- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,233,291
- Reaction score
- 59
The PGA Tour's annual Korn Ferry Tour stop in Berthoud has a first-time professional golf winner in 2026.
Ross Steelman held his 54-hole lead, firing a steely final-round 68 to take the Blue Championship title at Berthoud's TPC Colorado golf course on July 12.
This was the 25-year-old's first-ever win on the Korn Ferry Tour and a neat redemption arc of sorts.
Steelman led this same tournament by three shots heading into last year's final round but shot a 3-over-par 75 to fall well short of eventual winner Neal Shipley.
His nerves held up far better this time around on a scorching summer Sunday in Northern Colorado.
While Steelman made back-to-back bogeys early on, he responded with consecutive birdies and still broke par on the front nine.
Then, as contenders like runner-up Tommy Morrison and Phichaksn Maichon tried to chase him down, Steelman played with veteran poise down the stretch with a back-nine 33.
That included two straight birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 and solid two-putt pars on the final two holes.
Steelman's finishing score of 22-under-par tied the tournament scoring record in the Blue Championship's eight-year history.
It was a tight second-place finish for Morrison, who is just getting his pro career started after graduating from the University of Texas in May.
Morrison shot a final-round 67 that included four straight birdies on the front nine and a late charge with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 to keep the pressure on Steelman.
The recent NCAA golf standout now has three straight top-10 Korn Ferry finishes to begin his pro career.
But it was ultimately Steelman's day, and a breakthrough one. The inaugural victory shot him up into the top five of the Korn Ferry Tour standings, jumping nearly 20 spots.
Maichon and Noah Goodwin tied for third at 19-under-par, three shots back.
Former Blue Championship winner Cristobal Del Solar tied for 36th place at 10-under, while Nelson Ledesma (the event's first winner in 2019) missed the cut.
There were several players with Colorado connections in the field. Only former Air Force Academy player Tom Whitney made the cut, finishing tied for 45th at 8-under.
Colorado amateur star Miles Kuhl, former Fossil Ridge star Dillon Stewart and former University of Colorado player Joshua Creel all missed the 3-under par cut.
Chris Abshire covers high school and community sports for the Coloradoan.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: First-time winner ties record to take Korn Ferry's Blue Championship
Continue reading...
Ross Steelman held his 54-hole lead, firing a steely final-round 68 to take the Blue Championship title at Berthoud's TPC Colorado golf course on July 12.
This was the 25-year-old's first-ever win on the Korn Ferry Tour and a neat redemption arc of sorts.
Steelman led this same tournament by three shots heading into last year's final round but shot a 3-over-par 75 to fall well short of eventual winner Neal Shipley.
His nerves held up far better this time around on a scorching summer Sunday in Northern Colorado.
You must be registered for see images
While Steelman made back-to-back bogeys early on, he responded with consecutive birdies and still broke par on the front nine.
Then, as contenders like runner-up Tommy Morrison and Phichaksn Maichon tried to chase him down, Steelman played with veteran poise down the stretch with a back-nine 33.
That included two straight birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 and solid two-putt pars on the final two holes.
Steelman's finishing score of 22-under-par tied the tournament scoring record in the Blue Championship's eight-year history.
Breaking through in the Rockies
Ross Steelman is a Korn Ferry Tour champion! pic.twitter.com/zw5C3rCm6s
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) July 12, 2026
It was a tight second-place finish for Morrison, who is just getting his pro career started after graduating from the University of Texas in May.
Morrison shot a final-round 67 that included four straight birdies on the front nine and a late charge with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 to keep the pressure on Steelman.
The recent NCAA golf standout now has three straight top-10 Korn Ferry finishes to begin his pro career.
You must be registered for see images
But it was ultimately Steelman's day, and a breakthrough one. The inaugural victory shot him up into the top five of the Korn Ferry Tour standings, jumping nearly 20 spots.
Maichon and Noah Goodwin tied for third at 19-under-par, three shots back.
Former Blue Championship winner Cristobal Del Solar tied for 36th place at 10-under, while Nelson Ledesma (the event's first winner in 2019) missed the cut.
There were several players with Colorado connections in the field. Only former Air Force Academy player Tom Whitney made the cut, finishing tied for 45th at 8-under.
Colorado amateur star Miles Kuhl, former Fossil Ridge star Dillon Stewart and former University of Colorado player Joshua Creel all missed the 3-under par cut.
You must be registered for see images
Chris Abshire covers high school and community sports for the Coloradoan.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: First-time winner ties record to take Korn Ferry's Blue Championship
Continue reading...
