82ND PINE TO PALM
Sp tlight VOL. 68 NO. 4
DETROIT LAKES, MINNESOTA • SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 2014
Matt Rachey
VS. Thomas Strandemo
...and then there were four Mark Robinson
VS. Ben Welle
Many Wedgez To GUNdERSON REAl ESTATE CO. . HANGUN PROPERTIES, INC • FOR RENT • Chooze FrRezpom onzibly. Pleaze. Eat
• Pizza & Mexican Food • Lunch, Dinner & Late Night • Outdoor Eating • Entertainment • Open Until 2 a.m.
Mark Theze Locationz Nearby Detroit Lakez • Pelican Lake Perham • Ottertail Lake
z.com zorba
— A Real Estate Investment Company —
Properties located in Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Arizona WANTED: Apartment Buildings, Triple Net Commercial, Office Buildings
for Fall of 2014
Lake MeLissa Cottage
North Shore near Detroit Country Club
714 Lake Avenue • Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 218.847.1028 • www.gundersonrealestateco.com
2
Sunday, August 17, 2014 SPONSORED BY ZORBAZ & GUNDERSON REAL ESTATE COMPANY
In a steady rain Ben Welle (left) watches his tee shot on the par five 12th hole Saturday afternoon. Welle defeated Coy Papachek to advance to Sunday’s semifinal match play. Mark Robinson (right) watches his tee shot on the par four 13th hole during his Saturday match against Greg Melhus.
The Four is now set
Strandemo, Welle, Robinson and Rachey stay alive BY BRIAN WIERIMA
brianw@dlnewspapers.com
The name Strandemo is synonymous with success at the Pine to Palm Golf Tournament, with Jim Strandemo being a three-time champion, one of only four players to do so. The last title Strandemo won was in 1989, but he has been a mainstay in the Pine to Palm over the course of the last two decades. But now there is another Strandemo back in championship contention, with Thomas playing to the Pine to Palm final four with two wins Saturday at the Detroit Country Club. “Jim is my dad’s (Guy) cousin, but I still call him Uncle Jim, because he’s like an uncle to me,” Thomas Strandemo said. “My dad also has had a lot of history in the tournament and both played pretty well here. “There is a sense of pride I carry with me when I play here.” But now Thomas Strandemo can potentially add his name to the history of the Pine to Palm by winning two more matches and adding his name next to Jim’s on the championship board. Strandemo, who plays for the University of Louisiana – Lafayette men’s golf team and played at Shanley, won handily over Jake Wherley 5 and 4 in the Saturday morning round, while staving off Michael Kosiek 3 and 2 in the quarterfinals. Strandemo had two fast starts to key victories, the first by taking a 4-up lead through seven holes against Wherley. “He opened the door early and I took advantage of it,” Strandemo said. “In the afternoon, (Kosiek) was an outstanding putter and that got me a bit rattled at first, but I got used to it. My caddy,
Matt Rachey of Waconia, Minn., watches his drive on the 12th hole Saturday afternoon during the Pine to Palm Golf Tournament in Detroit Lakes, Minn. Rachey beat Jacob Montplaisir 4 and 3 to advance to Sunday morning match play. Cameron Hager, and I always want to be three under for every nine holes. “He told me don’t worry about his putting, and just play my own game.” Strandemo took a 1-up lead on hole nine and added another hole on 10. The duo halved the next three holes up to 14, where Strandemo won with a birdie for the 3 and 2 win. “There was no defining moment of where I was going to win the match, I was always on edge,” Strandemo added. His opponent will be another golfer on a hot, winning streak in the University of Minnesota’s Matt Rachey. The Gopher took a close match 1-up over Bill Carlson in the morning round, while having a much easier time with Jacob Montplaisir in the quarters for a 4 and 3 victory. Rachey has a 5 and 3 win over Chris Harris and a 3 and 2 victory over Dominic Kieffer, en route to his final four qualification. In the bottom bracket, the 2008 Pine to Palm co-medalist Mark Robinson, survived a tough match with tourney
veteran and stalwart Greg Melhus of Fargo. Robinson beat Trenton Olson in Saturday’s opening round 3 and 2, before meeting Melhus in the quarterfinals. The two were even for much of the front nine, before Robinson won holes six and seven with birdies for the 2-up advantage at the turn. The two halved the next seven holes, with Melhus making a huge up and down on 15, but it wasn’t enough. “A 2-up lead is not safe out here anytime,” Robinson said. “When you’re two up, you need to keep going forward, especially against a golfer like Greg, because he will not give you anything.” The two have a history at the Pine to Palm, as well, with Melhus defeating Robinson in the same quarterfinals in 2008, the year he was co-medalist with Tim Fiechtner. “I knew I had to play well today, because Greg is in it every year,” Robinson said. Robinson played the Pine to Palm from 2007-10, but had to miss the next three years due to work.
