Anderson Looks to Reverse Fortune at MGA Senior Players; Empanger, Rose and Lehman Advance

By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org


  ST. CLOUD, Minn. – There is never a shortage of surprises when it comes to a match play championship, but the one certainty at the 18th Minnesota Golf Association Senior Players’ Championship is that a first-time winner will be crowned Saturday at St. Cloud Country Club.

Defending champion and 2013 winner Steve Whittaker advanced from the opening round Thursday as did 2012 winner David Kokesh before falling during the Round of 16, while 2009 champion Gary Johnson was bumped during the first round early Thursday.

Of the top seeds who survived the first day of action Thursday, John Anderson will look to avenge his runner-up finish to Whittaker last season, as well as a runner-up finish to Todd Hillier in 2015 at Wayzata Country Club.

Anderson edged Skip Schultz, 2 and 1, to open the championship before a pair of birdies during his match against Jeff Wiltse put him 4-up thru eight holes and he would cruise to victory, 4 and 3, to move on to the quarterfinals Friday.

“Hopefully the third time is a charm,” Anderson joked after advancing Thursday. “I played really good all day—even in the wind. I hit the ball solid and straight and putted decent. I only made a few mistakes the whole day.

“I haven’t had much confidence coming in but today I was a lot more confident. I felt like I was close, but missing in really bad spots and today I didn’t have many misses.”

Anderson will face Leif Carlson, who knocked out Kokesh with a commanding 5 and 4 victory, in the Round of 16 Friday.

Jon Empanger, the 2015 MGA Senior Men’s Player of the Year thanks to his MGA Senior Amateur victory at Deacon’s Lodge, will look to add a Senior Players’ title to his golf resume as he advanced to the quarterfinals Thursday after downing Mike Longman, 3 and 2, before outlasting Jeff Teal, 3 and 2, during the Round of 16.

“I lucked out—neither one of us played really well and just made some key pars when I needed to,” Empanger said of his opening match against Mike Longman.

“I played a lot better this afternoon. I was driving the ball a lot better and putted pretty good. [Teal] made a couple mistakes down the stretch that helped me, but he played really solid for about 15 holes. I was doing everything I could to stay close to him.”

Admittedly, Empanger will have his hands full during when he faces Jerry Rose during the quarterfinals Friday.

“I’ll have to have my A-plus game tomorrow, Jerry is pretty tough,” Empanger laughed. “I’m really going to have to play well, but it’s match play.”

Rose notched two top-5 finishes at the MGA Senior Amateur Championship in 2014 and 2016 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2014 Senior Players’ Championship.

Getting the better of John Hoffman, 3 and 2, to open the championship, Rose won two early holes against Mark Ecklund en route to a 4 and 3 victory to face Empanger in the quarterfinals.

“I started out [against Hoffman] with three birdies and an eagle on the front and then just played steady for most of the day. I kept the driver in play for the most part and made a few putts, which is always helpful,” Rose said Thursday. “This game goes in spurts—I was playing really good about a month ago but I’ve hit the skids. Hopefully today is a harbinger of things to come.

“Out here on this golf course the key is keeping the ball between the trees so you’ve got a second shot. If you’re in the trees, it’s tough to get yourself out. In match play you like to not give holes away and keep the pressure on and I did that for the most part today.”

Among others advancing, three-time MGA Senior Amateur champion Jim Lehman downed Tim Gonsior to begin the tournament Thursday before getting past Scott Thul, 3 and 1, and will now face Rick Frieburg in the quarterfinal round Friday.

Frieburg edged Russell Moen, 2 and 1, in the opening round before he defeated Mark Knutson by the same margin Thursday afternoon to advance to play Lehman.

John Spreiter advanced past Brian Reagan early Thursday before knocking out the defedning champion Steve Whittaker, 2 and 1, during the Round of 16. He will now face James Price who defeated Bob Griesgraber to advance to the quarterfinals. 

The quarterfinal round of the 18th MGA Senior Players’ Championship is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. Friday at St. Cloud Country Club.