CGA: A Tribute to Drive and Commitment

CGA LES FOWLER PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND MID-AMATEUR (25 AND OLDER) PLAYER OF THE YEAR: COLIN PRATER

Since a Mid-Amateur P.O.Y. started being named in 2008, Prater (of Cherokee Ridge Golf Course in Colorado Springs) is just the second golfer to claim both honors in the same year. Michael Harrington, also a Colorado Springs resident, landed both awards in 2014. In winning both of the CGA’s two majors—the Amateur and the Match Play—in 2020, Prater became the first mid-amateur to pull off that single-season sweep since Gary Longfellow in 1974.

WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR: KIRSTY HODGKINS Australia native Hodgkins, a University of Colorado golfer who plays out of Colorado National Golf Club, landed the CGA Women’s P.O.Y. honor after a season in which she won the CGA Women’s Match Play and advanced to match play at her first U.S. Women’s Amateur. Hodgkins’ performance in 2020 was even more impressive given that she tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the year. Her victory at Saddleback Golf Club was her first in Colorado, although she was low amateur in the 2019 CoBank Colorado Women’s Open.

SENIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR: STEVE IVAN

Ivan, who plays out of Patty Jewett Golf Club, has been a model of consistency at CGA senior championships in recent years. In the last seven CGA senior majors, the former University of Colorado golfer has never finished worse than runner-up, going first-second-second-second- second-first-first. Those last two indicate Ivan swept the CGA senior major titles in 2020, winning the Senior Match Play and the Senior Amateur, both limited to players 54 and older this year. It was the first time a player won both CGA senior majors in the same year since Harry Johnson in 2013. Combined with his victory in the 2017 Senior Amateur, Ivan now owns three CGA senior major championships to go along with the CGA Junior Match Play he won in 1979.

WOMEN’S SENIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR: KRISTINE FRANKLIN

Franklin, a former touring pro who had her amateur status reinstated, only competed in three CGA championships in 2020, but was in contention in each case. She won the CGA Senior Women’s Match Play and finished runner- up in the CGA Women’s Senior Stroke Play and the inaugural CGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Stroke Play. Franklin’s victory at the Senior Match Play at Saddleback set a record as she became the first golfer to win four consecutive CGA women’s senior major titles—in her case two Senior Stroke Plays and two Senior Match Plays. This is Franklin’s third consecutive Senior Player of the Year award.

SUPER-SENIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR: DAVID NELSON

During his first six months as a Coloradan, Nelson won the senior division of the Charlie Coe Invitational at Castle Pines Golf Club (with Chip Lutz), and claimed individual titles in the Denver Senior Men’s Amateur and the Aurora Senior Amateur. Then in August at Gypsum Creek Golf Course, he captured his first CGA championship title by prevailing at the Super-Senior Amateur, limited to players 64 and older. While Nelson is new to Colorado, he’s certainly not new to success on the golf course. He’s qualified for 33 USGA championships, including earning medalist honors at a U.S. Senior Amateur qualifier in Colorado Springs in 2017.