Peterson Wins For Second Time in a Week, Comes From Behind to Win Twin Cities Championship

By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


  MAPLEWOOD, Minn. – A good week for Trent Peterson got even better Sunday as the 2014 Minnesota Golf Association Player of the Year carded a final-round 69 at Keller Golf Club to win the 25th Twin Cities Championship.

Peterson, who won the MGA Players’ Championship for a second time Wednesday at Madden’s Resort, opened up the championship with a 74 Saturday at Bunker Hills Golf Club before rolling in three birdies over the final nine holes Sunday to finish at 1-under par 143, edging Sam Foust by one stroke.

“It was a great week—I’m 2-for-2,” Peterson said following his victory Sunday. “My game is good right now, it’s consistent and I know where the ball is going. I putted great earlier in the week and these greens today are different so it was a little more challenging, but I’m really happy with how I’m playing.”

The Twin Cities Championship is one of the only tournaments Peterson hasn’t collected hardware from during his career as his previous best was a tie for second place in 2013 along with a third-place finish in 2007.

Peterson began the final round three shots off the lead and with a three-putt for bogey at the par-4 second hole would fall back to 3-over for the championship. He responded by rolling his birdie opportunity on the ensuing hole and would make the turn at even par for the round.

Starting quickly on the back nine, Peterson converted birdie at the par-5 10th and again at the par-5 12th to move to back to even par for the championship. Rolling his approach 10 feet left of the pin on the final hole, Peterson dropped his birdie putt and gave a fist pump as he clinched the championship by a one-stroke margin.

“I hit the driver pretty well today,” Peterson said Sunday, “I tried to keep the ball low and keep it in play between the trees because it’s pretty tight out there. Getting near the greens I was lagging and trying to keep it close because the greens were a slower and a little bumpy, so I didn’t want to stress over some longer par putts.

“I tried to take advantage of the par-5’s, I think that’s what did it for me.”

Foust carded two birdies with two bogeys during the opening round Saturday at Bunker Hills and began Sunday’s final round at Keller Golf Club just one shot off the lead.

Bogeys at the fourth and sixth holes put Sunday Foust at 2-over for the championship heading to the final nine holes. He would take advantage of the three par-5’s on the back nine, making birdie on all three, but a bogey at the par-4 11th proved costly as Foust finished the championship at even par 144.

“I got off to a bad start yesterday and came back a little bit,” Foust said Sunday. “I hit the ball well but I just didn’t putt well. Today I tried to do the same thing and make a few more putts but played about the same. I kept it in play; hit the green and two-putted most holes. I hit the ball well but I was pretty cold with the putter the whole round. I missed a lot but made a good 8-footer for par on the last hole.

“[Peterson] is a great player and obviously he had a good round out here with this wind, but I know I got some things to work on to be better for the next tournament.”

Foust finished his freshman season at the University of Oregon this spring with the first national championship in school history. He played in four events during the 2015-16 season and saw his first collegiate action as an individual at the Husky Invitational where he finished tied for 27th.

“I had a good year out there and really enjoyed it,” Foust said of his freshman season. “It was a good experience and with the national championship, I couldn’t have asked for a better year. We had a lot of hometown fans and it was really cool to be a part of.

“Next year we should be pretty good again, we lost our best player [NCAA individual champion and Ping All-American Aaron Wise] but we’ve got a few good players coming in and some really good players that didn’t play a lot last year so we should still have a really solid team.”

Peterson will team up with Olivia Herrick Tuesday as the 26th MGA Mixed Team Championship gets underway at Valleywood Golf Course.



25TH TWIN CITIES CHAMPIONSHIP
BUNKER HILLS GOLF CLUB
COON RAPIDS, MINN.
EAST/WEST COURSE
6,971 YARDS, PAR 72

KELLER GOLF CLUB
MAPLEWOOD, MINN.
6,675 YARDS, PAR 72


FINAL RESULTS
1. Trent Peterson, 74-69—143
2. Sam Foust, 72-72—144
T3. Devon Johnson, 77-70—147
T3. Justin Doeden, 74-73—147
T3. Brady Hanson, 74-73—147
T3. Maxwell Tylke, 73-74—147
T3. Alex Case, 73-74—147
8. Noah Lawson, 76-72—148
T9. Jack Barnhart, 76-74—150
T9. Matt Witham, 71-79—150


For complete tournament results go to: www.ghintpp.com/mngolf/TPPOnlineScoring/ResultsStroke.aspx?id=1398