Although a quarter-century has passed, and nerves and bellies may have weakened, the Colorado Senior Open must feel like old home week to former PGA Tour players atop the leaderboard.
So many former touring pros have converged on Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, they should form an alumni association.
Bob Ralston of Little Rock, Ark., the second-round leader at 9-under-par 135 after a 65 on Thursday, competed on the PGA Tour from 1980-82. Castle Rock’s Bill Loeffler, who begins today’s final round two strokes behind Ralston in second place, also made it to the big time during that same three-year stretch.
Sitting in fourth place at 4-under is Mark Rohde of Marshalltown, Iowa, a PGA Tour player in 1980 and 1981. He holed out a pitching wedge from 143 yards for an eagle-2 on No. 16 on Thursday. Tom Woodard, who directs the Foothills golf courses, played on the PGA Tour in 1981 and 1984. Woodard stands at 1-under 143.
“It’s really nice seeing these guys,” Ralston said. “It’s amazing how many still remember you.”
Ralston, 57, played like one of the big boys, rolling in nine birdies against two bogeys. A semi-retired club pro who still teaches, Ralston was named 2003 national senior club pro player of the year. He missed only one fairway Thursday – by about 3 inches on the 436-yard 15th.
He failed to save par out of the heavy stuff, but still managed a 3-under 33 on the back nine despite a bogey on the par-5 18th after hitting his second shot into wetlands.
In his Colorado Senior Open debut last year, Ralston tied for 10th place although he made an 11 at No. 18.
“I knocked two in the drink; it hasn’t been my best hole,” he recalled.
Ralston completed his birdie binge Thursday with a 25-foot snake at No. 16.
“I’ve just got to keep it going, keep playing,” he said.
Loeffler turned 50 on Aug. 9 and is gearing up for his first stab at Champions Tour qualifying this fall. A three-time Colorado Open champion, Loeffler held a one-stroke lead after the first round but couldn’t make putts. His 2-under 70 included holing out for birdie from a sand bunker on No. 17.
A rain delay halted play for 1 hour, 20 minutes, beginning at 2:58 p.m. Most of the leaders played in the morning group, before the winds picked up. That included 62-year-old Robert Landers, who leads the Super Seniors division (60 and over) at even-par 144 after posting a pair of 72s.
Landers received national publicity as “the golfing farmer” when he qualified for the Champions Tour in 1995 and 1996. He still raises cattle on 130 acres west of Fort Worth, Texas.
“I was just hoping I’d make the cut,” Landers said.
Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
