Warian Is Medalist & Gophers Are Team Champs at Highland Meadows
April 16, 2024
By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
CHASKA, Minn. – Posting rounds of 3-under par 69 Monday, Jacques Wilson and Van Holmgren paced the field to take the opening-round lead of the 115th Minnesota Golf Association State Amateur Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club.
With help from his putter Monday, Wilson took the early clubhouse lead by rolling in four birdies over his front nine against one bogey during his final nine holes finish his opening round on top of the leaderboard at 69.
“I was happy to see my putter come back a little bit. It’s been sporadic this summer and I made a few good putts today,” Wilson said following his round Monday. “I tweaked some things with the putter after the U.S. Amateur qualifier that needed to be done and the ball is rolling end over end again.
“I was happy with the way I played today. This course is brutally hard if you get out of position—I think I hit 15 greens, so I never really put myself out of position. I was happy with my ball striking and rolled in a few putts.”
Beginning his day on the 10th tee Monday, Wilson rolled in a six-footer at the 11th to quickly move into red figures before stringing together three straight birdies late on his opening nine. After sinking his 15-footer at No. 15, Wilson wedged his approach on the ensuing hole inside of four feet to quickly jump to 3-under. Wilson’s tee shot at the par-3 eighth landed 20-feet left of the flagstick and he would convert his birdie look to head to his back nine at 4-under par.
“On the front nine I took everything in a three-hole stretch. I told my caddie if we could get one birdie every three holes it would be a good way to go through the round and prevent pushing too hard.”
Wilson would put together a solid back nine Monday, carding eight pars with his only blemish coming at the par-3 eighth hole and would fall back to 3-under for the championship, sharing the early lead with Holmgren.
“I had a bad lip-out on 18, which killed a little bit of momentum,” Wilson said. “I missed a couple greens on the front and that slowed some momentum as well. [MGA Rules and Competition Director Doug Hoffmann] said earlier to be patient out here and that was the biggest thing that I was looking at today. Patience is key out here.”
Wilson, originally from Chaska, Minn., earned his biggest state victory at the 2017 MGA Players’ Championship at The Jewel Golf Club, defeating Justin Burleson, 3 and 2. With the MGA Players' Championship returning to The Jewel last month, Wilson was unable to draw off his win from the previous year, falling to Ben Greve during the semifinals, 3 and 2.
Earning his first victory at the Minnesota PGA Tournament of Champions in 2012, Wilson added a second victory in 2014 by claiming the Resorters Tournament at Alexandria Golf Club.
Playing in Monday’s afternoon session, Holmgren bogeyed his opening hole before tapping in for birdie at the second. Holmgren admitted that his round turned around after sinking a 6-footer at the par-4 fifth hole despite taking bogey at the sixth. He would turn at 1-under for the championship after converting his birdie opportunity from 12 feet at the seventh.
Gaining momentum early on his inward nine Monday, Holmgren reached the par-5 11th in two and two-putted for birdie to get to 2-under. Nearly sinking his tee shot at the 198-yard, par-3 13th, Holmgren would get to 3-under for the round before another two-putt birdie at the par-5 15th. He would finish his day with a share of the opening-round lead following a bogey at the par-3 17th.
“I knew it was a long course so I came into it thinking I could swing freely and hit it hard,” Holmgren said after his opening round Monday. “I hit my lag putts well—I came an hour early trying to get the green speed and I managed to do that. Right now my game is hot so I knew I needed to come out here and play versus the course and not against anyone else and I think it should figure itself out.
“I missed one par-5 green in two so I had three two-putt birdies, which really simplified my round. I just need to keep the green speeds in mind. They can get away from you if you lose focus at all. If you miss, you can easily have 10 feet coming back. I need to hit fairways and give the course respect.”
Jesse Bull, who claimed the 2014 championship on his home course at Golden Valley Golf and Country Club, fired a 2-under par 70 Monday and will begin Tuesday’s second round in a tie for third with Maxwell Tylke.
This year’s championship is being played at Hazeltine National Golf Club for the fourth time and first since Bryce Hanstad’s victory in 2007, shooting a 54-hole total of 217. Edina’s John Harris claimed the championship in 1987 with a score of 224 and Jim Archer won the first championship played at the site in 1965 when it was conducted as a match-play event, defeating Jim Hiniker, 3 and 2.
The 115th MGA State Amateur Championship continues Tuesday as the second round is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. at Hazeltine National Golf Club.
115TH MGA STATE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
HAZELTINE NATIONAL GOLF CLUB
CHASKA, MINN.
7,100 YARDS, PAR 72
MONDAY’S FIRST ROUND RESULTS
T1. Jacques Wilson, Chaska TC, 37-32—69
T1. Van Holmgren, Baker Nat’l GC, 37-32—69
T3. Jesse Bull, Golden Valley G&CC, 34-36—70
T3. Maxwell Tylke, Links at Northfork, 37-33—70
T5. Parker Reddig, Hiawatha Golf Club, 34-37—71
T5. Ben Greve, Olympic Hills GC, 38-33—71
T5. Troy Johnson, Medina G&CC, 38-33—71
8. Johnny Larson, Dacotah Ridge GC, 37-35—72
Six players tied at 73.
April 15, 2024
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