Polk and Schmitz Team Up for Second MPGA Four-Ball Title in Three Years

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  NEW RICHMOND, Wis. – A final-round 3-under par 69 gave the team of Jesse Polk and Sammy Schmitz a one-stroke victory over Dustin Henjy and Jesse Voight Sunday, claiming the 2018 Minnesota Public Golf Association Four-Ball Championship at 9-under par 135 at New Richmond Golf Club.
 
Polk and Schmitz opened the championship Saturday with a round of 6-under par 66 to take the 18-hole lead before carding a bogey-free round for the second consecutive day Sunday.
 
“Jesse’s putting was really good yesterday,” Schmitz said Sunday. “I think he had a string on the front nine where he made five putts in a row over eight feet and then made another big putt on the 34^th hole today. I struggled with my putting and he putted well the whole weekend, so that’s how we got it done. That and he hits it 380 yards.
 
“We didn’t hole a lot of birdie putts—we had 10 to 15 feet and we’d come close, lip it or misread it. When we had those putts for par, though, we made them.”
 
Polk rolled in a 20-footer for birdie at the par-5 sixth to start the scoring Sunday, putting his team at 7-under for the championship before both he and Schmitz had eagle looks at the ninth. The two tapped in for birdie to move to 2-under for the round with nine holes to play.
 
At the par-5 16^th, Polk again charged his team by sinking a 15-foot birdie putt at the 16^th to seal the championship, giving the two their second win at the event in three years and fourth as a team overall.
 
“It’s good to get your first win of the year nice and early to give you a little bit of confidence,” Schmitz said. “Even though we didn’t feel like we scored the best, the fact that nobody beat 9-under tells you that the course was playing pretty tough.”
 
In 2014 the two shot a blistering 12-under par 60 during the first round of the Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Pebble Creek Golf Club before posting a second-round score of 65 to earn a four-stroke victory over Aaron Barber and Andy Jacobson.
 
Polk and Schmitz fired a round of 62 to open the MPGA Four-Ball in 2016 at Emerald Greens en route to a four-stroke victory over the team of J.T. Johnson and Nick Jarrett.
 
Shortly before his appearance at the 2016 Masters, thanks to his victory at the 2015 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, Schmitz teamed up with Polk to win the Mid-Amateur Division of the 2016 International Four-Ball at the Fox Club in Palm City, Fla.
 
Henjy and Voight began Sunday’s final round two shots off the lead following a round of 68 to open the tournament Saturday. Carding a birdie on the opening hole Sunday, Henjy and Voight found their footing on the back nine, making birdie at the 11^th and 13^th holes, but could muster only one more birdie over the final five holes to fall one stroke short, posting a second straight round of 68.
 
The team of Jordan Hawkinson and Will Hickey posted a two-day total of 6-under par 134 Sunday to finish in a tie for third with the pairing of Jamie Quesnel and Max Tylke.
 
 
 
2018 MPGA FOUR-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP
NEW RICHMOND GOLF CLUB
NEW RICHMOND, WIS.
6,726 YARDS, PAR 72
 
 
FINAL RESULTS
1. Jesse Polk/Sammy Schmitz, 66-69—135
2. Dustin Henjy/Jesse Voight, 68-68—136
T3. Jordan Hawkinson/Will Hickey, 70-68—138
T3. Jamie Quesnel/Max Tylke, 69-69—138
T3. Jack Holmgren/Will Holmgren, 68-70—138
T6. Tony Brown/Ben Strauman, 69-70—139
T6. Ben Egart/Joel B. Johnson, 68-71—139
8. Jake Witham/Matt Witham, 69-71—140
T9. Danny Anderson/Andy Jacobson, 71-70—141
T9. Adam Arola/Pete Collins, 69-72—141
 
 
For complete tournament results go to:  www.golfgenius.com/pages/3966001065165346972