Resorters - Fri, Aug 6, 2021

By Eric Morken emorken@echopress.com

Lauren Contreras is a little more than a month removed from leading the Maple Grove girls golf team to a second-place finish at the state tournament.

She shot a 153 over the course of her two rounds at the Bunker Hills Golf Club in Coon Rapids. Since then, she’s worked hard on her game this summer. It resulted in a state amateur appearance in late July and the Minnesota Golf Association’s Women’s Match Play Championship at Dellwood Country Club.

The Resorters is one of the last events she’ll play before heading to the University of St. Thomas for her freshman year in golf and school. She’s making the most of this opportunity as the youngest player left standing in the Women’s Division.

“We played pretty well today playing with the wind. It was a bit trickier, but I was able to flight the ball down and go at some pins,” Contreras said. “My putting really helped me out today.”

Contreras is in her fourth year playing at the Resorters, and this is her furthest run in the Women’s Division. The three others joining her on the first tee box at 12:30 Friday afternoon with a spot in the finals on the line are all either current or former college players.

Ale Heinen, a former player and now coach at Wichita State, secured her spot in the semis as she goes for a second straight championship.

Eric Morken / Alexandria Echo Press Madison Herzog lines up her putt on the 14th green during her match against Alexandria’s Cora Larson on Aug. 5, 2021. Herzog led by four after 10 holes on Thursday before Larson rallied to force a playoff. Herzog brushed that aside to win in 19 holes and secure her spot in the Women’s Division semifinals.

Madison Herzog (North Dakota State) and Alayna Eldred (Ferris State) also secured their spots as Herzog goes for her first Women’s title, and Eldred will try to capture her second.

Here is a closer look at how all four got here.

Herzog def. Larson, 19 holes

Cora Larson will be a senior at Alexandria Area High School, and she proved to be quite a challenge for a couple of older players through two matches in the Women’s Division this week.

Larson beat top-seeded Samantha Sommers, a former player at the University of Minnesota, in her opening match on Wednesday. Then on Thursday, she rallied with a furious back nine to force a playoff before Detroit Lakes native Madison Herzog won on the 19th hole.

Herzog led by four after a birdie win at No. 10. That’s when Larson made her move as she won holes 12, 13 and 14

before Herzog got one back with a par win at 15.

Larson needed some late magic, and she got it with a birdie win at 16 and a par win at the par-3 17th. That tied things up, and Herzog and Larson both parred 18 before Herzog brushed aside Larson’s rally on the first playoff hole to secure the win.

Herzog finished second in 2019. She will face Lauren Contreras for the first time on Friday.

Contreras def. Elise Stockmoe, 6-5 Contreras shot an even-par 37 on the front against Alexandria’s Elise Stockmoe in the quarterfinals, and that’s what led her to the 6-5 win. She won No. 2 with a birdie before par wins at 3, 4, 6 and 9. That took her to the turn at 5-up. Her par win at 13 ended the match with five holes to spare.

“I’m feeling pretty confident about my game right now,” Contreras said. “I’ve been able to hit the ball well. My putting and chipping has especially saved me out on this course with the greens playing super hard and fast. I’m excited to see what’s next in this next match.”

Contreras said she has worked on her short game a lot this summer, and she’s been excited to see that pay off.

Family friends who

play the Resorters drew her to this tourna ment in recent years, and she’s enjoyed this week ever since. It’s been good competition for her as a high school player at Maple Grove. Now she’s looking to play some more good golf to springboard her into her career at St. Thomas in a few weeks.

“I want to make it as far as possible,” Con treras said. “I want to put up a good fight in my next match. I’m just taking it match-bymatch, so we’ll see how (Friday) goes. Go out on the course and play the best I can.”

Heinen def. O’Donnell, 5-4

Ale Heinen got a bird-

ie win at No. 1 in her match against Avery O’Donnell, but she ran into a little trouble on hole four. A double bogey there gave O’Donnell a 1-up lead, but Heinen’s experience showed as she immediately regained control to win 5-4. Heinen birdied Nos. 5 and 6 before a par win at 7 moved her to 2-up. An eagle on 9 gave her a bunch of momentum and helped her work around a birdie win for O’Donnell at 10.

Maple Grove’s Lauren Contreras chips onto the green during her Women’s Division match against Alexandria’s Elise Stockmoe on Aug. 5, 2021. Contreras secured her spot in the semifinals with a 6-5 win. It’s her deepest run into the Women’s Division in now her fourth year playing at the Resorters.

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Herzog

Contreras

Heinen

Alexandria Golf Club

Home of the Resorters

Resorters Nightly Clubhouse Food, Beverage and Entertainment Schedule

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DATE EVENT VENUE TIME

Saturday, July 31 Resorters Pro-Am Dinner Resorters Pavilion 7PM

Fish Fry – Fat Daddy’s

Fried Walleye Fillet served w/ potato, sides and salad

$20 Adults, $10 Children 12 & under (PRO-AM Participants Only)

Sunday, Aug. 1 Big Boy’s BBQ Ribs Resorters Pavilion 6-9PM

½ Rack Ribs served w/ potato, sides and salad

$20 Adults, $10 Children 12 & under

Entertainment – Jim Falbo

Jim Falbo is an accomplished and eclectic solo guitarist, instructor, composer, and music arranger from St. Paul who has played for 25 years and entertained many different audiences in various events including concert halls, weddings, corporate events, mansions, restaurants, wine tastings, among many others. He has released four albums with his latest “Guitar Reveries” which combines a unique blend of classical, Latin, Spanish, and contemporary acoustic favorites on guitar. Jim plays a wide selection of music, specializing in Classical/Romantic European, Spanish, Latin, Gypsy Jazz, fingerstyle, pop classics, and contemporary favorites.

Monday, Aug. 2 Champion’s Dinner Centennial Plaza 7PM

Special Invitation Only

Video Presentation: Guest Speaker – Tom Lehman

Tuesday, Aug 3 Calcutta Appetizers Centennial Plaza 8PM hosted by AGC

Wednesday, Aug. 4 Big Boy’s BBQ Street Tacos Resorters Pavilion 6-9PM

3 Street Tacos served w/ rice, chips & queso

$15 Adults, $8 children 12 & under

Entertainment – Chris Koza

Chris Koza is a songwriter/musician living and working in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the diverse climate, the mighty Mississippi River and the balance of both city and rural communities offer continued inspiration. As a solo performer and with his band Rogue Valley, Koza has toured the US, and has also performed in Germany, Iceland and the UK. He has supported nationally renowned artists such as Brandi Carlile, Ingrid Michaelson, The Jayhawks, Stephen Kellogg, Tift Merritt, Martha Wainwright, and Dan Wilson.

