Hanson Claims 2nd Pine to Palm Title with 2&1 Victory over Leaf

DETROIT LAKES -- After cruising to a pair of surprisingly easy victories  in the quarterfinals and semifinals at the 84th Pine to Palm, Beau Hanson found himself battling two opponents early in the championship match.

Not only was he taking on William Leaf, a soon-to-be senior at the University of Minnesota, but he was also fighting an adrenaline rush that he experienced Sunday afternoon at Detroit Country Club. The early result was a quick 2-up lead for Leaf, after Hanson hit shots over both the first and second greens. But the 2016 Arkansas-Little Rock graduate managed to get his nerves and adrenaline under control. Ultimately, he rallied to win three holes during a four-hole stretch on the back nine, and that late surge enabled him to defeat Leaf 2&1.

With the victory, Hanson claimed his second Pine to Palm title. He won the first in 2012.

This one could very well be his last, because he plans to turn pro and hopes to play on the Mackenzie (Canadian) Tour next summer. 

Hanson, who won the Class A portion of the Minnesota state high school when he was a sophomore at Frazee, tied for ninth earlier this summer in the State Amateur, and he tied for seventh in the 36-hole qualifying last Tuesday and Wednesday with a score of 138 (71-67).      

He was taken to the 18th hole only once after that, in a 1-up, second-round victory over Marc Vincelli.

On Saturday afternoon, he faced another Gopher, Peter Jones, in the quarterfinals. Jones was one of the three players who tied for first in qualifying with a combined 134 (67-67), but he never made it to the 14th tee against Hanson, who dispatched him 6&5. It was more of the same on Sunday morning in the semis, as Hanson faced another co-medalist, Ben Skogen, who will begin his senior year at Wisconsin in a few weeks. Hanson won that one 5&4.

In the final, however, Leaf got off to a fast start. He birdied the 511-yard, par-5 first hole, and Hanson overshot the the green, then lipped out his putt for birdie. Hanson overcooked his second shot at the par-4 second, made a bogey, and Leaf was 2 up. 

Hanson nearly drove the green at the 282-yard, par-4 sixth and chipped close for a conceded birdie, and by the time he and Leaf got to the 10th tee, the match was all square. Leaf took his last lead when he birdied No 10. 

At the 487-yard, par-5 12th, Hanson was on the green in two and made a 35-foot putt for eagle to square the match once again. He went 1 up with a par at the 14th (157 yards, par 3). Both finalists hit their tee shots into the trees at the 15th (357, par 4), and only Hanson was able to scramble for a par, which put him 2 up. That was how it ended, after the 16th and 17th holes were halved with pars. 


Pine to Palm Golf Tournament

At Detroit Country Club

Detroit Lakes

Semifinals (Sunday morning)

(48) William Leaf, Winona, def. (5) Will Czeh, Roseau, 19 holes

(7) Beau Hanson, Frazee, def. Ben Skogen, Onalaska, 5&4

Final (Sunday afternoon) 

Hanson def. Leaf 2&1


Previous results

Saturday's matches

Round of 16

(48) William Leaf, Winona, def. (1) Charlie Duensing, Sandy, Utah, 4&2
 
(2) Peter Jones, Owatonna, def. (15) Connor Holland, West Fargo, 3&1

(3) Ben Skogen, Onalaska, def. (19) Nick Myhre, Rolette, N.D., 1 up

(13) Bill Carlson, Fargo, def. (29) Cade Montplaisir, Mesa, Ariz., 1 up

(5) Will Czeh, Roseau, def. (44) Lincoln Cizek, Shakopee, 19 holes

(38) Tanner Lane, Detroit Lakes, def. (43) Jon Miller, Moorhead, 19 holes

(7) Beau Hanson, Frazee, def. Brandon Sletmoen, Dilworth, 2&1 

(8) Riley Johnson, Fargo, def. (9) Jordan Hahn, Spring Grove, Ill., 19 holes 

Quarterfinals

Leaf def. Riley Johnson 2&1

Czeh def. Carlson 2&1

Hanson def. Jones 6&5

Skogen def. Lane 3&2


First-round matches (Thursday)

