Setting the Standard

Utahn Braxton Watts sets scoring record — by 3 — for historic Sinclair Rocky Mountain Open, making an eagle and 27 birdies over three rounds; Coloradan Hunter Swanson notches top-10 finish in both Colorado Open and RMO; Dylan Everett of Highlands Ranch claims low-amateur honors

By Gary Baines 

The Sinclair Rocky Mountain Open dates back to 1939 — the year Germany invaded Poland to start World War II. In all those years, no one had broken 190 strokes for the three rounds of the tournament.

Until Saturday.

This week, Braxton Watts of Farmington, Utah just north of Salt Lake City set a new scoring standard for the tournament in Grand Junction. In fact, with a 24-under-par total for 54 holes, he established an RMO scoring record by three strokes at Tiara Rado Golf Course.

The former University of Utah golfer posted rounds of 62-62-65 to win by six strokes. The victory was worth $25,000 for Watts, who also won the Laramie (Wyo.) Open this summer.

Watts broke the 54-hole RMO scoring record of Justin Keiley, who posted a 192 total in 2018 when he won the tournament for the second straight year. Coincidentally, Keiley tied for third place on Saturday at 16 under, behind Watts (-24) and JC Campbell (-18) . (It should be noted that one RMO was just a 36-hole affair, as Utahn Jim Blair prevailed with a 129 total in 2000.)

For the three rounds this week, Watts carded one eagle, 27 birdies, three bogeys and one double bogey.

Hunter Swanson of Superior, a University of Colorado men’s golf assistant coach and former Buff player, tied for ninth on Saturday (65-69-65) after sharing sixth place in the Inspirato Colorado Open last month.

Dylan Everett of Highlands Ranch, a Colorado Mesa University golfer, finished at 10 under par (66-69-68) and claimed low-amateur honors on Saturday.

For all the scores from the RMO, 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