Micah Rudosky, trying to become first Colorado PGA member since 2013 to win Colorado Senior Open, trails by 1 going into final day; future Denver-area resident Brian Cooper, who’s racked up 15 birdies in 2 rounds, leads
By Gary Baines – 8/28/2025
DENVER — Micah Rudosky of Cortez and Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale exchanged greetings after both golfers completed round 2 of the Inspirato Colorado Senior Open on Thursday.
On Friday, Rudosky hopes to join Rohrbaugh in a very exclusive club — Colorado PGA professionals who have won the Colorado Senior Open. Only four CPGA members are part of that club — with Rohrbaugh (2013) being the most recent entrant — and Rudosky would like to make it a handful. For the record, the other three are Mike Zaremba (2005), Dave Arbuckle (2007) and Bill Loeffler (2009).
Rudosky, the PGA head professional at Conquistador Golf Course since 1997, shot a bogey-free 6-under-par 66 at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club to vault near the top of the leaderboard with one round remaining in the CSO. The four-time winner of the Colorado PGA Professional Championship sits at 10 under par overall and trails leader Brian Cooper, a Pittsburgh resident who is planning to move to the Denver area in the spring, by one stroke.
“The Colorado Open and the Senior Open is what I always strive for,” Rudosky said. “I would love to (achieve that feat), for sure.”
His opportunity will be delayed somewhat as the second round didn’t get completed on Thursday because lightning and heavy rain moved over the course, leading to a 5:55 p.m. stoppage. And the players with holes remaining — some as many as five — couldn’t resume play Thursday evening with considerable standing water on the course. They’ll resume action Friday at 7 a.m., then the 36-hole cut will be made and the final round will begin. Tournament officials anticipate the third round will begin about 9:30 a.m., with players going off both the first and 10th tees.
An evening storm dropped considerable rain on Thursday, delaying the completion of round 2.
But the top of the leaderboard was largely set, with no one left on the course standing at better than 5 under par overall.
Rudosky made a couple of putts from long distance on Thursday, but he missed a 5-foot birdie try on his final hole that would have given him a share of the 54-hole lead.
Even though Rudosky missed a couple from fairly short range, “Everything looked like it could have gone in with the putter,” he said.
Rudosky shot a bogey-free 66 on Thursday.
Rudosky, competing in the CSO for the fifth time, has one top-10 finish to his credit at GVR — a sixth place in 2022. Now, he’s hoping for something even better.
“I’ve played in this quite a few times and haven’t been able to do it,” the 54-year-old said of winning. “Who knows? If tomorrow is a good day, we’ll see what happens. I’m excited to get in there and feel some nerves — as I always do. Hopefully it will be a good day.
“At least I have a chance at it tomorrow.”
Brian Cooper has his sights set on a victory Friday.
Cooper, who played full-time on PGA Tour Champions in 2023, leads by one after rounds of 65 and 68 left him at 11 under par. A 2018 runner-up at the CSO, Cooper finished second at the Pennsylvania Senior Open and third at the Arizona Senior Open in May this year.
The former Golf Channel Big Break contestant has racked up 15 birdies through two rounds, though he did suffer a double bogey at the 281-yard par-4 fourth hole (his13th of the day), where his ball plugged in the lip of a bunker and he three-putted.
Cooper (pictured Thursday) finished second at the Colorado Senior Open in 2018.
Other than that, it’s been a stellar couple of days for the 58-year-old, who played hockey and baseball at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.
“I feel like I’m putting really really good right now,” Cooper said. “If I get something 20 feet (from the cup), I feel like I’m going to make it. I really do. I’m seeing the putts well and rolling it well. I don’t know what it is.
“Maybe it’s the thing that I’m moving here (in April), and Colorado is just trying to welcome me the right way. I just have to keep it going.”
But there’s still a long way to go to the finish line — a full round for the leaders — and five players are one, two or three strokes behind. And another four are either four or five back.
Jason Schultz hopes to make it two Colorado Senior Open victories in the last three years.
