Stewart and Tylke Shoot 68 on Final Day to Win MGA Mixed Amateur Team Championship

June 27, 2017 | 3 min.


By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org


  CHASKA, Minn. – Building on a record-tying performance to begin the 27th Minnesota Golf Association Mixed Amateur Team Championship, Alexandra Stewart and Max Tylke fired a 4-under par 68 during the final round Tuesday to cruise to a six-stroke victory at Chaska Town Course.

Entering the final 18 holes with a four-shot margin after a 12-under par 60 during the opening round Monday, Stewart and Tylke rolled in four birdies on the opening nine Tuesday to pull away from the field before playing the final nine at even par to finish at 128, giving Stewart her first state victory and Tylke his second.

“This is really nice, it’s a big confidence booster,” Stewart said after the victory Tuesday. “It’s still sinking in.

“It’s awesome to get past [one victory],” Tylke said. “I had never heard of the mixed team before—didn’t know it was an event, but I’m happy we signed up, that’s for sure. It was a lot of fun.”

The tournament shifted from a four-ball stroke play format during the first round Monday to a modified Chapman alternate shot format during the final round, which didn’t seem to faze Stewart and Tylke who carded back-to-back birdies at the second and third holes to get to 14-under for the championship.

“We were trying to figure out this game, we’ve never played anything like it before,” Stewart said of the alternate shot format Tuesday. “Trying to get our tee shots in play so both of us can have an opportunity to go for the green and figure out who’s better off from there.”

“It was tough. I can’t tell you it’s a lot easier to hit a bad shot for yourself than it is for someone else,” Tylke added. “It’s a lot harder to commit to something when you’re thinking where the other person might end up.”

Converting a pair of birdies at the seventh and eighth holes, Stewart and Tylke expanded their lead to six before carding their first bogey of the championship at the par-4 11th when Stewart’s putt from six feet hit the lip and refused to fall.

Stewart and Tylke bounced right back with birdies at the 13th and 15th to take a firm hold of the championship before carding an inconsequential bogey at the 17th to finish ahead of the field at 128.

“The front nine was solid and a lot more like yesterday—we were in play, hitting greens and being able to pick the putt you want,” Tylke said. “We made a couple longer ones that you don’t expect to make and it kept things rolling.”

“It got a little rough on the back nine. I think we got a little too defensive—we knew we were doing well for the tournament, but rather than just freeing up our swings and hitting the shots, I was more concerned about where I was leaving Max,” Stewart said.

Originally from California, Stewart played collegiate golf at Purdue University her freshman season before transferring to the University of Colorado her sophomore year, notching one victory at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in 2012.

She moved to Minnesota from Oklahoma this spring and competed in her first event at the 2017 MGA Women’s Amateur Match Play Championship, where she lost to Olivia Herrick during the semifinals, 2-up.

With five top-10 finishes to his credit since 2013, Max Tylke notched his first amateur victory at the 2016 Minnesota Public Golf Association Public Links Championship at Tanners Brook Golf Club.

Last season he claimed three top-5 finishes, placing second at the MPGA Match Play Championship at Southern Hills Golf Course and finished third at the Twin Cities Championship at Keller Golf Club.

The pairing of Samantha Sommers and Bryan Fleegel began Tuesday’s final round four shots back of Stewart and Tylke thanks to an 8-under par 64 on Monday and the two kept pace with the leaders after playing the front nine at 3-under par Tuesday.

As the winds picked up during the afternoon, Sommers and Fleegel struggled to find fairways and greens late, unable to make up ground on the leaders, shooting 2-under par 70 to finish in second place at 134 with defending champions Olivia Herrick and Trent Peterson, who finished with a final-round 66.

 

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