Thursday, Aug. 5 Steak Fry Centennial Plaza 6-9PM

½ pound Flat Iron steak served w/ baked potato and salad

$18 Adults

Entertainment – Jonny Mogambo

Solo Acoustic Rock Show

Jon Lindner aka Jonny Mogambo – guitars, vocals and entertainer of the year. Most recently Jonny was voted entertainer of the year in the Vail Daily readers poll and that’s just his solo act. He is the front man guitarist vocalist and entertainer extraordinaire for the Jonny Mogambo band based out of Vail and Denver Colorado.

Fall AGC Membership Special

v $700 Individual/$1,000 Family (+ tax)

v Unlimited golf beginning August 11th for the remainder of the 2021 season

v Entire membership amount can be applied towards a 2022 Full Access Membership if signed by October 31, 2021

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schedules, brackets and photos online at: www.alexandriagolfclub. com/resorters.

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PRO

Contributed photo by Tony Loosbrock

Alexandria’s Tom Lehman addresses the ball on Patrick Sieve’s forehead, while Alexandria Golf Club head pro Kyle Lee, left, course superintendent Donnacha O’Connor, middle, and current AGC president Jerry Rose kneel over him with smiles on their faces. The group re-enacted the photo on display at AGC from early in the course’s history during the Resorters Pro-Am on July 31, 2021.

A new look on an old image

By Eric Morken

Alexandria Echo Press

Most people who have been to the Alexandria Golf Club have seen a particular photo that is sure to elicit a smile.

It’s a black and white from way back in the early years of AGC. Pinning down the exact date the image was taken and the names of the people in it proved difficult this week, but it features three men kneeling over another man on the ground with a golf ball resting

WOMENS

From Page 1

Heinen has proven over the years at this tournament that she does not give many matches away, and that wasn’t going to happen on Thursday. She won holes 12, 13 and 14 by going par, bogey, par to secure her spot in the semifinals.

Eldred def. Boraas, 5-4 Osakis native Alayna Eldred matched up with Heinen in the division championship last summer, and these two will square off again after Eldred beat Alexandria’s Hannah Boraas 5-4 Thursday.

It was a flurry on the back nine that did it for Eldred. She was 1-up at the turn, but she shot 2-under through the first five holes on the back. A birdie on 11 jumpstarted a string of four straight wins that was highlighted with a birdie on the par-5 14th to end it.

Boraas, last year’s Junior 13-15 Division champion who was in her first year in the Women’s Division, got her two wins on the day at 2 and 8. Both of those came with pars.

still on his forehead.

Above him is a man with a club addressing the ball.

The phrase, “Play it as it lies” comes to mind. The photo is prominently hung at eye level in the men’s bathroom at AGC, making it difficult to miss.

This past Saturday after a shotgun start during the Resorters Pro-Am, some of the most recognizable faces currently seen around the Alexandria Golf Club re-enacted the photo.

Tony Loosbrock spearheaded the idea and took the new photo facing north down the fairway on the first hole. It features Alexandria’s own and PGA Tour veteran Tom Lehman addressing the ball on Patrick Sieve’s forehead, while head pro Kyle Lee, course superintendent Donnacha O’Connor and current AGC president Jerry Rose kneeling over him with smiles on their faces.

emorken@echopress.com

Alexandria’s Cora Larson lines up her putt on the 14th green in the Women’s Division on Aug. 5, 2021. Larson rallied from a 4-hole deficit on the back nine to force a playoff against Madison Herzog of Detroit Lakes before Herzog ultimately won in 19 holes to secure her spot in the semifinals.

This original photo from the early years of the Alexandria Golf Club has been displayed at AGC for years, including at eye level in the men’s bathroom, making it hard to miss for many who have been to the course.

- Madison Herzog vs. Lauren Contreras; Ale Heinen vs. Alayna Eldred

Eldred

Eric Morken / Alexandria Echo Press

Al Edenloff / Alexandria Echo Press

Osakis native Alayna Eldred rolls her putt toward the cup during her Women’s Division win over Alexandria’s Hannah Boraas on Aug. 5, 2021.

Anyone’s title to win in Men’s Champs

Plenty of parity showing throughout the division

By Eric Morken emorken@echopress.com

Match play is one of the great equalizers in golf, and that was proven again throughout the Men’s Championship Division round on Thursday afternoon at the Resorters.

Alexandria’s Noah Boraas shot 11 strokes lower than Kelly Brown during the two rounds of qualifying, but qualifying scores get thrown

Page 6

Josh Galvin, a recently-graduated high school senior from Maple Grove, hits off of the second tee box on Aug. 5, 2021 in the Men’s Championship Division at the Resorters. Galvin gave top seed Donald Constable everything he had on Thursday before Constable ultimately won a 1-up contest to survive to the quarterfinals.

who will be a junior in high school this fall, is proving himself again against a talented field as he won 2-1 Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals.

MENS:

Left: Alexandria’s Joe Bigger blasts out of the sand on the front nine of his Men’s Championship match Thursday against Ian Meyer. Meyer won that match by a 1-up final to advance to the quarterfinals. Middle: Nick Jarrett eyes his putt on the second hole during his 4-2 win over Ben Strauman in the Men’s Championship Division Thursday at the Resorters. Right: Kelly Brown watches his tee shot on the third hole during his 5-4 win over third-seeded Noah Boraas of Alexandria on Thursday in the Men’s Championship Division. Below: Maple Grove’s Nate Adams, left, gets a little help reading his putt Thursday on the second green. Adams won 1-up against defending champion Austin Vukovits to secure his spot in the quarterfinals.

MENS

From Page 5

out the window as this tournament progresses. Brown was the one who had things working on Thursday as he knocked off the third-seeded Boraas in a 5-4 final. It was part of a day that saw defending champion Austin Vukovits go down, and top-seeded Donald Constable almost fall.

In the end, Constable, Lincoln Johnson, Ian Meyer, Braeden Sladek, Nate Adams, Nick Jarrett, Brown and Jon Sauer are the eight left standing. Here is a close look at how they got to Friday’s quarterfinals.

Constable def.

Galvin, 1-up

If Maple Grove’s Josh Galvin has proven anything over the last two years at the Resorters, it’s that he doesn’t back down from competition.

Gal -

vin, who as a senior at Maple Grove this past spring led his team to a Class AAA state title with a team score of 584 over two days, went all the way to the Men’s Championship finals in 2020 before falling to Mississippi State’s Austin Vukovits. He almost took down former pro and current division medalist Donald Constable before Constable rallied for a 1-up win on Thursday.

