Colorado Open finishing hole has produced memorable moments
What makes a great finishing hole in golf?
"Whether it's a par 5, par 4 or par 3, It's got to be something that is really challenging and not just an easy par or birdie," said Kevin Laura CEO of the Colorado Golf Foundation. "There's been eagles on this hole and there have been quadruple bogeys and that's what I think is beautiful."
Laura is referring to the 18th hole at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, host of the Colorado Opens. Its a long par 5 with a dangerous hazard running down the right side of the fairway and it's vexed amateurs and pros alike.
"It's a hard hole for sure," said 2-time Colorado Open champion Becca Huffer. "It's a great finishing hole I love a challenge to finish and you get that here."
"We've been rated the best par 5 finishing hole in the state by Avid Golfer magazine for the 20 years we've been here," said Laura.
It hasn't taken long for the 18th to create a lore for itself. It's played a pivotal and memorable role in several Colorado Opens. Back in 2008, former PGA pro Boyd Summerhays had a 1-shot lead before making a critical bogey.
"He airmailed it over the green in the back bunker and doesn't get up and down," Laura recalled. "That brought 3 guys back in the tournament and he ended up losing a playoff to Brian Guetz because he couldn't make a routine par from safely in the fairway. It was amazing that we saw the men and that young age of the tournament meltdown."
in 2018, before a playoff, Dru Love made a call and received some fatherly advice from World Golf Hall of Famer Davis Love.
"Dru hits driver, 6-iron and makes the putt for eagle and then he tells us afterward his dad told him don't be conservative, you gotta go for the win," Laura explained. " You gotta go for the win by playing your game."
Few can hit driver, 6-iron like Love did to this 600+ plus yard hole. Something Yealimi Noh found out in 2019.
"She really was the quinessential Tin Cup on 18 and this is the hole you can Tin Cup it on," warned Laura.
In this case, art did imitate life. The 17-year old Noh led Colorado's own Huffer by 3 shots going into the final hole before what can only be described as a disaster.
"She pulls out a 3-wood and knocks it in the hazard," recalled Laura. "drops another ball, keeps 3-wood in her hand and knocks another ball in the hazard. So now she's hitting 5. Rockets it over the green in 6, chips on and makes a 9 to pull Becca in a playoff and Becca beats her in a playoff."
"It was wild," recalled Huffer. "I think everybody was in disbelief because you just don't know in golf what kind of stuff can happen."
"And you've run across her at times on the LGPA tour but yet you two have never spoken about it," I asked Huffer.
"No I haven't," Huffer sheepishly exclaimed. "I still feel a little bad but maybe someday we'll chat about it."
