Resorters - Sat, Aug 7, 2021

Centennial Celebration

SATURDAY SHOWDOWNS AWAIT

Sladek, Constable, Adams and Brown battle for a title

By Eric Morken

Alexandria Echo Press

It was not long into the Men’s Championship Division match with Donald Constable, Braeden Sladek, Ian Meyer and Lincoln Johnson that one of the bigger galleries in recent Resorters history formed to follow their every shot.

As the foursome walked off each green, carts buzzed down the fairways at AGC to get positioned around the next green.

“It was a fun atmosphere,” Sladek said. “You hit a good shot and you hear them screaming and clapping. It was fun.”

Many of them were likely there to see Sladek play as an Alexandria kid about to enter his junior year of high school. He put on a show starting at the ninth hole that carried over to the back nine in his 2-up win over Meyer — a Deephaven native who will golf for the University of Iowa.

Sladek secured his spot on the first tee box on Saturday morning at 6:50 in the division’s semifinals. Joining him will be a former pro and the top seed in the field in Constable, along with Kelly Brown and Resorters veteran Nate Adams.

Here is a look at how all four got to Saturday at the 100th Resorters.

Constable def. Lincoln Johnson, 2-1

Donald Constable won a 1-up battle on Thursday, and he locked up in another close match down the stretch against perennial Resorters contender Lincoln Johnson out of the University of Minnesota. In the end, a 4-up lead for Constable after 13 holes stood up as he held off Johnson in a 2-1 match. It looked like Johnson might take that 13th hole. He had a long birdie putt, and Constable was right of the green on the par 3. His chip shot put him to about 15 feet, and he calmly stepped up and drained the putt. Johnson left himself about five feet for par, and his putt couldn’t find the bottom of the cup as he settled for bogey.

Johnson didn’t quit after that. He won 14 after Constable found himself in some tree trouble right of the green. Johnson then sank a near 10-footer on 15 for birdie that moved him to within two.

After both players parred 16, Johnson

needed to make something happen on 17. His drive on the par 3 put him on the

green, but he left his long birdie putt a little bit short. Both players parred as Constable

Above: Donald Constable, facing, and Lincoln Johnson share a hug after Constable withstood a late run by Johnson to win 2-1 in the Men’s Championship Division quarterfinals on Friday. Left: Kelly Brown walks toward his ball on the front nine as it hangs up by about an inch during his Men’s Championship Division match against Jon Sauer. Brown shot 5-under on the back nine on Friday to secure his spot in Saturday’s semifinals with a 3-1 win.

Eric Morken /

Alexandria Echo Press

kept his drive for a second Men’s Division championship alive after winning this

tournament in 2010. Sladek def.

Meyer, 2-1

Braeden Sladek was in trouble through the first eight holes.

Ian Meyer was dialed in on the front as he shot 2-under. It led to a 3-up advantage after eight when he got birdie wins at 1 and 8 and a par win at 4.

But what Sladek did at No. 9 flipped the match. Let him explain it.

“I was 140 (yards out) in the rough on the left side,” Sladek said in reliving his first win of the match. “Had to hook it around a tree, caught kind of a flier, and went over the green to a back pin. I’m like, ‘This is going to be a tough up and down.’ I was just trying to snuggle it as close as I could. I landed it right where I wanted to. Hit the grain perfect and it just started to trickle and started tracking the hole.”

It tracked all the way in for birdie as that save ignited a flurry on the back. Sladek said it felt like a nearly 1-in1,000 type of shot as the gallery of spectators erupted.

“That was the big thing that got me going,” he said.

Sladek went on to win No. 10 with a par. Meyer counted with a birdie win at 12, but on the par-3 13th Sladek stuck his drive to nearly a foot for a gimme birdie. It was the start of three straight birdies for

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Constable Sladek

Alexandria Golf Club

Home of the Resorters

Resorters Nightly Clubhouse Food, Beverage and Entertainment Schedule

Sponsored by:

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.

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Sladek sets Geneva club record this summer

16-year old shoots 11-under on June 17

By Jared Rubado Alexandria Echo Press

Alexandria’s Braeden Sladek has made a deep run into the Men’s Championship Division at the Resorters Tournament this week, and it’s been part of a busy summer for him.

Sladek was going to take the day off after the Class AAA two-day state golf tournament on June 15-16. But he’s glad he didn’t.

On the afternoon of June 17, Sladek broke the Geneva Golf Club’s course record with an 11-under par day. Sladek was playing the blue tees at the 27-hole course in Alexandria. The previous course record was an 8-under par shot by Sladek’s head coach for the Alexandria Area High School team, Brady Swedberg. Swedberg shot that score at a little further distance from the black tees during a pro-am at Geneva.

“We count the course record from either blue or black and in relation to par since there’s three rotations,” Geneva’s Director of Golf Grant Hanson said.

Alexandria sophomore Braeden Sladek tees off during a home meet on April 22, 2021. Sladek

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Sladek as he again stuck iron shots tight to the pin on 14 and 15 to move to 1-up.

“I was just feeling it after I stuck it on the pin at 13,” he said. “I was feeling good. I was starting to feel it earlier in the round, but I just wasn’t clicking. I was thinking a little bit more, but then I was just finding targets and executing the shot that I wanted to. Maybe not striking it perfect every time, but hitting it on the line I wanted to every time.”

Meyer still had a chance after both players parred 16, but a tough break on 17 negated an opportunity to go to 18.

Meyer was just off the left side of the green on the fringe when he bent down to move something from near his ball and accidentally brushed it. It was a stroke penalty that ultimately ended the match in a 2-1 win for Sladek after his par.

Sladek himself didn’t want that to be the way a good match ended, but he earned the win with the way he played on the back nine. He’s excited about his firstever shot at playing on a Saturday at the

Resorters in the Men’s Division.

“I won it when I was a junior, and I loved that,” Sladek said. “I hadn’t played in it in a few years and started playing again last year. I just want to play well. If I get beat and still play good, so be it. I just want to play well and put a good showing up.”

Sladek knows he has to be aggressive to have a chance against Constable in the semifinals.

“I feel confident going into (Saturday) morning,” he said. “I know I’m going to have to make birdies to beat Donald. He’s a solid player. I’m going to try to keep this juice going that I found on the back nine and try to carry it over to tomorrow morning and hopefully tomorrow afternoon.”

