2025_US_Senior_Open

SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2025

2025 U.S. SENIOR OPEN June 26-29 at The Broadmoor

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Br ad Test PHOTOS BY MARK REIS, SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE, REAR, AND GETTY IMAGES, FOREGROUND; COMPOSITION BY THE GAZETTE

The view looking from the fairway to the 18th green at the Broadmoor East Golf Course is seen April 30.

20TH ANNIVERSARY

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SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2025

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Contents A Broad Test

The sloping terrain on The Broadmoor’s East Course, along with thin mountain air, deep rough and fast greens will combine to challenge the world’s best senior golfers, just as the USGA intends when identifying its champions. Pages Y6-Y10

Army of Volunteers

Nearly 1,700 volunteers will converge on Colorado Springs to put on the U.S. Senior Open. Page Y12

By the Numbers

A deep numerical dive into the U.S. Senior Open and current leaders on the PGA Tour Champions. Page Y6

Great Moments in The Broadmoor History

From crowning Jack Nicklaus the 1959 U.S. Amateur champion through two U.S. Senior Opens over the past 17 years, The Broadmoor has a rich history in golf. Pages Y18-Y20

Amateur Status

Colorado State graduate Darrin Overson, a human resources broker by trade, explains the advantages of maintaining amateur status even as he prepares for the U.S. Senior Open. Page Y22

Defying the Years

How golfers remain competitive physically and mentally at 50-plus.

Pages Y24-Y25

Focus on the Field

A look at the players who will compete for the U.S. Senior Open title. Pages Y26-Y27

Course Map

The 18-hole layout of The Broadmoor’s East Course, Pages Y28-Y29

FAN GUIDE

Gates open for Wednesday’s practice round and all four tournament rounds (Thursday – Sunday) at 7 a.m.

TELEVISION COVERAGE

Thursday: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (Peacock); 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel) Friday: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (Peacock); 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel) Saturday: Noon-4 p.m. (NBC) Sunday: Noon-4 p.m. (NBC) TICKETS

Tickets remain available and, given the sprawling size of the golf course, will not sell out.

KIDS FREE WITH ADULT

Juniors age 17 and under are admitted free with a ticketed or credentialed adult.

Maximum of four junior tickets of any age per ticketed or credentialed adult. Juniors are required to have tickets for all hospitality venues.

PHONE POLICY

Mobile devices are permitted but volume must be set to “silent” or “vibrate” and flash photography must be disabled.

Phone calls should be limited to areas away from play and not in any area that may disrupt play, including grandstands.

Photography, video, and audio recording are permitted throughout the course, but content must not be used for commercial purposes.

Live streaming or shot-by-shot coverage of any player (with or without video) is not

permitted at any time throughout championship week.

A USGA app is available for updates and complimentary WiFi is available on the course.

PROHIBITED ITEMS

The list includes (but is not limited to) cameras and video cameras (allowed on Wednesday but not during the championship), tablets and computers, signs, posters and banners, outside food and beverages (except for medical and infant needs), pets or emotional support animals.

More information can be found on the event’s website.

PARKING

Complimentary parking is available at The Broadmoor World Arena with free shuttles to and from The Broadmoor’s East Course. There will be no on-site parking at The Broadmoor except for overnight guests, golf club members and those with dining reservations. Parking in the surrounding neighborhoods is prohibited.

ROAD CLOSURES

These roads will be closed from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. June 23-29.

• El Pomar Rd. (Between Mesa Ave. and Penrose Blvd.)

• Pourtales Rd. (Between the entrance to the Broadmoor Golf Club and Mirada Rd.) • Mirada Rd. (Between Pourtales Road and W. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd.)

• W. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd. (Between Penrose Blvd. and Mirada Rd.)

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SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2025

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2025 U.S. SENIOR OPEN

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Broad Test

THE GAZETTE FILE

Fred Funk is pictured on the 12th hole during the third round of the U.S. Senior Open on The Broadmoor’s East Course on Aug. 2, 2008. Funk bogied the hole.

USGA knows Broadmoor’s East Course will identify worthy champion

BY BRENT BRIGGEMAN

The Gazette

There’s a recurring sight Ben Kimball expects to see on the greens at The Broadmoor during the U.S. Senior Open.

Players picking their ball out of the hole, taking a few steps away, then looking back in reflective, head-shaking disbelief.

“Was it me? Was it the green? Was it the mountain?” mused Kimball, the senior director of the championship with the United States Golf Association. “I think you’ll see it’s going to drive them crazy … in a positive way.”

In hosting the 2025 U.S. Senior Open, with the four competitive rounds to be held June 26-29 on the East Course, The Broadmoor will welcome its ninth USGA championship — a legacy dating back to the 1959 U.S. Amateur that saw a 19-yearold Jack Nicklaus crowned the winner.

The lure makes sense.

The Broadmoor resort nestled at the base of Cheyenne Mountain has been awarded Forbes Travel Guide five stars for the past 65 years, making it the longest-running five-star hotel in the world.

“One of the crown jewels of our city,” Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade called it.

Then there’s the familiarity with the USGA, which The Broadmoor director of golf Russ Miller likened to a marriage.

“How do you stay married 40 years? Well, you have a good relationship,” said Miller, a member of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.

The relationship isn’t without its occasional friction — particularly with hole locations designated by the USGA — but the two sides keep open communication and respect the role each serves.

But more than anything, the USGA wants a broad test of golf. This is the culmination of a process that started with

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2,585 entries of players from 49 states (101 from Colorado) and 34 countries.

