A 69 on a Familiar Course Gives Conzemius 2017 MPGA Public Links Title

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org


  HASTINGS, Minn. – Helped by a late birdie Sunday, Joe Conzemius collected his first state amateur victory, carding a final-round 69 to defeat Justin Burleson by one stroke at the 93rd Minnesota Public Golf Association Public Links Championship at Dakota Pines Golf Club.

Playing on his home course this week, Conzemius entered the final round three shots off defending champion Max Tylke’s lead, and posted the only score in red figures Sunday, sinking his birdie putt from 25 feet on the 17th on his way to earning medalist honors.

“This is huge—this is my first win since high school,” Conzemius said Sunday. “To know that I can come out and play with these guys; there are some really good sticks out here. It gives me a lot of confidence that I can come out to these two or three-day tournaments and compete with the best guys in the state.

“It’s always an advantage playing your home course—where you can hit it and where you can’t hit it, and unfortunately there were a couple times out there where I hit it in the spots you can’t hit it, but I was able to limit the damage and make a few putts and that’s what keeps these rounds going.”

Conzemius put his tee shot at the par-4 second on the front edge of the green and two-putted for birdie to move to 1-under for the championship Sunday before sticking his 9-iron inside of three feet at the fourth, rolling in birdie to get to 2-under.

Drawing momentum from an up-and-down for par at the fifth and a two-putt par at the eighth, Conzemius turned at 2-under for the championship before missing a short birdie chance at the 10th.

He answered by rolling in back-to-back birdies at the 11th and 12th, but gave two shots away by making a pair of bogeys at the 13th and 14th to remain at 2-under. Unable to get his birdie putt from six feet to fall at the 16th, Conzemius drilled his birdie chance from 25 feet on 17 and would finish the day with a 3-under par 69 to earn a one-shot victory over Burleson.

“I thought I probably needed to get to 4-under—Max has been playing well and he shot 69 yesterday. I had it to 4-under through 12 and then I bogeyed 13 and 14,” Conzemius said. “But you make a couple putts and your momentum takes off from there.

“I was happy with my ball striking. I kept the ball in play and didn’t really take myself out of any holes. No penalty strokes, which out here they’ll eat you up, and I putted the ball really well. I don’t think I had a three-putt all week.”

Prior to his win Sunday, Conzemius notched third-place finishes at the MPGA Four-Ball Championship in each of the past two seasons and he finished tied for 35th at the MGA Amateur Championship at Interlachen Country Club in June.

Last season Conzemius advanced to the Round of 32 at the MGA Players’ Championship at the Classic at Madden’s following a run to the quarterfinal round at the MGA Mid-Players’ Championship at Bent Creek Golf Club.

For Burleson, Sunday’s second-place finish marks the fourth time this season he’s come up short of a victory. He fell to Trent Peterson at the Minnesota Golf Association Mid-Players’ Championship at St. Cloud Country Club in June and lost the championship match to Jacques Wilson at the MGA Players’ Championship at The Jewel Golf Club a week later.

Leading through two rounds at the Midwest Cup in late July, Burleson missed a short par putt on the 18th hole and posted a final-round 71 to finish tied for second behind Danny Anderson.

“I’m playing good—we’ll get there,” Burleson laughed another close call Sunday. “When I was growing up in high school and college, that’s kind of how it was. I was always in the hunt so it’s nice to get back to that. I did okay the last couple years, but this year has been the best by far. Just try to keep getting better.

“I figured if I shot even today that I’d have a pretty good shot. I didn’t hit it that good on the front nine and a good short game helped me on the front. I played solid, I can’t complain. The course was playing tougher today that it did yesterday. A little more wind, tougher pins and it dried out a little bit.”

Carding a 70 Saturday, Burleson entered the final round one shot off the lead and started quickly by sinking a five-footer for birdie at the second. He gave back a shot with a bogey at the third, but a tap-in birdie at the 10th put him at 3-under for the championship.

Unable to save par at the par-5 15th, Burleson answered by sinking a 15-foot bender at the 15th. Pulling his tee shot into the sand at the 17th, Burleson was unable to save par to fall one back of Conzemius late Sunday and would get up-and-down for par on the final hole to finish in second at 2-under 142.

Over the past five seasons, Burleson has one victory (2015 MPGA Mid Public Links Championship), along with 15 top-10 finishes.

Caleb VanArragon carded back-to-back rounds of even par 72 to finish three shots back in third place, while Anderson and Jesse Polk finished tied for fourth at 1-over 145.

Defending champion Tylke posted a 3-under par 69 to take pace the field after 18 holes Saturday, but struggled during the final round Sunday, shooting 5-over par 77 to finish in sixth place at 146.



93RD MPGA STATE PUBLIC LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP
DAKOTA PINES GOLF CLUB
HASTINGS, MINN.
6,740 YARDS, PAR 72


FINAL RESULTS
1. Joe Conzemius, 72-69—141
2. Justin Burleson, 70-72—142
3. Caleb VanArragon, 72-72—144
T4. Danny Anderson, 71-74—145
T4. Jesse Polk, 72-73—145
6. Max Tylke, 69-77—146
T7. Trent Peterson, 73-74—147
T7. Jon Holmes, 73-74—147
T7. Max Fox, 74-73—147
T7. Topher Baron, 73-74—147


For complete tournament results go to: www.golfgenius.com/pages/3417782147275053381