Polk wins Super Senior Match Play to add a 16th CGA title to his CO Golf Hall of Fame resumé
HIGHLANDS RANCH – Robert Polk can finally add a Super Senior Match Play title to his Colorado Golf Hall of Fame resumé. In 2020, he lost the final match to fellow Hall of Famer Kent Moore, but this year he didn’t let the opportunity slip away against Adam Kugler of Edwards. Polk was able to come from behind to earn a 2 up victory in the final match at the University of Denver Golf Club at Highlands Ranch. The victory marks his 16th CGA title.
The match began in Kugler’s favor who, following a 23- hole battle against Kent Moore in the morning’s semifinal round, turned right around and made birdie on the first hole to take an early 1 up lead. Polk and Kugler then matched pars over the next 4 holes. On the par-4 6th, Polk drained his birdie putt to even the match, only to have Kugler answer with a birdie of his own on 7 to reclaim his lead.
Polk delivered the third birdie in a row on the par-4 8th hole to once again pull even. However, Kugler’s par on 9 turned out to be enough to win the hole and take a 1 up lead at the turn.
After matching pars on 10, both players made clutch birdies on 11 preventing a score change in either direction. However, it was Polk who made a move with a second consecutive birdie on 12 to tie the match.
Polk took his first lead of the match on 14 when Kugler settled for a bogey. However, Polk returned the favor with a bogey of his own on the next hole, and Kugler’s par evened the match.
On the par-3 17th, Polk drained his birdie putt to take a 1 up lead going into the par-5 finishing hole. Polk captured the match 2 up with a par on 18 when Kugler had to settle for bogey.
Before today, Polk’s Colorado Golf Hall of Fame included 15 CGA titles: one Mid-Amateur, five Senior Amateurs, two Senior Match Plays, two Super-Senior Amateurs and five Senior Four-Balls.
And now, he can gladly add Super Senior Match Play champion to the list – his sweet 16th.
For Kugler, this was his second big runner-up finish of the year, as earlier this season he placed second in the 2025 Trans-Mississippi Super-Senior Division. Kugler has won a Metropolitan Golf Association Senior Open, an MGA Senior Amateur and a New Jersey State Golf Association Senior Am.
SEMIFINALS
Polk earned his place in the finals in a tightly contested match against Jim Reynolds of Denver, a 3-time winner of the CGA Super Senior Four-Ball. The match did not look like it would be very competitive the way it started with Polk winning holes 3 through 6 to take a 4 up lead through only 6 holes. Reynolds settled down was able to win hole 8, and then won 11 with a birdie to cut Polk’s lead to 2. Polk won 13 with a par to get the lead back to 3, but Reynolds responded with wins on holes 15 and 16 to pull within 1. Both players made par on the 17, and the match ended when Polk matched Reynold’s par on the 18th hole to win 1 up and move on the afternoon final match.
Kugler needed extra holes to earn his spot in the final match in an epic battle with Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kent Moore of Greenwood Village. Kugler Took an early lead by winning holes 2 and 3, and was 2 up through 5. Moore responded with birdies on 6 and 7 to even the match, and the players made the turn with the score tied. Then the rollercoaster ride began on the back 9. Kugler misfired on 10 with a double bogey giving Moore his first lead of the match. Both players halved 11, and that would be the only hole halved on the back.
Kugler took control of the match on 12 with a birdie, then won 13 and 14 with another birdie to go up 2 holes with 4 to play. Moore won 15 with a par to move within 1, but Kugler won 16 to be dormie – 2 up with 2 holes to play.
Moore, facing elimination, made par on 17 to win the hole when Kugler made a bogey 4. Then, in true Hall of Fame fashion, Moore carded an eagle on the par-5 18th hole to force the match into extra holes. However, after halving the first 4 extra holes, Kugler made a match-winning putt on the 23rd hole to advance to the finals against Polk.
Moore, who has won 4 of the last 8 Super Senior Match Play titles, was looking for his 12th CGA individual title. Moore has 11 individual and 6 team titles spanning 5 decades of amateur golf in Colorado.
CGA Senior Match Play Championship (65 and older)
University of Denver Golf Club at Highlands Ranch
QUARTERFINALS (Wednesday PM)
Adam Kugler, Edwards, def. David Nelson, Littleton, 2 & 1
Kent Moore, Greenwood Village, def. Scott Sullivan, Grand Junction, 4 & 3
Jim Reynolds, Denver, def. David Delich, Colorado Springs, 2 & 1
Robert Polk, Parker, def. Paul Edwards, Parker, 6 & 5
SEMIFINALS (Thursday AM)
Adam Kugler, Edwards, def. Kent Moore, Greenwood Village, 23 holes
Robert Polk, Parker, def. Jim Reynolds, Denver, 1 up
FINAL MATCH (Thursday PM)
Robert Polk, Parker, def. Adam Kugler, Edwards, 2 up
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