The only stipulation is that the players be at least 50 years old and carry a Handicap Index not exceeding 2.4.

The USGA famously insists on the most challenging conditions to identify its champion. “Devious” was the word honorary chair Hale Irwin, a Boulder native, used to describe the USGA’s approach that has managed to produce worthy champions such as himself, Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player at the senior level.

“It’s probably not something they want every week — high rough, fast greens, firm golf course,” Kimball said. “But if we’re going to crown our national championship, it’s certainly appropriate.”

The Broadmoor, which has produced legendary winners like Nicklaus, Juli SEE TEST • PAGE 7

FUTURE U.S. OPEN SITES 2026: Scioto Country Club, Columbus, Ohio, July 2-5 2027: Oak Tree National, Edmond, Okla., July 1-4 2028: Crooked Stick Golf Club, Carmel, Ind., June 29-July 2 2029: Prairie Dunes Country Club, Hutchinson, Kan., TBD 2030: Spyglass Hill, Pebble Beach, Calif., TBD 2032: Saucon Valley Country Club (Old Course), Bethlehem, Pa., TBD 2033: Charlotte Country Club, Charlotte, N.C., TBD

2025 U.S. SENIOR OPEN

TEST FROM PAGE 6

Inkster and Annika Sorenstam in its USGA championships, fits that profile.

The altitude, the sloping fairways, deep rough, fast greens, unpredictable weather and the occasional bear on the grounds combine to test the players physically and mentally in ways they can’t necessarily anticipate.

“It’s a great Open course for us,” longtime pro Rocco Mediate said.

“From start to finish, it’s the way a U.S. Open should be. You have to be awake. You can’t fall asleep at any time or you’re done.”

‘You just never know’

The volume of the chimes at the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun, located above The Broadmoor and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, will be turned down 50% for the U.S. Senior Open.

“I would never turn it off,” Miller said. “You can’t do that. To my knowledge, it hasn’t been turned off in 90some years. We’re not the ones to do it — we’re just going to turn it down.”

That’s one controlled variable. The

rest? Less so.

No one knows this better than Kimball. In 2011, he was relatively young in his USGA career when shifting within the organization’s hierarchy resulted in him running the U.S. Women’s Open. The then 31-year-old couldn’t have been prepared for what followed: eight weather delays that stretched play into Monday and then a threehole playoff to determine a winner.

“I left here thinking that I had lost about three years of my life just with the stress of the event,” Kimball said.

“Just having to go back and forth to talk to the media and convince them that we’re going to get through this.”

Then he returned in 2018 for the Senior Open, and it ran without a glitch.

He figures much of his time will be spent glancing over Cheyenne Mountain at any clouds that emerge, though a meteorologist will also be on site to alleviate as much of the uncertainty as possible.

“It could be zero rain, but it could lightning,” Kimball said. “It could be hail. We can’t control it.”

Bears have also been known to visit when a USGA championship is held at The Broadmoor, with one running SEE TEST • PAGE 10

WHY NOT THE U.S. OPEN?

THE GAZETTE FILE

A goose walks on the green of the 18th hole on the second day of practice during the U.S. Senior Open on July 29, 2008.

The Broadmoor has hosted multiple U.S. Senior Opens, a Women’s Open and multiple other USGA championships dating back to 1959.

It has not hosted a U.S. Open. But not without trying.

“We worked really hard about 10-12 years ago trying to get the U.S. Open here,” director of golf Russ Miller said. “It just wasn’t possible. I don’t want to say we’re landlocked, because we have a lot of room, but we would have needed about another 800-900 yards added to the golf course and we just couldn’t do that.

“We gave up on that dream, because it would have been really cool to have a U.S. Open here.”

The Broadmoor will be set up at approximately 7,264 yards as a par 70 for the 2025 U.S. Senior Open. By comparison, the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club played 7,372 yards as a par 70 but not at altitude.

As for hosting a PGA event, Miller explained that’s not an option. Courses generally decide if they will hosts USGA events or PGA, but doing both is taboo.

“You just don’t do it,” Miller siad. “It’s just like Pepsi or Coke. They’re both great products, but you choose one or the other.”

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SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2025

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2025 U.S. SENIOR OPEN

TEST FROM PAGE 7

across the No. 13 fairway in 2008 and another in a tree behind the No. 9 tee box that had to be removed from the grounds in 2011.

“The bears smell the trash in the concession stands and come down the mountain,” Kimball said. “You just never know what’s truly going to happen here.”

The shifting conditions and various distractions, potential interruptions and even the occasional — if quieter — chimes challenge the players, many of whom will still be adjusting to the difference in the carry they get from various shots at 6,800-foot elevation.

And if none of that gets to them, the course just might.

‘That’s how it should be’

THE GAZETTE FILE

Tom Watson hits from the 18th fairway July 28, 2008, during the first day of practice for the 2008 U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor East Course.

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There is little correlation between the PGA Tour’s most accurate players off the tee and the scores they record. This season, only one player ranked in the top 10 in scoring can also be found among the top 10 players in fairways hit.

To Mediate, that’s a shame. And he’s glad the USGA makes sure that’s not the case in its championships.

“The greens don’t like anything coming out of anything but the fairway, and that’s how it should be,” said Mediate, who has played in 11 U.S. Senior Opens and 15 U.S. Opens, most notably in 2008 when he lost a 19-hole playoff to Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines Golf Course. “Fairways used to be the most important thing on the list for us back in our day. And at U.S. Opens, they still are. It may be the last bastion of ‘true fairways matter.’”

