If it's any indication of the golf season in MN, just look at the number of posts I've made! My intent was to post from tournaments, or at least once a week, to give updates on the goings on in MGA golf. Unfortunately, work gets in the way. Maybe I should consider this as part of work then I'll be able to stay on top of it better!
Here it is, the week of the PGA Championship, and I'm just posting pictures from our extremely successful MGA Amateur Championship. Steve Watson, Perry Johnson, Dale Jones, Bob McKinney and their respective awesome staffs made everyone feel so welcome during our four days at Mendakota CC. I'm glad the tournament finally finished; otherwise, I would have gained about 20 pounds simply from the oatmeal, chocolate-chip cookies Mr. Watson insisted on bringing to the tournament office!We did have our weather challenges. In fact, we suspended a total of four times. Monday was a perfect day and play went just as well. (See picture #1) Tuesday was the antithesis.
We stopped at 8:00 am due to heavy rains making the course unplayable. (See picture #2) This respite lasted two hours. Then we stopped again at 4:45 pm due to lightning. After a 1:45 delay, we resumed at 6:30 and played until we suspended for a third time at 8:30 for lack of daylight with almost 40 players still on the course. (See picture #3)
Wednesday, we returned to finish the second round at 8:00 am and finished at 10:15. After a quick cut and repair, the first groups teed off to start the third round at 11:30. Then, with storms bearing down on us, we suspended (for the fourth time) for another 1 hour, 42 minutes, but were able to finish with plenty of daylight left had we needed it for a playoff.
Congratulations to Champion Tom Hoge from Village Green GC in Moorhead. Tom, who plays for TCU, shot a 3-under par total of 213 to beat last year's Amateur runner-up Jon Sauer and this year's Players' Championship runner-up Travis Ross by two strokes.
Next on my plate, a few days at the PGA and then our MGA Four-Ball Championship at North Oaks Golf Club. I'll be the "Range Captain" (in charge of the other PGA member volunteers at the driving range) on Saturday & Sunday. Unfortunately, I won't have any pictures from this experience to show you, but I hope to get a few when I go out to Hazeltine today.
Until next time-
Doug
