The Colorado Golf Association’s premier amateur championship is heading west next week as the 2026 CGA Amateur Championship returns to Sonnenalp Club in Edwards for the third time in the event’s history. The 72-hole championship will be contested Aug. 3-6 on the mountain course located west of Vail.
The championship marks just the fifth time in the past 50 years that the Colorado Amateur has been played on the state’s Western Slope, highlighting the growing prominence of mountain golf venues in Colorado. Sonnenalp Club, situated at nearly 7,500 feet above sea level, previously hosted the championship in 1985 and 2017.
An 84-player field will compete for one of Colorado’s most prestigious amateur golf titles. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 40 players and ties, who will advance to the final two rounds of stroke play. The champion will also earn an exemption into the 2027 U.S. Amateur Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Pittsford, New York.
Among the competitors are defending champion Thomas Herholtz of Colorado Springs and three-time champion Colin Prater, along with a strong field featuring top collegiate players, recent championship winners and several golfers with USGA championship experience.
Related – CGA Amateur Championship Heads to Colorado’s Western Slope
The championship has a rich history of producing future professional stars. Recent winners who have advanced to the professional ranks include Wyndham Clark, the 2010 champion and two-time U.S. Open winner, along with Davis Bryant, Chris Korte, Dillon Stewart and Griffin Barela.
Sonnenalp Club has long been recognized as one of Colorado’s premier mountain golf destinations. In addition to hosting multiple CGA Amateur Championships, the club welcomed the Colorado Open in 2001 and 2002, where Kevin Stadler earned his first professional victory before eventually becoming a PGA TOUR winner.
The Colorado Golf Association, founded to promote and grow the game throughout the state, serves more than 100,000 members while conducting championships, administering handicaps and supporting golf programs across Colorado and Wyoming.
Source: This story is based on reporting by the Colorado Golf Association. Read the original article here: https://www.coloradogolf.org/news/westward-article
