Colorado PGA professionals even the all-time series in Western Colorado Cup Matches with 2024 victory over amateurs
By Gary Baines – 11/12/2024
Whether on the Front Range or in western Colorado, Colorado PGA professionals gained bragging rights over CGA amateurs in Colorado Cup matches this fall.
Not long after the pros scored a decisive 29-11 victory over the amateurs at the Colorado Cup in Colorado Springs, they defeated the amateurs 12-8 late last month at the 28th Western Colorado Cup Matches hosted by Bookcliff Country Club in Grand Junction.
The pros won two of the three nine-hole session — foursomes (3.5 points to 1.5) and singles (6-4) — and tied the four-ball (2.5-2.5) en route to victory.
Rob Grall and Jeff Carter each posted 2-0-1 records to lead the pros, while Richard Bradsby, Roger Walters and Michael Smith went 2-1 for the amateurs.
The pros’ victory evened the all-time series at the Western Colorado Cup, with the professionals and amateurs each winning the event 14 times over the years. The pros, who claimed the title in each of the first 10 matchups, prevailed for the overall victory for just the fourth time in the last 18 years. The amateurs came into this fall having prevailed over the pros in nine of the previous 10 meetings.
The Western Colorado Cup — supported by the CGA and the Colorado PGA — benefits the Western Colorado Golf Foundation, with proceeds helping provide college scholarships to western Coloradans who participated in golf activities during their high school years. About $243,000 has been raised for the cause over the years, including $5,000 in 2024.
Frank Wilkinson, a member of the CGA board of directors, serves as chairman of the competition besides being the non-competing captain of the amateur team. Steve VanDyke, the owner of River Valley Ranch Golf Course, captained the professional squad.
Western Colorado Cup Matches
Oct. 26 at Bookcliff CC in Grand Junction
OVERALL FINAL SCORE: COLORADO PGA PROFESSIONALS 12, CGA AMATEURS 8
9-Hole Four-Ball Session: Amateurs 2.5, Pros 2.5
Roger Walters and Doug Choate (A) def. Doug Rohrbaugh and Chad Hansen (P), 2 and 1
Richard Bradsby and Michael Smith (A) def. Dan O’Shaughnessy and Tray Shehee (P), 3 and 1
Jessica Smith and Duval Sutherland (A) tied with Loren Forney and Sherry Andonian-Smith (P)
Rob Grall and Jeff Carter (P) def. Jeb Savage and Keith Humerickhouse (A), 3 and 2
Bryan Marshal and Luke Brosterhous (P) def. Jessie Guillen and Cody Nelson (A), 3 and 2
9-Hole Foursome Session: Pros 3.5, Amateurs 1.5
Dan O’Shaughnessy and Tray Shehee (P) def. Roger Walters and Michael Smith (A), 1 up
Jessica Smith and Duval Sutherland (A) tied Sherry Andonian-Smith and Loren Forney (P)
Doug Rohrbaugh and Chad Hansen (P) def. Doug Choate and Richard Bradsby (A), 1 up
Cody Nelson and Keith Humerickhouse (A) tied Bryan Marshal and Jeff Carter (P)
Jessie Guillen and Jeb Savage (A) tied Rob Grall and Luke Brosterhous (P)
9-Hole Singles Session: Pros 6, Amateurs 4
Sherry Andonian-Smith (P) def, Jessica Smith (A), 1 up
Loren Forney (P) def. Duval Sutherland (A), 2 and 1
Roger Walters (A) def. Dan O’Shaughnessy (P), 1 up
Michael Smith (A) def. Tray Shehee (P), 2 and 1
Chad Hansen (P) def. Keith Humerickhouse (A), 1 up
Richard Bradsby (A) def. Doug Rohrbaugh (P), 2 and 1
Doug Choate (A) tied Luke Brosterhous (P)
Jeb Savage (A) tied Bryan Marshal (P)
Rob Grall (P) def. Jessie Guillen (A), 2 and 1
Jeff Carter (P) def. Cody Nelson (A), 3 and 1
About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. The University of Colorado Evans Scholar alum was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com