Davis Bryant will try to close the deal on his home turf as the Aurora resident will take 3-stroke lead into final round of Colorado Open; Jim Knous (61) and Jake Staiano (63) make a Saturday charge
By Gary Baines – 7/27/2024
DENVER — On a day when fellow Colorado natives Jim Knous and Jake Staiano soared up the leaderboard with rounds of 61 and 63, respectively, Davis Bryant of Aurora didn’t flinch on Saturday.
While the 24-year-old former Colorado State University golfer lost ground to both players — and some others — on a day when scoring was sensational at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, Bryant still shot a 5-under-par 66 and will take a three-stroke lead into Sunday’s final round of the 60th Inspirato Colorado Open.
While it likely won’t be easy, the table is set for what could be a remarkable Colorado Open finale.
“I feel like I’m playing real good golf,” Bryant said. “I’ve got a great opportunity to do something really special tomorrow. So I’ll keep doing what I’m doing and give myself a chance to close it out on the last three, six, nine holes. I’ll go have fun and enjoy the moment.
“It’s a special week. I’ve got a lot of people supporting me. I’m not going to try to make the moment any bigger than it is. Keep it one shot at a time and go through the process that I’ve gone through the first three days that put me where I’m at.”
If Bryant does go wire-to-wire, it would mark:
— The first victory in the Colorado Open by a player who lives in the Centennial State — at least part-time — since Jonathan Kaye in 2017.
— The culmination of a momentous month for Bryant, who earlier in July posted his first pro victory in the Wyoming State Open and followed it up with a fifth-place showing in the Waterloo Open, where he made the first albatross of his career. Over his nine rounds of competitive golf at those events and the Colorado Open, Bryant’s scoring average is a sterling 64.6.
— A rare Colorado Open victory by a player on his home course as Bryant grew up at Green Valley Ranch GC and estimates he’s played it more than a thousand times. His dad, Matt, who is caddying for him this week, is the longtime PGA general manager at GVR. And his mom, Julie, is the tournament director for the Inspirato Colorado Open Championships, the COO of the Colorado Open Golf Foundation and the executive director of the First Tee GVR.
— And for Bryant himself — as well as most of the other contenders for the title — the $100,000 first prize would be a game-changer, at least for the near term. In Bryant’s case, he’s still in his first year as a playing pro, which is no cheap proposition. He won $10,000 at Wyoming this month and another $5,300 in Iowa, but a six-figure check is another level — and would considerably ease the financial pressures for the near future.
Bryant and his dad/caddie, Matt, react after a birdie on the 10th hole.
But there’s still a considerable amount of work to be done. And the pressure will continue to ramp up on the final day with both the title and $100,000 on the line. The payday for the runner-up certainly isn’t bad (about $20,000), but is a far cry from the top prize.
And, ironically, it could be a former CSU teammate that could change the narrative for Bryant as three Rams are in the top seven heading into the final round, with Staiano in fourth place (four strokes back of Bryant) and AJ Ott in seventh (seven out of the lead after a bogey-free 67).
“I’m going to go try to chase (Davis) down,” Staiano said. “It’s his home course. He loves it. He’s playing great, man. I’m rooting for him. He’s my teammate, he’s my guy. But I’m going to try to chase him down. I texted him yesterday and said ‘I’m coming for you.’ He’s playing great. I’m probably going to have to do it again (have a round similar to Saturday’s 63) — maybe even one or two lower. I know I can do it.”
Jake Staiano, Colorado Open runner-up three years ago, will try to make another run at the title.
Despite a long-range three-putt bogey on his final hole — his first bogey since Thursday and just his second of the tournament, both coming on No. 18 — Bryant checked in at 18 under par after rounds of 65-64-66.
Knous, the former PGA Tour player who grew up in Colorado and attended the Colorado School of Mines, started the day eight back of Bryant but cut five off that deficit with his 10-under-par 61 on Saturday. That’s the fourth-lowest round in Colorado Open history and the third-lowest in the tournament’s run at GVR. Only Sam Saunders’ 60 in the final round in 2018 and Mark Anguiano’s in the third round in 2020 were better.
