McCain and Carpenter Shoot Final-Round 65 to Win 54th MGA Four-Ball Championship at Dellwood

By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


  DELLWOOD, Minn. – Andrew McCain’s 10-foot birdie on the 36th hole Thursday proved to be the difference as McCain and partner Hudson Carpenter fired a final round 65 to hold off defending champions Jesse Polk and Sammy Schmitz to win the 54th Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Dellwood Country Club.

McCain and Carpenter opened the championship with a 5-under par 67 Wednesday, but with the help of six consecutive birdies mid-round Thursday, the two carded a 7-under par 65 to edge Polk and Schmitz by one stroke at 12-under par 132.

Schmitz holed his approach at the par-5 eighth hole from 80 yards to pull within one shot of McCain and Carpenter, but Schmitz’s birdie chance on the final hole to force a playoff slid right of the cup as Polk and Schmitz finished in second at 11-under 133.

“We knew what the teams behind us were capable of shooting, but I kind of put it in our heads that 12-under was the number. Even though we posted that, we didn’t feel safe getting in because we knew [Polk and Schmitz] had a couple of putts at it on the last hole,” Carpenter said following the round Thursday.

“Our front nine was kind of slow for both of us and we didn’t really have anything going,” McCain said. “[Carpenter] made two good birdies on [Nos. 17 and 18] and then we had good looks on every hole.”

Beginning the final round on the back nine Thursday, McCain and Carpenter rolled in birdie at the 13th to move to 6-under for the championship before dropping back-to-back birdie chances at the 17th and 18th holes to make the turn at 8-under, one shot off the lead.

The two carried a hot streak to the final nine holes, making birdie on the first four holes of the back nine to jump into the lead at 12-under par. McCain and Carpenter carded their second bogey of the tournament at the par-4 6th to slip back to 11-under before McCain rolled in his uphill birdie look on the final hole.

“I think finding out that we were close to lead at the turn helped a lot," McCain said. "I asked what was going on and wanted to know where we stood. Looking down the first hole with the pin back-right is definitely one you can get at and then kind of stole one on [Nos. 2 and 3]. Making four in a row and six as a team really gets any round going."

The victory Thursday caps off a remarkable season for both McCain and Carpenter as McCain adds another title to his credit this year, winning the Minnesota State Open in July at Mendakota Country Club, throwing his name in the MGA Player of the Year discussion.

“I think with the way the points stack up I have a small lead but [Schmitz and Trent Peterson] should have it locked up with a couple more events. It’s kind of a bummer, looking back I wish I would’ve made a few more putts at the [State Amateur] or something, but it has been a great year for me and it’s been fun to win some stuff, especially here at Dellwood,” McCain said.

“I didn’t play my best golf early in the summer and had some inconsistencies and mediocre finishes. Playing great at the [State Open] was a good confidence boost and coming in to this I could relax because I knew I had a good partner,” he said. “We had a great week and it’s been a good summer and it’s nice to end with a win.”

McCain won qualified for the MGA Players’ Championship in June before finishing tied for 30th at the MGA Amateur Championship at Northland Country Club last month.

Carpenter picks up his first victory of the season after competing at the U.S. Amateur Championship a week ago at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill.

“It’s been a good season,” he said. “I’ve struggled with consistency in my swing a little bit but I think it’s getting better. The [U.S. Amateur] was a great experience and I had a good first round but didn’t finish the way I would’ve liked. Just being there and playing with the best in the world gives you confidence, especially being in 18th place after the first round.

“I left there knowing I can compete with those guys and took a few days off but hit the range pretty hard. I still wasn’t completely confident in my swing and the first three or four holes yesterday were questionable but I hung in there and hit some good shots. I think I have three or four more events on the schedule, so I’m looking forward to those,” he said.

Polk, Somerby Golf Club, and Schmitz, Valleywood Golf Course, carded a 7-under par 65 during Wednesday’s first round and played in the final group with 18-hole leaders Jake and Matt Witham.

After putting his approach to five feet at the par-4 11th hole, Polk rolled in his birdie opportunity as he and Schmitz moved to 8-under and into a share of the lead.

With Polk out of the hole at the par-5 14th, Schmitz chipped to within three feet and rolled his short birdie putt to move to 9-under.

A three-putt for Polk and a missed four-foot par putt for Schmitz led to a bogey at the 15th, but the two would rebound with an eagle at the par-5 17th after Polk drained his 30-foot putt to move the defending champions into lead.

“The eagle on 17, I thought, was going to be our ‘let’s go moment,’ then unfortunately we had to play 18 and we both went out of bounds,” Polk said.

Both Schmitz and Polk would find trouble off the tee at the 18th leading to a double-bogey to fall back to 8-under for the championship.

“The thought was [5-under on the back nine] and to get something going right away,” Schmitz said.

Polk answered by chipping in for birdie on the first hole and the two moved back to 9-under, where they would remain until the eighth hole.

Schmitz’s 80-yard approach from the right side of the eighth fairway bounced just inches from the cup and dropped in for eagle to boost the two to within one shot of the lead.

“I hit the ball through the fairway and then a punch 5-iron through a gap in a tree and somehow went in the fairway instead of out of bounds or in the water. I knew I had to do something because I figured we were three or four back, but I wasn’t expecting to jar it from the fairway,” Schmitz said of his eagle at the eighth.

Schmitz pulled his approach on the ninth hole left of the flag, leaving himself a 20-foot sweeping putt to force a playoff. After Polk’s chip for birdie missed, Schmitz was unable to roll in his birdie and tapped in for par to finish in second place, one shot back at 133.

“I thought if we matched what we did yesterday we would’ve been just fine,” Schmitz said following the final round Thursday. “We got off to a good start and birdied [No. 11], which is a great birdie.”

“Now we’re going to get the [USGA Four-Ball Championship], that’s our goal. Maybe it’s bad karma to win this and not [qualify] for that, but that’s what we take from it,” Polk said.

Highlighted by a hole-in-one at the 201-yard seventh hole using a 7-iron, Jesse Bull and partner Jay Kautt fired a 4-under par 68 during the final round Thursday to finish in third place at 135, three shots back.