Home is where the start is.
That’s how the saying goes, at least this week for AJ Ott.
The Fort Collins native, Fort Collins High alumnus and former Colorado State men’s golf standout is practically on home turf for his first-ever Korn Ferry Tour tournament in The Ascendant at Berthoud’s TPC Colorado course.
“This event being so close and on a course I know so well, it’s definitely special to qualify here specifically,” Ott told The Coloradoan before the event.
While he’s played in smaller pro tournaments and top collegiate events, this is Ott’s first taste of true high-level pro golf. The Korn Ferry Tour is essentially the minor-league training ground for the PGA Tour.
Ott estimates he’s played “over 70” rounds at TPC Colorado since it opened in 2018, many of them during his Rams’ career.
His familiarity paid off in qualifying for The Ascendant.
The event used a meritocratic tournament format instead of handing out four sponsor’s exemptions. Ott won the open division last Saturday, birdieing the first six holes and shooting a five-under 67 to beat 32 other hopefuls.
“I definitely felt comfortable out there,” Ott said. “Once I had that fast start, I had to keep the pedal down since it was just for one spot.”
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He opened the tournament Thursday with a tough draw, getting the day’s final tee time (2:15 p.m.) as temperatures approached 100 degrees in the sweltering afternoon sun.
Ott finished a grueling first round that took nearly six hours with a steady even-par score of 72. Several dozen fans, friends and family followed him around the vast TPC Colorado layout for the largest crowd on day one.
AJ Ott watches his tee shot of Hole 1 during the Korn Ferry Tour’s The Ascendant golf tournament on Thursday, July 11, 2024, at the TPC Colorado course in Berthoud, Colo. (Photo: Logan Newell/The Coloradoan)
“My parents were excited, really just about being able to see me play,” Ott said. “I travel a lot for other tournaments and there aren’t really many in Colorado for them to come watch live.”
Ott has a short turnaround, teeing off Friday for his second round at 8:42 a.m. local time.
The crowd of supporters came as no surprise since the crafty lefthander has a storied track record in local golf.
He finished top 10 in Class 5A all four years during his Lambkins’ high school career, including a runner-up state finish his senior year in 2015.
Ott stayed home…
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