Moline Edges Sundbom to Claim 5th Northland Title

DULUTH -- Dan Moline has a degree in mechanical engineering from Florida Tech. So he can appreciate mathimatical progressions and patterns. As far as his considerable success in the Northland Invitational is concerned, it seems to be largely a function of 3's. 

The 28-year-old former Duluth Marshall star -- he finished in the top 5 at the state high school tournament three times and helped Marshall win the team championship when he was a senior (2004) -- won the first of his five Northland titles in 2006. He won again three years later, in '09, which was the first of three in a row ('09, 2010, '11), and this year, three years after the three-peat ended, he won again.

This time, he defeated 20-year-old Taylor Sundbom 1 up on Sunday in a rain-delayed final.

Having dispatched Dan Luther in the semifinals, Moline fell behind Sundbom early, leveled things at the sixth hole but lost the long, par-3 eighth, and was 1 down when they made the turn. That was when the rains came. 

The course was soaked but, after a delay of roughly an hour, it was playable enough for the match to be resumed shortly after 6 p.m. Moline pulled even once again by winning the daunting, severely uphill par-4 10th, and then went ahead by winning the par-5 11th, as well. As it turned out, that was his margin of victory. 

There were some interesting halves on the way to the clubhouse. Moline saved par from a bunker at the par-3 12th, rescued another par at the 13th, and both players managed to make improbable pars at the 14th. Moline's tee shot was barely in bounds, but after punching out of the trees, he salvaged a 4 by hitting his third shot close. Sundbom hit his second shot over the green but made a long putt for his par. 

Both players hit their approaches close at the 15th, and they tied the hole with birdies.

Sundbom, who shot the low qualifying score last week (a 2-under-par 69), had one last chance to square the match and force extra holes when he hit his second shot to within a few feet of the cup at the 18th. But he missed the birdie putt. Moline two-putted for his par and reclaimed the Northland crown.