It was not the typical under-par round for Constable as he shot a 1-over 73. A birdie win at 15, though, evened the match, and his par win at 17 was enough to win after both parred 18.

Galvin held the biggest lead of the match at 2-up when he took three straight holes on 6 (birdie), 7 (par) and 8 (par).

Constable bounced back with a par win on

9 and a birdie win on 10 to pull even. Galvin struck again with a par win on 13 to retake the lead. Galvin showed early that he wasn’t going to go quietly by sticking his approach shot on No. 2 within an inch of the hole for a gimme birdie.

In the end, Constable’s ability to finish when he wasn’t quite at his best won out.

Johnson def.

Heinen, 3-1

Two longtime Resorters contestants went head-to-head on Thursday, and it was Chaska’s Lincoln Johnson coming away with a 3-1 win over Alec Heinen.

Johnson, a player at the University of Minnesota, has a Junior 10-12 Division title to his name at this tournament, and a runner-up from the Men’s Division in 2016. He’s trying to make another run this week as the 24th seed.

He shot 2-under through his first nine holes to build a 3-up advantage. Heinen got par wins at 12 and 15, but Johnson steadied himself around that with a par win at 13 and a birdie win at 17 to put the match away.

Meyer def. Bigger, 1-up

Ian Meyer had to hold off Alexandria’s Joe Bigger on Thursday, but he did just enough to come away with a 1-up win in a match that was never separated by more than two holes.

Meyer’s biggest stretch came right away on the back nine. It was all square at the turn, but birdies on 11 and 12 gave

him a 2-up advantage. That proved to be the difference.

Bigger got it back to as close as one with a par win on 13 and another on 15. But Meyer’s birdie win on 14 was enough after both players went par, par, bogey over the final three holes.

Sladek def. Holm, 2-1

Alexandria’s Braeden Sladek got off to a torrid start against Mitch Holm.

He grabbed a three-hole cushion with two birdies on the first three holes, but Holm erased that by taking four unanswered with a par on 4, and holes 6, 10 and 11 with birdies.

Sladek is still relatively young by this division’s standards as a junior in high school, but he has played in big tournaments all over the country. He brushed aside Holm’s run and got a par win at 13 that evened the match. His par at 16 moved him to 1-up, and his birdie at 17 took the hole and the match as he secured his spot in the quarterfinals.

Adams def. Vukovits, 1-up

It takes some chutzpah to knock off a defending Resorters champion but Nate Adams, the Men’s Division 2018 runner-up, had it against Austin Vukovits Thursday.

Those following the match were rewarded with good golf, momentum shifts, four ties, an eagle and even-par rounds from both golfers.

Adams announced his presence with a birdie

on the first hole to take the first lead. They both shot nothing but pars on the next five holes before Vukovits took Nos. 7 and 8 with pars to steal the lead. Adams, however, charged back with a par win on 9 to draw even.

Adams regained the lead with a birdie on No. 11 but Vukovits deadlocked the match with flare, striking for an eagle on the par-5 12th hole. Unruffled, Adams birdied the next hole to once again go out front.

After swapping pars on Nos. 14 and 15, Vukovits birdied 16 to draw even. Both golfers had chances on the par-3 17th but had to settle for bogeys, which sent the match to the final regulation hole. Adams’ birdie took the hole and the match, 1-up.

Jarrett def.

Strauman, 4-2

Nick Jarrett grabbed the early lead with a par on No. 2 but Ben Strauman erased it with a birdie on No. 4. Jarrett came right back with a par on No. 5 to go out front again but Strauman’s

par on No. 8 once again evened the score. Jarrett made a crucial birdie on No. 9 to go 1-up at the turn.

After both golfers sunk birdies on No. 10, Jarrett connected with another birdie on the 11th hole to go 2-up. They halved the par-5 12th hole with birdies. From there, the round bounced around a bit but Jarrett came out on top, 4-2.

Brown def. Boraas, 5-4

Kelly Brown slowly built a lead on the front nine, winning four holes – Nos. 1, 3, 6 and 9 –highlighted by pars and one birdie. Noah

Boraas, meanwhile, won just one hole on the front, a par win on No. 5, and trailed by three at the turn.

Brown continued his solid play on the back nine, winning Nos. 10 and 11 with pars to go 5-up. Both golfers matched birdies on the 12th hole and Boraas was only able to match Brown’s pars on No. 13 and 14, which gave Brown a 5-4 victory.

Sauer def. Wilson, 1-up

In a grueling backand-forth dogfight, Jon Sauer came out on top against Jacques Wilson –barely.

Both golfers won three holes on the front: Wilson on No. 1 (birdie), No. 4 (par) and No. 7 (par) while Sauer’s wins came on Nos. 2, 6 and 8, with pars.

Deadlocked at the turn, Sauer took his first lead in the match with a par on No. 10 only to watch it disappear when Wilson won 11 with a birdie. Sauer roared back with a birdie win on No. 12 and a par win on No. 13 to go 2-up.

After they both tied 14 with pars, Wilson made his move, winning No. 15 with birdie and No. 16 with par to draw even. Sauer didn’t buckle, however. He won No. 17 with par and matched Wilson’s birdie on No. 18 to win the match in dramatic fashion, 1-up.

Constable

Johnson Meyer

Sladek

Adams Jarrett

Brown

Sauer

Eric Morken / Alexandria Echo Press

A look back at the history of the Resorters

Editors note: This is the third of a four-part series about the history behind the 100th Resorters Golf Tournament. It’s written by Ron Way, a former reporter for the Minneapolis Tribune, who writes occasional opinion columns for the, now, StarTribune. Special thanks to the Douglas County Historical Society for this series.

Part 3: Memorable matches

The Resorters’ golf tournament celebrates its centennial this summer at the Alexandria Golf Club. The tournament’s rich history includes two brotherly matches:

In 1933, ranked amateur Earl Larson and Brother Stan, both of Minneapolis, played 36 holes (then the format) to even. Both birdied the first playoff hole before Stan drove over the second green as Earl’s landed just short for an easy chip to “gimme.” Incredibly, Stan then holed a difficult short pitch to win.

In 1984, Steve Herzog edged his brother, Pat (both now of Alex), on the fourth extra hole in a downpour. Steve’s approach found the green but Pat’s short chip was stopped by a puddle on the soggy surface; Pat missed the resulting longish putt before Steve parred to win. Steve won again in 1993, and Pat in ’82 and ‘86.