Sharing third place at 9 under par are PGA Tour veteran and first-round leader Omar Uresti of Austin, Texas (64-71) and 2023 CSO champion Jason Schultz of Dallas (69-66), along with another Texan (Mark Walker of Celina, 69-66).
“It looks like I have a shot tomorrow, so that’s all you can really ask for,” said Schultz, who set the 54-hole CSO scoring record (16 under par) two years ago.
“I enjoy coming out here,” he added. “I have good vibes here, I guess.”
For a while on Thursday, Cooper threatened to pull away from the field as he played his first seven holes in 5 under par and posted a 31 on that nine. But he stalled out a little on his final nine — the front side at GVR — as he carded seven pars and a double bogey on the first eight holes of that nine. But he hit a 325-yard drive on his final hole (the 520-yard ninth), needing just a 7-iron approach on the par-5, and he two-putted from 40 feet for birdie to finish up.
“I’m really pleased I was able to at least back up (the first-round 65) with a few under par,” he said. “I definitely had it going on the front nine. (Playing partner and two-time CSO champ Greg) Bruckner just said at the scoring table, ‘He should have birdied eight of his first nine.’ I really, really, really had it going early. But that’s golf.
“But I can only control myself. I feel comfortable knowing that if I continue to do that, I’m going to play decent. If somebody else plays better, I take my hat off to them and that’s that. So many times before I’ve always worried about what other people are doing, and it gets in the way. If I do my job and I play well and somebody plays better, that’s that.”
Cooper, who has publicly acknowledge battling depression in the past, is taking a philosophical approach to what awaits in Friday’s final round.
“Golf to me right now is more fun,” he said. “This (tournament outcome) doesn’t make or break me or change anything about me. It’s just a feather in your cap. I’m a father, husband and golf instructor — that’s it. I’ve left the tour life behind, and happy to do so. That’s one of the cool things that’s allowed me to play better. I’m more grounded now. I’m happy where I am.”
For the second straight day, the competitors used mark, lift, clean and replace on Thursday due to wet conditions. And the evening storm added considerable rainfall.
Friday’s winner — assuming he’s a pro — will earn $15,000 out of the $80,000 purse.
Brian Guetz (pictured Wednesday) shot a 4-under-par 68 on Thursday.
2-time Colorado Open Champ Brian Guetz Leads Among Amateurs: Brian Guetz of Littleton won a Colorado Open as an amateur and as a pro, and on Thursday he put himself in position to earn a Colorado Senior Open trophy — this one for low-amateur honors.
The 51-year-old moved into the top spot in the amateur competition with a 4-under-par 68 that included six birdies and two bogeys. That left him at 4 under par for two days, good for 15th place overall.
Guetz leads the amateur competition by two, with 2024 low-am Richard Bradsby of Golden, Sean Crowley of Littleton and Anthony Doss of Mandeville, La., next best. Crowley fired a 67, with eagles on the 281-yard par-4 fourth hole and the par-5 12th, while Bradsby’s 68 included an eagle on the fourth hole. Doss has completed 34 holes.
A brilliant rainbow was the payoff after Thursday’s storm. (Photo: Kevin Laura)
Notable: The field will be cut to the low 50 players and ties after the completion of round 2. As of Thursday evening, those at even par or better are expected to advance to the final round. That would be a record cut standard, with the previous toughest being 3 over par. … Among the former champions likely to miss the cut are Harry Rudolph (78-73), Guy Boros (71-74), Greg Bruckner (75-70), Britt Pavelonis (75-74), John Ross (78-78), along with former PGA Tour veteran Wes Short (76-70), former Broncos quarterback Tommy Maddox (81-75) and former U.S. Sen. Mark Udall (79-81). … Defending champion Jonathan Kaye, a part-time resident of Boulder, backed up his first-round 68 with a 74 that included 16 pars and two bogeys. He stands at 2 under par. … Jim Carter, winner of the 2000 Tucson Open on the PGA Tour, holds a one-stroke lead in the super-senior division of the tournament, for players 60 and older. Carter, 64, has carded rounds of 69-71. The super-senior winner will receive an extra $1,000.
For all the scores from the CSO, CLICK HERE.
About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. The University of Colorado Evans Scholar alum was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com