MGA Press Release

Wynia Leads State Open After First Round

By Jon Roe

COON RAPIDS, Minn. (July 23, 2010) -- Golfers don't let their hopes and dreams die easily. Maybe the next shot will provide swing tip of everlasting value. Maybe the next hole will bring the birdie to propel a round. Maybe the next tournament will be the springboard to a career at a higher level of competition.

The leader and most of the nearest challengers after Friday's first round of the Minnesota State Open at Bunker Hills are still filled with hope and dreams of some day attaining success on professional golf tours. Some of those hopes and dreams are still in the budding stage, while others have been maturing for a few years -- or even many years.

But all of these golfers still hope and dream.

"I want to become the very best player that I can become," said Adam Wynia, who was one of the last players in the field of 156 to finish his opening round as he posted a four-under-par 68 to take a precarious one-shot lead."I've been a tournament golfer since almost when I began playing, and playing in tournaments is what I do every summer."

Wynia, 27, grew up in Sioux Falls, S.D., attended Belmont College in Tennessee, and in the off-season works at the Active Golf Center at the Victory Links in Blaine. He has played in the last six State Opens and his best finish was ninth in 2006 when he was the low amateur.

"But for the last five years, since I got out of college, I've wanted to see just what I can do, just how far I can go," Wynia said. "I've played on the Dakota Tour, and I've tried to play in as many tournaments around here as I can. I just love the competition, and I want to give this a try as long as I can."

Five of the seven players who trail Wynia by a shot also have much the same ambitions. Pros Trent Peterson of Valleywood, Ralph Baxley, who grew up playing Valleywood, Jeremy Decko of Alexandria and Jeff Sorenson of Columbia Learning Center, and veteran Mario Tiziani of Windsong Farm, are either playing on the Dakota Tour or the Canadian Tour. Travis Ross of Crookston, who will be a senior at New Mexico, and Tom Jenkins, a 31-year-old insurance salesman from Sundance, are amateurs who also post three-under-par 69 heading into today's second round. The third round will be played Sunday.

There's also a quartet of hopefuls at 70, in Clayton Rask of Crystal Lake, Ben Greve  of Medina, Bryce Hanstad of Alexandria and Matt Noorgard of Rochester.

"I've played in a few events on the Canadian Tour, and sometimes I'll find a tournament on the Hooters Tour that fits into the schedule," said Rask, a former Go'hers golfer.

"You can't let yourself get down," said Tiziani, 40, who has gone to the PGA Qualifying 15 times and is trying to gear his schedule this season for another attempt in the Fall. "I've made it once before," Tiziani said., "and it's hard to give it up. I think I'm a better player than before, and I think I'm a better player mentally, too. You just have to keep trying."

Also in contention at 71, two under par, are amateurs Adam Dooley of Albany, Jim Lehman of Windsong Farm, and Andrew Layton of Keller, as well as pros Andy Brink of Island View, Trinity Dimich of Purple Hawk and Jordan Ensrud of the Links at North Fork. They were joined in the afternoon by pro Danny Anderson of Eagle Creek, amateur Alex Wagner of Hastings, amateur Jim Foss of Roseau, pros Eric Rolland of Rogers, Robbie Kelley of Minnetonka, and Tom Campbell of Minneapolis and amateur Nick Christenson of Maddens.

For live scoring, visit the MN PGA Section web pages, at http://mnpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/mnpga10/event/mnpga1055/contest/1/leaderboard.htm.