Into the 1980s The Resort Circuit was known for eye-popping betting calcuttas, up to $250,000 in current dollars. Kenny Pinns, an outstanding amateur from Las Vegas, won a bundle for those who bought him in calcuttas as he swept The Birchmont, The Resorters, and Pine to Palm in 1965, the only player to win all events in a single year.

And perhaps The Resorters’ most controversial match:

A 23-year-old Californian, Ed Fiori swaggered

into town in 1976. Given his star-status at the University of Houston, Fiori was considered the guy to beat even though two PGA-destined players, Bill Israelson of Bemidji and 17-year-old Tom Lehman, were in the field. I played that year and witnessed what may be the wildest tale of The Resort Circuit.

Fiori cruised in early matches before facing 17-year-old Mark Norman of Bloomington in the quarterfinals.

Fiori started early with his trademark intimidation, telling the kid on the first tee he had zero chance. Fiori frequently stopped the match for a picky ruling. One

Fiori complaint was that Norman’s caddie, Joe Stansberry, couldn’t give advice since he played the course that morning (that was true; I was Stansberry’s opponent in the earlier match). The gallery, angered by the

gamesmanship, shouted in vain that Fiori shut up.

Incredibly, Fiori was just 1-up at the par-3 17th. Norman hit first to 25 feet and Fiori, ignoring gallery taunts, stroked his tee shot to a few feet. Norman’s putt was true but stopped on the cup’s rim; Fiori said “good” and quickly knocked the ball away. Stansberry went apoplectic, tossing Norman’s bag to the ground and screaming at Fiori that the ball was still moving (no, it wasn’t). Amid bedlam, Fiori tapped for bird and apparent match closeout.

Norman sought a ruling. After a long delay, the USGA confirmed pro John Basten’s decision that a player must be given time to determine his putted ball’s status. The penalty: Fiori lost the hole.

The now-even match was played before a larger, noisier gallery that

DOWNTOWN & PLAZA LIQUOR

crowded the players and 18th green. Both on in two, Norman putted first and canned for birdie; the crowd erupted. Fiori missed; another eruption. His swagger less so, Fiori went to the clubhouse, downed a drink, flipped the bird to everyone around, and left (he later was medalist in PGA qualifying, and took four Tour titles). The galleries were ginormous in those years, most following top matches as others gathered on shaded lawns around the 9th and 18th greens. Twin Cities and other media, including then-giant WCCO radio, covered the week-long event while Alex townsfolk tuned to folksy play-by-play on KXRA by popular locals Poik Weatherwax and Cap Paciotti.

Local KCMT-TV news anchor Jon Haaven, who later bought the Echo Press, published The Resorter newspaper

that still appears daily at the tournament. Echo News Editor Al Edenloff has covered more than a third of the Resorters’ years. This year is his 37th.

In the 1980s, calcutta wagers at the event became too large to ignore and state officials warned that betting was illegal. Things changed: Big bettors left, and with them their excitement and backhanders. Plus, ranked amateurs headed to higher-status national events to pad golf resumes. Meantime, AGC has a state gambling permit so that (much smaller) calcuttas can continue.

The Resorters will continue to draw highly-skilled players, but given amateur golf’s reality it’s unlikely elite names will again pack the leaderboard. More and more the field is filled by locals or seasonal residents, as resorts

were replaced by lakeshore homes.

Through the 1970s and ‘80s, The Resorters added divisions for juniors (boys and girls), mid-aged “executives,” seniors, masters and, now, plus-75 super masters. Smaller galleries tend to follow locals they know. Too, carts have mostly replaced caddies and walkers, so now a clutter of machines pack around popular matches, changing the event’s “feel.”

The Resorters has morphed into “An All-American Family Tournament,” a more intimate affair that seems just fine with players and watchers. Given its broad fan base, exceptional operation, and a finely-manicured course, the Resorters is certain to fill for a very long time. In this centennial year, the field sold out within days of open entry.

Echo Press file photo

The 1984 Resorters champions Steve Herzog (men’s champ), center, and Tuffy Nelson (senior men’s winner), right, were congratulated by Resorters Tournament chairman Ted Hill. Herzog defeated his brother, Pat, in 22 holes.

Top four seeds ready to resume in Junior 13-15

By Eric Morken emorken@echopress.com

The Junior 13-15 Division participants had a busy start to the Resorters week with qualifying on Sunday and match play on Monday and Wednesday. That set up a day off on Thursday, but the final four participants are ready to hit the course again on Friday afternoon.

Cottonwood’s Carson Boe, Victoria’s Andrew Ballou, and Alexandria’s Carver Larson and Bennett Olsen will tee off at 2:10 p.m. from the first box to decide who will compete for a championship on Saturday.

Here is a look back at how each of these four got here.

Boe lives up to top seed

Carson Boe has felt at home at the Alexandria Golf Club in recent years.

Boe made a run all the way to the Junior 13-15 Division championship match a year ago before falling to Alexandria’s Hannah Boraas. This year, he has carried that momentum into another solid tournament.

Boe qualified as the top seed in the divi-

sion with an even-par 72. He had no problems securing a 5-4 win in his opening match against 16th-seeded Sam Horstman. He then

put away last year’s Junior 10-12 Division champ, Lunden Esterline, on Wednesday in a 3-2 match to secure his spot in the semifinals.

Ballou looking to pull the upset Andrew Ballou will get the next shot at taking down the top seed,

and he’s had as easy a go through his first two rounds as anyone in this field.

Ballou won 5-4 against fifth-seeded Charlie Moen on Wednesday. That was after taking an 8-6 match in his opener against 13th-seeded Adam Crosby.

The back nine was good to Ballou on Wednesday as he shot an even-par 36 to build a 4-up lead against Moen. That included a birdie win on the par-5 14th.

Larson, Olsen finding ways to win

Both Carver Larson and Bennett Olsen have been locked up in at least one close match through the first couple rounds, but they have plenty of experience playing in big meets.

Larson and Olsen are Alexandria teammates for the Cardinals who were freshman on a team that finished fifth in the Class AAA state tournament this past spring.

Larson used his experience in big meets to hold off a huge challenge from McKenzee Sullivan on Wednesday. She shot an even-par 36 on the back nine and took Larson to 17 holes

before he won a 2-1 final. Larson needed to be good, and he was — birdying holes 1, 6, 7, 8, 11, 16 and 17 against Sullivan.

Olsen cruised in a 7-6 final in his opener before winning a closer 3-2 match against Osakis’ Chase Triebenbach on Wednesday. Olsen led by three early in that match and never relinquished the lead despite Triebenbach staying within striking distance much of the day. Now the two teammates in Olsen and Larson will face each other with a trip to a Resorters championship match on the line.

