Greeley’s Kelly Schaub began and finished Wednesday’s first round of the Colorado Women’s Open with birdies, paving the way for her 2-under-par 70 at Green Valley Ranch.
Former University of Denver star Schaub heads into today’s middle round tied for second with low amateur Becca Huffer of Denver and Kendall Dye of Edmond, Okla., two shots behind the leader, Sara Brown of Tucson.
“I played pretty good today. Started with a birdie and chipped in (on 18) with another one,” Schaub said. “It was a good way to finish. I had fun out there and just enjoyed golf for once this year. I’ve struggled lately.”
Schaub, 29, was the 1997 Colorado Women’s Golf Association junior stroke play champion and three-time CWGA player of the year (2003, 2005, 2006). She joined the Futures circuit in 2003 and has a career-best finish of 37th.
Schaub and the other pros are competing for $55,000 in prize money, with $11,000 going to the winner. There is $18,000 in pro-am cash, and amateurs are playing for a $750 merchandise certificate.
Three past champions are in the field, including two-time defender Walailak Satarak, who shot an 8-over 80.
Loveland’s Bethany Buchner, the Class 5A prep state champion, shot a 4-over 76 at the 6,325-yard course.
The king is coming.
Area golf fans who have never had a chance to see Arnold Palmer in person have an opportunity next week.
Palmer will be an official starter for the June 3-5 Palmer Cup at Cherry Hills Country Club. Named after one of the sport’s legends, the Palmer Cup is an annual men’s college golf competition patterned after the Ryder Cup Matches and pitting a U.S.- born team vs. a European squad. Each team will include eight competitors.
Europe won last year 14-10 at Glasgow Golf Club in Scotland.
Broomfield’s Steve Ziegler, who plays for Stanford, will be on the U.S. team. The Americans will be coached by Matt Thurmond of the University of Washington.
Top muni courses.
Golfweek magazine’s recently released list of the 50 best municipal courses in the U.S. includes three Colorado layouts: No. 17 Aspen Golf Club, No. 31 Fossil Trace (Golden) and No. 46 Murphy Creek (Aurora).
Piñon Hills, located just across the border in Farmington, N.M., ranked No. 4, behind leader Bethpage Black in Farmington, N.Y. (site of next month’s U.S. Open), Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash., and Torrey Pines (South) in LaJolla, Calif.
As for Golfweek’s top “places you can play” in Colorado, the top five are Cougar Canyon (Trinidad), Lakota Canyon (New Castle), Redlands Mesa (Grand Junction), Red Sky Fazio Course (Wolcott) and Haymaker (Steamboat Springs).
Footnotes.
The Dave Pelz Scoring Game School will return June 11-13 to Highlands Ranch Golf Club. To enroll, call 800-833-7370 or visit . . . . June 3 is the entry deadline for the U.S. Girls Amateur Championship. Valley Country Club in Aurora has a June 30 qualifier. . has details.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
PGA Tour spotlight
Paul Casey
The Englishman began the year No. 41 in the world rankings but has climbed to third, trailing only Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, with 257.94 points gained in 2009.
Casey, 31, has top-20 results in five of six PGA Tour appearances, including his inaugural victory at the Houston Open last month, and last weekend he captured the European Tour’s event at Surrey, England, to climb to No. 1 on the tour’s money list.
The former Arizona State golfer is competing this week in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
Amateur spotlight
Becca Huffer
The 18-year-old from Denver is again in prime position to win the Colorado Women’s Open and finish as the low amateur. Huffer, the runner-up and low amateur a year ago, shot a 2-under-par 70 on Wednesday in the first round of the CWO at Green Valley Ranch. The Notre Dame freshman had two birdies on the back nine. Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
This week’s events
PGA Tour
Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
At Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas
Today-Friday: 1 p.m., GOLF
Saturday-Sunday: 1 p.m., KCNC-4
Champions Tour
Principal Charity Classic
At Glen Oaks Country Club, West Des Moines, Iowa
Friday-Saturday: 4:30 p.m., GOLF
Sunday: 5 p.m., GOLF
PGA European Tour
European Open
London Golf Club, Heritage Course, Ash, England
Today-Sunday: 8 a.m., GOLF
