It's a Wynne Win at the Minnesota PGA Match Play Championship

By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


  HOPKINS, Minn. – With one Minnesota PGA Match Play Championship already to his credit, Eddie Wynne rolled in a short birdie putt on the first playoff hole Thursday to edge Don Berry at Oak Ridge Country Club, claiming his second trophy in five years.

Wynne trailed Berry early, but quickly narrowed the margin after making the turn. Wynne took his first lead of the match on the 11th hole and increased it to 2-up after a birdie on the 13th.

Berry staged a late comeback with birdies at the 14th and 16th to even the match as the two were forced to play extra holes.

Wynne put his drive on the first playoff hole long and left of the short par-4 10th hole and pitched to within three feet where he would roll in birdie to win his first Minnesota PGA Match Play Championship since 2009.

“I knew I had to make some putts and birdies,” Wynne said of his match up against the five-time champion Berry. “When he’s on his game it’s hard to beat him and you saw that when he was two down. [Berry] came back and hit some great shots with tap-in birdies both times.”

Berry, Edinburgh USA, took an early 1-up lead on the second hole when Wynne found trouble off the tee. Berry put his approach to eight feet and buried the putt to win the hole.

After his second birdie of the round at the par-4 fourth, Berry increased his lead to 2-up with a long 20-foot birdie putt.

Despite struggling off the tee for most of the final match, Wynne responded at the par-4 sixth hole as he rolled in a 10-foot birdie to cut the deficit to one before rolling in another long birdie on the ensuing hole to draw even with Berry.

Berry regained the lead at the par-5 eighth hole as his eagle putt slid just past the cup and he tapped in for birdie while Wynne’s 12-foot birdie wouldn’t fall.

Wynne once again drew even with Berry on the 10th after Berry’s tee shot found trees along the right rough and failed to get up and down, then took his first lead of the match on the 11th with a par while Berry failed to make in his.

In a matter of five holes Wynne went from 1-down to 2-up after dropping in a nine-foot birdie at the short par-4 13th. But Berry wasn’t about to back down and rallied at the 14th, sticking his approach to three feet and rolling in his putt to cut Wynne’s lead to one.

Berry put his tee shot to 18 inches on the par-3 16th hole and after Wynne’s birdie stopped short, Berry’s birdie fell and the two were tied with two holes to play.

The two headed to extra holes after both refused to budge on the 17th and 18th, and Wynne would clinch the tournament on the first playoff hole.

“When I got 2-up my strategy was to make pars,” Wynne said after his victory. “Really I think the difference was just concentrating on my swing and tempo and hit it. Back in 2009, I beat [Berry] in the quarterfinals and Snyder in the semis. [Berry] has knocked us out plenty of times so it’s good to get him back.”

“The thing about this [tournament] is that there are no easy matches,” Berry said Thursday. “These guys are all good; they hit the ball good and putt good. You’ve got to play every match tough. I started decent this afternoon, but in the middle I was just awful—as bad as I’ve been all year and then I played better at the end. [Wynne] played good, [Cole] played good this morning and, shoot, Norgaard yesterday—I could’ve lost any of those matches.”

Prior to his final match against Berry, Wynne first had to get past defending champion Brent Snyder. Snyder took a 1-up lead after a birdie at the par-5 fifth and took a 2-up lead at the seventh after a bogey by Wynne.

Wynne cut Snyder’s lead to 1-up after rolling in a birdie at the 10th before a bogey by Snyder squared the match on the 14th.

The two remained deadlocked to the first playoff hole where Snyder rolled in a big 15-foot birdie. Wynne responded by rolling in a 10-foot birdie to halve the hole and force a second playoff hole.

Both players found the green in regulation at the par-4 second hole, but Wynne rolled in a fantastic 30-foot bender and clinched the match after Snyder missed his birdie from 12 feet.

“I felt good this morning [against Snyder], I was playing well and it’s good to win when both of you are playing well. I didn’t make any putts all round until the last two holes on the 19th and 20th,” Wynne said.

Berry rattled off three consecutive birdies to open his semifinal match against Scott Cole Thursday before cut Berry’s lead to 2-up with a birdie at the ninth.