Boe Larson

Ballou Olsen

Eric Morken / Alexandria Echo Press

Victoria’s Andrew Ballou, the fourth seed in the Junior 13-15 Division, watches his tee shot on the third hole during the opening round of match play on Aug. 2, 2021. Ballou will play for a spot in the finals when the semifinal participants tee off from the first hole at 2:10 p.m. on Friday. He will have to go through the Junior 13-15 top seed in Cottonwood’s Carson Boe if he’s going to do it.

By Eric Morken

Alexandria Echo Press

The eight players left standing in the championship flight of the Women’s Executive Division earned a day off on Thursday, but they are back at it on Friday afternoon looking to get one step closer to a title. There is a lot of Resorters experience left in this field. The question remains if anyone can take down the division’s four-time champion in Betsy Aldrich. She knows this course probably as well as anyone in any division, and Aldrich has been good again this year after qualifying with a 76 as the division’s top seed. She went out and took a 6-5 match against 16th-seeded Rose Lambros on Wednesday.

Ninth-seeded Liz Dowd gets the next shot at taking down the defending champion. Dowd won a tight 3-1 match against Tiffany Johnson on Wednesday by winning holes 12, 13, 16 and 17 in a match that was tied after 10 holes.

Thirteenth-seeded Joan Frie and

12th-seeded Colleen Boerboom both pulled off opening-round upsets, at least according to the seed lines, on Wednesday. Frie won a 4-3 match against fourth-seeded Andrea Allyn and Boerboom took down fifth-seeded Karna Peters in a 1-up final where wins at 13, 14, 15 and 17 erased what had been a 2-hole deficit after 12.

Second-seeded Jodi Sullivan, like Alridch a former multiple Women’s Division champion and the 2018 Executive winner, was tested in the first round. She survived 15th-seeded Paula Lambkin in 19 holes — a testament to the fact that anything can happen in a match-play event.

Tenth-seeded Amanda O’Donnell will try to take down Sullivan on Friday. She beat her good friend, Jessica Kammann, in a 4-3 match on Wednesday.

Third-seeded Molly Baker and sixth-seeded Jen Cavers make up the rest of this eight-player field. Baker was steady on Wednesday as she

shot 2-over par through 13 holes in putting away Cathy Sholts in a 6-5 final. Cavers used a birdie win at 9 to culminate what was a solid end to the front nine

that led her to a 3-2 win over Stacy Faith.

Gruidl, Cliff try to add to hardware

Schoenrock and Golden look for first Resorters title

By Eric Morken

Alexandria Echo Press

Jerry Gruidl has a deep history at the Resorters Tournament that includes quite a claim to fame.

He upended Alexandria’s Tom Lehman to win his first of two Men’s Division championships in 1977. Gruidl’s ability to stay competitive was proven almost two decades later when he won the 1994 Men’s Division championship over Dave Christensen of Elk River. Now he’s trying to add the first Grand Master Division championship to his resume.

Gruidl shot a 78 in qualifying to best the Grand Master field by three strokes early this week. He now faces the challenge of trying to take down another Resorters Tournament legend in George Cliff of Mankato.

Cliff is trying to get his seventh Resorters title and first since 2007 when he won his fourth Senior Division championship. Cliff, seeded fifth after qualifying with an

86 at the Geneva Golf Club, won a 5-4 match in his opener on Wednesday. Gruidl beat Ron Way in a 3-2 decision.

Joining them on the first tee at 8:50 a.m. on Friday will be seventh-seed -

ed Tom Schoenrock and sixth-seeded Mike Golden. Both are trying to win their first Resorters championship.

Schoenrock beat second-seeded Terry Martell on Wednesday after taking six holes

on the back nine and never looking back once they made the turn to the front. Golden won a 4-3 decision over third-seeded

Clayton Pike. Will Gruidl or Cliff add to their Resorters trophy case or will Schoenrock or Golden become firsttime champs? That will

all be decided in the next two days.

FRIDAY GRAND MASTER DIVISION PAIRINGS — 1ST TEE

8:50 A.M. - Jerry Gruidl vs. George Cliff; Tom Schoenrock vs. Mike Golden emorken@echopress.com

Photos by Al Edenloff / Alexandria Echo Press

Above: Mike Golden gets out of a bunker on No. 12 during his Grand Masters victory over Clayton Pike Wednesday. Golden, going for his first Resorters title, will face Tom Schoenrock in the semifinals on Friday morning.

Above left: Dave Dilley, left, gives some advice to Tom Schoenrock during Schoenrock’s Grand Master Division match on Aug. 4. Schoenrock will play Mike Golden on Friday morning with a spot in the division finals on the line.

Gruidl Schoenrock Cliff Golden

Jake Erickson knocks off top seed in Men’s Regular

By Eric Morken

Alexandria Echo Press

The final four in the Men’s Regular 1st flight is set, and the defending champion is still standing after a day of upsets in the division’s quarterfinals.

Nicholas Adams continues his run for a repeat after winning 4-3 on Thursday.

Eighth-seeded Jake Erickson beat top-seeded Tyler Wanous, and 13th-seeded Michael Herzog and 14th-seeded Brandon Bistodeau will join them in the final four on Friday morning at 7:30 from the first tee. Here is a look at how all four got here.

Erickson def.

Wanous, 4-2

Top-seeded Tyler Wanous survived a 21-hole match on Wednesday, but he could not survive another close match as Jake Erickson won 4-2 on Thursday morning.

Erickson shot even on the front, and Wanous struggled a bit with a 41. That led Erickson to a 4-up lead at the turn before Wanous scored a couple of wins at 10 and 11. Erickson bounced back with a birdie win on 12, and a par and birdie win on 15 and 16 secured his win.

Herzog def.

Kulics 5-4

Michael Herzog never let Mason Kulics in the match on Thursday. He jumped out with a par win at No. 1 and then added four straight wins with pars on 3, 4 and 5 before a birdie win at 6 moved him to 5-up. Kulics’ only win of the day was with a birdie on 12, but it was a 6-hole deficit at that point as both players parred Nos. 13 and 14 to end the match.

Adams def.

Larson, 4-3

Nicholas Adams used a par win at the 5th hole to jumpstart four straight wins for him.

Two of those came with birdies on Nos. 6 and 8 before Riley Larson countered with a par win at 9. Adams did not let that loss linger as he won the first three holes on the back to move to 6-up.

Larson won 13 and 14, but it was too steep a hill to climb as Adams put the match away with a par on 15.

Bistodeau def.

