Power and More Power: Birdwell Edges Honsa to Win AAA Boys

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COON RAPIDS -- Trey Fessler amazed spectators at the boys Class AAA portion of the 2018 Minnesota state high school tournament when the St. Michael-Albertville junior flew his tee shot into the greenside bunker on the 18th hole (No. 9 West) at Bunker Hills GC, on his way to a second-place finish (behind Wayzata's Tristan Nelko). The hole, which is a slight dogleg to the left, was listed as being 350 yards that year.

On Wednesday, Jake Birdwell topped what Fessler did. Arriving at the 18th tee with a one-shot lead over Joe Honsa, Birdwell was thinking about hitting a 3-wood, but he changed his mind and went with his driver.

"I have more confidence in my driver than my 3-wood right now," he explained later.

It was a good choice. He blasted his tee shot high over the trees on the corner of the dogleg (the hole is now listed as 390 yards), and then it disappeared.  When the players and their gallery came around the corner, it took them a while to realize that there was a ball on the green. Birdwell's tee shot had ended up about 18 feet from the cup. From there, it was an easy two-putt birdie -- and a two-stroke victory. 

Birdwell led the tournament pretty much from start to finish. The Spring Lake Park junior parred the first two holes in the first round Tuesday, and then birdied five of the next seven on his way to a 6-under-par 66. The 70 that he added to it on gave him an aggregate of 136. Honsa made a run at Birdwell on the back nine Wednesday, with three birdies and an eagle in the first five holes. But he, too, ended up with a 70, and the Cretin-Derham Hall sophomore finished second at 138. Torger Ohe, who shot 131 at Braemar in the Section 6AAA tournament, had the low score of the day Wednesday, a 68, and the Edina sophomore finished third with a 140. 

Elk River senior Logan Chouinard shot 71 both days, and he was fourth at 142, just ahead of Maple Grove junior Ryan Stendahl, who followed a 69 with a 74 to arrive at 143. Joey Rohlwing, the Eastview senior who was named Minnesota's Mr. Golf on Sunday, closed with a 73 and finished sixth at 144. 

Honsa, who averages over 300 yards with his driver, was asked how often he gets paired with someone who hits it farther than he does.

"Not that often," he said. But Birdwell is a special case.

"He just does things that are amazing," marvelled Panthers head coach Jim Stern. 

In addition to his power, he has a pretty effective short game. But he couldn't shake Honsa on Wednesday. They both started slowly, making matching bogeys on the first hole (No. 1 East). Birdwell birdied the par-3 third, but bogeyed the 385-yard, par-4 fifth, and Honsa birdied it, which got him to within a stroke of the lead. Birdwell responded with a birdie at the 535-yard, par-5 sixth, and Honsa bogeyed the 220-yard, par-3 seventh and 450-yard, par-4 eighth holes. Birdwell bogeyed the ninth, but he still led by three as they made their way to the back nine.

That was when Honsa warmed up. He birdied the 10th and the par-5 11th, but Birdwell birdied the 10th, as well. Birdwell appeared to be in trouble when he flaired his tee shot into the trees to the right of the fairway at the 13th hole (373 yards, par 4). Honsa made a 12-foot birdie putt, but Birdwell hit a low shot with his 60-degree wedge to within a foot of the hole. So they tied the hole with birdies.

Birdwell was still two ahead, but that changed quickly -- when Honsa eagled the 560-yard, par-5 14th. Suddenly, they were tied. 

They both parred the 15th hole, but Birdwell reclaimed the lead at the 400-yard, par-4 16th. After a 340-yard drive, he hit a wedge to 10 feet and made the putt. 

At the 225-yard, par-3 17th, Birdwell hit his 6 iron long and left, and made a bogey, but Honsa bogeyed it, too. That set the stage for Birdwell's spectacular clinching birdie at the 18th.

It's been a busy week for Honsa. He shot 65-70--135 in the Tapemark Minnesota PGA Pro-Am last weekend, winning the Amateur Division and finishing fifth overall. (Three of the guys who finished ahead of him are mini-tour pros.) But the week isn't over jjust yet. Both Honsa and Birdwell will be playing in the U.S. Junior Qualifying at Prestwick on Friday morning.

And Honsa could be hearing from some college coaches, beginnig Friday. June 15 is the first day that they can make contact with potential recruits. Birdwell, although he has a year of high school left, has already made his college decision. He is committed to perennial Big Ten champion Illinois and plans to sign a National Letter of Intent in November.  

 Ohe's 68 on Wednesday led a charge by Edina, and the defending team champs blitzed the field with a combined 286 (minus 2). After starting the day one stroke behind Eastview, the Hornets ended it 19 shots clear of second-place Maple Grove -- 584 to 603. Eastview had to settle for third at 610.   


Minnesota State High School Golf Championships

At Bunker Hills Golf Course

Class AAA Boys

Par 72, 6,991 yards

Final results

1. Jake Birdwell, jr., Spring Lake Park          66-70--136

2. Joe Honsa, soph., Cretin-Derham            68-70--138

3. Torger Ohe, soph., Edina                          72-68--140

4. Logan Chouinard, sr., Elk River                71-71--142

5. Ryan Stendahl, jr., Maple Grove.               69-74--143

6. Joey Rohlwing, sr., Eastview.                     71-73--144

T7. Miles Bollinger, jr., Cretin-Derham            73-72--145

T7. Landon Miller, soph., St. Louis Park          73-72--145

T7. Kyler Schwamb, sr., Farmington                73-72--145

T7. Zach Rouleau, sr., Farmington.                  74-71--145


Teams

1. Edina                        298-286--584

2. Maple Grove             311-292--603

3. Eastview                   297-313--610

4. Mahtomedi               309-302--611

5. Rochester Mayo       315-301--616

6. Alexandria                 306-312--618

7. Minnetonka               315-315--630

8. Anoka                       329-313--642