Adams def.

Jarrett, 6-5

Maple Grove’s Nate Adams was a young high school golfer in 2018 when he made a run to the Men’s Division championship match at the Resorters before falling to Kansas State freshman Brian Choe.

Adams, now a golfer at North Dakota State University, has taken his game to a different level since then. It showed in a big way on

Sladek, 16 at the time and a soon-to-be junior in high school, birdied nine holes and recorded an eagle for his 60 on the par-71 course in Alexandria between the Ponds and

Island nines.

“It started off like any average round,” Sladek said. “I made three pars in a row. Then I birdied the next five. I was five-under at the turn, which, I guess, wasn’t terrible. Then I made that eagle on No. 3 Islands. I was already like eight under at that point. After I eagled, the way I was striking the ball, I knew (the total score) was going to be good.”

Sladek’s par-five eagle on the third hole of the back nine was when his round turned from incredible into unforgettable. While in a friendly game with three of his high school teammates, his attempt to one-up Bennett Olsen was the turning point.

“I was right next to Bennett in the fairway, and he was about 245 yards out,” Sladek said. “We had a little game going. Me and my brother, Ashton, were playing Bennett and Carver (Larson). Bennett put his on the green about 15 (feet) out. So then I’m like, ‘He’s in there for birdie. I’ve got to be aggressive to do this.’ I took out my five-wood from about 235 yards away. Then I stick it five feet (away from the pin).”

Going into the last hole, Sladek knew he was on the

verge of doing something special.

“I had it in the back of my mind,” Sladek said. “I knew birdie would shoot 60 and break the record. I was trying to get to 59. That would’ve been pretty sick to shoot in the 50s.”

When Sladek’s group went back to the clubhouse, they were met with dropped jaws. “Hunter (Rebrovich) was working the pro shop that night,” Sladek said. “We walked through the round, and I told him about it. He was just in disbelief. Carver, Bennett and Ashton were all excited for me. They talked for me and hyped me up. They could attest to everything.”

Less than 24 hours after returning home from Bunker Hills in Coon Rapids, four of Alexandria’s top golfers were back on the course. The plan was nothing more than four friends having fun.

“We thought about taking a day off for a bit,” Sladek said. “Then we decided just to go out and play. I mean, it’s what we do all summer long.”

“It was honestly just the four of us having a good time making birdies,” Sladek said. “I didn’t think too much about it until I made that eagle. They were playing good on the day too.”

jrubado@echopress.com

he made his move on the back nine. Sauer was 1-up after a birdie win on 6 and a par win at 9 around Brown’s par win at 8.

Friday as five straight birdies to start his round led to a 6-5 win over Nick Jarrett.

“I’ve definitely improved a lot on my driving,” Adams said. “I’m hitting it farther and straighter than I was back then. I think just my demeanor, the mental game has been a lot better. I’ve been a lot more focused, and not really letting anything get to me. Just worry about my game.”

Adams shot a 31 on the front nine, but was up just three after Jarrett was good too with a 1-under par 35. But Adams just wasn’t going to be beat on Friday.

He continued his torrid stretch on the back where a par at 10 and two more birdies comfortably helped him secure his spot in Saturday’s semifinals.

Adams is no stranger to Saturdays at the Resorters. In addition to that 2018 run, he also won three Junior Division championships. This tournament has grown to mean a lot to Adams over the last

decade, which is why the thought of finishing it on Saturday with a championship would be so special.

“To win this would be amazing,” he said. “I have dreamt about winning this Men’s Division ever since I first qualified when I was 16. To do it in the 100th year would be so special. If I made it that far, I don’t think I would be able to hold

back tears. I would be so happy.”

Brown def. Sauer, 3-1

Kelly Brown is a former player at the University of NebraskaOmaha, and he’s standing in Adams’ way of trying to make it to the title match on Saturday afternoon.

Brown knocked off Jon Sauer in a 3-1 match on Friday after

But the back was all Brown as a birdie jumpstarted him on the 10th hole. That squared the match before an eagle win on the par-5 12th gave him a 1-up advantage. He added a birdie win at 14 and a par win at 17 to secure the win.

Brown caught fire after shooting a 36 on the front. He shot 5-under through his final eight holes to prove he belonged among the final four.

Adams and Brown had never met until Friday. They will face each other for the first time now as the winner gets a shot to play for his first Men’s Division title at the Resorters.

“I just think you have to take it one shot at a time,” Adams said. “I have to get through the first match first. I’m only worried about that. My thought process is to hit it down the fairway at 1 and go from there. I just know he’s a good player, and it will be a tough match.

Jared Rubado / Echo Press

broke the Geneva Golf Club’s course record with his score of 11-under par 60 on June 17, 2021.

I’m excited.”

Adams Brown

Eric Morken / Echo Press

Nate Adams of Maple Grove holds the follow through on his drive during his Resorters match against Nick Jarrett on Aug. 6, 2021. Adams birdied his first five holes on Friday, and that jumpstarted a 6-5 win over Nick Jarrett that moved him into the Men’s Championship semifinals.

Eldred eager for her second chance

Madison Herzog trying for first Women’s title

By Eric Morken emorken@echopress.com

Osakis native Alayna Eldred wanted badly to prove during the 2020 Resorters championship match that her 2014 Women’s Division title as a 14-year-old was no fluke.

She has already done that in the minds of most with now back-to-back runs to the Women’s Division championship match. But there’s no doubt she wants another Resorters title to her name so she can join an elite list from this tournament’s history that has at least two.

“Last year I was so close,” Eldred said on Friday of her 3-2 loss to Ale Heinen in the championship in 2020. “She outplayed me a little bit last year, but I’ve been waiting for this for like eight years. I want it so bad, but I know I need to just go play relaxed. I can’t think about that when I’m out there.”

Eldred played Heinen in a rematch on Friday and came out on top in a 3-1 final. Detroit Lakes’ Madison Herzog is looking for her first Women’s Division championship. She controlled her semifinals match from start to finish in a 7-6 win over Maple

Grove’s Lauren Contreras. Here is a close look at how both Herzog and Eldred got to the finals before they take to the first tee box on Saturday

afternoon at 12:45.

Herzog def.

Contreras 7-6

Lauren Contreras was on

her game in a 6-5 win during the quarterfinals on Thursday, but Friday just wasn’t her day.