Thomas Strandemo of Fargo seems to will his birdie putt on the
11th green into the cup during his Saturday match against Michael Kosiek.
His route to the final four was not an easy one, with an opening round victory over another former Pine to Palm champion in Rick Kuhn1-up. He downed Lucas Gervais 2-up and Trenton Olson 3 and 2. Robinson’s semifinalist opponent will be Moorhead’s Ben Welle, who is a sophomore on the University of Kansas men’s golf team. Welle is playing some of the best golf in the tournament and Saturday was no different
with a 1-up victory over 2011 champion Connor Holland and a 1-up win over Coy Papachek in the quarterfinals. “I’m going to have to go through (Welle), and I’m the old man now at 27,” Robinson said. “He’s a good player and hits the ball a long way. Hopefully it will be another good match and we will see where it falls.” The semifinal matches will be at 8 a.m. and the winners will be teeing off in the championship match at 2:45 p.m.
Sunday, August 17, 2014 SPONSORED BY ZORBAZ & GUNDERSON REAL ESTATE COMPANY
3
Spriggs and Cavanagh are Mid-Am finalists BY BRIAN WIERIMA
brianw@dlnewspapers.com
Kent Spriggs earned another shot at Pine to Palm championship silver after qualifying for the Mid-Am title match with a 3 and 1 victory over defending champ Perry Piatz Saturday. The semifinal match was tight all the way through to hole 16, where Spriggs finally broke open a 2-up lead to secure his win. “We each had a lot of birdies and both of us played well,” Spriggs said. “The one thing I need to stay, is aggressive. I just keep it in the back of my mind to stay aggressive, because that’s when I usually play better.” Spriggs’ sand wedge shot off the fairway on 16 landed within 10-12 feet from the cup.
Piatz lipped his putt out and Spriggs sunk his for the all-important 2-up lead with two holes remaining. Each of the golfers had three birdies each. Spriggs lost to A.J. Greff in the Mid-Am championship in 2012. It’s a position he wants to be in again, but this time, with a different result. “I don’t want to be second again,” Spriggs said. “I’ve won flights before, but nothing ever like this.” Perham’s Bob Cavanagh qualified for his first Mid-Am championship match with a 1-up win over medalist Scott Uithoven. Cavanagh has been playing well lately and looks to continue that against Spriggs Sunday. The Mid-Am championship match will start at 12:40 p.m.
“The one thing I need to stay, is aggressive, because that’s when I usually play better.” — Kent Spriggs
Perham’s Bob Cavanagh watches his drive on the 5th hole during his Saturday match against Scott Uithoven.
2014 MID-AM
CHAMPIONSHIP PERRY PIATZ
PERRY PIATZ, 5 & 4 PERRY PIATZ, 1-UP (19)
THOMAS SOLIEN KEITH AASEN
KEITH AASEN, 1-UP
KENT SPRIGGS, 3&1
MATT MAYER JIM MIKKELSON
TIM CARLSON, 1-UP
TIM CARLSON AARON BURNSIDE
KENT SPRIGGS, 5&3
KENT SPRIGGS, 5 & 4
KENT SPRIGGS SCOTT UITHOVEN BRITTON MATTSON
2014 Champion
SCOTT UITHOVEN, 5 & 4 SCOTT UITHOVEN, 1-UP
DAVID BARGE MARC REDMAN
MARC REDMAN, 1-UP
BOB CAVANAGH, 1-UP
BOB CAVANAGH BOB CAVANAGH, 4 & 3
JON ANAS
BOB CAVANAGH, 6&5
KENT FRONK
Kent Spriggs watches his tee shot to the par three 8th green during Saturday’s Mid Am match against Perry Piatz.
