RANGELY | Rivalry, strategy, and strong winds set the stage for another thrilling edition of the Rio Blanco Cup golf tournament this past weekend in Rangely. The two-day event brought together top amateur golfers from Meeker and Rangely, continuing a tradition of fierce but friendly competition between the neighboring towns.
The 2025 Rio Blanco Cup golf tournament took place last weekend in Rangely, Colorado, with both towns fielding competitive teams in the annual showdown.
This year’s Rangely team was captained by Robby Elam, who also serves as president of the Rangely Men’s Club. Representing Meeker as captain was J.C. Watt.
On Saturday, teams competed in two formats: a scramble and best ball. Meeker tallied 7.5 points in the scramble and 9 points in best ball, while Rangely edged ahead with 8.5 scramble points and 10 in best ball to close the day.
Sunday’s match play saw Meeker score 17 points, bringing their total to 33.5. Rangely finished with 16 points in match play, pushing their team total to 34.5 — enough to secure a narrow one-point win.
This marks Rangely’s third consecutive Rio Blanco Cup victory.
“Rangely did a great job of hosting as always,” said Meeker captain J.C. Watt. “Very competitive this year, which added to the excitement.”
Elam praised the effort on both sides and noted the close competition across all formats.
“I commend J.C. for using the strategy we developed last year to pick up our one and only win in Meeker. All three formats were very close. We only had a two-point advantage going into Sunday, which proved to be just enough,” Elam said.
He also gave thanks to the tournament’s participants and course staff.
“I want to thank all who participated this year — this is one of the best weekends of the golf season, hands down,” Elam said. “More friendships have been developed from this tournament than any other I can think of. Special thanks to Richard and the grounds crew for providing us a fantastic track to play on, even though Mother Nature was not very friendly with 40+ mph winds. #Rangely3peat.”
With just a single point separating the two teams, this year’s Rio Blanco Cup proved to be one of the most competitive in recent memory. As the friendly rivalry continues to grow, both captains agreed the weekend was about more than just the final score — it was about community, camaraderie, and the love of the game.
By JARED HENDERSON |
