Tournament News
Fitzgerald Claims Title as 2020 National Car Rental Colorado Assistant Champion
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aine Fitzgerald, PGA, Assistant Professional at Meadow Hills Golf Course, won the National Car Rental Colorado Assistant Championship on August 18, 2020, at Saddle Rock Golf Course. Fitzgerald is a 4-time champion of this event with titles in 2005, 2008 and 2011. Fitzgerald has other notable accomplishments in the Colorado PGA, as well. In 2012, he was named the Colorado PGA Professional Champion. The Dow Finsterwald Colorado Section PGA Player of the Year was awarded to him in 2013 and 2019. This year, Fitzgerald had the opportunity to be paired with top players in the Section and previous winners of the National Car Rental Assistant Championship. Ben Lanting, PGA, Bear Creek Golf Club, is a two-time defending champion, winning in 2018 and 2019. Geoff Keffer, PGA, Assistant Professional at Lakewood Country Club, won three years in a row - 2013, 2014 and 2015. In a field of 40 players, the left-handed Fitzgerald made his mark with an impressive 8-under-par 64 in the first round, carding 8 birdies and an eagle.
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Lanting was at 4-under-par 68 at the end of the first day. Though playing with defending champions, Fitzgerald had more fun than one might consider as he played with some of his good friends, and commented, “I played very well. I hit well most of the day and putted well. It added up to a very good day. It is fun to play good golf and watch good golf - one lends itself to the other. You feed off of good energy and we saw a lot of good golf shots. It was a great day with some really good people.” On day two, though, Fitzgerald started with some nerves, knowing it is hard to back up a good first round with a second one. “I started off a little shaky, not my best off the first tee. It was a little sloppy. I didn’t hit it the way I wanted. I felt a little nervy, like I just was not comfortable. But I birdied the second hole, which settled me down a little bit. Ben came out blazing. It was awesome. He really put the pressure on. I didn’t hit a good tee shot on 5. Ben had a good one. Easily, if he makes it and I miss, it would have been a tie game. But I made an eightfoot putt for par and that really settled me in for the day.”
The SUMMIT
