Nelko Birdies 5 Holes in 7-Hole Stretch on Way to 68 and AAA Lead

COON RAPIDS -- Two days after receiving the Mr. Minnesota Golf Award for 2018, Tristan Nelko demonstrated why he won it. The Wayzata senior didn't birdie the first hole on the East Nine at Bunker Hills GC on Tuesday, but he birdied five of the next seven and went on to shoot a 4-under-par 68. With that, he grabbed the lead in the opening round the Class AAA portion of the Minnesota state high school tournament. 

Although he's two strokes clear of the two players tied for second, William Frazier of Eastview and Walker Reyes of Mankato East, Nelko has small army of pursuers not that far behind going into Wednesday's final round. Thirteen players are within four shots of him.

Among them are two juniors at 71 -- Brady Arnett of St. Thomas Academy and Noah Borass of Alexandria. Two of Borass's teammates, fellow junior Hunter Rebrobich and seventh-grader Braeden Sladek, are part of the eight-way tie for sixth place at 72.  Also at 72 is the player who was ranked No. 1 coming into the state tournament, junior Caleb VanArragon of Blaine. Nelko was No. 3.

Not surprisingly, with three players at even par or better, Alexandria leads the team competition with a combined 294 (plus 6). Maple Grove is second, three back at 297, and St. Thomas is third at 301. 

The No. 7 player in the most recent rankings is St. Michael-Albertville junior Trey Fessler. He is six back at 74, but he hit the shot that was heard round the golf course on Tuesday -- a 350-yard drive that ended up in the front left greenside bunker on the 18th hole, which he proceeded to birdie. Someone who saw it said he flew the ball into the bunker.

Nelko averages 315 or 320 with his driver, but it spent most of the day in his golf bag.

"I think I used it once," he said. "I was hitting my 3-wood and 5-wood off most of the tees. They were going the same distance as the drivers that the other guys in the group were hitting, and I was still hitting wedges into most of the greens." 

He started his birdie spree at No. 2 East, added a birdie at the par-3 second and then hit a 5-wood off the tee and a 9-iron to the green at the par-5 fourth, setting up a two-putt birdie. The other par-5 on the front nine, No. 6, was where he made his next birdie, and he got to 5 under with a birdie at the eighth. 

The University of Nebraska recruit made three birdies on his back nine, but he birdied the par-3 12th (No. 3 West) and capped off his day with a birdie at the 18th.

"He (Nelko) made it look easy. Really easy," marvelled Hastings coach Pete McGinnis, who was following another player in Nelko's foursome, Raiders senior Nick Dittrich, who shot 75. "He just overpowered the golf course."

The three bogeys on the back side weren't in Nelko's game plan. Nevertheless, he was satisfied with the round overall. 

"I was just trying to shoot something in the 60's," he said. "That puts me in a good position for tomorrow." 


BOYS HIGH SCHOOL GOLF

State Tournament

Class AAA

At Bunker Hills Golf Course

Par 72

Coon Rapids

First-round results

1. Alexandria                      294

2. Maple Grove                  297

3. St. Thomas Academy   301

4. Elk River                       302

5. Stillwater                      303

6. Edina                           307

7. Waconia                      308

8. Northfield                    315

?Indiviudals 

1. Tristan Nelko, Wayzata                 68

T2. William Frazier, Eastview           70

T2. Walker Reyes, Mankato East     70

T4. Brady Arnett, St. Thomas           71

T4. Noah Borass, Alexandria           71

T6. Caleb VanArragon, Blaine         72

T6. Hunter Rebrobich, Alex             72

T6. Christian Labrador, STMA         72

T6. Josh Gavin, Maple Grove         72

T6. Eric Stoxen, Brainerd                72

T6. Braeden Sladek, Alexandria     72

T6. Dylan Chouinard, Elk River      72

T6. Jack Evans, Brainerd               72