Defending Champ Smith, Neuberger and Rose Among Winners on Day One of MGA Senior Players

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  ALEXANDRIA, Minn. – A year after capturing his first state championship at Royal Golf Club, a determined Pat Smith is eyeing a second straight victory at the 24th Minnesota Golf Association Senior Players’ Championship, earning a pair of wins to begin the tournament Monday at Alexandria Golf Club.

“If you don’t come here thinking you can win—don’t tee it up,” Smith said. “I’m trying to repeat.”

Smith faced Stuart Finley to open the championship early Monday and came away with a victory, 3 and 2, before downing Michael Smith during the afternoon session, 5 and 3.

“I was struggling a little with my driver—keeping it in play,” Smith said Monday. “I putted well and was able to get up-and-down during my matches. On this course, keeping it in play is the biggest key.

“This afternoon I hit it a little better and played pretty solid coming in. I didn’t make a double-bogey and only had one three-putt for the entire day, so that was helpful.”

When the championship resumes Tuesday, Smith will face Scott Maki during the final round of pool play.

Smith got the better of 2021 MGA Senior Men’s Player of the Year Tim Peterson during pool play last season before ousting 2020 champion Jay Gregory during the semifinals.

Squaring off against eventual 2022 MGA Senior Men’s Player of the Year John Brellenthin, Smith pulled out his first amateur victory, 3 and 1.

Riding momentum from his first state win at the MGA Senior Amateur at Crow River Country Club last season, Bob Neuberger also notched a pair of victories Monday, defeating 2019 MGA Senior Amateur winner Trent Wilcox, 2 and 1, and then would get past Kevin Ewert, 3 and 2, during the afternoon session.

“I had two good matches today—my ball-striking was very good, but my putting was not great. The greens are just so hard to figure out,” Neuberger said Monday. “The course is good for me because it’s short enough where I can hit it down the middle and hit some good irons.

“Last year I got to the quarterfinals, and it’d be nice to go further, but I’m going to have to have a good match tomorrow.”

Neuberger will face Mark Lindberg, who also defeated Wilcox and Ewert, during the final round of pool play early Tuesday, with the winner advancing to the quarterfinal round.

Seeded No. 27 to begin the week, 2017 MGA Senior Amateur champion David Haslerud picked up a pair of impressive victories Monday, defeating 2009 MGA Mid-Amateur champion and 2019 Senior Players’ runner-up Tom Whaley, 2-up, before taking down four-time MGA Senior Amateur champion and 2019 Senior Players’ champion Jim Lehman, 5 and 4.

“I played much better during the second round,” Haslerud said. “Not the prettiest of golf this morning, but steady this afternoon—I was hitting greens and made a couple of putts.

“I need to straighten out my tee ball because that’s usually one of my strengths.”

J.T. Johnson, a five-time Minnesota Public Golf Association Senior Public Links champion was the first to enter the clubhouse with a pair of victories Monday, beating Jim Price, 5 and 4, before downing 2022 quarterfinalist Antonio Catani by the same margin.

Johnson faces Scott Holt Tuesday, needing just a tie to move on to the next round.

Jerry Rose, a four-time MGA Senior Men’s Player of the Year and two-time Senior Players’ champion, collected a pair of wins on his home course Monday, beating Jay Coatta, 4 and 3, and then Tim Gordon, 3 and 2.

Rose needs a tie during his final match of pool play against fellow Alexandria Golf Club member Steve Herzog to extend his chances of a third victory at the event.

The final round of pool play at the 24th MGA Senior Players’ Championship is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. at Alexandria Golf Club, followed by the start of the quarterfinal round.