PINE TO PALM TEE TIMES TIME 1ST TEE 7:00 ������������������������������������������������� Sallie 7:10 ����������������������������������������������Melissa 7:20 ��������������������������������������������������Palm 7:30 ���������������������������������������������������Pine 7:40-7:50 ������������������Championship Cons 8:00-8:10 ��������������������������� Championship 8:20-8:30 ����������������16th/15th Flight/Cons 8:40-8:50 ����������������14th/13th Flight/Cons 9:00-9:10 ����������������12th/11th Flight/Cons
n
JAY OLAFSON
JAY OLAFSON, 5 & 4
SUNDAY, AUGUST 17TH
TIME 1ST TEE 9:20-9:30 ������������������10th/9th Flight/Cons 9:40-9:50 ��������������������8th/7th Flight/Cons 10:00-10:10 ����������������6th/5th Flight/Cons 10:20-10:30 ��������������� 4th/3rd Flight/Cons 10:40-10:50 ���������������2nd/1st Flight/Cons 11:00 ������������������������SS Cormorant/Cons 11:10 ���������������������������������SS Pearl/Cons 11:20 ������������������ SS Championship/Cons 11:30 ������������������������������ Sr Pelican/Cons
TIME 1ST TEE 11:40 ������������������������������� Sr Eunice/Cons 11:50 ��������������������������������� Sr Lizzie/Cons 12:00 ���������������������������������Sr Maud/Cons 12:10 ����������������������������������� Sr Lida/Cons 12:20 ������������������������� Mid-Am Exec/Cons 12:30 ������������������� Sr Championship/Cons 12:40 ����������������������������������Mid-Am/Cons 2:15 ��������������������������Championship Cons 2:45 ����������������������������������� Championship
4
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Sunday, August 17, 2014
5
2014 PINE TO PALM
CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD GRADY MEYER TANNER KRETCHMAN
TANNER KRETCHMAN, 1-up
TAYLOR CAVANAGH TODD HILLIER
TAYLOR CAVANAGH, 5 & 4
MICHAEL KOSIEK SEAN KRALL
MICHAEL KOSIEK, 2 & 1
ALEX KLINE ADAM GRONAAS
ADAM GRONAAS, 5 & 4
THOMAS STRANDEMO CADE MONTPLAISIR
THOMAS STRANDEMO, 1-up
ROBBIE FOSTER DANIEL SAYLER
ROBBIE FOSTER, 7 & 5
CHRIS SWENSON MARC VINCELLI
MARC VINCELLI, 1-up
JAKE WHERLEY JACK HOLMGREN
JAKE WHERLEY, 2 & 1
JACOB MONTPLAISIR JORDIE SIVERSON
JACOB MONTPLAISIR, 2 & 1
ANDREW ISRAELSON BENNETT SCHROEDER
ANDREW ISRAELSON, 19 holes
BROCK ELLINGSON RYAN STEINERT
BROCK ELLINGSON, 5 & 3
DAVID ELLIOTT ALEX CASE
DAVID ELLIOTT, 1-up
MATT RACHEY CHRIS HARRIS
MATT RACHEY, 5 & 3
DOMINIC KIEFFER MASON KENNEDY
DOMINIC KIEFFER, 2 & 1
BILL CARLSON TANNER LANE
BILL CARLSON, 1-up
RILEY JOHNSON MICHAEL GREENBERG
RILEY JOHNSON, 3 & 2
GUNDERSON
REAL ESTATE CO. 1972...Purchased my first lake cabin.. how about you?
TANNER KRETCHMAN, 20 holes
Isn’t time you started making memories?
MICHAEL KOSIEK, 5 & 4
MIKE GUNDERSON Half Back Senior Detroit Lakes, MN
MICHAEL KOSIEK, 1-up THOMAS STRANDEMO, 3 & 2
Hunter’s Paradise - Own a lake near Itasca!
UPPER BRACKET
THOMAS STRANDEMO, 4 & 2 THOMAS STRANDEMO, 5&4 JAKE WHERLEY, 4 & 2
JACOB MONTPLAISIR, 3 & 2 JACOB MONTPLAISIR, 3 & 2 DAVID ELLIOTT, 4 & 3
MATT RACHEY, 4 & 3
Log cabin in the woods on your own 6 acre lake - 70 acres $339,000.