(1) Charlie Duensing, Sandy, Utah, def. (64) Tanner Kretchman, Fargo,  5&4

(2) Peter Jones, Owatonna, def. (63) Caleb Ketterling, Napoleon, N.D.,  2&1

(3) Ben Skogen, Onalaska, Wis., def. (62) Joey Wagner, Dickinson, N.D., 6&5

(4) Dan Johnson, Elk River, def. (61) Cole Johnson, Fargo, 3&2

(5) Will Czeh, Roseau, def. (60) Mason Fiddle, White Bear Lake, 3&1

(6) Justin Doeden, Lakeville, def. (59) Austen Strom, Fargo, 4&3

(7) Beau Hanson, Frazee, def (58) Tim Sanford, Elk River, 4&3

(8) Riley Johnson, Fargo, def. (57) Austen Rene, Jamestown, N.D., 5&3

(9) Jordan Hahn, Spriing Grove, Ill., def. (56) Alex Koopmeiners, St. Cloud, 5&4

(10) Brandon Sletmoen, Dilworth, def. (55) Cory Papachek, Fargo, 2&1

(11) Chris Swenson, Fergus Falls, def. Aaron Smith, Mahnomen, 5&4

(53) Matthew Sieg, Osseo, Wis., def. (12) Pat Dietz, Moorhead, 1 up

(13) Bill Carlson, Fargo, def. (52) Lucas Johnson, Moorhead, 6&5

(14) Matt Rachey, Waconia, def. (51) Alex Gabriel, Princeton, 2&1

(15) Connor Holland, West Fargo, def. (50) Eric Harris, Rushford, 4&2

(16) Michael Abrahamson,Chicago, def. (49) Justin Nelson, Wahpeton, 4&3

(48) William Leaf, Winona, def. (17) Thomas Longbella, Chippewa Falls, Wis., 1 up

(18) Nick Olsgaard, Moorhead, def. (47) Tanner Schnathorst, Detroit Lakes, 1 up

(19) Nick Myhre, Rolette, N.D., def. (46) Andrew Passanante, Moorhead, 4&3 

(20) Grady Meyer, Fargo, def. (45) Kyle Jandro, Fargo, 6&5

(44) Lincoln Cizek, Shalopee, def. (21) Blake Kahlbaugh, Mahnomen, 19 holes 

(43) Jon Miller, Moorhead, def. (22) Bryant Buckellew, Tempe, Ariz., 5&4

(42) Hunter Thorsen, Moorhead, def. (23) Jacob Dehne, Bismarck, 3&2

(41) Greg Melhus, West Fargo, def. (24) Thomas Strandemo, Fargo, 5&3

(25) Michael Kosiek, Minnetonka, def. (40) Andrew Israelson, Staples, 19 holes

(39) Marc Vincelli, Denver, def. (26) Tyler Schlotfeldt, Moorhead, 3&2

(38) Tanner Lane, Detroit Lakes, def. (27) Rick Kuhn, Mandan, N.D., 2&1

(28) Colton Murphy, Mandan, N.D., def. (37) Jon Rubis, West Fargo, 3&1

(29) Cade Montplaisir, Mesa, Ariz., def. (36) Jordie Siverson, Moorhead, 1 up

(33) Gus Minkin, York, Pa., def. (30) Erik Weiss, Moorhead, 5&3

(31) Ben Mallow, Pelican Rapids,  def. (34) Jackson Foth, Lenexa, Kansas, 2&1

(33) Chris James, Walker, def. (32) Lukas Davison, Sioux Falls, 2&1 


Second-round matches (Friday) 

(1) Duensing def. (33) James 6&5

(2) Jones def. (31) Mallow 1 up

(3) Skogen def. (35) Minkin 1 up

(29) Montplaisir def. (4) Dan Johnson 2&1

(5) Czeh def. (28) Murphy 4&2

(38) Lane def. (6) Doeden 1 up

(7) Hanson def. (39) Vincelli 1 up

(8) Riley Johnson def. (25) Kosiek 3&2

(9) Hahn def. (41) Melhus 7&6

(10) Sletmoen def. (42) Thorsen 1 up

(43) Miller def. (11) Swenson 3&2

(44) Cizek def. (53) Sieg 3&1

(13) Carlson def. (20) Meyer 3&2

(19) Myhre def. (14) Rachey 3&2

(15) Connor Holland def. (18) Olsgaard 2 up

(48) Leaf def. (16) Abrahamson 5&4 


Qualifying results (Tuesday and Wednesday) 

T1. Charlie Duensing    68-66--134

T1. Peter Jones            67-67--134

T1. Ben Skogen           65-69--134

T4. Dan Johnson         70-65--135

T4. Will Czeh             67-68--135

6. Justin Doeden          67-69--136

T7. Jordan Hahn          68-70--138

T7. Beau Hanson        71-67--138

T7. Riley Johnson        69-69--138

T7. Brandon Sletmoen 71-67--138

T11. Chris Swenson     72-67--139

T11. Pat Deitz               72-67--139

T11. Bill Carlson           69-70--139

T11. Matt Rachey         69-79--139

T11. Connor Holland    71-68--139