David Duval, who’s exempt for next week’s British Open, instead plans to tee it up at Inspirato Colorado Open
By Gary Baines – 7/12/2023
As winner of the 2001 British Open, Cherry Hills Village resident David Duval is exempt into the field for the Open Championship through 2032, the year he’ll be 60 years old during tournament week.
The former top-ranked golfer in the world has competed in the British Open all but four years since his victory in the event, with his last made cut there coming in 2015.
But next week (July 20-23), with the Open being held at Royal Liverpool in England, Duval won’t be there. Instead, he’ll be in his home state competing in the Inspirato Colorado Open at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club with his son, Brady, an amateur who will play his college golf at Coastal Carolina.
Colorado Open officials on Wednesday confirmed Duval’s plans to compete in the $250,000 tournament, where he figures to be the most notable competitor, having won 13 times in his PGA Tour career.
Since turning 50 late in 2021, Duval has been competing quite a bit on PGA Tour Champions — 21 times in 2022 and seven so far this year. His best showing on the circuit has been 31st place.
Also in the field for next week’s Colorado Open — where $100,000 will go to the winner — will be 2002 champion Kevin Stadler, a part-time resident of Denver who won the PGA Tour’s Phoenix Open in 2014.
This year will mark the 20th time the Colorado Open has been conducted at GVR after the 2003 Open was canceled because of financial mismanagement by the previous leadership who ran the tournament.
Among the past Colorado Open champions entered this year — in addition to Stadler — are Derek Tolan and defending champ Wil Collins, both two-time champs; Zahkai Brown of Golden; Sam Saunders of Albuquerque; Jimmy Gunn; Dru Love; Alex Weiss and Mark Anguiano. World Golf Hall of Famer Davis Love III is expected to caddie for his son, Dru.
Others in the field include former PGA Tour player Jim Knous, 2022 national Senior PGA Professional Championship winner Matt Schalk; Gavin Hagstrom, who has qualified for the 2022 and ’23 U.S. Amateurs; 2021 Colorado Open runner-up and conditional Korn Ferry Tour member Jake Staiano; 2017 NCAA champion Braden Thornberry; and CU golfer Hunter Swanson, who plays out of GVR.
For all those who have committed to compete in next week’s Colorado Open, CLICK HERE.
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. He was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com