Conteras shot a 41 on the

front nine, and that opened the door for Herzog in what became a 7-6 win for the 2019 runner-up in this division. Herzog shot a 35 on the front with wins on 2, 3, 6, 7 and 9 around Contreras’ only win of the day with a birdie on 4. Herzog just needed to remain steady on the back. She parred each of the first two holes, and that was enough to get wins on both after Contreras bogied. Herzog will now shift her attention to a familiar opponent in Eldred as she tries for the title.

Eldred def. Heinen, 3-1 Eldred had an inkling that a semifinals matchup might be waiting for her against good friend Ale Heinen when she saw how the seedings broke after qualifying.

“When I saw the bracket come out, I was like, ‘OK, we got to get there,’” Eldred said after her 3-1 win over Heinen on Friday. “I wanted that rematch because that was our final last year. We’re such good friends too, so it was a

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Herzog Eldred

Al Edenloff / Echo Press

Madison Herzog putts on the No. 9 green in her Women’s Division match against Lauren Contreras Friday. Herzog advanced with a 7-6 win.

Area golfers posting big summers

By Eric Morken emorken@echopress.com

Golfers with Alexandria ties were well represented at the 118th Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Championship that wrapped up on July 21.

This year’s MGA Amateur Championship ran from July 19-21 at the Rush Creek Golf Club in Maple Grove, and Alexandria native Bryce Hanstad led local players by finishing tied for eighth over the three rounds. Hanstad, now a member of the Olympic Hills Golf Club near his home in Edina, shot rounds of 73, 66 and 72 for a 5-under par total of 211. That round of 66 included birdies on Nos. 2, 5, 7, 8, 17 and 18 as he finished without a single bogey on his card on July 20.

Derek Hitchner of the Minikahda Club won the 2021 championship by shooting 15-under (201). That included rounds of 64, 69 and 68, and was just enough to hold off Caleb VanArragon of the Bunker Hills Golf Club. VanArragon shot a 14-under 202 (66, 68, 68).

Five members of the Alexandria Golf Club competed in the amateur championship.

Noah Boraas led that group as he tied for 29th with a threeday score of 219 (76, 73, 70).

Sean Lehman and Jerry Rose also made the cut after two rounds. Lehman tied for 43rd (77, 70, 77 — 224) and Rose tied for 51st (77, 71, 79 — 227).

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fun day out there. I wish I was meeting her (Saturday), but either way it’s fun playing a good player. We both played really well today, so it’s always fun to have a good match like that.”

Heinen did not give the match away, and that’s exactly how Eldred wanted to win. Both shot a 36 on the front nine as they went to the back all square.

It was a similar story once they got there as the two equaled each other with pars on holes 10, 11 and 13 around birdies on No. 12. Eldred finally struck with a birdie win at the par-5 14th. Both players bogeyed 15, but Eldred finished with a birdie win on 16 and a par win at the par-3 17th that sealed it.

“I was hitting my irons really well, and that’s something I’ve kind of been missing a little bit,” Eldred said. “Out here, if I put the ball in the fairway I’m going to have short irons in. Those short irons 100 yards and

Alexandria’s Hannah Boraas watches her putt during Aug. 4, 2021 Women’s Division action at the Resorters. Boraas is one of the many Alexandria golfers who stays busy golfing tournaments across Minnesota during the summer. She tied for 37th while competing at the Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Amateur Championship July 26-28.

Brothers Lukas and Joseph Bigger also qualified for the championship by shooting well at the Alexandria Golf Club earlier this summer.

Lukas shot rounds of 82 and 75 at Rush Creek for a 13-over par 157, and Joseph shot two rounds of 78 and 84 for a 162.

Geneva Golf Club members Hunter Rebrovich and Andrew Olson added to the large contingency of local

in were really spot on today. Then any long iron I needed to hit was really well struck. That put me on the green almost every hole. I almost always had a putt for birdie.”

Eldred said it was the best she has played all week. She finished her round at 2-under par.

“I knew I needed to have that coming into today because Ale has been playing some amazing golf,” Eldred said. “She’s been playing pretty much perfect golf, and so I knew I had to do that.”

Eldred might have to repeat it again on Saturday. Herzog played one of her best rounds all week too on Friday, setting up what should be a good showdown in the Women’s finals.

“I think the biggest thing is just capitalize if she does make a mistake,” Eldred said. “She’s the type of player that can rattle off a lot of birdies, but she can also throw in some bogies. When she does make a bogey, I have to capitalize on that with a par or birdie.”

golfers at the championship. Rebrovich made the cut and shot a 9-over par 225 with rounds of 74, 74 and 77 to tie for 47th. Olson shot rounds of 79 and 80 to finish at a 15-over par 159.

Andrew Israelson of The Vintage at Staples and Nate Adams of the Rush Creek Golf Club, both contenders in recent years at the Resorters Tournament in Alexan-

dria, also had big days at the MGA Amateur Championship. Israelson tied for third with a 9-under 207 (70, 70, 67) and Adams was fifth with an 8-under 208 (66, 76, 66).

► Alexandria’s Braeden Sladek continued his impressive summer by placing second at the Minnesota Golf Association Junior Boys’ Championship that ran July 26-27 at the Pine to Palm Course in Detroit Lakes.

Sladek finished tied for second at the championship with three other players as he shot a 7-under par 135. The soonto-be junior in high school carded rounds of 66 and 69. That included 11 birdies throughout his two rounds.

Mason Roloff of TPC Twin Cities won the title with an 11-under par 131 after shooting rounds of 65 and 66. Roloff, a junior at Spring Lake Park High School this past season, had just two bogeys over 36 holes around his 13 birdies.

Sladek’s younger brother, Ashton Sladek, and fellow Alexandria teammates Carver Larson and Bennett Olsen also competed in the championship.

Larson (71, 85 - 156) and Olsen (81, 75 - 156) tied for 88th. Ashton Sladek tied for 113th out of 143 players after shooting a two-day 161 (78, 83).

Sean Lehman of the Alexandria Golf Club tied for 12th as one of 20 players who shot under par in Detroit Lakes.

He finished at 2-under with a 140 (71, 69).

► Just like in the men’s field, the MGA Women’s Amateur Championship featured plenty of local golfers competing.

