Snyder, Sorenson and Berry Among Top Seeds Moving on at MN PGA Match Play at Windsong

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  INDEPENDENCE, Minn. – With a combined 11 Minnesota PGA Match Play Championship trophies between the three of them, top seeds Brent Snyder, Jeff Sorenson and Don Berry were among those advancing during Tuesday’s Round of 32 at Windsong Farm.
 
Earning a first-round bye as the defending champion, Snyder was among the first to advance during Tuesday’s afternoon round, defeating Jeff Drimel, 4 and 3.
 
The always steady Snyder missed just one fairway during the second round, while hitting every green in regulation. His only highlight came on the opening hole where he sank his 12-footer for birdie to take the early lead and would never look back.
 
“It was a good day—[Jeff Drimel] played well and I really only made one putt. A birdie at the first and then made 14 pars,” Snyder said after advancing Tuesday. “The course is unbelievable, but it was kind of odd because I was tentative with my putting and lag-putting from eight or ten feet, basically.
 
“My record with match play has been pretty solid hitting fairways and greens and the trick is not giving any holes away. Today I was able to do that.”
 
Coming off an eight-win season in 2017 and collecting more than $22,000 in earnings, Snyder is in search of his fourth match play title and become the first player with consecutive wins at the event since Berry won four straight from 2001-04.
 
Facing Derek Stendahl in the championship match a year ago at Midland Hills Country Club, Snyder birdied the opening hole and cruised to a 5 and 4 victory, his first since defeating Berry at Rush Creek in 2013. Snyder won his first match play title in 2010, defeating Sorenson, 2-up, at Dellwood Country Club.
 
Snyder, a teaching professional at Troy Burne Golf Club, will face 2008 champion and last year’s Minnesota PGA Match Play champion Dale Snyder during the Round of 16 Wednesday.
 
Jones, of Mendakota Country Club, earned an opening-round bye as the tournament’s No. 17 seed and would defeat Chris Borgen, 4 and 3, to advance.   
 
Sorenson, from The Minikahda Club, has three titles to his credit, winning his most recent in 2016 when he defeated Berry, 3 and 2, at Burl Oaks Golf Club. He downed Ben Meyers in 2011 at Wayzata Country Club after picking up his first win at the event in 2006.
 
As the No. 2 seed, Sorenson faced Brian Pabst during the Round of 32 and earned a 3 and 1 victory and will face off against Jeff Running in the Round of 16 Wednesday.
 
Berry, who holds the second most victories at the event with five, entered Tuesday’s championship seeded third and edged Kyle Thul, 1-up, to move on to face Brady Swedberg early Wednesday.
 
Berry won his first championship in 1996 before stringing together four consecutive victories beginning in 2001. More recently, Berry had an unfortunate string of luck at the tournament as he finished runner-up seven times dating back to 2007. He lost the final match five consecutive seasons from 2012-16.
 
Eric Rolland was among the other top-seeded players to advance Tuesday, defeating Brad Schmierer, 3 and 2. Rolland faces Brian Seiwert during Wednesday’s Round of 16.  
 
Runner-up a season ago, Stendahl enters the championship seeded seventh, earning a first-round bye and an easy victory by forfeit during the Round of 32 Wednesday. He’ll tee off for the first time this week Wednesday facing Grant Shafranski.
 
Eddie Wynne and Casey Vangsness were the final two players entering the championship seeded inside the top-10 to come away with a victory Tuesday. Wynne got past George Smith, 4 and 3, while Vangsness cruised to a victory over Greg Jamieson, 6 and 4.
 
Gene Shortridge holds the most victories at the event, hoisting the trophy eight times in three different decades. He won five titles in the 1970’s, twice more in the ‘80’s and added a final victory in 1993.
 
The Round of 16 of the 2018 Minnesota PGA Match Play Championship gets underway Wednesday at 8 a.m. at Windsong Farm.
 
 
 
2018 MINNESOTA PGA MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
WINDSONG FARM
INDEPENDENCE, MINN.
6,693 YARDS, PAR 71
 
 
TUESDAY’S ROUND OF 32 RESULTS
Brent Snyder, Troy Burne GC, def. Jeff Drimel, PGA of Amer., 4 and 3
Dale Jones, Mendakota CC, def. Chris Borgen, Lost Spur GC, 4 and 3
Casey Vangsness, Minneapolis GC, def. Greg Jamieson, University GC, 6 and 4
Erik Toftner, Hiawatha GC, def. Scott McDonald, Minnewaska GC, 3 and 1
Eric Rolland, Augsburg College, def. Brad Schmierer, Dakota Pines GC, 3 and 2
Brian Seiwert, Burl Oaks GC, def. Andy Smith, Hazeltine Nat’l GC, 3 and 2
Ryan Hanford, Midland Hills CC, def. Jonathan Reigstad, Keller GC, 1-up
Timothy Brovold, Bunker Hills GC, def. Tom Kirkland, Victory Links GC, 5 and 4
Jeff Sorenson, The Minikahda Club, def. Brian Pabst, Eagle Lake GC, 3 and 1
Jeff Running, Wayzata CC, def. Christopher Sauer, Cedar Creek GC, 4 and 2
Derek Stendahl, Rush Creek GC, def. Tim Anderson, Bunker Hills GC, forfeit
Grant Shafranski, Hiawatha GC, def. Philip Anderson, North Oaks CC, 1-up
Don Berry, Edinburgh USA, def. Kyle Thul, Stillwater CC, 1-up
Brady Swedberg, def. Paul Speltz, Brackett’s Crossing CC, 3 and 2
Eddie Wynne, University GC, def. George Smith, Club Champion, 4 and 3
Derek Holmes, Dellwood CC, def. Matthew Morin, Wayzata CC, 3 and 2
 
 
TUESDAY’S FIRST ROUND RESULTS
Jeff Drimel, PGA of Amer., def. Mark Hetland, StoneRidge GC, 3 and 2
Greg Jamieson, University GC, def. Matt Kleinbrook, Windsong Farm, 3 and 2
Erik Toftner, Hiawatha GC, def. James Kidd, Windsong Farm, 2 and 1
Brad Schmierer, Dakota Pines GC, def. Mark Wittig, PGA of Amer., 4 and 2
Ryan Hanford, Midland Hills GC, def. Larry Norland, Greenhaven GC, 2 and 1
Tom Kirkland, Victory Links GC, def. Connor Tanberg, Windsong Farm, 7 and 6
Brian Pabst, Eagle Lake GC, def. Tim Vernon, Yamaha Golf Cars, 20 holes
Tim Anderson, Bunker Hills GC, def. Grant Hanson, Geneva GC, 2 and 1
Philip Anderson, North Oaks CC, def. Gary Westman, Pebble Creek GC, forfeit
Kyle Thul, Stillwater CC, def. Jon Vee, Faribault GC, 3 and 2
George Smith, Club Champion, def. Clayton Johnson, Dellwood CC, 4 and 2
Matthew Morin, Wayzata CC, def. Tim Johnson, Cragun’s Legacy Courses, 3 and 2