Swedberg, 21 holes

Alexandria’s Brandon Bistodeau had a marathon match against Drew Swedberg on Thursday, but he got the job done

Jake Erickson hits a iron shot off the first tee box on Aug. 5, 2021. Erickson beat top-seeded Tyler Wanous in the quarterfinal round of the Men’s Regular Division by a final of 4-2. He will take on Michael Herzog on Friday morning.

on a third playoff hole.

Swedberg shot a 38 on the front and was 2-up at the turn and 3-up after a birdie win at 11. Bistodeau rallied from there, getting par wins on each of the next four holes to

take his first lead.

Swedberg tied it with a par on the par-3 17th and another par for both players on 18 forced the playoff. They remained deadlocked until the 21st hole when Bistodeau

escaped with the win. The win sets up a rematch of last year’s Men’s Regular final. Adams walked away with a 1-up win in 20

holes as the field’s seventh seed.

FRIDAY MEN’S REGULAR 1ST

FLIGHT PAIRINGS — 1ST TEE

7:30 A.M.

- Jake Erickson vs. Michael Herzog; Nicholas Adams vs. Brandon Bistodeau emorken@echopress.com

Photos by Jared Rubado / Alexandria Echo Press Defending champion Nicholas Adams stays alive in the quarterfinal round of the Men’s Regular Division on Aug. 5, 2021. He beat Riley Larson 4-3 after his tee shot he hit here on No. 1.

Top dogs remain in loaded Men’s Executive field

Low seeds look to dethrone defending champion

By Jared Rubado jrubado@echopress.com

The final two days of the Men’s Executive match play tournament are shaping up to be riveting.

After two rounds, six of the top eight seeds remain in a packed field of golfers.

One of those men is Troy Johnson, the threetime defending champion. While he looks sharp as ever, competitors such as Bryan Hoops, Dan Johnson, Chad Bisson and more look to knock off the king.

Hoops and Andrew Petersen advanced to the quarterfinal round while golfing out of the same cart. They will go head-to-head on Friday afternoon in the first pairing starting on hole No. 1. Dan Johnson looks to keep his blazing pace up when he takes on Daryl Schomer. Schomer upset fifth-seeded Patrick Sieve on Thursday by a score of 3-2.

In a field of low seeds, there’s one underdog story left. Breton Stout, the 23rd-seed, will get a chance to take down Troy Johson on Friday after beating Dave Fingalsen 3-1. Joe Sauer and Chad Bisson held true to their previous three rounds to advance as well.

Here’s how the Men’s Executive tournament looks after Thursday’s matches.

Hoops def. Champlin, 6-5

Bryan Hoops has been on a roll through the first two rounds of match play, and a comeback effort from Herbie Champlin couldn’t derail his course.

Hoops made par on the first four holes of the day to go up by three.

That was before a pair of bogeys and a couple of pars and a birdie from Champlin cut the lead to one. On No. 8, Hoops birdied to go 2-up before a par on No. 9 increased the lead to three.

The back nine was all

TOP DOGS: Page 19

a

on the

Hoops Petersen

T. Johnson Stout

D. Johnson Schomer Sauer Bisson

Photos by Jared Rubado / Alexandria Echo Press Troy Johnson reads a putt on the third green on Aug. 5, 2021. Johnson beat Chad Marlow 6-5 on Thursday to advance to the Men’s Executive quarterfinal round. Johnson is looking to win his fourth Men’s Executive title in a row.

Bryan Hoops twirls his club after a great shot on the third hole on Aug. 5, 2021. Hoops, the top seed in the Men’s Executive field, defeated Herbie Champlin 8-7 to advance to the quarterfinal round.

Andy Petersen chips to the right of the third green at the instruction of his caddie on Aug. 5, 2021. Peterson is headed to the Men’s Executive quarterfinal round after beating Nick Paulsen 4-3 on Thursday.

Daryl Schomer stripes a fairway shot to the third green on Aug. 5, 2021. Schomer beat Patrick Sieve 3-2 in the Men’s Executive second round of match play, and will take on Dan Johnson in the quarterfinals.

Chad Bisson places his ball for

putt

third green on Aug. 5, 2021. Bisson clinched a spot in the Men’s Executive quarterfinal round with a 2-1 win over Jeffry Cota.

Joe Sauer lofts a chip onto the third green on Aug. 5, 2021. Sauer beat Tom Heimerman 4-3 in the second round of the Men’s Executive match-play tournament on Thursday.

Top seed goes down in Senior quarterfinals

Haugen knocks off Johnson to keep run alive

By Jared Rubado jrubado@echopress.com

Chris Haugen’s last seven holes in the Men’s Senior quarterfinal round were something to remember.

JT Johnson went into the qualifiers as one of the favorites, and he proved it by earning medalist honors. But even he couldn’t slow down Haugen — the 2017 and 2018 division champ — on the back nine. The 25th seed birdied five of the last seven holes to punch his ticket to the semifinals.

Waiting for him is another familiar name in Mike Herzog, who survived a match against Mark Knutson. The Herzog family is well represented once again this year, with Madison still alive in the Women’s Championship and Michael in the Men’s Regular Division.

Mark Lindberg and Mark Frie make up the other semifinal match heading into Friday’s final four showdown. Here’s how the Men’s Senior quarterfinal round shook out from the first tee.

Haugen def. JT

Johnson, 5-3

JT Johnson didn’t have his typical precision, but it might not have mattered if he did. Chris Haugen took a one-hole lead to the turn after a birdie on No. 9 and never looked back.

Haugen birdied on back-to-back holes after the turn before sinking two more on Nos. 14 and 15 to clinch the upset.

Despite four bogeys on the front nine, Haugen finished the 15-hole round at one-underpar.

Johnson opened his round with four straight bogeys but was even par the rest of the day. He erased two back-nine bogeys with birdies on Nos. 10 and 14.

Herzog def. Mark

Knutson, 3-2

Mike Herzog and Mark Knutson each had a bogey-free back nine, but Knutson needed a little more.

Herzog started his day with back-to-back birdies to go up by one. Another birdie on No. 6 put him 2-up before Knutson’s double bogey on No. 9 put Herzog in firm control of the match.

Both golfers started the back nine with a pair of pars and birdies on No. 12. Knutson bird-

ied No. 14 but couldn’t find any more magic to keep his title hopes alive. Herzog finished two-under-par through 15 holes while Knutson was even.

Lindberg def.

Mike Johnson, 6-4

There wasn’t an ounce of daylight for Mike Johnson in his match against Mark Lingberg.

