Menton, Curb Are Birchmont Co-Medalists

BEMIDJI -- A pair of former Bemidji State golfers finished 36 holes of qualifying for The Birchmont with totals of 135 on Tuesday, and they shared medalist honors in the Men's Championship Division. 

Chris Curb, who is from Bemidji, was the first-round leader with a 67, and he followed it with a 68 at Bemidji's Town & Country Club. The co-medalist was Danny Menton, who had some ground to make up in the second round, after a first-round 72. He came back with a 9-under-par 63 to earn his share of first place.

Thirty-one golfers qualified in Men's Championship for the match-play portion of the tournament, which begins Wednesday. They will be joined by Andrew Israelson, the defending champion and No. seed for match play. 

The Birchmont is the first of the three tournaments in what is known as The Resort Circuit. Next up will be The Resorters, next week at Alexandria Country Club, and then The Pine to Palm at Detroit Country Club (Detroit Lakes) in two weeks. 

Menton and Curb concluded the qualifying Tuesday one stroke ahead of 2015 Birchmont champ Nick Schaefer, who shot 67 Tuesday on his way to a two-day aggregate of 136. Also shooting 67 was Will Holmgren, a sophomore to be at North Dakota State (like Israelson) who was fourth in qualifying with a 139.  

Israelson will face Seth Hepner of Crookston in his Round of 32 match on Wednesday. Hepner, the No. 32 seed, qualified on the number with a 151.

Last year's Birchmont turned into an Israelson family celebration, as Andrew won the Men's Division, and his sister Emily won the Women's Division. Their father Bill, who grew up in Bemidji, won the Birchmont twice, in 1973 and '79. He also won the State Amateur (three times), State Open and Minnesota Golf Champions in a Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame career.

The woman seeded No. 2 behind Emily Israelson is Katie Sheetz, who won three years in a row before Israelson usurped her crown a year ago. So Sheetz was back in the qualifying this year, and she breezed through, taking medalist honors with a 78. (The Women's Qualifying is 18 holes.) Abby Kelm was second with an 81. 


MINNESOTA AMATEUR GOLF

Birchmont

At Bemidji Town & Country Club

Par 72

Bemidji

Men's Championship Division Qualifying 

Final results

(The top 32 finishers qualify for match play, which begins Wednesday)

Andrew Israelson, Staples            Defending Champion -- Exempt (No. 1 seed)

T1. Danny Menton, Minnetonka           72-63--135

T1. Chris Curb, Bemidji                        67-68--135

3. Nick Schaefer, Grand Forks             69-67--136

4. Will Holmgren, Plymouth                  72-67--139

5. Justin Johnson, Bemidji                    73-67--140

6. Lucas Johnson, Moorhead               73-69--142

7. Bobby Frazzini, Medina                    72-72--144

T8. Brennan Hockman, Houston, Texas  73-73--146

T8. Zach Israelson, Staples                   74-72--146

T8. Johnny Larson, Springfield              72-74--146

T8. Gavin Metz, Brainerd                       74-72--146

T6. Chris Swenson, Fergus Falls           75-71--146  


Women's Division

Emily Israelson, Staples              Defending Champion  -- Exempt (No. 1 seed)

1. Katie Sheetz, Grand Rapids                    78

2. Abby Kelm, Bemidji                                  81

T3. Haily Abel, Arvilla, N.D.                          82

T3. Katie Nelson, Bismarck, N.D.                 82

T5. Heather Erholtz, Staples                        83

T5. Kristin Glesne, San Antonio, Texas        83

T5. Annie Nelson, Bismarck                         83

T5. Haley Tollette, Andover                          83