Ironically, Knous was paired with Saunders on Saturday — as well as on Thursday and Friday.
“Today, halfway through the day, I’m going, ‘OK Sam, I’m coming for you,’” Knous said with a laugh. “I wanted to beat his record.”
Jim Knous, known for his low rounds in Colorado, did it again on Saturday.
Knous’ round — which included an eagle from 8 feet on No. 12, nine birdies and a bogey — left the 34-year-old in a tie for second place with fellow former PGA Tour player Luke Guthrie of Jacksonville, Fla., three behind Bryant. Guthrie posted a bogey-free 64 but parred his final five holes.
Another stroke back are Staiano, who shared the lead after three rounds of the 2021 Colorado Open and went on to tie for second place, and BJ Bigley of Schenectady, N.Y., who carded a 65.
Staiano, the 2021 Rocky Mountain Open champion and a former CGA Player of the Year, eagled the 18th hole on Saturday to finish off his round of 63, which also included seven birdies and one bogey. It was his low score ever at the Colorado Open.
“Yesterday was the hardest I’ve seen Green Valley play — ever,” Staiano noted. “I was super happy with 69, especially after I started 3 over through two holes.
“Then today it played like Green Valley — like a normal Colorado Open where there’s lots of birdies, it’s soft, it’s scorable. I was able to take advantage.”
All told on Saturday, there was one 61, one 63, one 64, four 65s and a dozen 66s.
“I’m not surprised Jim got it rolling today,” said Bryant, who was paired with Knous and Saunders on Thursday and Friday. “It’s out there if you start rolling it in. And, again, the greens are really soft.”
After starting off his day relatively slowly — with five straight pars — Bryant cranked it into high gear in the middle of Saturday’s round to rebuild his big lead. He birdied the sixth and seventh holes, then chipped in for eagle from about 50 feet on No. 9. And he backed that up with a 10 footer for birdie on No. 10, which made him five under for five holes. From there, he made par on 12 despite hitting his tee shot in the water, then he rolled in a 4-foot birdie putt on 16, got up and down for par on 17 and three-putted for bogey on 18.
“It was a great day,” Bryant said. “I played really good. I kind of started out a little slower than I wanted, but I found the groove.”
Bryant will try to add to an already-stellar month of July.
A former CGA Player of the Year, Bryant has been a formidable competitor throughout his career, winning a state high school title, four state junior majors and a CGA Amateur, plus recording an individual victory in a college tournament, prevailing in two Southwestern Amateurs and in the recent Wyoming State Open.
But Sunday will add another factor with a six-figure payday at stake for the champion.
Asked how that might affect anything, Bryant said, “Certainly I think looking at getting a check in the mail for 100 grand would be pretty cool. I think it might be a little bit of a factor, but I’m trying to view it as I’m trying to get a lot of experience, trying to learn a lot of things. I feel like I’ve done a good job with that the last two or three months. I’m starting to figure out what really works for me, what works for my game and getting in a good groove and focusing on what I can control. But that (check) would be awesome. We’ll do our best to make that happen tomorrow.”
Former CSU golfer AJ Ott joins Bryant and Staiano as Rams in the top 10.
Not only are three former CSU golfers in the top seven going into the final round, but they were all teammates at one point, with Staiano the oldest of the the group (27), followed by Ott (26) and Bryant (24).
“All the boys are playing well,” Staiano said. “AJ has had a great run this summer. (Davis) has obviously been playing real well recently. This is only my third event of the year. I’ve been more low key than these guys, but it’s been fun to see how they’ve progressed in pro golf, doing the same thing I did. I’m always rooting for them.”
Said Bryant: “It’s awesome. I loved my time at CSU. Fort Collins was great. I’ll always support the program and it’s cool to have a lot of Rams at the top. … All three of us have a great relationship. We want to beat each other, but we want to root each other on at the same time. They were instrumental in my development as a player. Now to be competing on the pro circuit (with them) is a pretty cool feeling.”
Knous Sheds the Rust: Jim Knous is no stranger to shooting low rounds in Colorado. He famously fired a 10-under-par 60 in the final round of the 2010 CGA Amateur to force a playoff with Wyndham Clark, who last year won the U.S. Open. A year later, Knous carded a 63 during U.S. Amateur qualifying at Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club. And in 2016, he posted a 62 in the final round of the Colorado Open.