After Lingberg bogeyed No. 2, he went on to birdie five holes in a 6-4 victory. In the 14-hole round, Lindberg was 4-under-par, with birdies on Nos. 5, 9, 11, 13 and 14.

Johnson has nothing to hang his head about after falling to Lindberg. A pair of bogeys on Nos.

1 and 2 were his only blemishes in an otherwise promising round. Lindberg will take on Mark Frie for a chance to clinch a spot in the final.

Frie def.

Frieburg, 1-up

Down by a hole with only 18 to play, Richard Frieburg’s late birdie would typically be enough to force a playoff. But a clutch birdie at the hands of Mark Frie ended the match in regulation.

Frie and Frieburg saw one-hole-leads disappear six times on Thursday afternoon with neither golfer ever building more than a one-hole advantage. Frieburg was

up and down all day. Despite birdies on five holes, he finished the round 1-over par.

With the match squared to start the back nine, Frie’s seventh consecutive par gave him a 1-hole lead. However, a bogey on No. 12 squared the match again. After a birdie to retake the lead on No. 14, Frie bogeyed again on Nos. 15 and 16 to square the contest.

Frieburg made backto-back bogeys of his own on Nos. 16 and 17 to hand the lead to Frie once again. Both birdied No. 18 – resulting in a 1-up victory to Frie.

Frie will take on Lindburg Friday afternoon.

Haugen Herzog Lindberg Frie

Photos by Al Edenloff / Alexandria Echo Press Mark Frie rolls his putt toward the cup during his match with Richard Frieburg on Aug. 5, 2021. Frie won that close contest by a 1-up final to secure his spot in the Senior Division semifinals.

JT Johnson chips from just off the green during his Men’s Senior Division match on Aug. 5, 2021. Johnson ran into a buzz saw in two-time former champion Chris Haugen as a torrid finish for Haugen secured his win and spot in the semifinals.

Mark Knutson putts during his Senior Division match against Mike Herzog on Aug. 5, 2021. Herzog got the better of Knutson in that match as his 3-2 win secured his spot in the semifinals.

Mike Johnson lofts his putt onto the green during his Senior Division match against Mark Lindberg. Lindberg was on his game in this match as he claimed a 6-4 win.

Richard Frieburg (pictured) battled Mark Frie in a close match in the Senior Division on Aug. 5, 2021 that saw Frie escape with a 1-up win.

Hoops. Two birdies and two pars put Champlin’s chances out of reach. Hoops finished the round two-under-par through 13 holes.

Petersen def. Paulsen, 4-3

A shaky start didn’t deter Andy Petersen from taking care of business against Nick Paulsen.

Petersen trailed by one after four holes with two pars and a pair of bogeys on the scorecard. He then sank back-to-back birdies on Nos. 5 and 6 before another on 8 to take a three-hole advantage to the turn.

Petersen didn’t let Paulsen back into the match. He shot an evenpar six holes on the back nine to take home a 4-3 victory. Peterson finished 1-under-par through 15 holes played.

Dan Johnson def. Heimsness, 8-7

Dan Johnson cruised through his second round match against Eric Heimsness on his way to an 8-7 victory.

Johnson birdied the first hole before adding another on No. 6. Despite a pair of bogeys on Nos. 7 and 10, Heimsness struggled to capitalize on them– leading to Johnson’s dominant victory. Johnson was even-par through the 11 played holes on Thursday afternoon.

Schomer def. Sieve, 4-2

Daryl Schomer struggled to pull away from Patrick Sieve early on, but a flawless back nine punched his ticket to the quarterfinals.

Schomer birdied No. 1 before a par on No. 2 gave him a two-hole advantage. Sieve got one back with a par on No. 4 before Schomer’s birdie on No. 5 doubled the lead again. Sieve was able to cut the lead to one two more times before the turn, once with a birdie on No. 8.

Schomer parred the first four holes on the

back nine but didn’t make up any ground. Sieve bogeyed No. 10 before birdying No. 12. Schoemer got in on the birdie action on Nos. 14 and 15 to take a threehole advantage. His par on No.16 clinched the win.

Troy Johnson def. Marlow, 6-5

Troy Johnson continued his mastery of AGC Thursday, closing out his match against Chad Marlow after just 13 holes.

The second seed, Johnson didn’t lose a single hole to Marlow. He jumped out early with a birdie win on No. 2 and followed it with a par win on No. 3. Johnson added two more holes to his lead on the front nine, Nos. 5 and 7 with pars, to go 4-up at the turn.

Marlow could only match Johnson’s pars on the next two holes before Johnson notched a birdie win on No. 12 and also took No. 13 for a 6-5 victory.

Stout def. Fingalsen, 3-1

Breton Stout built a solid lead in the early going but then had to fend off a furious comeback on the back nine to edge Dave Fingalsen, 3-1.

Stout, the 23rd seed,

won five of the first six holes, dropping only No. 2 to Fingalsen’s par. Stout’s streak was highlighted by a birdie and four pars.

Up by five at the turn, Stout appeared to be headed for a quick victory, especially when he added a bogey win on No. 10. But Fingalsen, the 26th seed, wasn’t through yet.

Fingalsen won No. 11 with par, No. 12 with bogey and No. 13 with par to slash the lead in half. After halving No. 14, Fingalsen pulled to within two with a par win on No. 15. But Stout hung tough, matching Fingalsen’s bogey on No. 16 and taking No. 17 to seal a 3-1 victory.

Sauer def.

Heimerman, 4-3

A strong start – winning four of the first six holes – propelled Joe Sauer to a 4-3 victory over Tom Heimerman.

Sauer took the first lead with a par win on No. 2. Heimerman answered with a par win on No. 3 but then it was Sauer’s turn. He reeled off three straight wins, taking Nos. 4, 5 and 6 with bogey, par, birdie.

Suddenly down by three, Heimerman drew closer with a par win on the 8th hole but Sauer

came right back with a par on No. 9 to go 3-up at the turn. Sauer added a birdie win on No. 10 but Heimerman made things interesting again with a birdie on No. 12 to slice the lead back to three.

After swapping pars on No. 13, Sauer added another birdie win on No. 14 and matched Heimerman’s par on 15 to seal a 4-3 win.

Bisson def. Cota, 2-1

In one of the division’s closest matches of the day, sixth-seeded Chad Bisson outlasted 11th-seed Jeffry Cota to

win 2-1. Bisson won three holes on the front – Nos. 1, 8 and 9 with pars. Cota was held to just one win, a par on No. 5.

Ahead by two at the turn, Bisson doubled his lead with par wins on Nos. 11 and 12 but Cota came back, winning No.

12 with an eagle and No. 13 with par to slice the lead to two.

