John Elway Fails to Qualify for U.S. Senior Open

It’s only been a few weeks since amateurs and celebrities alike failed to make it to the U.S. Open through qualifying rounds. Now, one other celebrity has failed to qualify for the U.S. Senior Open.

John Elway isn’t thought of as a great golfer as other former NFL quarterbacks like Tony Romo because he doesn’t play in qualifiers nearly as much. But Elway was in the spotlight this past weekend, as he attempted to qualify for the U.S. Senior Open, rather than the PGA TOUR equivalent. Despite the poor showing, he shot 80 on the final day of the qualifier, he still has quite an impressive golf track record.

First off, like most celebs that attempt to qualify, Elway has a pretty good handicap that sits at just 1.4. He’s also made several appearances in professional events, as a two-time participant in the Colorado Senior Open. Elway has also been on the administrative side of things, as a former President of the Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver.

John Elway tees off on 7 during the 2016 CoBank Colorado Senior Open…

John Elway tees off on 7 during the 2016 CoBank Colorado Senior Open on Wednesday, June 1, 2016. The open runs from June 1 to 3 at the Green Valley Golf Club. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

Even though he didn’t make the cut, Elway will still be at the U.S. Senior Open in another role. It was announced long before his attempt to qualify that Elway would be serving as one of the honorary chairmen of the event that will be held at the same course, The Broadmoor. So even if he would have pulled out a qualifying spot, he would have been tasked with double duty.

Even if he would have had to put in the extra work, it’s an opportunity that Elway would have cherished. “I haven’t been playing very well. I haven’t been playing much, either,” Elway said. “But it was fun to be out here and compete. It’s a lot of work in that rough. “It’s good for me to play in these conditions. It makes me a better player.”

While it would have been cool for Elway to play alongside friend and defending champion Kenny Perry, it’s nice to know that Elway will still be on the sidelines for the event. Maybe one day the former Bronco great will be able to find his way onto the course but for now, we’ll settle for a guest appearance.

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