Carbondale, CO - The 2026 Dunham Chapman Championship officially kicked off on Monday, September 28th, at River Valley Ranch Golf Course in Carbondale, Colorado. With a 10 a.m. shotgun start, 60 teams took to the course competing for both Gross and Net titles across the Championship Flight and six additional flights. After weeks of beautiful fall weather with temperatures in the mid-70s, Mother Nature changed the script for the opening round, bringing rain, cloudy skies, and a high of 57 degrees. The women came prepared, with many carts equipped with rain covers and even heaters to battle the chilly conditions.
Despite the weather, River Valley Ranch was in excellent shape. The course continues to impress despite Colorado's ongoing drought, and players throughout the field complimented the conditions. With a wide range of handicaps competing, the course provided a fair challenge for players of all skill levels while remaining enjoyable for the entire field.
The champions flight featured two past champions looking to add another title: Janet Hopkins & Patricia Lopez and Karlin Hayes & Mlis Ward. Hopkins and Lopez finished the opening round at +2, 74, while Hayes and Ward carded a +3, 75, leaving them just one stroke off the lead. With championship experience on both sides and only a single stroke separating the teams, the stage is set for a close battle as the Dunham Chapman Championship continued Tuesday, September 29th.
The final day of the Dunham Chapman turned out beautiful at River Valley Ranch! The forecast called for rain and cool conditions, but as any Colorado golfer knows, you can never fully trust the weather app. Throughout the day, the sun kept peeking through the clouds, creating a cinematic backdrop as clouds drifted across the slopes of Mt. Sopris. It was the perfect setting for the final round of a great women’s championship.
Beyond the beautiful scenery, it was another day of ideal golf conditions, with nothing but great compliments from the women about the course. Whether they came to compete at a high level or simply enjoy the game with friends, this tournament delivered an experience for everyone. From the course conditions to the atmosphere, the Dunham Chapman once again proved to be a fantastic women’s event at River Valley Ranch.
At the top of the leaderboard, Janet Hopkins and Patricia Lopez of Lakewood emerged as the Overall Gross Champions. The duo posted steady rounds of 74-71 for a two-day total of 145 to outlast the field. You may recognize these two names, as they also captured the championship last year. Winning back-to-back is no easy feat in golf, and Hopkins and Lopez proved once again that they belong at the top. Congratulations to the duo on back-to-back victories.
Here are the flighted winners for their Gross Scores:
Champion Flight: Janet Hopkins & Patricia Lopez (74,71, 145)
1st Flight: Lora Fioretti & Sara Fioretti (76, 78, 154)
2nd Flight: Ashley Schumar & Jill Wilcox (85, 80, 165)
3rd Flight: Dawn Medwid & Mary Jane Kemp (86, 83, 169)
4th Flight: Danette Seward & Kirsten Michel (83, 87, 170)
5th Flight: Dee Palmer & Tricia Twiford (86, 85, 171)
6th Flight: Lori Harada & Michele Goodhard (95, 101, 196)
For the Net Scores, the winners in each flight were:
Championship Flight: Karlin Hayes & Mlis Ward (67, 67, 134)
1st Flight: Denise Wynne & Karin Hathaway (72, 69, 141)
2nd Flight: Heather Kroeger & Mary Cunningham (72, 70, 142)
3rd Flight: Julie Smith & Suzanne Booth (73, 70, 143)
4th Flight: Kathy Diehl & Linda Loveland (71, 69, 140)
5th Flight: Mary Smith & Suzanne Elkins (69, 66, 135)
6th Flight: Diane Max-Dechant & Leigh Ann Bunetta (70, 79, 149)
Championship Format: 36 holes of Chapman Stroke Play – Two players play as partners, each playing from the teeing ground and each playing their partner’s ball for the second shot. After the second shot, partners select the ball with which they wish to score, and play that ball alternately to complete the hole. Teams are pre-flighted according to their combined playing handicap with approximately 8 teams per flight.
JoAnn Dunham: JoAnn was a long-time volunteer for CWGA. She served on the Board of Directors and was the Tournament Chair from 2004 through 2009. JoAnn first proposed the idea of the Chapman Championship to the CWGA. JoAnn was adamant that the CWGA increase the number of events available to the members, especially the popular partner events. In recognition of the ladies who live outside the Front Range, Jo suggested holding the Chapman in the mountains. When Jo passed in 2016, the tournament committee thought it fitting to rename the Chapman in JoAnn’s honor, since, after all, without her efforts, this tournament might not exist.