Whittaker Looking to Become Oldest Players' Champ, Heads to Semis With Israelson, Peterson and Reddig

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  BECKER, Minn. – At the Minnesota Senior Open at The Jewel Golf Club earlier this month, Steve Whittaker birdied his final two holes to finish in a tie atop the leaderboard with perennial Minnesota golf powerhouse Don Berry. The two battled for five playoff holes before Whittaker faltered on the sixth playoff hole to finish second.
 
At 66-years-old, and after a myriad of health issues over the past decade, Whittaker picked up a pair of victories on his home course at Pebble Creek Golf Club Tuesday, and is two more wins away from claiming his first Minnesota Golf Association Players’ Championship. He would be the oldest player to win in the 41-year history of the championship.
 
“I’ve been very fortunate that I’ve putted very well. I’ve hit some poor shots, but I’ve been able to scramble. I’ve had a tremendous amount of fun watching these kids play,” said Whittaker, who was 46 years older than his first opponent of the week, the defending MGA State Amateur champion, Van Holmgren. “The oldest guy I played was 30. I just have to play the course, and if I do that, I’m still capable of shooting par.”
 
Familiar with this week’s venue for more than 30 years, Whittaker said his home-course knowledge has been instrumental in his success this week at Pebble Creek.
 
“It’s made a huge difference. The greens are rolling beautifully and there’s a lot of subtle breaks,” Whittaker said. “Not saying some of the kids can’t see them, but having the same putts, I was able to see those breaks a little better. Just about everybody I played is missing the edge of the cup if they miss. I thought it was a huge advantage for me.”
 
Despite more back procedures during the offseason and multiple heart scares while on vacation in St. Louis this winter, Whittaker has come back, as he’s done season after season, to play at an astonishingly high level.
 
“It has really changed by outlook,” Whittaker said of his health challenges in recent years. “I would be perfectly comfortable if any of those guys beat me and I’d be happy for them. It’s just icing on the cake that I’ve been able to play well enough to stick with these kids.”
 
After carding bogey on his eighth hole early Tuesday, Whittaker fell behind Nick Jarrett during their Round of 16 match, but a patient and methodical Whittaker carded 10 consecutive pars to outlast Jarrett and claim victory, 1-up, to advance to the quarterfinals against Jack Ebner.
 
Sinking a pair of early birdies, Whittaker took a quick 2-up lead and never looked back, increasing his lead with a birdie at the par-5 14^th to go 3-up before closing out the match with Ebner at the 16^th with a par to win, 4 and 2.
 
Whittaker will have his hands full again when he faces another North Dakota State University golfer Andrew Israelson during the semifinals early Wednesday.
 
Israelson, who advanced from the first stage of qualifying for the U.S. Open last month at StoneRidge Golf Club, had little trouble on the first day of competition, beating Brennan Hockman, 5 and 4, before getting past Jim Foss, 4 and 3, to advance.
 
During his match against one of the state’s top prep golfers in Caleb VanArragon, Israelson holed four birdies over his first six holes early Tuesday to take a 2-up lead to the back nine. Playing steady at even par through his final nine holes, Israelson closed out the match at the 15^th, 4 and 3.
 
Israelson jumped out to an early lead over Hunter Rebrovich during the quarterfinal round, carrying a 2-up lead to the 15^th where he won with par before closing out the match with a birdie at 16 to win, 4 and 2.
 
“I’ve played good enough to win all my matches,” Israelson said after advancing to the semifinals Tuesday. “I played really good this morning. The other matches I’ve been scrambling really well, but I’ve been driving it really poorly. As open as it is out here, it’s tough to miss the fairways by as much as I have. Doing enough to survive.
 
“I always like to get up before I get to the back nine. If I’ve got more than a 1-up lead going to the back nine I feel like it’s locked in, but it’s nice to get a little cushion. Not to throw it in cruise control, but throw it to the middle of the green, take par and have a chance to win the hole. If I need to go at a pin, I can go at it.”
 
Sinking his birdie from 12 feet on the final hole of his quarterfinal match against Brett Buckingham, two-time MGA Players’ champion Trent Peterson earned a 1-up victory to advance to the semifinal round.
 
Peterson, who claimed his second MGA Mid-Players’ Championship in three seasons last week at Crow River Golf Club, defeated Jonathan Hanner by the same margin early Tuesday. Peterson will now face Florida State University golfer Parker Reddig early Wednesday.
 
Reddig cruised during his opening-round match against Topher Baron, 5 and 4, before getting past Daryl Schomer, 4 and 3, to advance to the quarterfinals. Reddig fell down early to Max Tylke during his match early Tuesday, but pulled out a victory, 2 and 1.
 
Rolling in birdies, and an eagle, early and often to start his semifinal match against Joel Johnson, Reddig played his front nine at 6-under par before winning the 11^th and 12^th holes to win by the largest margin of the championship, 8 and 6.
 
The 41^st MGA Players’ Championship continues Wednesday when the semifinal matches begin at 7:30 a.m. at Pebble Creek Golf Club.