The East Course will complicate the quest for fairways with slopes from its mountainous layout. It’s not just about where the ball is hit but where it stops.

“Off the tee, you have to be cognizant of that fairway,” Irwin said. “You really have to factor in more than what you think is there.”

For those who miss the fairway, the course will be less forgiving this year.

For the 2018 Senior Open, a graduated rough was used, with an intermediate cut mowed about a half-inch taller than the fairway, essentially outlining each fairway, and then a period of rough cut to 2½ inches before then arriving in the 4-inch-deep rough.

Essentially, the penalty became greater the more errant a shot became.

This year, Fred Dickman, the director of golf course maintenance and resort grounds at The Broadmoor, said the intermediate cut will give way directly to the 4-inch rough.

Miss the fairway beyond that small intermediate cut, and the maximum penalty awaits.

Understanding that the fairways won’t

hold all drives, and the greens will be loath to hold anything coming out of the rough, the impetus is suddenly on a player’s ability to get up and down.

And even for those who reach in regulation, there are the tricky breaks on the greens that will not only be fast, but also affected by those same mountain slopes.

“Those that come in from Florida, Texas, most places, they might have hills but they don’t have mountains,” Irwin said. “They’ll find this to be challenging. But, to the credit of the players, and the caddies, they aren’t stupid. … They will figure it out. They may not have a precise line on every break, but no one does.

“But will those lines change from practice rounds to tournament rounds?

Will weather be in the mix? Will devious setups be in the mix?”

In some respects, the intertwined physical and mental challenges expected at The Broadmoor make this properly suited for senior, seasoned golfers.

But even these players find it daunting.

“I talked to a lot of golfers when they came off the golf course in 2018, and they would say, ‘Man, I’m exhausted mentally.’

Not physically, but mentally because it’s just so hard and you have to concentrate every single shot,” Miller said. “It never lets up. To me, that’s a sign of a great golf course. It’s not necessarily how long it is, but it’s just difficult.”

‘You can’t disguise who you are’

There is one more variable unique to the event, and that’s the U.S. Open insignia found on each flag.

This isn’t a typical senior event, it’s a USGA championship, and that carries weight.

“I want a USGA title,” admitted Mediate, who has tournament victories in five consecutive decades but nothing in his trophy case from a U.S Open or U.S. Senior Open. “I don’t have one yet.”

With higher stakes comes the temptation to take risks. And this course is ready to penalize those who do.

“It will challenge every part of your game, and you just have to be ready and hope that you peak at the right time,” said David Toms, who won the last time the East Course hosted a Senior Open in 2018.

Where the USGA and its setups succeed most spectacularly is identifying not only the best ball strikers or those with the most efficient short games but those who understand how best to use their skills and not step beyond them.

It’s about mental focus, course strategy and physical endurance, and holding all of that together with an important title and a significant monetary award — $4 million total purse, $800,000 to the winner — dangling up for grabs.

“You can’t disguise who you are on the golf course,” Irwin said.

The USGA and The Broadmoor’s East Course plan to make sure of it.

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SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2025

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2025 U.S. SENIOR OPEN

Army of volunteers THE GAZETTE FILE

A volunteer holds the sign for David Frost, Brad Bryant and Larry Mize on the 10th hole as players compete during the second round at the U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor East Course on June 29, 2018.

BY BRENT BRIGGEMAN

The Gazette

A volunteer army of nearly 1,700 will converge on The Broadmoor for the U.S. Senior Open.

Volunteer being the operative word.

The roles vary from raising their arms to silence the gallery, hand-watering specific spots on the greens, and mowing the fairway in follow-the-leader formation, and they are critical for operating a United States Golf Association championship.

“I always like to call them ‘professional volunteers,’ because they’re great at what they do,” said Gypsie Hutchinson, the volunteer chairman for the U.S. Senior Open. “They’re really enthusiastic and enjoy the game of golf.”

The volunteers come from 46 states, with two or three more coming from other countries. Despite the massive amount of help being sought, the event was able to close applications for vol-

unteers in January.

“I think this is such a prestigious event at such a prestigious golf course, so I think people are excited to not only see the venue but see the venue with a crowd and with the best players from across the world,” Hutchinson said.

“Certainly, that’s extremely helpful in the recruitment process.”

Past experience has provided a boost, with many of the volunteers having worked the 2008 and 2018 U.S. Senior Opens on The Broadmoor’s East Course as well as the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open.

That familiarity helps put the staff’s mind at ease. The volunteers will be the face of the venue for many of the week’s spectators, but golf director Russ Miller said that’s not something that provides him concern.

“It’s adults; they’re certainly mature about it,” Miller said. “They’re excited to be here. Most of them do play golf,

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so they know the etiquette and so forth.

They’re great. I don’t even worry about it. This is the fourth championship I’ve done, so we kind of have a good handle on how to make it work out.”

The volunteers are walked through online trainings, with committee leads receiving more instruction to pass to those serving under them. For about the past four months, communication with volunteers has increased and schedules finalized.

Volunteers will begin serving as early as the Friday before the tournament, with some working through the Monday after the final round.

Some of the volunteers will be massively overqualified for the roles they serve. The grounds crew brings in roughly 100 volunteers, many of them course superintendents and former participants in The Broadmoor’s agronomy internship program that focuses

on turf and grass. Some of the past interns are coming in from Ireland, Scotland, Florida, Texas and Wisconsin.

