Colorado University Athletics
CU's Grady Wins State Stroke Play Title In Playoff
BOULDER ? University of Colorado junior Patrick Grady birdied the first playoff hole here Sunday to win the 70th CGA Stroke Play Championship at the Boulder Country Club, as he defeated “new” teammate Michael Baird to win the title.
Grady shot 67 in the final round for a 7-under total of 273 to force a playoff with Baird, who transferred to CU this summer from Pepperdine and will also be a junior this season. Baird had also shot 67 and was in the clubhouse at 273 when Grady made a bending 10-foot birdie putt on 18 to force the playoff.
Grady’s tee-shot on the first playoff hole (No. 1) went well right and found the adjacent 18th fairway, giving Baird the initial advantage. Grady rallied with a strong second shot over a towering tree line protecting the green that left him 12 feet from the hole. Baird, who reached the green in regulation, missed his 22-foot birdie attempt, with Grady holing his birdie try to win the championship.
Grady chalked it up to putting everything together and a little home cooking.
“I think a lot of people were rooting for me because I was wearing a bright yellow CU golf team shirt, so it felt really good,” he said. “A little home course knowledge helped, and I had been playing well for most of the summer, so I finally put everything together and clicked on all cylinders for the most part. The greens here are tough, so knowing them well had to have helped."
It marked the 21st time a Colorado Buffalo, either a current player or alumni, has won the tournament, the fourth this decade. Twelve times the player has been a current Buff (enrolled in school), joining Hale Irwin (1963-64-65), Terry Kahl (1980), Matt Potter (1984), Scott Petersen (1991-93), Matt Call (1998-2000) and Kane Webber (2002-03).
Grady, who won the 2005 CGA Match Play Championship, joined a short list of players who have won both the CGA Match Play and Stroke Play since this event began in 1937. Included on that list are names such as Babe Lind, Kent Moore, Irwin, Steve Jones, and Brandt Jobe. The Tub Morris Trophy honoring the CGA Stroke Play champion will be displayed at Omni Interlocken Resort, Grady’s home club, for the next year. Baird earned the CGA Silver Medal as runner-up.
Grady said it was “a little weird” to have won a state title for a second time over a teammate.
“It almost feels like I should apologize to them,” he said. “I gave a little fist-pump (after he made the winning birdie), and I wanted to say, “Sorry, Mike’ for the gesture. When I won the match play over Derek Tolan last year, I felt the same way. Mike and I have become pretty good friends this summer and he and Derek are two of my best friends in golf. So that makes it “a little weird” to have won both over good friends and teammates. You’re happy you won, but you wish it wasn’t at the expense of a teammate and friend.”
It was Grady’s third CGA win this year, as he won the Western Chapter Championship and the Boomerang Invitational earlier this summer.
Defending champion Drew Stoltz of Fort Collins CC fired a 68 in the final round for a 274 total to finish one stroke back and tie for third place with Denver University’s Charles Soule of Ute Creek GC. Stoltz rimmed-out a seven-foot par put on 18 that would have tied the leaders and put him in the playoff. Soule entered the final round in the lead, having wrestled it away from Grady who held it after the first and second rounds, and remained atop the leaderboard until making a double bogey on 17.
CU senior Ryan Anderson finished sixth, as he recorded a final round 71 for a 279 total (1-under par). Former Buff Steve Irwin was ninth (68-284), with incoming freshman Luke Symons continuing his fantastic summer with a 14th place effort, as he also closed with a 67 for a 6-over 286 count. Sophomore Derek Tolan was 18th (75-287) and junior Jim Grady, Patrick’s older brother, tied for 21st (76-290).
FINAL RESULTS
1. *Patrick Grady, Omni Interlocken, 66-70-70-67?273
2. Michael Baird, Red Hawk Ridge GC, 70-67-69-67--273
3. Drew Stoltz, Fort Collins CC, 71-67-68-68--274
3. Charles Soule, Ute Creek GC, 72-68-65-69--274
5. Darrin Hall,
6. Ryan Anderson, Greeley CC, 73-66-69-71--279
7. Zen Brown, Indian Tree GC, 69-70-72-70--281
8. Aaron Weston, Meridian GC, 74-71-67-70--282
9. Steve Irwin,
10. Jacob Lestishen, Lone Tree GC & Hotel, 78-67-72-68--285
10. Brian Richmeier, Meadow Hills GC, 74-68-74-69--285
10. Jonathan Marsico, Green Gables CC, 75-70-70-70--285
10. Klinton Krieger,
14. Luke Symons, Valley CC, 72-72-75-67--286
14. Jeff Carlson, Cherry Creek CC, 69-74-72-71--286
14. Tyler Capps,
14. Tyler Bishop, Sunset GC, 72-70-71-73--286
18. Derek Tolan, South Suburban Family Sports Center, 74-69-69-75--287
19. James Kurtenbach, South Suburban GC, 70-74-70-74--288
19. David Delich, Broadmoor GC, 68-73-71-76--288
21. Sean Hedden, Eagle Trace GC, 69-76-74-71--290
21. Rick Dewitt, West Woods GC, 69-69-76-76--290
21. Jim Grady, Omni Interlocken, 74-72-68-76--290
24. Bill Fowler, Rolling Hills CC, 73-71-71-76--291
25. Matthew Brunk,
25. Brenden Beeg, Fox Hollow GC, 73-75-78-69--295
25. Martin Prazak, Meadow Hills GC, 76-70-77-72--295
25. Brandon Strope, Sunset GC, 74-74-73-74--295
25. Jonathan Lopez, Saddle Rock GC, 70-74-75-76--295
25. Robert Polk, The Pinery CC, 72-76-66-81--295
31. Brett Jurgenson,
31. Rick Ewing, Desert Hawk at
33. Nick Flaa,
34. Harry Johnson, Eagle Ranch GC, 76-71-80-75--302
34. Sean Griswold, Hillcrest GC, 73-74-77-78--302
36. Dean Clapp, Meadow Hills GC, 71-75-79-78--303
37. Kermitt Barrett, Hillcrest GC, 69-74-80-81--304
38. Randy Miller,
---. Ross McDermott,
(*?won on first playoff hole.)
Full leaderboard and complete scorecards can be found at www.cogolf.org. Portions of this story reprinted from the CGA event release.