54th Hole birdie lifts Chris Thayer at Colorado Mid-Am
9/10/2017 | by Colorado Golf Association
see also: View results for Colorado Mid-Amateur, Pueblo Country Club
Chris Thayer emerged from ended up being a two-man battle down the stretch against Shawn Sutton
KEYSTONE, CO (September 10, 2017) - These trips to the mountains for the Colorado Mid-Amateur have worked out quite nicely for Chris Thayer in recent years.
The golfer from Walnut Creek Golf Preserve won the championship in 2014 at River Valley Ranch Golf Club in Carbondale. And on Sunday, the next time the Mid-Am was held in the high country, the Golden resident struck, well, gold again.
In what became a two-man battle for the title, Thayer birdied the 18th hole at Keystone Ranch Golf Course to win the championship by one stroke over second-round leader Shawn Sutton of Elmwood Golf Course in Pueblo.
Thayer, 37, shot subpar rounds three consecutive days -- including a 2-under-par 70 on Sunday -- to become the sixth person to win the CGA Mid-Am at least twice. Also in that club are Rick DeWitt (seven wins), Keith Humerickhouse (four), Jon Lindstrom (three), Steve Irwin (two) and Rick Garber (two).
Thayer, who was runner-up to Lindstrom the last two years, finished at 5-under-par 211 for 54 holes. Sutton, a three-time Pueblo city golf champion, closed with a 73 for check in at 212.
After a final round that included two lightning delays totaling about two hours, Thayer and Sutton were tied going into the final hole after Sutton birdied Nos. 16 and 17 and Thayer bogeyed the 17th. But Thayer's birdie on the par-5 18th, where he two-putted from 50 feet after hitting a hybrid in from 227 yards, settled the matter without a playoff. Sutton burned the cup from 20 feet on his birdie attempt and settled for a par.
Lakewood Country Club's Lindstrom, the two-time defending champion, tied for third place at 218 with Ryan Axlund of Valley Country Club, who recently qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur, and Scott Crawford of Murphy Creek Golf Course. Axlund closed with a 73, Crawford a 74 and Lindstrom a 76.
Pete Mangold of Columbine Country Club, another qualifier for the 2017 U.S. Mid-Am, and Jeff Chapman of Inverness Golf Club shared sixth place at 219.
About the Colorado Mid-Amateur
Active CGA members. 54 holes of stroke play. A 36- hole cut will be made to the low 40 players and ties. A player must be 25 years of age or older as of the first day of a tournament. Non-exempt players must pre-qualify.
Most Popular Articles
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced
Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing
2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING
Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Final Stage: Ewart Leads Five New TOUR Card Winners
Dec 14, 2025A.J. Ewart topped Final Stage at TPC Sawgrass, leading five players who secured PGA TOUR membership for 2026.
Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch
Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory
Luke Ringkamp Cruises to Rolex Tournament of Champions Title at TPC San Antonio
Nov 26, 2025One week after committing to Pepperdine, Luke Ringkamp won the Rolex Tournament of Champions by nine shots.