“They all know the course,” said Fred Dickman, The Broadmoor’s director of maintenance.

The extra help allows the grounds crew to cut fairways with four units at a time, with a grounds crew member serving as the lead and three volunteers following along.

Hutchinson couldn’t begin to estimate the number of hours that volunteers will serve during the week of the Senior Open, but the schedules ensure that it won’t all be work.

“We break it up,” she said. “We want to give the volunteers a chance to see The Broadmoor, see the golf that’s happening. We break up shifts in a respective time frame, so that way, they’re able to take their break, go out and walk the golf course.”

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By the Numbers

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USGA championships hosted by The Broadmoor, with this being the third U.S. Senior Open. Past winners include World Golf Hall of Famers Jack Nicklaus, Juli Inkster and Annika Sorenstam.

156

36 This will be the 36th USGA championship held in Colorado, including the fourth U.S. Senior Open.

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Number of players in the field. That will be cut to the top 60 (plus ties) after two rounds.

The total purse of the event, with the winner receiving $800,000.

$4 MILLION

Clubs that have hosted a U.S. Amateur, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open, with The Broadmoor joining properties such as Pinehurst, Winged Food, Cherry Hills and Hazeltine.

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Entries received by the USGA to play in the 2025 U.S. Senior Open (short of the record 3,101 from 2002). This year’s applicants came from 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 34 foreign countries.

49 Age of Tiger Woods, in case anyone was wondering. Injuries would have kept him from playing this week even if he were eligible, but starting next year he’ll be 50 and able to play if he chooses.

Measurement, in yards, of the 17th hole on The Broadmoor’s East Course as it played in the first round at the 2018 Senior Open, making it the longest par 4 in the event’s history.

559

2025 U.S. Senior Open

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS LEADERS Through June 8 MONEY LEADERS Player 1. Miguel Angel Jiménez 2. Ángel Cabrera 3. Steven Alker 4. Ernie Els 5. Stewart Cink 6. Thomas Bjørn 7. Retief Goosen 8. Darren Clarke 9. Jerry Kelly 10. Y.E. Yang 11. Alex Cejka 12. Cameron Percy 13. Steve Allan 14. Jason Caron 15. Padraig Harrington 16. Bernhard Langer 17. K.J. Choi 18. Justin Leonard 19. Steve Flesch 20. Freddie Jacobson TOP 10 FINISHES 1. Miguel Angel Jiménez 2. Steven Alker 3t. Stewart Cink 3t. Ernie Els 5. Retief Goosen 6t. Jason Caron 6t. Alex Cejka 8t. Thomas Bjørn 8t. Ángel Cabrera 8t. Jerry Kelly 8t. Bernhard Langer 8t. Cameron Percy 13t. Stephen Ames 13t. Doug Barron 13t. K.J. Choi 13t. Darren Clarke 13t. Joe Durant 13t. Paul Goydos 13t. Richard Green 13t. Padraig Harrington 13t. Freddie Jacobson 13t. Søren Kjeldsen 13t. Brett Quigley 13t. Ken Tanigawa 13t. Michael Wright 13t. Y.E. Yang 3 SCORING LEADERS 1. Miguel Angel Jiménez

Money $1,822,047 $1,491,700 $1,293,575 $1,181,288 $1,104,982 $929,229 $819,367 $752,719 $741,960 $693,816 $658,560 $594,272 $584,060 $579,877 $551,834 $526,970 $507,482 $502,709 $449,526 $412,672

YTD Victories 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -

Total 9 8 7 7 6 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 0

1st 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

2nd 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 1

Avg. 68.57

Strokes 2,400

Rounds 35

2. Steven Alker 3. Ernie Els 4. Stewart Cink 5. Fred Couples 6. Jerry Kelly 7. Bernhard Langer 8. Ángel Cabrera 9. Alex Cejka 10. Darren Clarke 11. Charlie Wi 12. Padraig Harrington 13. Retief Goosen 14. Vijay Singh 15. Y.E. Yang 16. Cameron Percy 17. Thomas Bjørn 18. Mark Hensby 19. Justin Leonard 20. Freddie Jacobson DRIVING DISTANCE

3rd 2 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1. Stewart Cink 2. Padraig Harrington 3. Cameron Percy 4. Ricardo Gonzalez 5. Brendan Jones 6. Retief Goosen 7. Ángel Cabrera 8. Brian Gay 9. Ernie Els 10. Vijay Singh 11. Kenny Perry 12. Scott McCarron 13. Greg Chalmers 14. Mark Hensby 14. Freddie Jacobson 16. Brandt Jobe 17. Harrison Frazar 18. Robert Karlsson 19t. Steve Allan 19t. David Bransdon 19t. Tag Ridings DRIVING ACCURACY 1. Jerry Kelly 2. Olin Browne 3. Scott Dunlap 4. Kevin Sutherland 5. Fred Funk 6. Bernhard Langer 7. Joe Durant 8. Heath Slocum 9. Steven Alker 10. Tom Lehman 11. Paul Goydos

68.59 68.89 69.07 69.13 69.27 69.32 69.65 69.74 69.81 69.87 69.95 69.97 70.00 70.03 70.26 70.31 70.34 70.36 70.37

1,989 2,411 2,003 1,037 1,524 1,941 1,811 2,441 2,234 1,607 1,539 2,449 2,030 2,661 2,459 2,250 2,462 1,970 1,900

