Baker, Christensen and Peterson Among 16 Moving on From Day One at MGA Players' Championship

June 21, 2021 | 5 min.

 
By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
 WAYZATA, Minn. – Beginning with 64 players early Monday, the field at the 43rd Minnesota Golf Association Players’ Championship was trimmed to 16 following the opening day of competition at Spring Hill Golf Club.
 
Among the first to advance from Monday’s afternoon session was former MGA Amateur champion Mike Christensen, who defeated Josh Galvin to open the championship Monday, 4 and 3, before getting past Matt Pfingsten, 3 and 2.
 
“This morning was a little scratchy,” Christensen said Monday. “I haven’t played much in competition this year, so it’s always interesting. The back nine I played pretty well and made a bunch of pars. I got up early this afternoon, and even though the wind was blowing, I felt way more in control of my golf game.
 
“Both matches I was able to make the putts—whether it was a par putt or birdie putt, I was able to make those important putts to keep the momentum going. I feel good about my game, but these matches at a course like this, you need to be on top of your game.”
 
Christensen rolled a left-to-right breaker from 10 feet at the third and then dropped a 4-footer for birdie at the fifth to take a 2-up lead over Pfingsten during his second-round match. Christensen’s lead was cut in half following a bogey at the ninth, but he would extend his lead to two once again with a birdie at the 12th.
 
Closing in on his second win of the day, Christensen eagled the 16th to finish out the match to reach the Round of 16 early Tuesday, where he will face Casey Nelson.
 
Christensen, who turns 44-years-old on Wednesday, is coming off a pair of victories during the 2020 season. He claimed the Northland Invitational at Northland Country Club in August and teamed up with cousin David and cruised to a seven-stroke victory at the MGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship last fall at Crow River Country Club, carding a tournament-record 59 during the opening round.
 
Entering this week’s championship as the newly crowed Class AA individual champion, Sam Baker needed extra holes during both matches Monday to reach the Round of 16 Tuesday. He outlasted Tyler Obermueller in 19 holes early Monday before eliminating 2019 champion Andrew Israelson on the first playoff hole.
 
“I just want to take every match one-by-one and know that I can play with anyone. I try to focus and play each shot and not get too far ahead,” Baker said. “The weird thing is that my irons haven’t been the best—a lot of up-and-downs have been keeping my rounds going and my putter has been pretty hot."
 
During his match against Israelson late Monday, Baker took advantage of an Israelson bogey at the first before nearly chipping in for eagle at the third to quickly go 2-up. Israelson closed the gap thanks to a pair of late bogeys by Baker to close out the front nine all tied.
 
With birdies at the par-5 13th and 16th holes, Baker regained a 2-up lead late, but would finish bogey-double to force a playoff, eventually advancing after one extra hole.
 
Baker fired a 4-under 68 Tuesday at Ridges at Sand Creek to open the Class AA state championship and carded a final-round 73 to earn a one-stroke victory over Staples-Motley senior Beck Erholtz, leading Cloquet High School to its first team title in the program’s history.
 
“That was fun—I’m still trying to process it all,” Baker said. “I played well the first day—shot 68—and then the second day was a grind. A lot of up-and-downs and the putter was working.”
 
Baker will face Jesse Larson, who defeated both Jamie Quesnel and Gunnar Broin Monday to reach the Round of 16.
 
Looking for his third win at the event this week, 2019 MGA Men’s Player of the Year Trent Peterson earned a spot in the Round of 16 Tuesday by defeating Jay Kautt to begin the tournament before edging MGA Mid-Players’ champion Troy Johnson, 1-up.
 
“[Johnson] and I have been partners before, so we know each other’s game and know what to expect,” Peterson said. “I got off to a rough start and made a couple of long par putts to stay in it. We both played solid coming in and had birdie looks here and there.
 
“I putted really well all day. In the morning I made some long putts when it mattered and made some long ones again this afternoon. I love these greens—I love fast greens. My game is coming around, it takes a while. Playing these events are the only rounds I play. I trust more and know where it’s going, so it’s comfortable out there."  
 
Playing a back-and-forth front nine Monday, Peterson and Johnson remained tied through nine holes before Peterson took the lead for good at the 12th, sinking a 30-footer for par and hung on for the victory.
 
Peterson will face University of Nebraska golfer Tristan Nelko during the Round of 16 early Tuesday.
 
Nate Adams staged a late comeback Monday, trailing recent MGA Senior Players’ champion Jerry Rose by two heading to the 16th hole and would win the final three holes to advance to the Round of 16 against Ralph Baxley early Tuesday.
 
Baxley, who claimed runner-up finishes at both the Minnesota Public Golf Association Mid Public Links Championship and the Twin Cities Championship a year ago, downed Jack Buan before knocking out defending champion Cecil Belisle late Monday.
 
Miles Death moved on following Monday’s opening day of play and will face Paul Meyer when the tournament resumes Tuesday. Death ousted Hunter Rebrovich during the opening round and then eliminated two-time MGA Mid-Players’ champion Justin Burleson in extra holes during the afternoon round.
 
Finishing runner-up last week to Troy Johnson at the Mid-Players’ Championship, Meyer earned a pair of victories over Dennis Granath and Matt Armstrong to advance to the Round of 16.
 
Max Tylke won both of his matches Monday and will square off against Tim Peterson when the tournament resumes Tuesday. 2018 champ Sammy Schmitz is among those advancing from Day One as he will face former Edina High School standout and University of Oregon golfer Sam Foust.
 
Florida Gulf Coast University golfer and 2017 MGA Amateur champion Van Holmgren moved on to the second day of competition with a pair of victories Monday and will face Will Hickey during the Round of 16 Tuesday.
 
The Round of 16 at the 43rd MGA Players’ Championship is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. at Spring Hill Golf Club.


 

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