Israelson, Johnson Advance in DL; Simonich Upsets Kulla

DETROIT LAKES -- The first round of matches at the Pine to Palm had pretty much the same theme as the Holiday Inn commercial that ran on TV a lot several years ago -- No surprises. At least no major ones. 

Only one of the top 10 seeds lost. That was No. 8 Matt Kulla, who qualified with a 36-hole total of 140 at Detroit Country Club (par 71). He lost to No. 57 Ian Simonich, who shot a 4-under-par 67 in Tuesday's first round but followed it with an 81 on Wednesday, and made it into match play with only one shot to spare, at 148. On Thursday, Simonich was back in form, evidently, as he dispatched Kulla 4&2.

The medalist and No. 1 seed, Andrew Israelson, played his way into the Round of 32 with a 4&2 victory over Michael Kosiek. Israelson, who will be a senior at North Dakota State this fall, won the MGA Players (State Match Play) Championship in June, and he nearly won the State Amateur at Somerby three weeks ago, finishing in a second-place tie with Van Holmgren, at 210, one behind the winner, Clay Kucera. 

Israelson also finished second two weeks ago in qualifying at Bemidji Town & Country Club in the Birchmont Tournament, the first of Minnesota's three Resort Circuit events. A two-time Birchmont champion, Israelson lost in the semifinals there this year. He is currently second in the race for MGA Player of the Year with 416.25 points, trailing only Holmgren (462.5).

The No. 2 seed is Israelson's teammate Lucas Johnson, a sophomore-to-be at NDSU. He defeated Max Karnik 5&4, which equaled the most one-sided victory of the day. 

No. 3 Erik Weiss had to work considerably harder. He needed extra holes to beat No. 62 Logan Palmer. 

Will Czeh, who was the medalist last year with a record score of 128 (65-63), is the No. 7 seed this year, and he, too, had to go extra holes to win his match, against John Fischer. The one other top-10 seed who was forced into extra holes was No. 10 Nate Adams. He beat No. 55 Logan Hamak in extras.

Chris Swenson, the 2017 Pine to Palm champ -- and winner of the 2019 Birchmont -- was the No. 29 seed. But he's gone having lost, 3&2 to Marc Vincelli. 


The Pine to Palm

at Detroit Country Club 

Detroit Lakes 

Championship Flight 

Round of 64

Andrew Israelson (1) def. Michael Kosiek (64) 4&2

Mason Kennedy (33) def. Ben Unruh (32) 1 up in extra holes

Tanner Schnathorst (16) def. Dieter Zuehlke 1 up in extra holes

Blake Kahlbaugh (17) def. Caleb Ketterling (48) 1 up

Ian Simonich (57) def. Matt Kulla (8) 4&2

Jack Michel (40) def. Jacob Skarperud (25) 3&2

Ryan Ames (9) def. Nathaniel Kahlbaugh (56) 4&3

Isaac Cihak (24) def. Joe Schornack (41) 4&3

Cody Cook (4) def. Blaze Ackerland (61) 5&3

Marc Vincelli (36) def. Chris Swenson (29) 3&2

Nathan Ginnaty (13) def. Matt Bekkerus (52) 3&2

Adam Van Raden (20) def. Bob Bye (45) 1 up extra holes

Bill Carlson (5) def. Andrew Johnson (60) 2&1

Greg Melhus (28) def. Coy Papachek (37) 3&2

Joe Christianson (12) def. Jordie Siverson (53) 4&3

Austin Rene (21) def. Layton Bartley (44) 1 up

Lucas Johnson (2) def. Max Karnik (63) 5&4

Pat Deitz (34) def. Andrew Passanante (31) 1 up in extra holes 

Todd Hillier (50) def. Nate Varty (15) 2&1

Jack Olson (18) Nolan Frank (47) 3&1

Will Czeh (7) def. John Fischer (58) 1 up in extra holes

Patrick Traynor (26) def. Matt Koster (39) 5&4

Nate Adams (10) def. Logan Hamak (55) 1 up in extra holes

Tanner Lane (42) def. Dylan Naylor (23) 2 up

Erik Weiss (3) def. Logan Palmer (62)  1 up in extra holes

Alex Skarperud (30) def. Sawyer Jaeger (35) 1 up

Ben Bergquist (51) def. Nick Evin (14) 1 up

Keaton Lausch (19) def. Cameron Rall (46) 5&4

Ruck Kuhn (6) def. Wyatt Blomseth (59) 3&1

Justin Redding (27) def. Ryan Steinert (38) 1 up

Cade Montplaisir (11) def. Gus Leivermann (54) 5&4

Bryant Buckellew (22) def. Brandon McGarry (43) 3&2