Johnson's 2nd-Round 65 Make Him Birchmont Medalist

BEMIDJI -- North Dakota State teammates Lucas Johnson and Andrew Israelson turned the qualifying for The Birchmont Golf Tournament into a kind of intra-squad competition this week, and Johnson came out ahead. 

The Bison sophomore-to-be from Moorhead posted a second-round 65 on Tuesday and earned medalist honors for the 36 holes of qualifying with an aggregate of 135, 9 under par. Israelson is a former Minnesota Mr. Golf (the award given to the state's top senior each year) who will be a senior at NDSU in the fall. He was the only other player to break 140, following a first-round 71 with a 67 to claim second place in the qualifying at 138.

That makes him the No. 3 seed for the match-play portion of the tournament, behind defending champion Nick Schaefer (he was exempt from qualifying) and Johnson. 

Israelson has had quite a summer. In June, he won the MGA Players (State Match Play) Championship, and last week he came within a single stroke of winning the State Amateur at Somerby GC. He tied 2018 winner Van Holmgren for second with a 6-under total of 210 for 54 holes. Clay Kucera won with a tab of 209. Only three players have won the Players and the State Am in the same year -- Tom Lehman (1981), Andy Paulson (2006) and Trent Peterson (2008).

Tying for third in the Birchmont qualifying was Israelson's older brother Zach, who went to the Savannah School of Art and Design in Atlanta and now lives there. He opened with a 73 on Moday, then came back with a 69 on Tuesday for a 142 total. Chad Skarperud matched him both days to get his share of third. 

There were 32 players advancing from stroke play to match, which begins Wednesday. A score of 150 was required to advance. Six players tied at that number for 28th, thereby forcing a 6-for-5 playoff for the final spot. 

Schaefer, who lives in Grand Forks, will begin the defense of his title with a match against fellow Grand Forks resident Duane Wages, a playoff survivor. Johnson, who is from Moorhead, will face another qualifier from Grand Forks, Tim Skarperud.

The Israelsons are from Staples. Their father, Bill, is from Bemidji, and he won the Birchmont on his home course twice, in 1973 and 1979. Andrew has two Birchmont titles, as well -- 2016 and '17. (His sister Emily has also won twice at the Birchmont. She won the Women's Division in 2016 and '18.)  

Andrew Israelson will face Alex Skarperud of Grand Forks in his first match. Zach will take on yet another GF resident, Zach Hischberger. 


MEN'S AMATEUR GOLF

The Birchmont Golf Tournament

At Bemidji Town & Country Club

Bemidji 

Nick Schaefer (No. 1 seed)      --        Defending champion

Qualifiers

1. Lucas Johnson                                  70-65--135

2. Andrew Israelson                              71-67--138

T3. Zach Israelson                                73-69--142

T3. Chad Skarperud                             73-69--142

5. Matt Skarperud                                 73-70--142                 

What it took: 150 (6 players tied for 28th place, and played off for 5 spots in the match-play portion of the tournament)