The outstanding contributions of Bob Kirchner have afforded him high honors throughout his years in Colorado golf. A native of Topeka, Kan., he graduated from the University of Colorado in 1943 after serving as president of his senior class.
Kirchner founded the Colorado Open, which debuted at Hiwan Golf Club in 1964, and he served as tournament director for 11 years. In 1978, he received the CU Athletic Hall of Honor Award. That same year, he served as general chairman for the U.S. Open at Cherry Hills Country Club and was selected Colorado Golf Hall of Fame Golf Person of the Year for the second time.
Bob served a governor emeritus of the Colorado Golf Association and an honorary member of the Colorado PGA. He served as honorary chairman of the 1985 PGA Championship at Cherry Hills. Kirchner passed away in 2019, a month after his 98th birthday. The Colorado Open Golf Foundation honors his memory with the Robert M. Kirchner Award, presented annually to “an individual for outstanding contributions to the game of golf in the state of Colorado.”
1978 & 1975 Golf Person of the Year
1978
The 1982 Hall of Fame inductee was honored for his role as general chairman for the 1978 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills Country Club.
1975
The founder of the Colorado Open retired as its tournament director after 11 years.