• COMMERCIAL • Hotel Shoreham - Sale Pending
Assisted Living
Owner retiring after 26 years. Consistent revenue, experienced staff. Park Rapids areas $1,500,000 business and real estate.
MATT RACHEY, 3 & 2 MATT RACHEY, 1-up BILL CARLSON, 7 & 6
BEN WELLE DREW MASSEY
JOHN SUND, Forfeit
PETER JONES JOHN SUND
MIKE BALZER, 3 & 2
KYLE SCANLON MIKE BALZER
CONNOR HOLLAND, 2-up
ANDREW PASSANANTE CONNOR HOLLAND
BEN WELLE, 3 & 2 BEN WELLE, 1-up CONNOR HOLLAND, 1-up BEN WELLE, 1-up
DYLAN BAKER, 3 & 2
DYLAN BAKER SCOTT NOWAK
BEN MALLOW, 2 & 1
BEN MALLOW JACK D ELLIOTT
COY PAPACHEK, 23 holes
MAX ROSENTHAL COY PAPACHEK
ERIK WEISS, 1-up
ERIK WEISS DAKOTA CLARK
GREG MELHUS, 5 & 4
GREG MELHUS MITCH SCRIMGEOUR
KEATON LAUSCH, 3 & 2
RYAN VINCELLI KEATON LAUSCH
ZACH ISRAELSON, 3 & 2
ROBERT REUTER ZACH ISRAELSON
MATT BEKKERUS, 2 & 1
WILL HOLMGREN MATT BEKKERUS
TRENTON OLSON, 3 & 2
TRENTON OLSON JAKE WITHAM
PAT DEITZ, 3 & 1
MICHAEL MELHUS PAT DEITZ
LUCAS GERVAIS, 2-up
LUCAS GERVAIS LUKAS DAVISON
MARK ROBINSON, 1-up
RICK KUHN MARK ROBINSON
LOWER BRACKET
BEN MALLOW, 3 & 2 COY PAPACHEK, 4 & 3 COY PAPACHEK, 2 & 1
GREG MELHUS, 4 & 3 GREG MELHUS, 5 & 4 ZACH ISRAELSON, 5 & 3
MARK ROBINSON,1-up TRENTON OLSON, 2-up MARK ROBINSON, 3 & 2 MARK ROBINSON, 4 & 2
FINAL • SUNDAY, AUGUST 17 • 2:45PM
714 Lake Avenue, 900 sq. ft. $1,100/ month. Includes utilities, cleaning and heated parking available.
k c G u L o lfe d o
r
s!
BEN WELLE, 4 & 3
o G
Office Space For Lease
Deer Camp 1976 • Photo by Hat’l
HANGUN PROPERTIES, INC
• FOR RENT •
Properties located in Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Arizona
LAKE MELISSA COTTAGE
— A Real Estate Investment Company —
WANTED: Apartment Buildings, Triple Net Commercial, Office Buildings
for Fall of 2014
North Shore near Detroit Country Club
n o p u e c “On me a ti s a a w e r e th ” . a t t u c Cal 714 Lake Avenue • Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 218.847.1028 • www.gundersonrealestateco.com
6
Sunday, August 17, 2014 SPONSORED BY ZORBAZ & GUNDERSON REAL ESTATE COMPANY
Seniors title between Linnerooth and Johnson BY BRIAN WIERIMA
brianw@dlnewspapers.com
Pine to Palm Senior’s player Rick Johnson was running
out of holes to make his move during Saturday’s semifinal match against Jim Brothers, as he faced a four-hole deficit with five to go.
After starting on the back nine to start their match, Johnson found himself in some dire straits, with one more loss basically eliminating him from
competition. So he told himself something very simple. “When I got to the fifth tee, I said, let’s go to six after this,” Johnson said. He proceeded to make birdie on the fifth hole and trim the deficit to three down. “Then when I got to the sixth tee, I said, let’s go to seven,” Johnson added. He almost drove the green on six and chipped up and made birdie for another win. Brothers fell into trouble on seven by hitting a bunker and now his lead fell to 1-up.
