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. 83 — Aug. 14, 1986

The first regular PGA Tour stop in the state since the Denver Open (1947-63) debuted in Castle Rock, as Denver oilman Jack Vickers created The International at Castle Pines, which featured the unique Stableford scoring format. Ken Green won the inaugural event over Bernhard Langer. But not all players liked the format. Jack Nicklaus, for one, thought it was “stupid and silly,” and the Golden Bear was close friends with Vickers.

—Dave Plati, Colorado Sports Hall of Fame historian