29 35 29 15 22 28 26 35 32 23 22 35 29 38 35 32 35 28 27

Avg 303.7 303.1 298.5 294.9 293.9 293.0 292.6 292.2 292.0 291.5 291.2 290.8 290.7 290.0 290.0 288.9 288.8 288.7 288.5 288.5 288.5

Distance 13,363 9,092 16,717 16,515 10,285 16,409 11,118 15,194 16,351 14,576 9,318 18,032 16,278 16,242 12,762 12,710 12,709 12,701 16,158 16,155 8,945

Drives 44 30 56 56 35 56 38 52 56 50 32 62 56 56 44 44 44 44 56 56 31

Fairway % 83.27% 81.43% 80.45% 79.71% 79.64% 79.48% 78.76% 77.42% 77.41% 76.88% 76.62%

Hit 229 171 288 165 176 306 293 168 233 296 295

Possible 275 210 358 207 221 385 372 217 301 385 385

12t. Paul Broadhurst 12t. Kenny Perry 14. Dicky Pride 15. Rocco Mediate 16. Steve Flesch 17. Darren Clarke 18. Ken Duke 19. Rod Pampling 20. Ángel Cabrera

76.36% 76.36% 76.08% 75.98% 75.30% 74.74% 74.47% 74.09% 74.05%

294 168 229 136 311 290 318 223 194

385 220 301 179 413 388 427 301 262

GREENS IN REGULATION Player 1. Stewart Cink 2. Heath Slocum 3. Steven Alker 4. Jerry Kelly 5. Ángel Cabrera 6. Alex Cejka 7. Ernie Els 8. Stephen Ames 9t. Darren Clarke 9t. Mark Hensby 9t. Miguel Angel Jiménez 9t. Cameron Percy 13. Freddie Jacobson 14. Thomas Bjørn 15. Thongchai Jaidee 16. Retief Goosen 17. Mario Tiziani 18t. Vijay Singh 18t. Ken Tanigawa 20. Doug Barron

% 77.02% 76.74% 76.52% 76.39% 75.73% 75.63% 74.80% 74.44% 74.40% 74.40% 74.40% 74.40% 74.24% 74.22% 73.78% 73.61% 73.39% 72.22% 72.22% 71.86%

Hit 305 221 303 275 259 422 377 335 375 375 375 375 294 334 332 371 251 325 403 401

# Holes 396 288 396 360 342 558 504 450 504 504 504 504 396 450 450 504 342 450 558 558

PUTTING LEADERS 1. Miguel Angel Jiménez 2. Michael Wright 3. Charlie Wi 4. Jason Caron 5. Ernie Els 6. Justin Leonard 7. Richard Green 8. Y.E. Yang 9. Fred Couples 10. Stewart Cink 11. Jerry Kelly 12. Ángel Cabrera 13. Retief Goosen 14. Matt Gogel 15t. Stuart Appleby 15t. Freddie Jacobson 17. Michael Allen 18. Steven Alker 19. Greg Chalmers 20. Rod Pampling

Avg 1.677 1.683 1.688 1.695 1.698 1.702 1.704 1.709 1.710 1.715 1.716 1.718 1.720 1.725 1.728 1.728 1.735 1.736 1.738 1.739

GIR Putts 629 340 454 383 640 446 542 653 330 523 472 445 638 433 501 508 229 526 617 473

Greens Hit 375 202 269 226 377 262 318 382 193 305 275 259 371 251 290 294 132 303 355 272

Birdie Conversion 40.21% 34.83% 40.15% 36.89% 39.10% 36.26% 35.53% 34.38% 34.21% 36.88% 34.18% 35.66% 35.05% 33.47% 32.41% 34.69% 32.06% 35.10% 33.24% 32.84%

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2025 U.S. SENIOR OPEN

Memorable moments at The Broadmoor

David Toms sank a 16-footer for birdie on the 16th to take the lead, then got up and down for par on the 17th to preserve the advantage. The event’s $4 million total purse was highest among that year’s 27 PGA Tour Champions events.

Even with four bogeys on the back side in his final round, Eduardo Romero posted a 6-under-par 274 for a fourshot victory over Fred Funk.

The tournament will perhaps best be remembered for a second-round appearance by a furry spectator as a black bear darted across a fairway.

Weather delays pushed play into Monday, and a three-hole playoff extended the tournament even further before So Yeon Ryu defeated fellow South Korean Hee Kyung Seo. Both finished regulation at 3-under 281. It was the first major for Ryu, who had just turned 21. She later claimed the 2017 ANA Inspiration title for her second major and earned the world No. 1 ranking in 2017.

18 | THE GAZETTE | SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2025

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2025 U.S. SENIOR OPEN

Memorable moments at The Broadmoor The oldest of American championships was the launching pad for Jack Nicklaus, who at 19 overcame 35-year-old amateur extraordinaire Charles Coe. Nicklaus made an 8-foot birdie put on the 18th to win the 36-hole final match. No golfer owns more major championships than Nicklaus’ 18.

20 | THE GAZETTE | SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2025

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Juli Inkster capped a spectacular amateur career with her third consecutive U.S. Amateur with a 4-and-3 thumping of surprise finalist Cathy Hanlon. A Sports Illustrated feature on Inkster following her victory noted that Inkster emerged as one of the game’s great personalities that week with her interactions with fans and quirky routines.

The 50th edition of the event marked the first major title and first win on the LPGA Tour for Annika Sorenstam (she would go on to win 96 international events, most in women’s golf history). The Swede fired a final-round 68 for a 2-under 278 and a one-shot win over Meg Mallon.