Another bunker for Brothers on eight evened the match, with Johnson in control of all the momentum. Johnson went on to win nine with par and completed the amazing comeback, winning 1-up and advancing to his first championship match in his 30-plus years of being at the Pine to Palm. “Every drive I hit, I hit it point blank and creamed it,” Johnson said. “I will now have my name up on the board out SENIORS to page 7 ➤
2014 SENIOR
CHAMPIONSHIP TIM RUBIS
SAMSON, 2-UP
LARRY OLIN, 2&1
SAMSON LARRY OLIN
LARRY OLIN, 3 & 1
Linnerooth
SCOTT PETERS SCOTT LINNEROOTH
WIBER TOM THOMPSON
SCOTT LINNEROOTH, 3 & 2 SCOTT LINNEROOTH, 2&1
TOM THOMPSON, 3 & 2
RICK CRAWFORD ROB HARRIS TJ SOLIEN
2014 Champion
ROB HARRIS, 2 & 1
RICK JOHNSON, 2&1
CRAIG STEIN RICK JOHNSON
RICK JOHNSON, 4 & 3
Johnson 1-up
JIM BROTHERS
Rick Johnson, above, watches his approach to the par four 11th green during Saturday’s Seniors match play. Scott Linnerooth, right, rolls in a birdie putt on the 7th green during his Pine to Palm seniors match against Larry Olin Saturday afternoon.
A. SOLHEIM JOHN HAGGE JIM STRANDEMO
JIM BROTHERS, 5 & 4 JIM BROTHERS, 1-UP JOHN HAGGE, 2 & 1
Renner and Bradford compete for Super’s title BY BOB WILLIAMS Spotlight
It took longer than normal to determine the Pine to Palm
Super Senior championship match, but it finally happened as Don Bradford outlasted Dr. Lynn Marr 1-up in 21 holes. Bradford and Marr had to
2014 SUPER SENIOR
CHAMPIONSHIP
CHUCK RENNER
CHUCK RENNER, 7 & 6
KIEBER BRUCE CARLISLE
CHUCK RENNER, 6 & 4 LANCE BROWN, 1-UP (20)
CHUCK RENNER, 6&5
LANCE BROWN DOUG GILLUND
THOMAS WOOD, 1-UP
THOMAS WOOD PETE LYSAKER
STEVE SUNDBY, 3&2
STEVE SUNDBY, 1-UP
STEVE SUNDBY PAUL KRUEGER JAMES WOLFF
JAMES WOLFF, 3 & 2
2014 Champion DON BRADFORD, 3&2
WILLIAM BLAKE DON BRADFORD
DON BRADFORD, 4 & 3
DON BRADFORD, 21 HOLES
RONALD VINCELLI RICHARD MCCONN GENE HEBL DR. LYNN MARR
RONALD VINCELLI, 1-UP (20) DR. LYNN MARR, 2&1
have three extra holes to determine the winner, as threetime and defending champion Chuck Renner downed Steve Sundby 6 and 5. Renner, who was also the co-medalist along with Paul Krueger, had another strong round. Renner was 2-up through five, as Sundby nearly drove the green on six and picked up a stroke when Renner’s approach shot was short of the green and he missed a sixfooter to half the hole. Renner regained the stroke on seven when Sundby’s drive went left. Sundby recovered nicely, hitting the green in regulation, but needed a 25-foot putt from the edge of the green, while Renner had laid up for a tap-in birdie after a perfect drive to the front of the green between the bunkers. Marr and Bradford each hit the turn with scores of 37, having started on the back nine and continued an even battle. Marr’s drive on the first hole found trouble left forcing a punch to the middle of the
DR. LYNN MARR, 5 & 4
SUPER SENIORS to page 7 ➤
Super Senior Don Bradford watches his approach to the first green during his Saturday matfch against Dr. Lynn Marr. Bradford won the match 1 up in 21 holes.
Chuck Renner chips up to the 6th green during his Saturday Super Seniors match against Steve Sundby.
