Johnson Earns $20,000 with Victory in Sioux Falls; Bell Is 2nd

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Neil Johnson made four birdies and an eagle in the first 10 holes of the final round at the Pro-Am Jam last week. He ended up shooting a 6-under-par 66 at the Country Club of Sioux Falls, which enabled him to come from three strokes behind and earn a two-stroke victory. 

His 54-hole total was 201. 

Robert Bell, a former Minnesota state high school champion and University of Minnesota golfer from Pierz, tied for second, along with Jeff Swegle of Cumming, Iowa.  Bell shot a final-round 71 to finish at 203. Swegle closed with a 66.

This is the fourth time that Johnson, a former Gustavus Adolphus All-American from River Falls, Wis., has won a multi-round event on the Dakotas Tour. The victory was worth $20,000 and moved Johnson up from No. 22 on the money list to No. 3. He's made $27,173 in seven tournaments this summer. 

Bell started the final round with a three-stroke lead. But Johnson began cutting the deficit at the second hole, a 384-yard, par-4, where he made a 20-foot putt for a birdie. He made another birdie at the par-5 fourth (555 yards), then drove the green at the 301-yard, par-4 fifth and made a 25-foot putt for eagle. Johnson added a birdie at the ninth (322 yards, par 4), which gave him a 5-under 31 on the front nine -- and a two-shot lead.

It didn't take him long to get to 6 under. He did that with a birdie at the 386-yard, par-4 10th. 

Bell moved up from No. 21 to No. 9 on the money list with the $9,500 that he received for his share of second place.  

DAKOTAS TOUR

Pro-Am Jam

Aug. 9-11

At Country Club of Sioux Falls

Par 72, 7,028 yards

Sioux Falls, S.D.

1. Neil Johnson, River Falls                      $20,000     69-66-66--201

T2. Robert Bell, Pierz                                  $9,500      65-67-71--203

T2. Jeff Swegle, Cumming, Iowa                 $9,500        67-70-66--203

T4. Steven Kupcho, Westminster, Colo.      $5,250        73-67-64--204

T4. Chris Gilman, Yorba Linda, Calif.          $5,250        69-73-65--204

T7. Andre Metzger, Sioux Falls                 $3,100       72-66-68--206

T9. Doug Quinones, Sioux Falls               $2,566       73-67-68--208

T18. Rodney Hamblin, St. Paul                 $1,700       73-68-71--212