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2025 U.S. SENIOR OPEN

CSU grad, Senior Open qualifier explains why he likes amateur status

BY BRENT BRIGGEMAN

The Denver Gazette

Darrin Overson prizes the little “a” that will appear next to his name on the U.S. Senior Open leader board.

That lowercase “a” surrounded by parentheses, demarking his status as an amateur, is what has allowed him to live life on his terms and still play competitive, fulfilling golf.

“Being an amateur is awesome,” said Overson, a Colorado State University graduate and Utah resident who qualified for the U.S. Senior Open on June 10 at the Country Club of Colorado. “Being an amateur allows you to compete all the time. As a professional, there are only certain events you can play in if you’re not associated with a golf course. And so that’s kind of where I’ve hung my hat since I got my amateur status back in 2007.”

Playing as an amateur leaves the door open to play in USGA events and in state and international amateur competitions. Overson’s career highlight was winning the Utah Amateur, though that might be overtaken by appearing at The Broadmoor in the U.S. Senior Open.

The drawback to maintaining amateur status is forgoing prize money. The most an amateur can accept at an event is $1,000.

The winner at The Broadmoor will receive $400,000.

This wasn’t always the plan. As a younger man, Overson competed on smaller tours in Canada and the U.S. But 26 weeks on the road one year while leaving a young family at home was not sustainable.

“I’m grateful that I got a chance to play professionally, but I’m totally happy with the decision and what I did,” said Overson, who has made a career as a human-resource service broker, selling payroll and benefits to small businesses. “I had two small children when I got my amateur status back, and my second son was going through some things, and so I just wanted to be at home. Being on the road was definitely a grind.

“I don’t like hotel rooms that much.”

There was also a mindset shift for Overson, when his livelihood was no longer tied to his performance on the course.

What he described as a grind suddenly became fun again.

“So I’m totally happy with what I’ve done,” he said.

The U.S. Senior Open will mark the 13th USGA event for Overson. He also played for the CSU Rams in the NCAA championships and has played in various state amateur events.

He’ll be among roughly a dozen players sharing that same (a) at The Broadmoor.

“There are so many events you can play and have good competition,” Overson said. “And that’s why I really play. I just love to compete and be involved with a game that allows you to do that.”

22 | THE GAZETTE | SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2025

JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE

Darrin Overson fist bumps with his caddy on the 18th hole at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs on June 10. Overson finished in second place during the final qualifying round for the upcoming 2025 U.S. Senior Open.

THE LEGENDS RETURN

Be a Part of the Legacy With a storied history of golf, The Broadmoor welcomes the 2025 U.S. Senior Open Championship June 25th thru 29th making it the ninth USGA championship and the third U.S. Senior Open contested at our legendary resort. Experience firsthand, the excitement as we crown the next major champion to join the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam.

45th U.S. SENIOR OPEN | THE BROADMOOR | JUNE 25-29, 2025

Tickets and more information available at Broadmoor.com/usso2025

SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2025

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2025 U.S. SENIOR OPEN

What it takes to remain competitive over 50

BY MARISSA KRAUS

The Gazette

Bernhard Langer, Padraig Harrington, Brad Bryant.

As they continue to find success into their 50s and 60s, these past U.S Senior Open champions will be competing for another at the 2025 U.S Senior Open at The Broadmoor’s East Course.

With more injuries and different lifestyles, senior golfers’ training is different from their younger counterparts, as well as their mindset. But by taking care of their bodies, golfers north of 50 can still remain competitive and play for as long as they want, due to the nature of the sport that allows for longevity.

“They start golf at a young age and have played for so many decades that the main thing that carries them is their experience and ability to stay calm under pressure, as well as their short game,” Dr. Kiran Kinwar said. “They have proved to have inconsistency in their shot-making, but there are ways to make up for it.”

Kinwar has a doctoral degree in kinesiology and is an LPGA golf instructor with 34 years of experience in instruction. Based in Los Angeles, her business Kiran Kinwar Golf offers lessons and consulting for all levels.

With a thesis in golf swing-related injuries, Kinwar says an important aspect in any golfers’ health is having a proper backswing, but this is especially so for senior golfers.

“In your low back, if you have excessive forward bend, side bend and rotation and you make it at great speed, you have a propensity for low-back pain, which often results in injury,” Kinwar explained. “The idea is you must have a swing that performs to the best of your ability.”

Most seniors use the “classic” or “traditional” swing over the modern swing, according to Kinwar. The classic swing, often associated with players like Ben Hogan, puts more focus on balance and flexibility over raw power, allowing less pressure on the joints.

“Many have given up on having consistency in their swing and just hope for the best,” Kinwar said. “But you can get good performance and less risk for injury if you improve your swing.”

Kinwar also points out the difference in training among senior golfers.

“Some are out of shape, smoke, eat a lot. Some don’t look like athletes at all, whereas some will work out and are very disciplined in their training,” Kinwar said. “Some are competing because they know the ropes and can get away without too much exercise by just using what they have and not overthinking it, but they won’t be consistently good.”

Amateur Darrin Overson, 50, from Utah and one of five golfers to qualify for the U.S. Senior Open at the Country Club of Colorado on June 10, does not have the time of a professional golfer, but stays in shape by going to OrangeTheory Fitness six times

24 | THE GAZETTE | SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2025

a week.

Overson works a full-time job, so the fitness classes allow him to build muscle and cardiovascular strength without having to go to the course multiple times a week. In fact, Overson sometimes only gets in one round a week, but has still been able to hit around the same distance as he did when he played golf for Colorado State University.

