Giving It Another Go

Frequent contenders Ron Irons/Denise Cohen open up 2-stroke lead at CGA Women’s Dunham Chapman Championship

By Gary Baines - 9/11/2021

Ron Irons of Eisenhower Golf Club and Denise Cohen of Kissing Camels have done just about everything but win when they’ve competed at the CGA Women’s Dunham Chapman Championship over the years. 

In fact, just since 2013, they’ve finished second or third at least four times. 

But on Saturday, they put themselves in position to make another run at the title. The two shot a 3-over-par 75 on Saturday in the partner event and will take a two-stroke into the final round at Keystone Ranch Golf Course. 

Irons and Cohen made two birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey in round 1.

The Dunham Chapman features a format in which each golfer hits a tee shot, then plays her partner’s ball for the second shot. After that, a scoring ball is chosen, and that ball is played alternately into the hole. There’s competition in eight flights — championship and first through seventh.

Two-time champion Sandra Young of Eisenhower GC and new partner Sophie Kelner of Cherokee Ridge Golf Course share second place at 77 with Brenda Knott and Marsha Heitzman of Metro Denver eClub. Young and Kelner made two birdies on Saturday and Knott and Heitzman one. 

No other teams in the championship flight posted a gross score better than 81 on Saturday.

The Dunham Chapman was renamed prior to the 2017 championship as a tribute to Jo Ann Dunham, a longtime CWGA volunteer whose brainchild was the Chapman, which was first contested in 2007. Dunham passed away on Sept. 28, 2016, just shy of her 77th birthday.

For scores from all the flights at the Dunham Chapman, CLICK HERE.