John Ross Wins CoBank Colorado Senior Open

Between 1989 and 1993 West Virginian John Ross made 48 starts on the PGA Tour, making the cut in half of them and earning a total of $126,453 in a four-year career that began at age 37.

The Champions Tour has treated the former Campbell University star a bit better. Over 14 seasons, he’s won $475,000, twice cracking the top 10 in 51 events.

But at age 64, Ross has caught fire. Last month, he won the West Virginia Senior Open, and last Friday, he captured the CoBank Colorado Senior Open, shooting a 10-under 206 in the three-day event at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club.

Ross went into the final round with a one-shot lead on former PGA Tour player Keith Clearwater. He then held off hard-charging Chris Starkjohann by two strokes. Starkjohann, a Loveland native now residing in California, shot a four-under 68 for Friday’s low round. Clearwater carded an even-par 72 to finish one shot behind Starkjohann.

Ross, who finished second in last year’s championship, set his sights on winning this year’s edition and took home the $8,500 first place prize against the strongest field in the history of the championship. He also earned an extra $1,000 for being top super-senior player (60 and older).

The win exempts him into the July’s $250,000 CoBank Colorado Open, in which the champion will win an unprecedented $100,000.

 

Last year’s champion, Greg Bruckner, finished fifth at 5-under par. Coloradans in the top 10 included Doug Wherry (T6) Patrick Reidy and Jeff Hanson (T8) and Doug Rohrbaugh (T10).

On the amateur side, NFL Hall of Famer and Denver Broncos EVP/GM John Elway shot a 2-over par 74 to finish in a tie for second at 5-over par 221 with last year’s low amateur Kent Moore of Cherry Hills Village. The low amateur champion finishing in a tie for 25^th overall was Tom Krystyn of Denver who shot 5-over 77 finishing at 4-over 220. It was Krystyn’s rookie debut and his caddie was none other than three-time Colorado Open champion and 2009 Colorado Senior Open champion Bill Loeffler.

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