Facing a 3-hole deficit through with just six to play, Cole birdied the 13th and pulled within one after a bogey by Berry at the 14th.

Berry would pull away late with another birdie at the 15th, before clinching the match on the 17th hole with a par, winning 2 and 1.



2014 MINNESOTA PGA MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
OAK RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB
HOPKINS, MINN.
6,612 YARDS, PAR 70


THURSDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
Eddie Wynne, University GC, def. Don Berry, Edinburgh USA, 19 holes


THURSDAY’S SEMIFINAL RESULTS
Eddie Wynne, University GC, def. Brent Snyder, Troy Burne GC, 20 holes
Don Berry, Edinburgh USA, def. Scott Cole, StoneRidge GC, 2 and 1


WEDNESDAY’S QUARTERFINAL RESULTS
Brent Snyder, Troy Burne GC, def. Eric Chiles, Chaska TC, 2 and 1
Eddie Wynne, University GC, def. Daniel Callahan, Island View GC, 6 and 4
Don Berry, Edinburgh USA, def. Jeff Sorenson, Columbia GC, 4 and 3
Scott Cole, StoneRidge GC, def. Mike Flaherty, 3 and 2


WEDNESDAY’S THIRD ROUND RESULTS
Brent Snyder, Troy Burne GC, def. Brandon Myers, Olivia GC, 19 holes
Eric Chiles, Chaska TC, def. Dale Jones, Mendakota CC, 1-up
Eddie Wynne, University GC, def. Chad Weise, Chaska TC, 19 holes
Daniel Callahan, Island View GC, def. Chris Peterson, StoneRidge GC, 1-up
Don Berry, Edinburgh USA, def. Matt Norgaard, Somerby GC, 1-up
Jeff Sorenson, Columbia GC, def. Chris Borgen, Lost Spur GC, 4 and 3
Scott Cole def. Timothy Brovold, Bunker Hills GC, 3 and 2
Mike Flaherty def. Greg Jamieson, University GC, 1-up


TUESDAY’S SECOND ROUND RESULTS
Brent Snyder, Troy Burne GC, def. Matt Kleinbrook, 5 and 4
Brandon Myers, Olivia GC, def. Derek Stendahl, Rush Creek GC, 4 and 3
Dale Jones, Mendakota CC, def. Tom Kirkland, Victory Links GC, 3 and 2
Eric Chiles, Chaska TC, def. George Smith, Bent Creek GC, 5 and 4
Eddie Wynne, University GC, def. Mark Wittig, Sundance GC, 4 and 3
Chad Weise, Chaska TC, def. Jeff Kringen, Spring Hill GC, forfeit
Chris Peterson, StoneRidge GC, def. Chris Toftner, Victory Links GC, 6 and 5
Daniel Callahan, Island View GC, def. Brad Schmierer, Hastings CC, 3 and 2
Don Berry, Edinburgh USA, def. Shannon O’Neil, 4 and 3
Matt Norgaard, Somerby GC, def. Ryan Paulson, Minneapolis GC, 3 and 2
Chris Borgen, Lost Spur GC, def. Erik Toftner, Hiawatha GC, 20 holes
Jeff Sorenson, Columbia GC, def. Jonathan Riegstad, Keller GC, 19 holes
Timothy Brovold, Bunker Hills GC, def. James Kidd, 3 and 2
Scott Cole, StoneRidge GC, def. Peter Krause, Edinburgh USA, 4 and 3
Mike Flaherty, Hastings CC, def. Kris Kroetsch, Fargo CC, 1-up
Greg Jamieson, University GC, def. Scott McDonald, Minnewaska GC, 5 and 3


TUESDAY’S FIRST ROUND RESULTS
Matt Kleinbrook, Windsong Farm, def. Mark Hetland, Hidden Haven GC, 1-up
Shannon O’Neil, Rich Spring GC, def. Ed Bialek, Oak Ridge CC, 6 and 5
James Kidd, Windsong Farm, def. Mike Luckcraft, Willingers GC, 2 and 1