Egalitarianism Reigns at Pine to Palm

DETROIT LAKES -- In the 36-hole qualifying for match play at the 2017 Pine to Palm, eight players broke 140 at Detroit Country Club, and 16 broke par. Another three finished at even par (142), and four finished the stroke-play portion of the tournament at 1 over.

Not one of those 23 guys will be playing Sunday morning in the semifinals.

In what has probably been the most egalitarian display of golf in the 85-year history of the Pine to Palm, the No. 24 seed, Jon Miller, No. 29 Andrew Passanante, No. 31 Chris Swenson and No. 35 Connor Holland have emerged from the first four rounds of matches -- and set up a semifinal session for Sunday morning with nothing resembling a top seed in sight.

Miller knocked off the No. 1 seed, Nick Myhre, in extra holes Saturday afternoon in the quarterfinals. Myhre, who will be a senior at North Dakota State this fall, was co-medalist this year, along with Noah Lawson. They both shot 136 in qualifying. Miller, who played for NDSU from 2001 to 2005 (and won four tournaments for the Bison), shot 144 in qualifying and at No. 24, is the highest seed remaining. 

He will play Passanante in the semis. Passanante was in the quarter of the draw where upsets were the norm, and he beat No. 60 Brennan Hockman 2&1 to reserve his spot in the semis. Earlier in the day, in the Round of 16, Passanante upset former champ Rick Kuhn (No. 13) in extra holes. Passanante could very well be the best athlete in the tournament. He was a Division III All-American football player at Concordia-Moorhead, and he earned high school letters in five sports -- football, cross country, basketball, golf and track -- at Hawley.

There were three University of Minnesota golfers in the Round of 16. Myhre beat one of them, Matt Rachey, in extra holes. The other two played each other, and Grady Meyer won that match easily, 7&6 over Thomas Longbella. But then Meyer was ousted by yet another NDSU golfer, Holland, a lefty from West Fargo who concluded his career with the Bison this spring. Holland defeated Meyer 1 up. 

So Holland will face Swenson in the semis.Swenson is between his sophomore an junior years at Minnesota State Community & Technical College, where he has won conference and regional championships. He dispatched No. 18 Nick Olsgaard 1 up on Saturday morning, then beat Nate Varty 4&2 in the afternoon.   

MEN'S AMATEUR GOLF 

Pine to Palm

At Detroit Country Club

Par 71

Detroit Lakes

Qualifying (36 holes Tuesday and Wednesday)

(The top 64 qualifiers will begin match play Wednesday morning.)

Final results

T1. Nick Myhre, Rolette, N.D.         67-69--136

T1. Noah Lawson, Blaine               67-69--136

3. Lucas Johnson, Moorhead         69-68--137

T4. Dax Wallat, Horace, N.D.         70-68--138

T4. Bill Carlson, St. Paul                68-70--138

T6. Grady Meyer, Independence    70-69--139

T6. Bryant Buckellew, Scottsdale   67-72--139

T6. Erik Weiss, Moorhead              67-72--139

T9. Benjamin Dirck, Alexandria      73-67--140

T9. Nate Varty, Fargo                      71-69--140

Match Play 

Round of 64 (Thursday)

(1) Nick Myhre def. (64) Dieter Zuehlke 6&5
(32) Ben Hauge def. (33) Joe Schornack 5&4
(49) Pat Dietz def. (16) William Leaf 2&1
(17) Matt Rachey def. (48)Nathaniel Kahlbaugh 3&2
(8) Erik Weiss def. (57) Alex Skarperud 1 up
(40) Cody Cook def. (25) Cade Montplaisir 2&1
(9) Benjamin Dirck def. (56) Marc Vincelli in extra holes
(24) Jon Miller def. (41) Cole Hanson 3&2
(61) Alan Spriggs def. (4) Dax Wallat 2&1
(29) Andrew Passanante def. (36) Alex Uloth 2&1
(13) Rick Kuhn def. (52) John Fischer 6&5
(45) Spencer Hilde def. (20) Gus Minkin 3&1
(60) Brennan Hockman def. (5) Bill Carlson in extra holes
(28) Jack Holmgren def. (37) Ryan Cooper 2&1
(12) Coy Papachek def. (53) Matt McElveen 3&2
(44) Cody Christensen def. (21) Greg Melhus 1 up
(2) Noah Lawson def. (63) Wyatt Blomseth 2&1
(31) Chris Swenson def. (34) Peter Jones 6&5
(50) Regan Steen def. (15) Alexander Schwab 2&1
(18) Nick Olsgaard def. (47) Nolan Frank 6&4
(7) Bryant Buckellew def. (58) Jack Kluge 8&7
(26) Tanner Lane def. (39) Benji Miller 8&7
(10) Nate Varty def. (55) Hunter Thorsen 2&1
(42) Robert Wagner def. (23) Thomas Strandemo 3&1
(3) Lucas Johnson def. (62) Tanner Kretchman 7&6
(35) Connon Holland def. (30) Ben Frazzini 3&1
(14) Adam Gronaas def. (51) Charlie Duensing in extra  holes
(19) Jacob Dehne def. (46) Lincoln Cizek 2&1
(6) Grady Meyer def. (59) Trevor Swangler 5&4
(27) Mason Fiddle def. (38) Dylan Naylor in extra holes
(54) Jon Stecher def. (11) Mason Kennedy 2&1
(22) Thomas Longbella def. (43) Caleb Ketterling 6&5

Round of 32 (Friday)

Myhre def. Hauge 3&2
Rachey def. Deitz in extra holes
Weiss def. Cook 3&2
Miller def. Dirck 5&4
Passanante def. Spriggs 3&2
Kuhn def. Hilde 3&2
Hockman def. Holmgren 1 up
Papachek def. Christensen 1 up
Swenson def. Lawson 5&4
Olsgaard def. Steen 3&2
Lane def. Buckellew in extra holes
Varty def. Wagner 5&4
Holland def. Johnson 4&2
Gronaas def. Dehne 2&1
Meyer def. Fiddle 5&4
Longbella def. Stecher 2&1

Round of 16 (Saturday morning)

Myhre def. Rachey in extra holes
Miller def. Weiss in extra holes
Passanante def. Kuhn in extra holes
Hockman def. Papachek 1 up
Swenson def. Olsgaard 1 up
Varty def. Lane in extra holes
Holland def. Gronaas 5&3
Meyer def. Longbella 7&6

Quarterfinals (Saturday afternoon)

Miller def. Myhre in extra holes
Passanante def. Hockman 2&1
Swenson def. Varty 4&2
Holland def. Meyer 1 up