“About seven years ago, I decided if I was going to continue golf and maintain distance, I needed to do some things,” Overson said. “My wife connected me to OrangeTheory to stay fit for life and so I can play golf. That’s why when I go to the gym.”

Neil Thompson, a golf instructor from England, also points out that technology such as the Trackman golf simulator allows senior golfers to be more efficient with their time by giving them feedback on how they are moving.

“Your body is going to determine how you swing your club,” Thompson said.

“At that point, making a change is hard because you are fighting how it was built. A lot of the time you are unable to make the change unless you change physically, so as a result, you need to understand how the body moves.”

In addition to training in the gym, Matt Schalk, 54, of Erie and another U.S Senior Open qualifier, has prioritized stretching as he gets further into his golfing career.

“The best thing I’ve done is to start stretching,” Schalk said.

“I go to a place called StretchZone and stretch there two to three times a week. It’s been a game-changer for me, helped my speed on the course, and has saved my back and chiropractic visits.”

This will be Schalk’s second U.S Senior Open after qualifying last year for the first time.

He has also won the 2023 Senior PGA Professional Championship and was chosen as the 2023 Colorado Golf Hall of Fame Person of the Year.

Something else different for senior golfers is their mindset. Most are not playing for a living, as they may have in the SEE AGING • PAGE 25

OSTILL VIA GETTY IMAGES

2025 U.S. SENIOR OPEN

AGING FROM PAGE 24

past, allowing them to simply play for the love of the game.

“If I get a bogey, it doesn’t make me as mad as it did,” Overson said. “I’ve realized there is more to life than golf. I

have three kids, wife, so it’s definitely different.”

“I’m not having to make a putt to make car payments or pay rent like I was when I was younger,” Schalk added. “Now, if I miss putts, I’m not happy about it, but tomorrow will come.”

While senior golfers may not grace the television screens as often, there are still those like Langer, 67, and the all-time leader on the PGA Tour Cham-

pions with 47 victories, who continue to practice diligently to prove that age is just a number. There are also others, like John Daly, who are out there having a good time while feeding a competitive edge.

Then there are others like Schalk and Overson who play when they can among other responsibilities and still have the opportunity to play alongside the best, as they will at The Broadmoor.

Each life of a senior golfer is different, but that’s the beauty of it.

“You can start golf at any age, till the day you drop dead,” Kinwar said.

“Seniors play within themselves. It’s a sport you can play your whole life. It’s wonderful if you watch the guys. They have so much fun, they are competitive, but also there to have a jolly good time. The beauty is that you can play at any age.”

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2025 U.S. SENIOR OPEN U.S. SENIOR OPEN FIELD Steven Alker Steve Allan Robert Allenby Stephen Ames Billy Andrade Thomas Ansbro (a)* Stuart Appleby Tomas Arlia (a)* Arjun Atwal* Woody Austin Eric Axley Peter Baker John Balfanz* Craig Barlow* Doug Barron Shane Bertsch Thomas Bjorn David Branshaw* Paul Broadhurst a-Louis Brown (a) Olin Browne* Brad Bryant Dave Bunker (a)* John Bushka* Angel Cabrera Chad Campbell Michael Campbell Jason Caron Jim Carter* Alex Cejka Greg Chalmers K.J. Choi Stewart Cink Doug Clapp (a)* Darren Clarke Robert Coles Fred Couples Rod Curl Jr.* Adilson da Silva Glen Day* Clark Dennis* a-Chris Devlin* Chris DiMarco* Ken Duke Scott Dunlap Joe Durant Ernie Els Bob Estes Mike Fergin* Darin Fisher*

Steve Flesch Harrison Frazar Hiroyuki Fujita Fred Funk Stephen Gallacher Brian Gay Ryan Gioffre (a)* Thomas Gogele Mathew Goggin* Ricardo Gonzalez Retief Goosen Jason Gore* Paul Goydos* Tom Greller (a)* Richard Green Simon Griffiths Jay Haas Joakim Haeggman Padraig Harrington Ryan Helminen* Scott Hend J.J. Henry* Mark Hensby Keith Horne Scott Hunter* Greig Hutcheon Freddie Jacobson Thongchai Jaidee Lee Janzen a-Joe Jaspers* Miguel Angel Jimenez Brandt Jobe* Brendan Jones* a-Marcus Jones* Takashi Kanemoto Robert Karlsson* Shingo Katayama a-Bradley Kay* Jerry Kelly James Kingston Ed Kirby* Soren Kjeldsen* Mark Knowles* Cliff Kresge* Bernhard Langer Richard Lee* Tom Lehman Justin Leonard Thomas Levet* Davis Love III Jeff Maggert Andrew Marshall* Len Mattiace* Scott McCarron*

