Same Story, Different Ending as Burleson Emerges Victorious in Mid-Players' Rematch With Peterson

View full size image

By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  LAKEVILLE, Minn. – After falling to Joe Conzemius by one stroke at the 2017 Minnesota Public Golf Association Public Links Championship, Justin Burleson joked that ‘Mr. Second Place’ would be a fitting nickname.
 
Burleson lost to Trent Peterson in the final match of the Minnesota Golf Association Mid-Players’ Championship two weeks before exacting revenge on Peterson by bouncing him from the semifinal round of the MGA Players’ Championship last June. But Burleson would finish second to Jacques Wilson. A bogey on the final hole of the 2017 Midwest Cup led to a fourth second-place finish for Burleson last July.
 
While his trophy case may not be as crowded as some of the state’s top golfers, Burleson’s resume is no less impressive. Since moving to Minnesota from Texas, he’s earned 19 top-10 finishes dating back to 2013. He notched his first state victory at the 2016 MPGA Mid Public Links Championship and notched five top-5 finishes last season.
 
On Thursday Burleson faced Peterson in a rematch of last year’s Mid-Players’ final and putted his way to a 2 and 1 victory to claim his second state victory.
 
 “This proves I can win,” Burleson laughed following his victory Thursday. “I had several [runner-up finishes] last year and it’s nice to get over the hump and finally get a victory.
 
“I played pretty solid all week. I hit my irons really well and, secondly, I didn’t have many three-putts. I maybe had two or three for the whole week. In match play, you hit it fairly straight, get it on the green and don’t three-putt, there’s not many people who are going to birdies all day and beat you.”
 
Burleson carded nine consecutive pars to begin the final match against Peterson Thursday, taking the early lead after a Peterson miscue at the second. Peterson nearly holed out for eagle at the second, tapping in birdie to square the match.
 
Hitting a sweeping, left-to-right putt from 20 feet at the 10^th, Peterson regained a slim lead, but took a step back with bogey at the 11^th. Trailing Peterson by one following a bogey at the 11^th, Burleson stuck his approach inside of three feet at the 15^th, tapping in birdie to even the match before dropping his birdie look from 30 feet at the 16^th. Pitching inside of five feet at the par-4 17^th, Burleson would clinch the championship by beating Peterson, 2 and 1.
 
Burleson went to extra holes with Joe McCormick during the opening round Tuesday before cruising to a 5 and 4 victory over Topher Baron during the Round of 16 Wednesday. Disposing of David Erickson, 5 and 4, in the quarters, Burleson reached the semifinals to face Joel B. Johnson where he came away victorious, 2-up.
 
“I think the best I played was in the first round and I needed every bit of it,” Burleson said, referring to his 19-hole win over Joe McCormick to open the tournament Tuesday. “The second best round was this one and I needed every bit of it as well. Trent made a few putts early and I made a few putts late—I made a couple more than he did.”
 
Despite the loss Thursday, it was yet another strong showing for Peterson, who claimed a pair of victories last season, as well as nine top-10s and a trip to the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.
 
“I’m very happy with how I played. I haven’t played too much coming into the event, but I hit the ball really well and my putting got a little better each day,” Peterson said. “[Burleson’s] game and mine are really similar and I was just hoping to make some birdies during the final match. I gave him a couple holes and he gave me a couple holes, but he’s the one who made birdies at the end.”