Fast Conditions Can't Slow Constable, Fires 67 to Take Early Lead at MN Golf Champions

By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


  GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. – When the Minnesota Golf Champions tournament was first played at Golden Valley Golf and Country Club in 2014, Donald Constable cruised to a five-stroke victory thanks to a final-round 68.

The tournament returned to Golden Valley this week and Constable wasted little time putting himself in contention with a bogey-free opening-round 67 Friday, taking a one-shot lead over five-time champion Don Berry.

“I made a few putts today and hit the ball really well,” Constable said after his round Friday, “I did my best to keep the ball below the hole.”

Constable started quickly Friday with a birdie on the opening hole before dropping two more birdies at the fourth and sixth holes to turn at 3-under. Back-to-back birdies at the 13th and 14th holes put Constable at 5-under for the day before adding one final birdie at the 18th to edge Berry and card a 67.

Asked his mindset entering Saturday’s second round Constable replied, “Same thing—why not?”

Berry, a professional from Edinburgh USA, is in search of his sixth Minnesota Golf Champions title and first since 2010 after opening the championship with a 5-under par 68 Friday.

“I drove the ball really well with the exception on the 18th and hit some really good irons today,” Berry said Friday. “The course was really tough today—the key was making putts. The greens were really fast.”

Berry opened with back-to-back birdies on the first two holes before taking a bogey at the par-4 third, but quickly eradicated that mistake by jarring his approach from 70 yards at the fourth.

Dropping his birdie chance at the sixth, Berry would turn at 4-under before adding his fourth birdie of the round at the tenth as the quick Golden Valley greens seemed to gain even more speed on a warm afternoon. Berry played a consistent final eight holes Friday, rolling in consecutive pars to finish one shot back.

Winning his title in 1997, Berry added a second in 2001 and then back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004. He claimed his fifth in 2010 as all five of his victories have come at the Minneapolis Golf Club, which hosted the tournament since 1975 before shifting venues to Golden Valley for the first time in 2014.

A player with plenty of home course knowledge, 2014 Minnesota Golf Association Amateur champion Jesse Bull, will begin the second round Saturday just two shots back of Constable after Bull fired a 4-under par 69 Friday.

Opening with two birdies at the second and fifth holes, Bull failed to get his par putt to fall at the seventh to drop back to 1-over for the day. After answering with a birdie at the ninth, Bull would eagle the par-5 10th to move to 4-under for the tournament.

Bull ran into troubles at the par-3 14th and would take double-bogey to fall back to 2-under, but would finish strong with a pair of birdies on the final two holes to shoot 69 and claim sole possession of third place after 18 holes.

“I played very conservative today, not trying to do too much,” Bull said Friday. “A lot of up-and-downs without taking too many risks. I made a few putts, but overall I didn’t try to put myself in bad spots.”

Bull birdied the final hole of the 2014 MGA Amateur at Golden Valley to earn a one-stroke victory and became the first player since 1948 to win the event on his course.

The second round of the 2016 Minnesota Golf Champions gets underway Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. at Golden Valley Golf and Country Club.



2016 MINNESOTA GOLF CHAMPIONS
GOLDEN VALLEY GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB
GOLDEN VALLEY, MINN.
7,004 YARDS, PAR 73


FRIDAY’S RESULTS
1. Donald Constable, Spring Hill GC, 34-33—67
2. Don Berry, Edinburgh USA, 33-35—68
3. Jesse Bull (a), Golden Valley G&CC, 35-34—69
T4. Ryan Helminen, Ridgeway CC, 35-36—71
T4. Andrew McCain (a), Dellwood CC, 33-38—71
T4. Jeff Sorenson, Minikahda Club, 35-36—71
7. Dylan Gergen (a), Mendakota CC, 38-34--72
8. Martha Nause, Mendakota CC, 37-36—73

Eight players tied at 74


For complete tournament results go to:  https://mnpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/mnpga16/event/mnpga167/contest/4/leaderboard.htm