The women’s tournament ran July 26-28 where Red Wing native and University of Missouri junior Sophia Yoemans won with a three-day score of 212 (69, 72, 71). Yoemans, the 2017 Women’s Division champion at the Resorters Tournament in Alexandria, chipped in for birdie on the 18th hole during her third round to tie Taylor Ledwein of New Prague and force a playoff. Yoemans made par on the second playoff hole to win it at the Island View Golf Club in Waconia.

Osakis native Alayna Eldred, who transferred from the University of Minnesota to Ferris State University in Michigan for her sophomore season this past school year, finished tied for 15th at the MGA Championship. Eldred shot rounds of 72, 80 and 77 for a 229.

Alexandria’s Hannah Boraas also competed and finished tied for 37th. The soon-to-be junior in high school shot a 238 (78, 78, 82), while Alexandria senior Cora Larson tied for 29th with a 235 (74, 83, 78). Alexandria native Bridget Amundso n also played and shot a 240 (79, 80, 81) to tie for 46th out of the 88 players in the field.

Eric Morken / Alexandria Echo Press

Alayna Eldred putts on the No. 5 green during her Women’s Division match against Ale Heinen Friday. Eldred advanced to the finals with a 3-1 victory.

Al Edenloff / Echo Press

A look back at the history of the Resorters

Part 4: The course

Editors note: This is the conclusion 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.

The Alexandria Golf Club, now celebrating the centennial of its Resorters’ golf tournament, has its own rich history. Along with the Douglas County Courthouse and Congregational Church, AGC is among the town’s few true icons still operating as originally intended.

Built in 1915 as a 9-holer (today’s back nine) with a “clubhouse” where today’s 13th green is, AGC expanded to 18 holes by 1922. AGC is distinctively historic for its enduring age and “classic” layout, and especially because it’s among the few remaining courses in North America built on original ground contours; no sculpting back in the day and little since.

Today’s clubhouse sits on the foundation of a once-elegant, gabled farmhouse, and the course on farmland once owned by the Ballentine family – whose ancestors retain a lakeside cabin group behind the 4th green called “Camp Ballentine.”

AGC was once known as the course of states, with greens resembling Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri (since reshaped), and Minnesota (the 7th), Oklahoma (8th) and Texas (17th). It was a nod to the many visitors and summer residents from those states, and good promotion: In 1938, the popular LIFE Magazine published an expanded photo feature of the holes for its huge national readership.

While AGC’s early years saw a treeless landscape, today’s layout is strategically-populated with splendid conifer and deciduous varieties that dazzle in autumn color. In 1989, some 1,700 trees were imported from the Oberg farm across the road from the 14th tees (Alice

AGC’s storied history is displayed in several photos and memorabilia in the clubhouse and pro shop, and on dining tables; it’s all worth a look.

Oberg was the hugely popular, long-time AGC cook, famous for her scrumptious caramel rolls).

Another distinct course feature was the apple trees that marked yardage to greens. Their springtime blossoms, along with lilacs, welcomed another golf season. Each tee once had a handsome woodcarved marker displaying the hole’s number and yardage. There are some remnants of the (now bigger) blossoming trees, while the classy tee markers are clubhouse wall pieces.

AGC’s storied history is displayed in several photos and memorabilia in the clubhouse and pro shop, and on dining tables; it’s all worth a look.

And AGC has the distinction as a very well-manicured course. In 1937, “Happy” O’Brien – prominent caddie for golf stars like legendary pro Harry Vardon and actor “Bing” Crosby – gave AGC national mention as “one of the best-maintained courses” he’d played. Devotion to detail was a hallmark that continues today with grass master Donnacha O’Connor.

In 2005, AGC planted bentgrass fairways that are neatly edged by primary-cut rough. Classy pattern-cut aprons front greens that putt true. It’s deservedly called “a gem” that few tire of playing.

As well, today’s golf course

has lively color throughout with elegant and artistic landscaping. A sampling is in full view for diners on the attractive new clubhouse patio. Unlike most golf clubs, AGC’s grill is open to the public (good food, generous drinks).

There’ve been attempts to alter the iconic AGC course: In the 1980s there was a plan to grade 27 mix/match holes in response to then-exploding golf interest, and more recently a plan to erase the entire layout for a “modern” something that’d little resemble the “sense of place” for generations of golfers, where every hole rekindles memories.

There’s currently a push to lengthen the course, but so far all plans to carve up history have gone nowhere. Most see AGC as an ideal member course for golf’s

best market: families, with juniors eager to take up the game.

Actually, AGC is the same length as Bemidji’s (6,545 yds) where the Birchmont is played, and longer than Detroit Lakes’ (6,121) and its Pine-to-Palm. With AGC, the two venues host consecutive, week-long match-play tournaments known as the “Resorter Circuit,” inspired by the Resorters’ early success. Two-time (2015-16) Resorters’ champ Nick Heinen, among golf’s very longest hitters, says AGC is a “great match-play course – just the way it is.”

Those of us who caddied and worked at AGC back in the day, and have since often trod the rolling fairways, are comforted by the familiar feel of the historic course.

To us, AGC is our golf home – just the way it is.

Contributed

This aerial photo of the Alexandria Golf Course shows the Oklahoma green, middle, right, on hole 8. The Alexandria Golf Club’s course design has used state-shaped greens as a nod to the many tourists and summer residents who come to the area to play the course each year.

Boe, Olsen tangle for a title

Semifinal matches were very close

By Al Edenloff Alexandria Echo Press

The Resorters 2021

Junior 13-15 Division champion will either be Cottonwood’s Carson Boe, last year’s runner-up in the division, or Bennett Olsen, a two-time champion (2016 and 2017) in the Junior 10-12 division.

Both Boe and Olsen survived tough challenges from their opponents in Friday’s semifinals. Both matches weren’t decided until the 17th or 18th hole.

They’ll square off today, starting at 12:30 p.m. from the No. 1 tee.

Here’s a look at how they advanced to the finals on Friday:

Boe def. Ballou, 2-1

Boe got off to a good start and was able to stave off a late comeback from Andrew Ballou.

After swapping pars on the first two holes, Boe’s par on No. 3 put him into the lead and he added a birdie win on No. 5 to go 2-up.

They both matched pars on the next two holes before Ballou drew to within one with a birdie on No. 8. Pars on the 9th hole preserved Boe’s slim lead at the turn.