Rocco Mediate Eric Meichtry* Terrence Miskell (a)* Katsumasa Miyamoto Colin Montgomerie Tim O’Neal Darrin Overson (a)* Greg Owen* Rod Pampling Scott Parel* Cameron Percy Tom Pernice Jr. Rod Perry* Tim Petrovic Tracy Phillips* Van Phillips* Dicky Pride* Ted Purdy* Brett Quigley Christian Raynor (a)* Taggart Ridings* Eric Rolland Roger Rowland* Peter Samborsky II (a)* Andrew Sapp* Gene Sauers Matt Schalk* Steve Schneiter* Kevin Shields* Rob Shields* Vijay Singh Jeff Sluman Stuart Smith* Paul Stankowski Steve Stricker Daniel Sullivan (a) Kevin Sutherland Channing Tam (a)* Ken Tanigawa David Toms Kirk Triplett Bo Van Pelt* Scott Verplank Duffy Waldorf* Boo Weekley* Mike Weir Todd White (a) Willie Wood* Y.E. Yang (a) – Amateur

on theFIELD

The Associated Press

Gazette file photo

*-Earned spot through qualifying

The Associated Press

Notables among the notables

26 | THE GAZETTE | SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2025

The Associated Press

2025 U.S. SENIOR OPEN

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CHAMPIONSHIP 26–29, 2025

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FOR TEE TIMES, SCORING, INTERACTIVE MAP AND MORE, UTILIZE THE USGA APP

POWERED BY:

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CHAMPIONSHIP 26–29, 2025

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POWERED BY:

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2025 U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHRISTIAN MURDOCK, THE GAZETTE FILE

East Course prepared with technology, experience and enthusiasm

BY BRENT BRIGGEMAN

The Gazette

Each morning during the leadup to the U.S. Senior Open, Fred Dickman loads his border collies Blaze and Fly — the geese patrol, he calls them — and sets out to check The East Course at the Broadmoor.

They’ll walk a few holes, then ride a few, always looking for any problem spots.

“It’s great,” said Dickman, the director of maintenance for The Broadmoor who has been on the job since 1997. “No complaints. It’s a great job, I love it.”

If the scene sounds quaint and stolen from a bygone era, that’s misleading. The amount of technology Dickman and his team — that will swell from around 20 to over 100 for the championship that runs June 26-29 — is staggering.

Each green is probed in around a dozen spots, with the information immediately uploaded to an app that allows the irrigation team to monitor the exact moisture. A team of trained agronomists will then hand water to make sure each spot receives the exact amount of water. The hand watering removes any unwanted variables that come with irrigation systems such as overlapping areas.

A GS3 ball, a new piece of technology developed by the United States Golf Association for its championships, is also utilized. Created in the same size and shape as a typical golf ball, this sensor tracks over 15,000 data points to exactly measure green speed, smoothness, trueness, and firmness.

These precise tweaks leading up to the event are the reason the course shut down to play for members and guests on June 9. Only about six to 10 players were on it per day in the week or so following that, with the number climbing as U.S. Senior Open players began arriving in town.

But the public saw plenty of changes prior to the closing.

The rough, generally cut at 2 inches, was grown up to 3 inches by the first week in June on its

30 | THE GAZETTE | SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2025

gradual climb to the 4-inch goal for the competition. Grandstands were also brought in at various points on the course.

“Honestly, instead of an inconvenience for people, it gets them excited,” said Russ Miller, director of golf at The Broadmoor. “They’re playing the golf course and there’s a huge grandstand behind the green. It really looks cool out there. There’s kind of a buzz in the air with all that going on.”

For Miller, Dickman and the teams at The Broadmoor and the USGA, the preparation is a multiyear challenge that involves everything from coordination with television networks, on-site vendors to the office of Mayor Yemi Mobolade to work out logistics of road closures and traffic flow.

Miller stressed the importance of the cooperation from the mayor and noted that the experience of putting on the U.S. Senior Open in 2008 and 2018 and the U.S. Women’s Open in 2011 allowed a lengthy checklist to be created and followed.

“Having done it previous times, we have a good template in place,” Miller said. “It’s pretty seamless and smooth.”

Ben Kimball, who will oversee the event for the USGA, also speaks from experience when he says he has no doubt the course will be in pristine condition when play begins.

“It’s not really difficult for this place to flip the switch,” Kimball said. “Their ground staff, led

by Fred Dickman, has been involved in the last four open championships here, so there’s a lot of continuity inside the ropes with what needs to be accomplished. That takes a lot of time and effort with someone who has never hosted a USGA championship before to kind of coach them on our philosophy and get them comfortable with how we’re pushing the golf course.

“These guys have done it three times, and they’ve done it three times in the last 14 years, so the continuity is good. And you can compare that to an Oakmont, Pinehurst, Pebble Beach; venues

that we return to often.”

When major changes are required, such as the narrowing of the fairways before the 2018 U.S. Senior Open, sometimes years of advance work goes into it. This year little out-of-the-ordinary maintenance was required.

The final ramp-up included a week of prep work on the week of June 9, which included the continued lengthening of the rough and training for the full staff as the crews from the West Course as well as volunteers and season employees are made familiar with the details of the East Course.

Then came the week of June 17, which Dickman compared to a dress rehearsal for a wedding.

Exact timing is worked out of the daily process, which is intensive. Greens are double cut twice daily (conditions permitting) to ensure the maximum smoothness. Fairways are cut with twice the normal number of units, with equipment used from the West Course and additional supplies provided by distributors.

Much of the high-stakes grounds crew work — including hole cutting — is handled by a team from Jamaica that works annually with The Broadmoor on H-2B visas.

Finally, the week of competition will arrive, which brings daily meetings with agronomists from the USGA to map out the precise plan for watering, cutting and any other grounds-related issues to match the planned course approach for the following day.

It’s a process that includes the latest technology and taps into the experience learned from past championships. But as Dickman can attest, there’s still an old-school feeling of excitement found in his mornings with his dogs and through the full crew as it puts the finishing touches on this famed property.

“They’re pumped for this and they’re just a great group,” Dickman said. “It’s just dialing it in at this point.”

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