4. Thomas Kalinowski–Scottsdale, AZ–70-67-72–209, -7, $2,100.00
T5. Mike Grob–Billings, MT–70-73-68–211, -5, $1,800.00
T5. Paul Erdman (a)–Erie, CO–72-66-73–211, -5
7. Robin Byrd–Satellite Beach, FL–70-70-72–212, -4, $1,700.00
T8. Steve Ivan (a)–Colorado Springs, CO–73-71-69–213, -3
T8. Steve Schneiter–Sandy, UT–69-71-73–213, -3, $1,600.00
T10. Donald Hurter–Castle Rock, CO–71-74-69–214, -2, $1,350.00
T10. Doug Wherry–Lone Tree, CO–73-72-69–214, -2, $1,350.00
T10. Jeff Gallagher–Henderson, NV–72-73-69–214, -2, $1,350.00
T10. Mike Cunning–Phoenix, AZ–67-70-77–214, -2, $1,350.00
T14. Marshall Gavre–Fairfield, IA–74-72-69–215, -1, $1,000.00
T14. Mike Zaremba–Pueblo West, CO–74-71-70–215, -1, $1,000.00
T14. Doug Rohrbaugh–Carbondale, CO–73-69-73–215, -1, $1,000.00
T17. Greg Avant–Chandler, AZ–71-73-72–216, E, $600.00
T17. John Ross–Bramwell, WV–73-69-74–216, E, $600.00
T17. Keith Huber–Fresno, CA–73-69-74–216, E, $600.00
T17. Bob Niger–Sacramento, CA–70-71-75–216, E, $600.00
T17. Gregg Jones–Colorado Springs, CO–73-69-74–216, E, $600.00
T17. Alan Sorensen–Bakersfield, CA–67-73-76–216, E, $600.00
T23. Brett Dean–Evergreen, CO–70-72-75–217, +1, $412.50
T23. Patrick Reidy–Littleton, CO–72-68-77–217, +1, $412.50
T25. Gerry Norquist–Anthem, AZ –75-70-73–218, +2, $356.67
T25. Ron Schroeder–Montgomery, TX–71-75-72–218, +2, $356.67
T25. Ron Vlosich–Lakewood, CO–74-71-73–218, +2, $356.67
T25. John Hornbeck (a)–Saratoga, WY–69-77-72–218, +2
T29. Jayson Ray–Klamath Reservation, OR–73-74-72–219, +3, $332.50
T29. Javier Delgadillo–El Paso, TX–72-71-76–219, +3, $332.50
T29. Daniel Raiford–Carrollton, TX–74-70-75–219, +3, $332.50
T29. R.W. Eaks–Scottsdale, AZ–73-71-75–219, +3, $332.50
T33. John Urquhart–Phoenix, AZ–73-72-75–220, +4, $315.00
T33. John Ogden–Cherry Hills Village, CO–71-75-74–220, +4, $315.00
T33. Jeff Hanson–Edwards, CO–74-74-72–220, +4, $315.00
T36. Jay Gregory (a)–Lineville, IA–73-72-76–221, +5
T36. Tray Shehee–Longmont, CO–70-72-79–221, +5, $297.50
T36. Anthony Aguilar–Arvada, CO–72-76-73–221, +5, $297.50
T36. Bill Breen–Nashville, TN–72-77-72–221, +5, $297.50
T36. Billy Harvey–Hampton Bays, NY–76-73-72–221, +5, $297.50
T41. Jimmy Montecino–Temecula, CA–74-73-75–222, +6, $285.00
T41. Thomas Roos (a)–Elizabeth, CO–75-73-74–222 ,+6
T43. Kent Moore (a)–Centennial, CO–73-73-77–223, +7
T43. Bill Hancock–Highlands Ranch, CO–74-72-77–223, +7, $272.50
T43. John Balfanz–Bakersfield, CA–75-73-75–223, +7, $272.50
T43. Jeff LeMaste–Las Vegas, NV–71-77-75–223, +7, $272.50
T43. Timothy Matthews–Scotts, MI–73-76-74–223, +7, $272.50
T43. Robert Polk (a)–Parker, CO–75-74-74–223, +7
T49. Kevin Bolles–Louisville, CO–75-73-76–224, +8, $257.50
T49. Mark Houser–Kingsport, TN–75-73-76–224, +8, $257.50
T51.Paul Lobato–Denver, CO–75-73-78–226, +10, $245.00
T51. Brian Gott–Aurora, CO–73-75-78–226, +10, $245.00
T51. Neale Smith–Tustin, CA–70-78-78–226, +10, $245.00
T54. Daniel Jarvie–Seattle, WA–71-74-82–227, +11, $232.50
T54. Marty Stanovich–Tamarac, FL–77-70-80–227, +11, $232.50
T56. Herb Joiner–McKinney, TX–72-76-80–228, +12, $212.50
T56. William Dodd, Jr.–Phoenix, AZ–75-74-79–228, +12, $212.50
58. Guy Mertz (a)–Longmont, CO–77-72-80–229, +13
59. Tal Tartaglia (a)–Kingsburg, CA–71-75-84–230, +14
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