GOLDEN — Ron Vlosich is a numbers guy.
The 54-year-old gave up his position as director of golf after 18 years at Green Gables Country Club in 2007 to become a stock trader. His philosophy on playing a good round of golf and trading stocks is the same: Buy low and shoot low.
Vlosich, from Lakewood, won the U.S. Senior Open qualifier Thursday with a 4-under 67 at Rolling Hills Country Club. He, along with second-place finisher Russ Clark of Aurora (3-under 68), will play in the U.S. Senior Open at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, at the end of July.
Vlosich, who has been playing professionally since 1979, has been successful three of the four times he has tried to qualify for the U.S. Senior Open. He played at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin in 2007 and at Sahalee Country Club in Washington in 2010.
Since he took his new job, Vlosich said he hasn’t been playing as many tournaments. His lack of practice wasn’t apparent. In fact, he attributed it to his win.
“Golf isn’t the primary focus anymore,” he said. “In some ways, I think that helps you. Maybe takes a little pressure off you. Expectations are not as great. It was just one of those days where I kept it together.”
Vlosich, a New Mexico State University graduate, sported a University of Colorado hat for his daughter, Annie, a CU junior, who celebrated her 20th birthday Wednesday. Instead of traditional golf shoes, Vlosich wore hiking shoes because he said they’re more comfortable.
Several golfers passed by as Vlosich waited to see if his score would stick, and asked him why he said he wasn’t playing very well earlier in the day. He modestly accepted their congratulations, but added Rolling Hills is one of the tougher courses in Colorado.
“These are as tough of greens as you’ll ever see,” he said. “They’re real hard to read and speed varies. There’s a lot of undulation. If you’re putting down grain from the mountain, it’s really fast, and then the other way it’s really slow.”
Vlosich will take a similarly relaxed attitude to Toledo. If he can make time for a few practice rounds in the next month, great. If not, no big deal
“I might just wander out there by myself,” he said.
Sarah Kuta: 303-954-1033 or skuta@denverpost.com
