Carlson and Rose to Meet in Final Match of MGA Senior Players' Championship in St. Cloud

June 16, 2017 | 5 min.
Photo gallery has no images.


By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org


  ST. CLOUD, Minn. – With four state senior golf titles to his credit, Leif Carlson will have the opportunity to add a fifth after defeating Richard Frieburg Friday to advance to the final match against Jerry Rose in the 18th Minnesota Golf Association Senior Players’ Championship at St. Cloud Country Club.

For the third consecutive match, Carlson took control early Friday, owning a 5-up lead over Frieburg after the opening nine. Carlson increased his lead following a Frieburg bogey at the 10th, but Frieburg would roll in birdies at the 11th and 13th to cut into Carlson’s lead.

Frieburg found trouble off the tee at the 15th and Carlson would clinch the match after both players carded par.

“I was hitting the ball well, much better than yesterday—I hit it really poorly in the morning, but I managed to get around. I missed a couple greens [against Frieburg] but hit really good chips to get within a foot or two for gimmes,” Carlson said. “I don’t think I made any bogeys the whole day. I was just playing for par and wanted to hit fairways and greens.”

Carlson, the MGA Men’s Senior Player of the Year in 2012, downed Mark Hayes, 3 and 2, to open the championship early Thursday before cruising past 2012 MGA Senior Players’ champion David Kokesh during the Round of 16, 5 and 4.

“It’s still early in the year and I don’t feel as comfortable as I do later in the year,” Carlson said. “I don’t go south so it takes me a while to get my feel back. Some guys get it really quickly, but I tend not to.

“I’ve been managing well and haven’t made many mistakes,” Carlson said following his fourth match victory Friday. “In match play you’ll lose a few holes maybe, but you don’t give away holes. I hit the ball better and was 2-under on both front nines today.”

Jumping out to a big lead over John Anderson early Friday, Carlson stumbled late with a pair of bogeys but would hang on to a slim 1-up victory to advance to the semifinals against Frieburg.

“I was up four at the turn and playing well, but made a couple of mistakes. [Anderson] played a lot better on the back and whittled it down to one with one to go,” he said.

Carlson has advanced to the semifinals at the Senior Players’ Championship three times, but his best finish came in 2014 when he finish runner-up to Pat Vincelli at Brackett’s Crossing Country Club.

Winning the MGA Senior Amateur Championship in 2008, Carlson won the event again in 2010 and claimed the Twin Cities Senior Championship in 2012. Carlson has had success at St. Cloud Country Club, winning the MGA Senior Four-Ball Championship with partner Greg Murphy in 2015.

“I’ve never won a state match play, so it would be nice. Winning at this age is always good because you don’t know how much longer you’ll play well,” said Carlson, who will turn 64 in July. “Guys start to have problems with their hips, back or knees, so you never know.

“Tomorrow I need to drive it well. If I can do that then I’ll be okay. Hopefully I can get my rhythm or tempo back and make some good putts.”

In the other semifinal match, Rose and faced John Spreiter and the two remained deadlocked for the first four holes before Rose sank his birdie opportunity at the par-4 fifth to strike first.

Spreiter drew even on the following hole thanks to a bogey by Rose, but a string of three bogeys over the next three holes gave Rose a 2-up lead after nine holes. Reaching the par-5 10th in two, Spreiter would three-putt while Rose got up-and-down for par before Rose rolled in birdie at the 12th to go 3-up.

Rose gave back a hole with a bogey at the 14th before Spreiter converted birdie at the 15th to pull within one. The match would be squared at the 17th when Rose failed to get up-and-down for par, but on the final hole, Rose drilled his birdie putt from 18 feet to clinch the match and advance to the finals against Carlson.

“I figured all I need to do is play one hole now and fortunately I hit a good tee shot,” Rose said of going to the final hole even with Spreiter. “He hit a good second shot but it hit the green and took off. When I saw his second shot jump over the green, I just wanted to knock it in the middle of the green and hit a good 9-iron to 18 feet and made the putt.

“I’ve had streaks where I’ve hit the ball well, but I’ve been a little erratic with the tee ball, especially this afternoon,” Rose said. “I’ve managed my game well and my attitude has been to chase it and get it up-and-down if I can’t get it on the green.”

With one match to play, Rose said his game will have to improve on the final day and the biggest factor will be how he plays from the tee.

“This afternoon I struggled on the back side—I kept leaving my driver in the right trees,” Rose said. “I played well enough to keep going, I guess. I’m going to have to play better tomorrow. If I can get the driver going in the right direction, everything will be fine.”

Rose downed John Hoffman to open the championship early Thursday and had little trouble getting past Mark Ecklund during the Round of 16, winning 4 and 3 to face Jon Empanger in the quarterfinals Friday.

Winning three consecutive holes on the front nine, Rose grabbed a sizable lead before Empanger answered to pull within one of Rose after 14 holes. Rose poured in birdie at the 15th and held on for a 2 and 1 victory to advance to the semifinals against Spreiter.

Firing a round of 1-over par 72 at White Bear Yacht Club last August, Rose earned a share of medalist honors and a spot in the 2016 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis. Rose failed to qualify for the match play portion of the championship following two rounds of stroke play.

In 2014 Rose finished tied for fourth at the MGA Senior Amateur at Somerset Country Club and notched a top-5 finish at the 2013 MGA Mid-Amateur Championship in Alexandria.

The final match of the 18th MGA Senior Players’ Championship is slated for 7 a.m. Saturday at St. Cloud Country Club.

 

Contact Us

Contact Us

6550 York Avenue South, Suite 411 • Edina, MN 55435 • (952) 927-4643 • (800) 642-4405 • Fax: (952) 927-9642
© 2024 Minnesota Golf Association. All Rights Reserved