Collins Seeking Third Title, Heading a Crowded Field

For Wil Collins , the winner of the 2022 Inspirato Men’s Colorado Open, the tournament led him to a nice return to the competitive golf limelight.

Collins works in mortgage and residential home loans in Albuquerque, NM. But in his day, he played top-level golf with the New Mexico University Lobos, then traveled as a professional golfer for 14 years.

But when it was time to get off the road he married his wife Shelly, settled in Albuquerque, and began his next career, dousing his competitive fire with two or three tournaments a year.

Then he won the 2022 Colorado Open, and its $100,000 first prize.

“It’s not typical at all,” he said of the event and the first-prize money. “The Colorado Open has always been a classy, topnotch state open.”

Collins also won in 2005, and he is slated to defend his title this year.

Whom to Watch

“I’d have to say I love it because I won a couple times there,” Collins said in June.

“The golf course, facility, Open Golf Foundation, First Tee. It’s hard not to love a place that works so hard promoting golf as much as they do.”

Collins said the 2022 win came as a bit of a surprise because he had not been playing many tournaments.

“Obviously I putted well,” he said. “Putting was on and putts were going in that week. I think I just found the sweet spot. I had low expectations and I started making some shots.”

He said he still has to ‘work into shape’ to prepare for the 2023 tournament. But with two titles under his belt in the last 20 years, he said the key to victory for him or someone else is always the same.

“You got to stay patient,” he said. “There are a lot of birdies out there. You just have to stay patient. The course is always in phenomenal shape.”

In addition to defending champ Wil Collins, at least four other former champions are signed up for this year’s Inspirato Colorado Open. 2020 winner Mark Anguiano, 2019 winner Sam Saunders, 2015 winner Jimmy Gunn and 2013 winner Zahkai Brown are signed up to try for the title again. Saunders, of Albuquerque, is in the middle of a strong year. He has played 10 Korn Ferry tournaments this year, with his best finish a second place at the Panama Championship. He’s had three top 10 finishes this season. Also in the field is Samuel Anderson, a former Wisconsin Badger who turned pro in 2021 and has been playing in the Latin America swing of the PGA Tour; his best finish this year is T14 in the Diners Club Peru Open. Brown, of Westminster, has played one tournament on the South America PGA Tour this year, missing the cut at the Astara Chile Classic. Colorado National Golf Club teaching pro Matt Schalk is also registered to play.