Left With a Victory

Denver’s Joe Buchholz captures National Lefthanded Golf Championship, edging 3-time champ

By Gary Baines – 10/25/2025

He may not be nearly of Phil Mickelson’s caliber, but like the World Golf Hall of Famer, Joe Buchholz of Denver is a left-handed golfer who is the proud owner of a big-time title — or, in the case of Mickelson, many such titles.

Earlier this month, Buchholz won the National Association of Lefthanded Golfers National Championship, held this year in Fort Worth, Texas.

Buchholz posted rounds of 80-78-80 for a one-stroke victory over three-time champ Curtis James of Oklahoma in the championship division of the tournament. James led by one going into the final hole at the Golf Club at Champions Circle, but a double bogey there opened the door for Buchholz’s victory. The Coloradan closed with a par on the par-5 18th.

This year marked the 89th time the National Lefthanded Golf Championship has been held. The organization was founded in 1936.

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