Air Force coach caddies for contender at TPC

Golf in Colorado can be those unfamiliar with the tricky for climate.

How much further will the ball travel compared to sea level? Will the thin air affect how much the ball spins on the green? Can the density of the air change a shot’s trajectory? These are some of the questions any player coming to the state for the first time in this week’s TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes ponders.

So what if you had a former Air Force defense space systems engineer who worked on an $8.8-billion satellite constellation that provided advanced missile warnings helping make those adjustments? Oh, and he’s your former assistant golf coach in college. Not a bad deal, right?

Rico Hoey certainly isn’t complaining, not after firing a 2-under 70 in the second round with Tyler Goulding on his bag. The round moves him to 7-under at the midway point of the tournament and puts him in position to contend for the title this weekend.

The current assistant golf coach at the Air Force Academy, Goulding first met Hoey during their time at USC. He joined the coaching staff during Hoey’s freshman season, and the duo’s relationship only grew from there.

“He’s walked with me in college and he understands my game,” Hoey said. “He knows what to say to me to help me out and he’s good with the math, too. Those calculations are a little too much for me. “I just have my buddy on the bag and we’re having a good time.”

Ledesma stays hot.

The leader after the first 18 holes (7-under), Nelson Ledesma carried the momentum with him into the second round to fire a 3-under 69. It continues a hot stretch for the Argentinian of late after a 13th-place finish last week.

Ledesma said he enjoys the layout of the course as it allows him to use his driver to his advantage.

“Last week I was confident going in, you have to be confident somewhere you’ve won,” he said. “It was nice to finish strong yesterday and then have the early tee time today. It was easier for me to continue my confidence into today.”