Happy birthday, Colorado — and Colorado sports.

Leading into the state’s 150th birthday Aug. 1, The Denver Gazette has partnered with the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame to publicize the definitive list of Colorado’s top 150 sports moments.

Colorado Sports Hall of Fame historian Dave Plati and a committee of 10 compiled and will release the list every week until the No. 1 moment on July 31. Plati and Broncos icon Jim Saccomano will unveil the list weekly on a Colorado Sports Hall of Fame podcast at coloradosports.org/podcast/.

No. 136

June 16, 1996

Steve Jones becomes the second Colorado high school alum (Yuma High School) and the second Colorado Buffalo to win the U.S. Open, turning in a 2-under-par performance (74-66-69-69—278) at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, defeating Tom Lehman and Davis Love III by one stroke. The three battled it out over the back nine, and all were tied at 2-under down the stretch, Love on the 18th green and Jones and Lehman on the 18th tee. Love three-putted, Lehman bogeyed. Jones hit his approach to 12 feet and two-putted for the win. The win wasn’t a fluke; only 51 under-par rounds were recorded over the four days, and Jones was the only player with three. In the process, he became the first sectional qualifier to win the U.S. Open in 20 years.

—Dave Plati, Colorado Sports Hall of Fame historian