Boe gave himself some breathing room by winning No. 11 with par and No. 12 with birdie to go 3-up. Ballou charged back, however, taking No. 13 with par and No. 15 with another par that sliced the lead to one.

Boe held firm, however. He won the 16th with par that helped close out a 2-1 victory.

Olsen def. Larson, 1-up

Momentum shifts kept the outcome of this match up in the air for most of the afternoon between two Alexandria teammates.

First, it was Carv-

er Larson, who took No. 1 with birdie. After halving the next three holes with pars, the advantage switched to Olsen, who won Nos. 5 and 6 with par, birdie to steal the lead.

Then it was Larson’s turn. He won Nos. 8 and 9 with par, birdie to regain the lead.

The back nine shifted back and forth as well. Larson won No. 10 with birdie to go 2-up but Olsen won No. 11 with par and tied the match in dramatic fashion, an eagle on No. 12. Larson won No. 13 to take the lead for the third time but Olsen stormed back, taking Nos. 15 and 16 with birdies, which put him back in front.

Larson’s par on No. 17 squared the match but Olsen’s par on the final hole gave him a hard-fought 1-up win.

Larson shot a 74 during the 18-hole match, while Olsen carded a 73.

Boe Olsen

Eric Morken / Alexandria Echo Press

Cottonwood’s Carson Boe, right, cracks a smile as he chats with Alexandria’s Carver Larson during the Junior 13-15 Division semifinals on Aug. 6, 2021. Boe had a lot to smile about again on Friday as the top seed in the division won a close 2-1 match against Andrew Ballou to advance to his second straight championship appearance.

Gruidl, Golden square off for the gold in Grand Masters

By Eric Morken Alexandria Echo Press

Jerry Gruidl has certainly lived up to his billing as the top seed in the Grand Master Division this week. Now he’ll try to do it one more round for a title.

Gruidl, a two-time Men’s Division champion, took down another multiple-time Resorters winner in George Cliff on Friday morning. Sixth-seeded

Mike Golden won a battle against seventh-seeded Tom Schoenrock to earn the right to face Gruidl on Saturday.

The two will square off from the first tee at 11:45 a.m. Here is a look at their semifinal matches.

Gruidl def. Cliff, 6-5

Gruidl set the tone right away in his 6-5 win over Cliff by getting a birdie win on the first hole.

It was the start of a solid front nine as he shot 39 and built a 4-up lead by the turn with wins at 3, 6 and 7. His back nine was just as productive, as Gruidl birdied No. 10 to go 5-up and parred 11 to take

complete control of the match.

Golden def. Schoenrock, 3-2

Golden won his match on the back nine after Tom Schoenrock had built a 1-up lead at the turn with back-to-back par wins at 7 and 8.

Golden needed to be steady from there on out, and that’s what he was.

He parred Nos. 11, 12, 14 and 15 to grab wins on all of them.

Schoenrock got a par win of his own at 13 between that run by Golden, but the damage was done as Golden earned his right to face Gruidl in the championship match.

Mike Golden drives the ball down the fourth fairway in his Men’s Grand Masters semifinal win over Tom Schoenrock on Aug. 6, 2021. Golden’s 3-2 win punches his ticket to the Grand Master final on Saturday against Jerry Gruidl.

Right: Jerry Gruidl tees off from the fourth tee box on Aug. 6, 2021. Gruidl beat George Cliff to earn a spot in the Men’s Grand Masters championship round on Saturday afternoon against Mike Golden.

Gruidl Golden

Left:

Photos by Jared Rubado / Alexandria Echo Press

Tom Schoenrock putts from in front of the ninth green on Aug. 6, 2021. Schoenrock fell to Mike Golden by a score of 3-2 on Friday in the Men’s Grand Masters semifinal. Jared Rubado / Alexandria Echo Press

Adams goes for a second straight title

Michael Herzog looks to take down the champ in Men’s Regs

By Eric Morken emorken@echopress.com

The Men’s Regular 1st flight finals are set, and Nicholas Adams will be going for a second straight championship in the division.

Adams won a 3-1 contest over Alexandria’s Brandon Bistodeau in the final four on Friday. Michael Herzog will join Adams from the first tee box at 8:10 a.m. on Saturday to decide who will walk away with a championship.

Here is a look at how both got to the finals.

Herzog def. Erickson, 3-2

Jake Erickson took down the division medalist on Thursday with a 4-2 win over Tyler Wanous, but he couldn’t repeat that magic against Michael Herzog on Friday.

Herzog got a par win at No. 1 before Erickson’s birdie at 2 evened the match back up.

Herzog built a 2-up advantage with par wins at 4 and 6, but again Erickson answered to even the match with a par win at 7 and a birdie win at 11.

That’s when Herzog took control. His eagle win at 12 jumpstarted a run of three wins over the next four holes. A birdie win on 14 and a par win at 15 helped him to 3-up as Herzog shot 3-under par through his seven holes on the back nine to secure the win.

Adams def. Bistodeau, 3-1

Adams had a similar match against Bistodeau in that neither player could really separate themself from the other by too much.

It was all square after a Bistodeau birdie win at No.

12, but Adams immediately responded. His par at 13 moved him to 1-up, and a birdie win at 14 was the separation he needed to secure the win. He added par wins at 1, 3 and 10 around a bogey win at 4. Bistodeau parred Nos. 2 and 9 for wins, while adding a

second birdie win at the par-5 6th hole.

Jared Rubado Alexandria Echo Press

Michael Herzog chips up to the 11th green from behind a tree on the left side of the fairway on Thursday. Herzog beat Jake Erickson to advance to the Men’s Regular Division championship round on Saturday. He will take on defending champion Nicholas Adams, who beat Brandon Bistodeau 3-1.

Nicholas Adams reads a putt on the 11th green on Friday. Adams beat Brandon Bistodeau 3-1 on Friday to advance to the championship round. He will defend his title against Michael Herzog on Saturday.

Troy Johnson hoping for fourth consecutive championship

By Jared Rubado jrubado@echopress.com

Leads evaporated left and right on the back nine in the Men’s Executive Division quarterfinals on Friday. At the turn, it looked as if the top four seeds would be left standing. But three comebacks in the final hour turned the bracket on its head.

Chad Bisson and Andy Petersen trailed for 14 holes in their matches against Joe Sauer and Bryan Hoops. For Bisson, a bogey and a par on the final two holes were enough to square the match and bring home the win.

