Polk and Schmitz Run Away with 53rd MGA Four-Ball Championship at Pebble Creek

  BECKER, Minn. – The tandem of Jesse Polk and Sammy Schmitz proved to be lethal at the 53rd Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Four-Ball Championship as the two got off to a roaring 12-under par start during the opening round, cruising to a 4-stroke win Wednesday at Pebble Creek Golf Club.

The victory Wednesday is the first four-ball title for both Polk and Schmitz as they carded a 65 on the final day to finish on top at 19-under par 125, while this year’s Minnesota Public Golf Association four-ball champions, Andy Jacobson and Aaron Barber, finished second at 15-under par 129.

Polk, Hastings Country Club, and Schmitz, Valleywood Golf Course, opened with a pair of birdies at the second and third holes to quickly jump to 14-under for the championship, before rolling in another at the fifth.

The two would make the turn at 16-under with a birdie at the eighth before giving back a stroke on the tenth with a bogey. Polk and Schmitz carded four more birdies over the final six holes to shoot 65 on the final day, claiming the championship at 19-under par 125.

Jacobson and Barber, both of Eagle Creek Golf Club, began the final round five shots behind Polk and Schmitz and got their round started with four birdies over the first six holes to jump to 12-under for the championship and added another at the ninth to make the turn at 13-under.

The duo continued its solid play over the final nine holes with three birdies but it wouldn’t be enough to catch the eventual winners, as Jacobson and Barber finished second at 15-under 129.

Beginning the final round seven strokes out of first, the team of Mark Aldrich and Erik Christopherson carded the best round of the day at 9-under par 63 to finish in third at 14-under par 130.

Aldrich, Mendakota Country Club, and Christopherson, Baker National Golf Club, began their round with a pair of birdies on the first two holes and added another pair at the fifth and sixth to move to 9-under.

The two dropped a shot on the seventh with a bogey, but responded with another birdie at the ninth to head to the final nine holes at 9-under for the championship.

A birdie at the par-4 10th put Aldrich and Christopherson at 10-under as the two would catch fire late in the round making four consecutive birdies to finish the day at 9-under.

Jack and Will Holmgren, Baker National Golf Club, finished tied for fourth at 13-under par 131 along with David Christensen and Brian Thompson, both of Elk River Golf Club, as well as Valleywood Golf Course’s J.T. Johnson and Geoff Klein.


For complete tournament results go to: http://www.mngolf.org/Tournament/53rd_MGA_Amateur_Four-Ball_Championship