2027 DEN Bella Ridge Golf Club

Denver amateur golf tournaments found a brand-new home on Saturday, October 10th, when the Mile High Denver Chapter of the Amateur Players Tour brought 76 players to Bella Ridge Golf Club in Johnstown, Colorado for an Elevated Event. Players are flighted into divisions based on their APT Tournament Index, and the day filled out five gross divisions plus the Mid-Am Net and Senior Net games, with over $6,000 in the prize pool.

Bella Ridge is one of the newest tests on the Front Range schedule, having opened in 2026, and it played to a par of 72. The scorecard was not a one-way street. The par-4 6th surrendered only three birdies in 73 rounds and played nearly a shot and a half over par, while the par-4 14th was the most generous hole on the property, giving up 15 birdies and the day’s only eagle there.

This event carried additional support from The Filter Guy. Mark Cortese, who installs heating and air conditioning units across the Denver metro, added to what the field was playing for: a $500 additional prize pool, $100 to each division, sponsored by The Filter Guy — Mark Cortese. The Mile High Denver Chapter of the Amateur Players Tour is also sponsored for the season by Divot Magazine and the Colorado Golf Expo.

In Division 1, Suchit Sharma of Thornton posted the low round of the day, a 1-under 71 that held off one of the tightest groups on the property by a single stroke. Sharma made his number early, turning in 3-under 33 with birdies at the 2nd, the par-5 8th and the 9th, then adding a fourth at the par-4 14th before coming home in 2-over 38. Four players finished within two shots of the lead, and three of them shared second at even-par 72. Dale Syta of Parker was the model of consistency, matching even-par 36s on both nines with birdies at the par-3 3rd and the 14th and only two bogeys on his card. Jeff Slupe of Windsor had the fastest start in the division, going out in 2-under 34 with birdies at the 3rd and the par-5 8th, and he added another at the 13th on the way in. Rizzul Karki of Englewood also turned in even-par 36 and came home in even-par 36, playing his last three holes in 1 under with a birdie at the par-5 18th.

Division 2 came down to a playoff. Three players signed for 6-over 78 and Hendrik Orlowski of Parker emerged from the extra holes with the title. Orlowski’s round was built entirely on the inward half: 6-over 42 going out, then even-par 36 coming home, with birdies at the 10th and the par-5 11th and an eagle at the par-4 14th that was the only one made there all day. Antonio Feo of Greeley matched him with a 1-under 35 on the back nine after a 7-over 43 start, birdieing the par-3 7th, the par-3 12th and the par-5 18th. John Langford III of Golden also finished at 78, going out in 5-over 41 and home in 1-over 37 with birdies at the 1st, the 12th and the 14th, and he played the closing six holes in even par. Four players in the division finished within two shots of the number.

Division 3 belonged to Ethan Andrews of Denver, whose 3-over 75 was a three-shot win and the second-lowest gross score posted outside Division 1. Andrews went out in 3-over 39 and tidied things up with an even-par 36 on the way in, picking up birdies at the par-3 7th and the par-5 11th. Just four players finished within five shots of him. Evan Wilking of Lakewood took second at 6-over 78 on the strength of a 1-under 35 on the front, with birdies at the 7th, 9th and 14th. Matt Gates of Evergreen was third at 7-over 79, birdieing the 9th and the par-3 15th, and David Killinger of Longmont was fourth at 8-over 80 to round out the money positions, with birdies at the 9th and 14th on matching 4-over 40s.

Division 4 produced the day’s narrowest finish. Jeff Jackson of Denver won by a single stroke at 14-over 86, and the one birdie on his card came at the par-4 6th, the hardest hole on the course. Steve Pickens of Calhan was a shot back at 15-over 87, making three birdies — at the 10th, the 14th and the par-5 18th — and playing the back nine in 6-over 42 after a 9-over 45 start. Richard McCoy of Lakewood finished third at 16-over 88, trimming an 11-over 47 front nine to a 5-over 41 on the way home. Three players finished within two of the lead.

In Division 5, Michael Elder of Commerce City took the title at 22-over 94, a three-shot win. Myron (MJ) Jefferson of Watkins was next at 25-over 97, and Cody Canzona of Aurora finished in 3rd.

The Mid-Am Net game went to Evan Wilking, who turned his runner-up gross round in Division 3 into a net 4-under 68 and a three-shot victory. Cole Mietzner of Elizabeth and Matt Gates shared second at net 1-under 71, Gates adding the net check to his third-place finish in Division 3. Albert Amaya of Parker was fourth at net 1-over 73 to round out the money positions, and nine players finished within seven shots of Wilking’s number.

Senior Net was the second double-dip story of the afternoon. David Killinger, fourth in Division 3, posted a net 4-under 68 to win the Senior game by four. Three players shared second at net even-par 72: Antonio Feo, who had already tied for second in Division 2; Steve Pickens, the Division 4 runner-up; and Travis Rhuby of Centennial.

The first elevated event of the 2027 season is in the books — and we look forward to the Player of the Year races heating up as we head into the Spring season.