Petersen needed an extra hole to knock off top-seeded Bryan Hoops after a par on No. 18 squared the match for the first time since the third hole.

Daryl Schomer’s comeback was a little more anticlimactic, but impressive nonetheless. After falling down two holes with seven to play, Schomer found his sweet swing to stage a comeback. He finished his round even-par to advance.

The one competitor who didn’t need a comeback was threetime defending champion Troy Johnson, who beat underdog Breton Stout 6-4. While the score looks one-sided, it took some time for Johnson to find his game.

“I knew I had to come with some game because (Stout) has played some really good golf this week,” Johnson said. “I was shaky on the first few holes, and I found it after about three of four holes. I played solid from there. (Stout) was a fun guy to golf with, and he’s a fun player.”

On No. 1, Johnson’s tee shot drew far left into the trees. Needing a little magic, he pulled out an iron and ran the ball through the bunker and onto the green to save par.

“I looked at it, and then I looked at (Stout’s) shot there that was in a good spot,” Johnson said. “I thought, you know, it’s not that big of a deal if I lose the first hole. I just kind of went for it, and I pulled off exactly what I wanted to do in my head.”

Johnson rode that momentum through the rest of his round to a 6-4 victory. While the madness on the back

nine unfolded, Johnson waited to see what three other golfers would join him Saturday morning.

“Once you get to this point, everybody is playing well,” Johnson said. “It’s just a matter of continuing to put the pressure on your opponent and making some good shots. At this point, you’re at a stage where anybody can get the job done.”

Johnson said one of the keys to his three Executive title wins in the last three years is being the guy who makes the fewest mistakes. He prefers to keep his game as simple as possible, and it’s had a habit of working for him.

“If you can go through there and make the least amount of bogeys, you’re probably going to come out on top,” Johnson said. “That’s really the key. Any of us can win this thing tomorrow.”

Petersen def. Hoops, 1-up 19 holes

Hoops has played consistent golf since he earned the medalist honors in the qualifying round. On Friday, he opened his round with five straight pars to take a one hole lead over Petersen.

The lead doubled on No. 8 when Petersen bogeyed before Hoops’ first blunder on No. 9 cut his lead in half. Petersen bogeyed No. 10 to give the hole back before making his comeback push.

Petersen birdied Nos. 2 and 14 to cut Hoops’ lead to one before a par on No. 18 squared the match for the first time since the third hole.

Petersen went on to win the 19th hole to move on and knock off the top seed in the tournament.

Both golfers were sharp throughout the day in shooting even par. Petersen made three birdies to Hoops’ two. Hoops’ only bogey on the back nine came on No. 18.

Schomer def. Dan Johnson, 1-up Schomer is the last person not named Troy Johnson to win the Men’s Executive championship. The fourtime Executive champion overcame a slow start to keep his title hopes alive against Dan Johnson on Friday.

After Johnson bogeyed No. 5 to fall behind, he squared the match with a birdie on No. 6 before taking the lead with a par on No. 7. Johnson’s birdie on No. 9 gave him a two hole advantage heading to the turn.

Schomer was just one-over-par on the front nine but found himself in a hole. He started to dig out of it with three straight pars before squaring the match with a bogey on No. 13. Schomer then birdied Nos. 14 and 15 to go 2-up before Johnson got a hole back with a par on No. 16.

Johnson squared the match on the par-3 17th hole with this third birdie of the afternoon. But he would bogey No.18 to send Schomer to the semifinals.

Schomer will play against Petersen. The last time they played in the championship flight on a Saturday was in 2017, where Schomer beat Petersen 4-3 for the Executive championship.

Troy Johnson def. Stout, 6-4

Johnson’s run for his fourth straight trophy didn’t slow down on Friday against Stout. A par on No. 3 and a birdie on No. 4 gave Johnson a two-hole advantage. He never looked back from there.

Both Johnson and Stout parred the remaining holes on the front nine. After the turn, Johnson caught fire. He capitalized on Stout’s bogey on No. 10 to go 3-up before an eagle on No. 12 put the contest out of reach.

Johnson went on to win the next two holes to win the match. Through 14 holes, Johnson was one-under par.

Bisson def. Sauer, 1-up

Leading by two holes with three left to play against Bisson, Sauer went bogey, double bogey and bogey to finish the round. Bisson, who hadn’t led all day, was a stroke better than Sauer on each of the final three holes.

Sauer took a threehole lead on No. 5 after making three pars and a birdie to start his round. Bisson, who was five-over-par through six holes, caught fire before the turn. He birdied No. 7 before back-to-back pars cut

Jared Rubado / Alexandria Echo Press

the lead to one.

Bisson squared the match on No. 13 with a par before Sauer got the two-hole lead back with a bogey and a par on Nos. 14 and 15.

competed in the championship round in this division. To get there, he will have to knock off the favorite in Troy Johnson.

Andrew

Leads disappear in frantic Men’s Execs quarterfinals

Andy Petersen looks for a read on a long putt from the fairway in front of the first green on Aug. 6, 2021. Petersen beat top-seeded Bryan Hoops in 19 holes to clinch a spot in the final four in the Men’s Executive Division on Saturday.

Petersen Schomer

Johnson Bisson

Jared Rubado / Alexandria Echo Press

Troy Johnson bumps his second shot on No. 1 through the bunker and onto the green for a try at a birdie putt on Aug. 6, 2021. Johnson pulled away from Breton Stout to win 6-5 and keep his four-peat hopes alive in the Men’s Executive Division.

Haugen maintains back-nine magic in 20-hole win

He meets Lindberg in Senior final

By Jared Rubado jrubado@echopress.com

If you look at Chris Haugen’s scorecards from each of his last two rounds, you’d think there are two different guys playing each of the nine holes. But all he needs is one good putt to turn his fortunes.

Haugen beat Mike Herzog 1-up in 20 holes to advance to his fourth senior final in five years. In 2016 and 2017, he went back-to-back–beating Jon Empanger and Herzog’s brother, Steve. In 2019, Steve Herzog got the better of Haugen to win his third Senior championship.

There are no Herzog’s left in the division trying to spoil Haugen’s party. However, there is a Lindberg.

