Different Season, Familiar Result as Berry Wins Seventh Minnesota Senior Open

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  MAPLEWOOD, Minn. – For the second consecutive season, extra holes were required to determine a champion at the Minnesota Senior Open, and for the second straight year, Don Berry emerged victorious.
 
Lobbing his third shot from a greenside bunker inside of four feet, Berry tapped in for birdie to edge fellow professional Dale Jones on the first playoff hole to claim his second straight victory and seventh Minnesota Senior Open title.
 
“It’s important for me to play well,” Berry said after playing just his seventh round of the season Wednesday. “Early in the year I want to get off to a good start, just my game, not really the results. I kind of feel I backed into this one. It’s very important for me to feel like I’m playing good early in the year because then you can get on a roll.”
 
Entering Wednesday’s round with a one-stroke lead over Jones, the two traded jabs early and often as Jones made a pair of early bogeys before sinking back-to-back birdies at Nos. 7 and 8 to keep pace with Berry, one stroke back.
 
The six-time champ looked as though he would distance himself from the field with a tap-in birdie at the fifth and increasing his lead to three strokes, but a bogey by Berry at the seventh turned into a two-shot swing for Jones.
 
Berry and Jones both tapped-in for birdie at the par-5 10^th, but Berry would make a crucial statement putt on the ensuing hole. With Jones inside of three feet at the 11^th, Berry drilled his 15-footer for birdie to maintain a slim margin with seven holes to play.
 
The two refused to back down as both nearly reached the par-5 12^th hole in two, two-putting for birdie before back-to-back miscues by Berry on the final two holes opened the door for Jones as the two both finished 36 holes of regulation at 4-under 140.
 
“I won—I feel really good about that, but I sure didn’t think I played very good,” said the 57-year-old head professional at Edinburgh USA. “My driver is usually one of the best clubs I can count on, but I just hit it so poorly today. I don’t feel like I totally deserve it, but I’ll take it anyways.
 
“Golf is weird. Last year, it took a six-hole playoff, but I felt like nobody in the tournament could beat me. A couple years ago at Baker National, I won by like 10. Today it was the same result, but it was a totally different feel of how I played. When you don’t hit a lot of great shots, it’s tough to be super confident
 
Developing a penchant for late-round theatrics in recent years, Berry has claimed three of his seven victories at the event by way of a playoff. Berry dueled Steve Whittaker for six extra holes before claiming victory last year at The Jewel Golf Club, and in 2015, Berry got up-and-down from the sand for birdie to get the better of Brad Schmierer in a two-hole playoff at Island View Golf Club.
 
Playing in his first Senior Open in 2012, Berry saved par from a greenside bunker at Edina Country Club to come from behind and defeat Joe Stansberry by a stroke.
 
With the recent easing of restrictions across the state due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire field this week had to quickly acclimate to a number of changes on and off the golf course.
 
“I don’t really enjoy putting with the pin in on short putts,” Berry said, as pins were required to stay in the hole at all times this week. “Long putts—20 feet and over I don’t really think about it. Short putts I just haven’t gotten used to the shadow of the flag and it flapping in the wind. I don’t know if it’s distracting or if it’s just so much different.
 
“To be honest—the one thing that was very strange was not having a scorecard. I was keeping my score and usually you’ve got a scorecard and you have some idea how someone else is doing. I had no idea how anyone stood. Even on 18, I didn’t know until we added it up and didn’t realize I was in a playoff.”
 
Wednesday’s defeat marks yet another close call by the 57-year-old Jones, who has now finished inside the top-5 of the last four straight championships. Since 2010 Jones has collected more than 35 top-10 finishes.
 
Perhaps another sign of his perpetual steady play and laid-back style is the fact that all three of his section victories have come at match play events. He won the Minnesota PGA Match Play Championship in 2008, defeating Berry in the final match at The Wilds Golf Club.
 
Jones, the head professional at Mendakota Country Club, defeated Larry Norland to win the Minnesota PGA Senior Match Play Championship in 2017, and again last season, where he downed Berry in the semifinals before taking down Craig Brischke in the final match at Chaska Town Course.
 
“It was fun. [Berry] is tough and I kind of gave it away on 18 with a three-putt and he made a nice birdie on the first playoff hole,” Jones said. “Tee to green I thought I was pretty good and I actually putted pretty good this week. It’s still early.”
 
Dave Carothers, who claimed the 2017 Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Championship at Interlachen Country Club, posted a final-round 70 Wednesday to earn Low-Amateur honors. He finished in a tie for third with 2011 Minnesota Senior Open champion Bill Israelson at 2-under 142.
 
 
 
THE 36^TH MINNESOTA SENIOR OPEN
KELLER GOLF COURSE
MAPLEWOOD, MINN.
6,675 YARDS, PAR 72
 
 
WEDNESDAY’S FINAL RESULTS
1. Don Berry (p), Edinburgh USA, 69-71—140 (won playoff)
2. Dale Jones (p), Mendakota CC, 70-70—140
T3. Bill Israelson (p), Vintage GC, 74-68—142
T3. Dave Carothers, Wild Marsh GC, 72-70—142
T5. Jerry Rose, Alexandria GC, 73-70—143
T5. Ty Armstrong (p), GolfTEC, 71-72—143
T7. John Brellenthin, The Minikahda Club, 74-71—145
T7. Scott Holt, Elk River GC, 73-72—145
T7. Bob Neuberger, Burl Oaks GC, 73-72—145
T10. John Anderson, Bunker Hills GC, 74-72—146
T10. Mike Barge (p), Hazeltine Nat’l GC, 72-74—146
 
 
For complete tournament results go to:  https://mnpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/mnpga20/event/mnpga208/contest/1/leaderboard.htm