Bisson took No. 14 with par but Cota’s birdie won the next hole. The match ended after 17 holes, giving Bisson a 2-1 victory.

Breton Stout watches his second shot on the third hole reach the green on Aug. 5, 2021. Stout, the 23rd seed in the Men’s Executive field, is still alive after beating Dan Fingalsen 3-1 on Thursday in the second round of match play.

Photos by Jared Rubado / Alexandria Echo Press Dan Johnson chips from the back of the third green onto the putting surface on Aug. 5, 2021. Johnson cruised by Eric Heimsness 8-7 to clinch a spot in the Men’s Executive quarterfinal round.

Top 4 seeds all win in Masters Division

Elton seeks fourth title

By Al Edenloff Alexandria Echo Press

Everything went according to the seedings in the Resorters Men’s Masters Championship bracket Thursday.

The top four golfers all advanced into the semifinals, including medalist Jon Empanger, defending champion Dan Elton, two-time runner-up Norty Blanchard and last year’s runner-up Tom Ryan.

The final four will teeit up Friday at 12:10 p.m. from No. 1. In the meantime, here’s a look at Thursday’s results.

Empanger def.

Sauer, 5-4

Empanger struck for three straight wins in the early going that lifted him to a 5-4 victory over Ray Sauer.

The streak began on No. 3 when Empanger made par and he also picked up wins on No. 4 with par and No. 5 with birdie. The match settled down as they halved the next four holes, going par, bogey, par, par.

Ahead by three at the turn, Empanger kept rolling, nailing par wins on Nos. 10 and 11 to go 5-up. Sauer picked up his first win of the match, a nice birdie on No. 12 but Empanger came right back with a birdie win on the par-3 13th to go back to 5-up.

Pars by both men on No. 14 ended the match.

Empanger will tangle with the fourth-seeded Ryan Friday afternoon.

Ryan def.

Arnold, 5-4

The Tom Ryan-Jim Arnold match looked like it was going to go down to the wire after the first nine holes.

Arnold took the first lead with a bogey on No. 3 and he held the slim lead until the 7th hole when Ryan made par to even the match. Ryan then moved out front with a par win on No. 8 and they both carded 4s on No. 9.

The back nine belonged to Ryan. He won Nos. 10, 11, 13 and 14, all of them with pars, which gave him a 5-4 victory.

Ryan will have his hands full Friday when he takes on medalist Empanger.

Elton def. Johnson, 8-7

Elton, the division’s winner in 2016, 2017 and 2020, continues to

look unstoppable in the tournament. He needed just 13 holes to defeat his opponent in the opening round Wednesday. On Thursday, he needed just 12.

His opponent, Randy Johnson, the division’s 2018 champion, just couldn’t get anything going against the defending champ. Johnson shot nothing but 5s on the first seven holes and Elton took advantage, winning six of them, all but No. 2, and carding three pars, a birdie and an eagle on No. 6, along the way. His only miscue of the day was a bogey on No. 7, but it was good enough to win the hole.

Johnson won one hole, a birdie on No. 8, but it was too little, too late and Elton coasted to an 8-7 win.

Elton will take on Blanchard Friday – a rematch from their 2017 championship final that Elton won, 1-up.

Blanchard def.

Seashore,

4-2

The shootout between Blanchard and Gene Seashore was the bracket’s closest match of the day and wasn’t decided until the 16th hole.

The match went backand-forth on the front nine. Blanchard surged out front with wins on No. 1 (birdie) and No. 3 (par). Seashore bounced back with a par win on No. 4 but Blanchard countered with a clutch birdie on No. 5. Seashore came back again with a birdie on No. 6 to draw within one. Unfazed, Blanchard won Nos. 8 and 9 with pars to take a 3-up lead at the turn.

The match fell into a staring contest at that point as they halved the next three holes. Seashore finally broke through with a par win on No. 13 to get within two but Blanchard birdied the par-5 14th to extend his lead. After pars on No. 15, Blanchard put the match away with a par win on No. 16.

Empanger Ryan Elton Blanchard

Photos by Al Edenloff / Echo Press

Randy Johnson tried a little body English to make his putt go in on the No. 3 green Thursday but the ball didn’t cooperate. Johnson fell to the Masters Division’s three-time champion, Dan Elton, 8-7.

Left: Jim Arnold was happy when a very difficult putt on the 9th green gave him an easy tap-in par during his Masters Division match against Tom Ryan. Ryan was a 5-4 winner. Right: Gene Seashore reacts after his putt just missed going into the hole on No. 3 during his Masters Division loss against Norty Blanchard Thursday. Norty Blanchard couldn’t believe his putt didn’t drop in on No. 9 in his match against Gene Seashore. Blanchard advanced to the Masters Division’s semifinals with a 4-2 win over Gene Seashore.

Will Hacker looking to go one step further Junior

10-12 Division resumes Friday

By Eric Morken Alexandria Echo Press

Someone will walk away with their first-ever Resorters Tournament championship trophy on Saturday in the Junior 10-12 Division.

Will Hacker came oh so close a year ago. He fell in a 2-up championship match against Lunden Esterline, but he has come back looking to take it one step further this year.

Hacker shot a 38 in qualifying to finish as the top seed in this field. He has since survived two close matches in a 3-2 final over Gavin Srock on Monday and a 1-up decision over Bronx Esterline on Wednesday.

Waiting for Hacker in the semifinals on Friday morning at 9 a.m. from the 10th tee will be 12th-seeded Ellie Sticha. She has proven to be a problem for a couple of lower seeds after beating fourth-seeded Henry Buttweiler 4-3 on Wednesday and fifth-seeded Braum Peterson in her matchplay opener.

On the bottom half

of this bracket is second-seeded Jaxn Hacker and sixth-seeded Graham Odland. Jaxn has played in two different types of matches — winning a close 2-1 final over 15th-seeded Garrison Johnson on Monday before running away with a 5-3 win against 10th-seeded Jack Harris on Wednesday.

Odland survived a 1-up battle against 11th-seeded Josh Bell in his opener. He then won 4-2 on Wednesday against Tyler Cullen.

Jared Rubado / Alexandria Echo Press

Getting hung up behind a long line waiting to tee off isn’t always a bad thing. Here, Tom Lehman chats with a group of young golfers before the Junior 10-12s tee off on hole 10 at the Alexandria Golf Club on Wednesday. Lehman was caddying a group on Wednesday afternoon that got stuck after the turn. While waiting for groups to tee off, he gave some advice to the youngest players in the Resorters Tournament.

W. Hacker J. Hacker

Sticha Odland

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