Mark Lingberg won the 2002 and 2003 Men’s Division championship at the Resorters around runner-up finishes in 1998 and 2004. He has run through the Senior Division with few troubles. On Friday afternoon, he took care of business against Mark Frie with a 4-3 win.

Lindberg has played in late-tournament matches against Haugen in years past. Haugen, who knocked off top-seeded JT Johnson and Herzog, has been in the underdog

role as the 25th seed this week.

“We all know each other at this point,” Haugen said. “Lindberg beat me last year and I beat him three

years ago. Both of those matches went to No. 18. He’s a great guy, and it’s going to be a barn burner tomorrow. He’s playing good golf. I can’t start as slow as I did the

last two days.”

Haugen def. Herzog, 1-up 20 holes Herzog’s back nine was impressive at 2-under

par. Yet it wasn’t enough to hold off Haugen’s surge.

Trailing by one at the turn, Haugen birdied three times and eagled the par-5 No. 12 on the back to finish regulation at even par. It was quite the turn around from his 4-over par front nine.

“It seems like my putting struggles early on in the matches,” Haugen said. “Then I find something where I make a lot of birdies on the back nine. That’s helped turn the tide… Once I see a good putt go in it helps me mentally. I just play better on the back nine too. I don’t know what it is. Maybe it just fits my eye better.”

Haugen took his first lead on No. 12 after his eagle, but gave it back with a bogey on No. 15. Herzog regained his lead with a birdie on No. 16 before Haugen squared the match with a birdie on No. 18. It was Haugen’s fourth birdie on the day, and he knew he needed it to keep his championship hopes alive.

“(Herzog) was not going to make a bogey there,” Haugen said. “He’s a really good putter, so I knew I had to make a birdie. I had a really good drive to the front edge of the green.

Then I two-putted for birdie. That was a nice way to get it to extra holes.”

In the sudden death stage of the match, Haugen felt like he was playing with confidence and momentum.

“I felt like I had a second life,” Haugen said. “(Herzog) played really well, but I was optimistic because I knew I was close to having this match be over without that birdie on 18.”

Lindberg def.

Frie, 4-3

Lindberg took a lead on the first hole with a birdie and never gave it up. He went 3-up on Nos. 2 and 3 before his par win on No. 8 put Mark Frie in a deep hole.

Frie got one back with a birdie on No. 12, but Lindberg’s poise carried through the back nine until his final birdie on No. 15. Lindberg is playing some of the best golf at AGC this week–especially in his last two rounds. To get through the tournament, Lindberg beat Mike Johnson 6-4 and Justin Cattoor 7-6.

Lindberg will try to hoist another Resorters trophy for the first time in nearly two decades when he meets up with Haugen on Saturday afternoon.

Lindberg Haugen

Photos by Al Edenloff / Echo Press

Chris Haugen blasts out of the bunker guarding the No. 9 green Friday in the Men’s Senior Division. Haugen advanced into the finals with a 1-up win over Mike Herzog in 20 holes.

Above: Mike Herzog watches his putt bounce toward the cup on No. 5 in his semifinal match against Chris Haugen in the Men’s Senior Division Friday. Haugen was the winner after two extra holes. Left: Mark Lindberg putts on the No. 5 green in the Resorters Men’s Senior Division semifinal Friday. Lindberg defeated Mark Frie, 4-3.

Elton seeks fourth title in Masters

Ryan,

By Al Edenloff

Alexandria Echo Press

Dan Elton, a threetime champion in the Resorters Masters Division (2016, 2017 and 2020) kept his hopes for a fourth title alive with a hard-fought match against Norty Blanchard that lasted 17 holes Friday.

Medalist Jon Empanger wasn’t so lucky. Tom Ryan, the division’s runner-up last year, edged Empanger, 3-2.

This sets up a repeat of last year’s final match when Elton slipped past Ryan, 3-1. They’ll tee it this afternoon at 1 p.m. and joining the foursome will be the two finalists from the Senior Men’s Division.

Here’s how the semifinals played out during a beautiful day of bright sunshine Friday:

Ryan def.

Empanger, 3-2

It was a tight battle of wills between Empanger and Ryan as they ended up halving nine of the 16 holes they played.

Empanger took the lead with a birdie on No. 1 but after tying on No. 2 with pars, Ryan squared the match with a par on No. 3. Empanger took the 4th hole with par to regain the lead but Ryan’s par won No. 5 to square things again and he took the lead for the first time by making par on the No. 7 Minnesota Green.

Both golfers shot nothing but par on the next four holes before Ryan broke the ice with a par win on the par-5 12th. He followed it up with a par win on No. 13 to go 3-up. From there, they both shot nothing but par on the next three

holes, which sent Ryan to the finals with a 3-2 victory.

Elton def. Blanchard, 2-1 Early leads are usually touted as a good thing. Yesterday? Not so much. Both Empanger and Blanchard grabbed early leads but lost their matches.

Blanchard surged out front with a par on No. 2 and went 2-up with another par on No.4.

Elton got right back into

it though, striking for a par on No. 5 and a birdie on No. 6 to square the match.

Blanchard tamed the Minnesota Green with a birdie to jump back in the lead and added a par win on No. 9 to go 2-up at the turn.

On the back nine, the defending champ showed how he took home the trophy. Elton didn’t lose a single hole, largely because he shot nothing but birdies and pars on the last eight holes. Along the way, Elton picked up four wins – Nos. 10 (birdie), 11 (par), 16 (birdie) and 17 (par). That par on 17 gave Elton a 2-1 triumph.

Elton was 2-over-par on the front nine while

Blanchard shot evenpar. The scores on the back nine told the story,

however: Blanchard was 1-over-par while Elton was 3-under.

Ryan Elton

Photos by Al Edenloff / Echo Press

Tom Ryan keeps an eye on his putt to the No. 9 cup in his Masters Division match against Jon Empanger. Ryan was the winner, 3-2.

Norty Blanchard tries a short putt on the 5th green during his match against the Masters Division defending champion, Dan Elton. Elton kept his hopes of a repeat alive with a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

Deja vu in Executive Women’s Division?

Or will Frie or Baker break through?

By Al Edenloff Alexandria Echo Press

Will there be a fourth showdown for all the marbles in the Executive Women’s Division between Betsy Aldrich and Jodi (Krafka) Sullivan?

