Northern Battles Back to Claim Second Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship

from The SUMMIT - Colorado PGA Magazine - September Issue

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Tournament News

Northern Battles Back to Claim Second Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship

Mike Northern started the year on the bench dealing with a bulky back. The PGA Life Member from Colorado Springs, Colo. could barely finish an eighteen-hole round. As the season went on, Northern battled back to get on the course and on Tuesday, battled back against the field to claim the 2019 Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship.

“I had a muscle back there that would spasm during my golf swing,” noted Northern. “The more I played, the longer into the round I got, the more it would spasm. My chiropractor and my massage therapist talked and worked together a bit and they were able to get it to release.”

Northern started the second round tied for second after posting a one-under-par 69 during the first round. “I hit it really (well) in the first round but struggled with the putter. I spent some

Mike Northern, PGA Life Member, knocks in a pivotal birdie putt at the par-4 17th hole during the final round of the Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship.

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Tournament News

time on the putting green last night trying to figure things outs,” noted Northern, who routinely stays in his RV at the host facility between rounds. “I really just needed to get out of my own way.”

Northern played his opening nine in three-under-par 32 pulling into the lead and gaining momentum on the field. That strong start came to a screeching halt though when Northern made back-to-back bogeys at the 14th and 15th holes. He didn’t worry though as he kept looking forward.

“I didn’t look at the leaderboard,” Northern noted. “I thought about it on 16 because I bogeyed 14 and 15 but I didn’t. I just tried to make a couple birdies coming in to make up for those two bogeys.”

Northern ran into tree trouble at the par-5 16th and was lucky to find his second shot after the ball careened across the fairway, nearly out of sight. He played a long third shot towards the green and after an uphill chip, rolled in a six-foot par putt.

Chris Johnson, PGA General Manager at the Country Club at Woodmoor watches as his tee shot finds the fairway at the par-4 18th hole during the final round. Johnson claimed second place, one shot behind champion Mike Northern.

Northern had to survive a late charge by Chris Johnson, PGA, General Manager at the Country Club at Woodmoor, who was playing two groups in front of Northern. Johnson, the 2010 Colorado PGA Professional Champion, made five birdies during his round, including birdies at two of his last three holes, to post a two-underpar 138.

Not knowing what Johnson was doing in front of him, Northern hit his second shot into the par-4 17th to 6 feet but was faced with a downhill putt. He watched as the ball trickled towards the hole and finally fell in, giving him a one-shot lead.

On his final hole, Northern played a similar approach shot and was left with another downhill putt for birdie. The putt wasn’t to be but Northern tapped in for birdie and a one-shot victory.

While the time off was frustrating for Northern, it helped reinvigorate him when he was healthy enough to return. “Ultimately, I think the time off was pretty good for me,” he said following the awards ceremony. “I had a different perspective when I came back (from the injury) and was really ready to compete again.”

57 players registered for the event. They were competing for seven spots in the 2019 Senior PGA Professional Championship to be played October 3 – 6, 2019, at Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas. Bill Loeffler, the 2007 Senior PGA Professional Champion, was already exempt into the championship.

Don Hurter, PGA Director of Instruction at Castle Pines Golf Club plays his second shot into the par-4 18th hole at the Club at Inverness. Hurter claimed third place in the championship.

Joining Northern and Johnson in qualifying were Don Hurter, PGA Director of Instruction at Castle Pines Golf Club; Doug Rohrbaugh, PGA Sales Rep with Anderson Ord; Doug Wherry, Director of Instruction at Jake’s Academy; Ron Vlosich, PGA Life Member; and Patrick Reidy, PGA Instructor at The Club at Inverness.

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September 2019

Tournament NewsQualifiers for the 2019 Senior PGA Professional Championship

Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa | Fazio Foothills & Coore Crenshaw CoursesAustin, Texas | October 3-6, 2019

Mike Northern, PGA Life Member

Chris Johnson, PGA The CC at Woodmoor

Don Hurter, PGA Castle Pines Golf Club

Doug Rohrbaugh, PGA Snowmass Club

Doug Wherry, PGA Jake's Academy

Ron Vlosich, PGA Life Member