Coakley Shoots a Pair of 69's to Medal, Minnesotans Wilson and Sundbom Advance to U.S. Amateur

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org


  MORTON, Minn. – With four birdies and one bogey on his scorecard for two consecutive rounds Monday at Dacotah Ridge Golf Club, Kenny Coakley fired back-to-back rounds of 69 to earn medalist honors as well as a spot in the 2017 U.S. Amateur Championship.

A field of 75 golfers competed for one of three spots in this year’s national championship, which will be played August 14-20 at the Riviera Country Club in Palisades Park, Calif. Coakley will be joined by Minnesotans Jacques Wilson who finished at 4-under par 140, as well Taylor Sundbom, who carded a 3-under par 141.

Coakley will return to the national stage for the second consecutive year after falling in the Round of 32 during last year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Stonewall in Elverson, Pa.

“In these qualifiers you try to play conservatively aggressive and try to give yourself a lot of opportunities and not get too ahead of yourself,” he said Monday. ““I just got done playing a three-day tournament, so I came in exhausted—I had no expectations.

“My short game kept me in it today. I tried to stay to the fat side of the greens and stay out of trouble—low stress golf.”

Rolling in a pair of birdies on each side with one bogey during the opening round, Coakley started fast during Monday’s afternoon session by rolling short birdie chance inside of three feet at the par-5 third to move to 4-under for the tournament.

Sticking his tee shot at the par-3 fourth inside of eight feet, Coakley converted his second straight birdie before sinking his birdie chance from four feet at the eighth to turn at 6-under overall.

Following his game plan to the final nine Monday, Coakley rolled in birdie at the 13th before carding his lone bogey for the round at the 15th to finish at 138, two shots clear of the field.

The 33-year-old played four years of collegiate golf at the University of Colorado and after graduating, played professionally for five and a half years before giving up the game due to back issues.

“Thankfully I had a job opportunity that I decided to take a crossroads and just accept. I didn’t play or compete in golf for over four years,” Coakley said. “I got my amateur status back last year and made it to the Round of 32 at the [U.S. Mid-Amateur]. That got the juices going again to play some competitive golf." 

Coakley called Minneapolis home for the past two years before relocating to Phoenix in January.

“I’m just getting back into the swing of things. My game gets better as I get older. What I’ve really learned is that I’m more patient and so much better because I don’t stress about the little stuff. I look at the big picture and try to control what I can control and that’s been huge.”

For Jacques Wilson, the 2017 golf season will likely be one he won’t forget anytime soon, winning the 39th Minnesota Golf Association Players’ Championship last month. He fired a round of 3-under par 69 early Monday to begin the qualifier and followed it up with a solid 71 to finish at 140 to earn a spot at the national tournament next month.

“I’m tired—it’s a grind out here,” Wilson said Monday, “the golf course played a little easier than it has in the past. Last year the greens were a little firmer and the wind was blowing 15 to 20 mph harder. Today was pretty calm for most of it. The par-3’s out here are tough, especially with where some of those pins were.

“I just tried to keep the ball in play and make some pars on some of these holes coming in. You just have to grind out here on these 36-hole days. It’s a lot harder than a lot of people realize.”

Wilson, Victoria, Minn., grinded out a victory at the MGA Players’ Championship at The Jewel Golf Club last month, winning six matches in a three-day span before coming into Monday’s event in which he hasn’t had the best of luck.

“This is my fourth year in a row trying to qualify here and it hasn’t been my best,” Wilson said. “I always seem to find a way to be in contention through [27 holes], but I haven’t shot anything with a three in front of it on the last nine. I’m pretty happy with the way I played for two rounds here.”

Wilson will play his final season of college golf at Charleston Southern University this fall, transferring from the University of Kansas following his sophomore season.

“Going into my senior year of college, this is a good stepping stone for, potentially, the next level. I just want to get to match play—if I can find a way to get through 36 holes of stroke play.”

Sundbom set a blistering pace early Monday after firing a 6-under par 66 to open the qualifier, but would stumble late during the second round to claim the final spot despite a double-bogey-bogey finish.

“I played well—really good through 27 holes,” Sundbom said. “I got a little tired but just had a couple hiccups and mental lapses, but was able to pull it out. Besides 17, I didn’t put myself in any bad positions. I came out and hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens."

Sundbom, a 23-year-old who went to Hermantown High School, qualified for his first USGA event last fall, playing in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship in May at Pinehurst, missing the cut for match play by six shots.

“This means a lot—I’ve wanted to qualify for this tournament for years,” Sundbom said Monday. “It’s been a goal for a long time and I put all my effort in trying to peak at the right time.

“I feel like I’m starting to become a little more relevant in the state events and national qualifiers. I’ve always known I have the game for it, but now it’s just putting the rounds together.”

Matthew Bennett, Marshall, Minn., and Troy Johnson, Maple Grove, Minn., finished as first and second alternates, respectively.