They are the number one and two seeded players and it’s possible because they both won their quarterfinal matches Friday. But there’s something standing in the way: Joan Frie and Molly Baker.

They both won yesterday and have been playing some very good golf. Baker is the thirdseed and Frie is the 13th seed.

Starting at 7:10 a.m. this morning, Saturday, Aldrich will go up against Frie, and Sullivan will square off against Baker, starting from the No. 1 tee.

The winners will advance to the final that’s scheduled to start at 12:45 p.m., also from No. 1.

In case, you’re curious, here’s how the Aldrich-Sullivan final matches have played out over the years: 2017 –Aldrich won, 2-up; 2018 – Sullivan won, 1-up; 2019 – Aldrich won, 3-2.

Here’s a look at Friday’s quarterfinals:

Aldrich def.

Dowd, 7-6

A five-hole explosion

of wins to end the front nine carried Aldrich to a quick win over Liz Dowd.

Aldrich, the division’s champion in 2007, 2017, 2019 and 2020, sprinted out to a two-hole lead with pars on Nos. 1 and

2. Both golfers bogeyed No. 3 and parred No. 4 to keep Aldrich’s lead intact.

That’s when Aldrich caught fire. She won the next five holes with solid pars to take a soda-pop score at the turn, 7-up.

Dowd could only match Aldrich’s pars on Nos. 10, 11 and 12, which ended the match.

Frie def.

Boerboom, 4-3

Frie was on fire in the

early going, winning the first five holes over Colleen Boerboom with two pars, two bogeys and another par. After both golfers bogeyed the 6th hole, Boerboom made a match of it with a par win on No. 7 and a birdie on No. 9, thanks to a deadly accurate long putt that drew big applause from the gallery and a fist bump from Frie.

Boerboom drew to within two with another birdie on No. 10 but Frie struck back with a par win on No. 11 to go back to 3-up. After they both parred the long 12th hole, Frie made birdie on No. 13 to go 4-up. Both golfers settled for bogeys on No. 14 and pars on 15, which gave Frie a 4-3 victory.

Sullivan def.

O’Donnell, 2-1

In the division’s closest match of the day, Sullivan built a big lead early. She took the first four holes with three straight pars and a bogey.

But O’Donnell didn’t collapse. She mounted a big rally, winning the next four holes with two birdies and two pars to tie the match. Sullivan salvaged a par win on No. 9 to go 1-up at the turn.

After nine holes that contained no ties, the

match suddenly settled down. They halved Nos. 10 (par), 11 (bogey), 12 (par) and 13 (par), which kept Sullivan’s slim lead intact. O’Donnell knotted the match with a par win on No. 14 but Sullivan immediately answered with a par win on the 15th hole to go 1-up again.

They both settled for par on No. 16 and then Sullivan put the match away with a clutch par win on the 17th hole to seal a 2-1 victory. Baker def.

Cavers, 5-4 Baker got things cooking early against Jen Cavers. She won the first three holes with par, matched Cavers’ par on No. 4, and then reeled off three straight wins, again with pars, to go 6-up. Cavers’ bogey won the 9th hole but she trailed by five at the turn.

After swapping pars on Nos. 10 and 11, Cavers parred No. 13 to pull within four but Baker ended the match by winning No. 14 with par, preserving a 5-4 win.

- Betsy Aldrich vs. Joan Frie; Jodi Sullivan vs. Molly Baker

Aldrich Baker Frie Sullivan

Photos by Al Edenloff / Echo Press

Betsy Aldrich’s chip onto the No. 9 green came close to going into the hole during her Women’s Executive match against Liz Dowd Friday. Aldrich advanced with a 7-6 victory.

Left: Molly Baker gets out of a sand trap on No. 5 in the Women’s Executive Division Friday. The ball can be seen in the far right corner. Baker’s opponent, Jen Cavers, hit the other ball that’s in the trap. Baker won, 5-4. Right: Jodi Sullivan keeps her head down as she putts onto the No. 5 green while playing against Amanda O’Donnell in the Women’s Executive Division Friday. Sullivan advanced with a 2-1 victory.

Will Hacker looks to make good on second chance

Odland standing in his way

By Eric Morken emorken@echopress.com

Will Hacker fell just shy of a Junior 10-12 Division Resorters championship in 2020. He will get a shot at redemption on Saturday morning.

Hacker, the division’s top seed this year after shooting a 38 in qualifying, won another close contest on Friday after fending off a challenge from 12th-seeded Ellie Sticha in a 2-up final. Waiting for him in the finals will be Graham Odland after the sixth seed won a close match

Hacker Odland

against second-seeded Jaxn Hacker on Friday.

Odland jumped out to an early lead in his semifinal match against second-seeded Jaxn Hacker, and it ultimately led to a 2-1 win that puts him one win away from a title.

Odland started his round on the back nine with a par that gave him an immediate 1-hole advantage after Hacker’s bogey. Both players

ran into some trouble on the par-5 12th, but Odland’s double bogey was enough to take the hole before his par on 13 moved him to 3-up.

Hacker made a match of it with back-to-back wins on holes 14 and 15 via a bogey and a par. Both players bogeyed No. 16 before a bogey win at 17 for Odland ended the match.

Will Hacker and Odland will tee off for the championship at 8 a.m. on Saturday from hole 10.

SATURDAY JUNIOR

10-12 DIVISION PAIRING — 10TH TEE

8:00 A.M. — Will Hacker vs. Graham Odland

1: Graham Odland chips from behind the No. 11 green on Aug. 6, 2021. Odland knocked off second-seed Jaxn Hacker in the semifinal round of the Junior 10-12 championship. Odland will take on Will hacker in the title match on Saturday.

2: Ellie Sticha lofts her second shot onto the green on No. 11 on Aug. 6, 2021. Sticha fell in a close 2-up match to top-seeded Will Hacker on Friday morning in the Junior 10-12 semifinal.

3: Will Hacker lands his 11th-hole fairway shot on the green in his Junior 10-12 Division semifinal win on Aug. 6, 2021. Hacker beat Ellie Sticha 2-up to get back to the championship round after falling short in 2020.

4: Jaxn Hacker takes an approach shot from the No. 11 fairway on Aug. 6, 2021. Hacker fell in his semifinal match to Graham Odland by a 2-1 score in the Junior 10-12 Division.

Graham

3

4

Photos by Jared Rubado / Alexandria Echo Press

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