Former Colorado golf letterman Ben Portie is in his first year as the assistant coach for the golf team, as he joined Roy Edward’s staff in August 2007.
Portie, 31, also remains a playing professional while serving in his CU capacity. He has enjoyed some success as a pro, which followed an outstanding amateur career both on the state and national levels. He was the Colorado Golf Association’s Player of the Year for 2001, when he won his second straight Colorado Public Links championship. He thus qualified for a pair of U.S. Amateur Public Links Championships, and he also played in the 2000 and 2001 U.S. Amateurs, qualifying for the match play portion his second time in the meet.
In 2002, he won the sectional qualifier for the U.S. Open, shooting rounds of 68-67?135 and earned the right to play in the U.S. Open on the famous Bethpage Black course in Farmingdale, N.Y. (he missed the cut, tying for 107th after posting a 77-77?154 scorecard). He turned professional immediately following the qualifier, and went out and won his first professional tournament, the Green Mountain Open (Killington, Vt.) the following weekend, winning $10,000 as a tune-up for the Open.
He has played in two other Tour events, the 2005 Tucson Open (where he made the cut) and in the 2002 FedEx St. Jude Classic. He has had a lot of success in state and regional tournaments, winning the 2004 Rocky Mountain Open (Grand Junction), with a pair of runner-up finishes in the Denver Open and two top five finishes in the Colorado Open.
One of the few left-handed players in CU history, he completed his career with a 73.89 stroke average, at the time the fifth-best all-time at Colorado, with his 106 career rounds tying for the 13th most (those now rank seventh and 17th, respectively). As a senior in 2001-02, he led CU with a 72.46 average, second best-ever at the time, and still fourth, while his spring stroke average of 72.44 set a then-school record (it now ranks third); he was the first Buff under 73 in the spring since Steve Jones did so in 1980. He also led the team in top 10 finishes (4), top 20 finishes (8), rounds in the 60s (5), subpar rounds (12), first round average (71.15), middle round average (72.79), final round average (73.50), and in rounds counting toward team scoring (38 of 39, or 97.4 percent). He tied for 33rd in the NCAA Championships (66-72-75-73?286), becoming the first Buff since Irwin to lead at any point of the finals after his 5-under par 66 in the first round. He enjoyed his first collegiate win by claiming the CU-Stevinson Ranch Invitational, as a final round 66 propelled him to a four-stroke victory. He earned PING All-Region honors as a senior.
Portie led the team in stroke average as a sophomore in 1997-98 with a 74.23 figure. He earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors, placing eighth at the Big 12 Championships in Hutchinson, Kan. After that season, he went on to complete his two-year mission to fulfill his obligations in his Mormon religion. Stationed in the Boston area, he taught the gospel and did a variety of community services, including working with area YMCA’s and Boys and Girls Clubs, food and homeless shelters and building homes for low-income families. He rejoined the team in the fall of 2000, with his top efforts his junior season being a fourth place finish in Stanford’s “The Nelson” and 13th in the Big 12 meet.
He began his college career at Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff (1995-96), winning three of six junior college tournaments he participated in, and then transferred to CU following his freshman year.
He majored in communication at CU, and is finishing up his degree, with about one semester of classes left before he can graduate.
Portie was born January 27, 1977 in Port Arthur, Texas, and graduated from Westminster’s (Colo.) Ranum High School, where he was a four-year letterman in golf. He was a two-time all-state selection and a three-time first-team all-conference pick, as he was a two-time conference champion and also finished fourth twice in the Colorado state high school meet.
He is married to the former Christy Westover, and the couple has a son, Braiden (born last August).
PORTIE AT COLORADO
Statistics Overall--------------------------------- Spring---------------- Fall-----------------
Season Rd Strokes Avg. Lo Hi Rd Strk Avg. Rd Strk Avg.
1997-98 30 2227 74.23 69 79 21 1558 74.19 9 669 74.33
2000-01 37 2779 75.11 70 84 20 1529 76.45 17 1250 73.53
2001-02 39 2826 72.46 66 80 27 1956 72.44 12 870 72.50
Totals 106 7832 73.89 66 84 68 5043 74.16 38 2789 73.39
Rounds Toward Team Scoring: 99 of 106 (93.4%).
Stroke Count In Relation To Par (+268/+2.53): +89/+2.97 (1997-98), +140/+3.78 (2000-01); +39/+1.00 (2001-02).
Finishes?Wins: 1 Top 5: 2 Top 10: 7 Top 20: 14
