Former Open champion snubs senior major for local event

Carnoustie hosts the Senior Open Championship this week, the final major of the over 50s season.

But one man who won’t be in the field at the Angus venue is David Duval.

The 52-year-old lifted the Claret Jug in 2001 and has only made one start in the senior equivalent – in 2022, when he missed the cut at Gleneagles.

Duval has opted not to go for a shot at redemption in Scotland, however, instead teeing it up in the Inspirato Colorado Open.

He lives in Cherry Hills Village in Colorado and will join his son in the field.

A winner of 13 titles on the PGA Tour – including the PLAYERS Championship – Duval bolsters a strong lineup for the 60th edition of the tournament.

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This year marks the first time Green Valley Ranch Golf Club – a par 71 measuring 7,253 yards – will play host, and a healthy $100,000 will head the way of the winner.

It’s part of a $250,000 purse that includes amateur prize payouts.

As well as the bumper prize, the winner will receive a trophy and earn a 25-year exemption into the championship.

Meanwhile, the low amateur will win a $1,000 gift certificate and the Dave Nelson Trophy. All professionals that complete the final round of play will receive a minimum of $600.

A man who knows how to get the job done in this event is Turk Pettit, last year’s champion. The 25-year-old American joined LIV Golf in 2022 and later resigned his membership of the Korn Ferry Tour.

He was relegated to playing on the Asian Tour in 2023, though, and has since failed to regain his PGA Tour card at Q-School in 2024.

A final round 65 lifted Pettit to the 2023 Colorado Open title by two shots.

He’ll tee off in the group after Duval, which also includes Michael Block – last year’s man of the moment after his heroics at the PGA Championship at Oak Hill.

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It was his eighth start in a major championship and the first time he had made the cut.

Despite playing in two US Open’s, he says this might be even better.

“I’ve heard that the Colorado Open is the best open in the United States for a long time,” Block told The Denver Gazette.

“I know they’ve had a lot of support on sponsorships. It definitely gets around when an open has a $100,000 purse.”

Block will have some local wisdom by his side after a social media plea found him a caddie.

“One of my big things is I’ve got a local guy, Josh Cassaday, who is a golf pro there, out of Denver, on the bag,” he added.

“He actually played in the Colorado Open. I think he tried to qualify for it this year as well, but he definitely knows the course.”

A 36-hole cut will advance the top 60 and ties into the weekend, where another 36 holes will crown this year’s Colorado Open champion.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.