Sunday, August 17, 2014 SPONSORED BY ZORBAZ & GUNDERSON REAL ESTATE COMPANY
➤ SENIORS from page 6
➤ SUPER SENIORS from page 6
there. I’ve played this tournament 30-plus years and this is just big for me. “Even being down four, I always had hope.” Johnson’s championship counterpart will be 2012 Senior’s champion Scott Linnerooth, who beat Larry Olin in Saturday’s semifinals. A birdie streak on holes five through eight keyed Linnerooth’s victory, with the veteran hitting greens and fairways all day. “I have been playing well all week,” Linnerooth said. “It would be awesome to win again. The keys will be to hit your greens and stay out of the trees. You need to keep the ball on the fairways.” The Seniors championship match will start at 12:30 p.m.
fairway. Bradford approached from 150 yards, while Marr attacked the green from 170. The duo both landed pinhigh with Marr gaining the advantage 12-feet left of the pin but his ball butted up against the fringe. Bradford putted from 30feet and both golfer’s birdie putts missed. Bradford sunk a four-foot putt to halve the hole. The battle continued on the second hole with Marr putting for birdie uphill from eight-feet. Bradford had a slight break from four-feet. Neither birdie putt fell and the hole was halved at par. The close match proceeded through the full 21 holes. The Super Seniors championship will start at 11:20 a.m. on the first tee.
SUPER SENIORS
A chat between semifinalists
BRIAN BASHAM
SUPER SENIORS CHUCK RENNER AND STEVE SUNDBY talk about their round during Saturday match play.
The 45th annual Ironman Junior Classic
A Justesen Sweep in the Parent Child Scramble The Annual Parent Child Scramble at Ironman Golf Course was one for the record books. Four teams tied for first in the older division with an improvement scramble score of even par 27. Four teams went out for a sudden death playoff! Carter Justesen, with grandfather Darryl, stuck an iron to 3 feet and sunk the putt to win the playoff on the first hole. The three other teams sorted out their respective places in the playoff with Brooks and Abby Larson finishing in second, Aaron and Tyler Burnside in third, while Patrick and Ty Satter finished fourth. In the younger division, Shawn and Jack Justesen tied with Jason and Lawson Justesen with a one under total of 26. Shawn and Jack parred the first playoff hole to secure the title and the Justesen sweep! Eighteen teams signed up for the event with foggy conditions turning to hot and humid when the teams finished. This is a
7
great event for families as they share and participate in the greatest game ever played. 9 & UNDER 1st Shawn and Jack Justesen ����� 26 *won on 1st playoff hole 2nd Jason and Lawson Justesen 26 3rd Mike and Tommy Suckert ������ 28 4th Tania and Tommy Suckert ����� 29
IRONMAN CLASSIC PARENT CHILD SCRAMBLE 10 AND OVER Carter & Daryl Justesen
10 & OVER 1st Darryl and Carter Justesen ���� 27 *Carter birdies #1! 2nd Brooks and Abby Larson ������ 27 3rd Aaron and Tyler Burnside ������ 27 4th Patrick and Ty Satter ������������� 27 HOLE PRIZES #1 Closest to the pin Lawson Justesen #6 Longest Putt made Luke Olson #7 Closest to the pin Lisa Sekely #8 Closest to the pin Tyler Burnside #9 Longest Putt made Darryl Justesen
IRONMAN CLASSIC PARENT CHILD SCRAMBLE 9 AND UNDER Jack & Shawn Justesen
8
Sunday, August 17, 2014 SPONSORED BY ZORBAZ & GUNDERSON REAL ESTATE COMPANY
DURING A SHORT DOWNPOUR father and son Rusty and Coy Papachek wait to hit on the 12th fairway in bright orange and yellow shirts. Coy lost his championship match 1 up to Ben Welle Saturday afternoon.
A colorful Pine to Palm
U OF M GOLFER MATT RACHEY’S gold shirt contrasts with the pinks worn by several ladies in the gallery on the 11th hole Saturday afternoon (upper left). Caddie Cameron Hager and golfer Thomas Strandemo have a laugh on the 11th green Saturday. Hager’s caddie outfit has gone unchanged this week, as he has donned a red USGA caddie vest, stars and stripes socks and a colorful floppy hat (above). A short rain shower forced golfers and spectators to break out umbrellas during Saturday’s rounds (left).
Photos by Brian Basham