Webber seeking fourth Wyoming Open title

“This is a fun event, and the people are great,” Webber said after finishing his round in the tournament’s pro-am Thursday. “I have gotten to know a lot of the members around here, and I enjoy catching up with them. It’s also a great golf course.

“Plus, why wouldn’t you come back to where you had some success?”

Webber and 100 other pros will put their tees in the dirt and vie for the 61st Wyoming Open title starting today at Airport Golf Club. The 54-hole event wraps up Sunday evening.

Webber is tied with Travis Williams (’00, ’01, ’08), Jim Blair (’83, ’84, ’90) and Jim Marshall (’69, ’78, ’79) for the most professional titles. Marshall also won the 1965 amateur title, which gives him the distinction of being the only four-time champ.

Webber wouldn’t mind joining that club.

“It would be great to win again,” the 37-year-old said. “Hopefully I can be competitive. That can be hard when you’re basically a part-time pro.

“I did it last year, so there’s no saying I can’t do it again.”

A golf scholarship at the University of Colorado brought Webber to America in 1999. He played for the Buffaloes until 2004 and turned pro shortly after that.

He earned his card for the Asian Tour from 2006-11, winning the 2006 Macau Open. He also spent some time on the European Tour.

Since 2014, Webber has only played a handful of professional events each year.

He works for Gexpro, an electrical distribution company, where he helps offices set up switchboards and lighting, among other things. Webber also teaches golf lessons on the side. He and his wife also have a son and daughter.

“With young kids and a full-time job, I’m not even playing for fun regularly,” Webber said with a smile. “Golf gets pushed to the side very quickly.”

Webber overcame an errant tee shot during the first hole of his playoff with Ron Vlosich in 2006. He salvaged a birdie, despite his first shot landing in the second fairway. Vlosich parred the 329-yard, par-4 Hole No. 1.

Webber needed two playoff holes to win the 2011 title, edging his college roommate, Ben Portie. Webber saved par after two disastrous shots on the first playoff hole. He two-putted for birdie on the 320-yard, par-4 Hole No. 2 to win.

Last summer, Webber carded a 16-under-par 194 to win by two strokes.

Webber also has been in the hunt for the Wyoming Open title the years he hasn’t won the event. He attributes that to his style of play suiting the Airport Golf Club and his familiarity with the course from having played it nearly every summer since turning pro.

“I know how to get around the golf course,” Webber said. “There are short holes, and you feel like you can drive it up near the green, but I have learned that it’s better to hit it straight and sometimes have a wedge in your hand.

“You also have to be able to chip and putt your way around this course. Those are usually my strengths. We’ll see how that works this week.”

Pro-am results

The team of James Bigelow, Robbie Harding, Lance Nye, Jim Occhipinti, Doug Stults and Brady Watt won the morning flight of the Wyoming Open on Thursday. That group posted a collective score of 28-under-par 112.

The teams of Steve Cates, Ed Georges, Kevin Georges, Dustin Atwood, Scott Petersen and Jason Holley, and John Crist, Jim Hanstine, Chris Johnson, Paul Mohr, Derek Tolan and Guy Winters split second at 25-under 115.

The afternoon flight went to Rick Brundage, Eric Haag, Paul Hartigan, Greg Johnson, Chad Lybeck and Leo Maes, who fired a 31-under 109.

Brian Hoenig, Jeffrey Hoy Jr., Jeffrey Hoy Sr., Richard Lash, Daniel Swenson and Austin Watson took second in the afternoon at 27-under 113.

Matsi hits ace

Shawn Matsi, an amateur from Killeen, Texas, hit a hole-in-one on the 111-yard, par-3 Hole No. 14 during Thursday’s pro-am.

Jeremiah Johnke is the WyoSports editor. He can be reached at jjohnke@wyosports.net or 307-633-3137. Follow him on Twitter at @jjohnke.