But all of those came when the Colorado native was a college golfer or a full-time playing professional. Nowadays — since the end of February — Knous is working full time at Ping in the Phoenix area as a fitting and education engineer. And since finishing 28th in the PGA Tour’s WM Phoenix Open in February, Knous said he had played a grand total of three rounds before this week.
But that didn’t keep the former Basalt and Littleton resident from shooting a 10-under-par 61 on Saturday to vault into second place at the Colorado Open.
“It definitely surprised me — especially with how I was striking it yesterday,” said Knous, who has Mines golf coach Tyler Kimble caddying for him this week. “I was kind of slapping it around and my wedges weren’t sharp at all (on Friday). I managed to shoot 2 under, which was kind of amazing with how I hit it. But then today everything just kind of clicked. It was just one of those days: Everything was clicking and the putter was on fire. When that happens, it’s always fun to have a low one like that.”
Knous was 10 under par through 15 holes on Saturday, meaning he needed just two more birdies to shoot a 59. And that was definitely on his mind.
“The funny thing is in my mind I was still operating under the assumption that we’re playing a par-72 course (instead of par-71),” he said. “So after 15 I’m going, ‘OK, I have three holes left; I can make three birdies.’ Then I get done and I’m totaling it up and it was 61. I forgot it was a par-71. I really only needed two birdies, which maybe hurts more now. But it’s all good.”
Knous ended up parring each of the last three holes to post his 61, the fourth-lowest score in Colorado Open history.
“Not a lot of golf coming in here, so I wasn’t sure what to expect,” Knous said. “I get to hit balls just about every day at Ping. We do player tests there, so the swing still felt really good, but I didn’t know what my short game was going to be like. The wedges are so-so; today was a little better. But I’m definitely surprised with 61.”
And that 61 gives him a shot at the title on Sunday.
“It’s definitely a possibility,” Knous said. “Davis is playing great. I played with him Thursday and Friday and he was on fire. I know he’s playing well, so I’ll have to play well tomorrow to contend — with him and all the other great players who are here. I don’t really have any expectations for tomorrow. If I play well, great. If I don’t, that’s OK. I’ll go back to work the following week. I’m just happy to be here and happy to be in contention.”
Luke Guthrie is another former PGA Tour player on the leaderboard.
Meanwhile on Sunday Luke Guthrie will be trying to join Neil Johnson (2016) and Mark Anguiano (2020) as players who have won the Colorado Open in recent years after having to go through qualifying for the event.
“I was out here trying to qualify for the Korn Ferry (Tour event at TPC Colorado) and ended up playing the Colorado Open qualifier the next day,” he noted. “I’m trying to do the good fight and get back out there (on tour).”
Guthrie played the PGA Tour full-time from 2013-16. All told the 34-year-old has seven top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour to his credit, including a third place.
Two-time champion Derek Tolan had another solid round on Saturday.
Notable: Parker Edens, who grew up in Greeley and finished runner-up overall in the 2023 Colorado Open, will take a one-stroke lead in the amateur competition into Sunday. The South Dakota State men’s golf head coach fired a 1-under-par 70 on Saturday and sits at 2 under par overall, one better than Pat Grady and Walker Franklin, both from Westminster, who matched third-round 71s. … Michael Block, the 2014 national PGA Professional Championship winner who drew plenty of media and fan attention en route to a 15th-place finish in last year’s PGA Championship, made five birdies and one bogey one Saturday in shooting a 67 that moved him up to 38th place, at 5 under par. … Former Colorado Open champion Scott Petersen is caddying for 2023 Inspirato Colorado Senior Open winner Jason Schultz this week. … Two-time Colorado Open champions Derek Tolan and Wil Collins remained on pace for good finishes as they stand in 13th place at 10 under par. … Tee times for Sunday’s final round will range from 7:19 to 9:31 a.m., with the leaders going off last.
For all the results from the Colorado Open, CLICK HERE.
A deer was oblivious to the Colorado Open action as it wondered across the 18th fairway on Saturday.
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