Berry Claims Third Minnesota PGA Senior Match Play Championship

By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


  EDINA, Minn. – Taking a 3-up lead to the final nine holes of the 2015 Minnesota PGA Senior Match Play Championship at Edina Country Club, two-time champion Don Berry survived a late surge by Mike Flaherty to claim his third championship in four years.

Berry reached the finals Thursday after jumping out to a commanding 5-up lead after eight holes during his semifinal match against Mark Peterson, before clinching the match on the 14th hole to win, 5 and 4.

“It’s been a good year and I’ve played well,” Berry said Thursday, “I was happy with just about everything. I had a couple bad tournaments and played poorly at times, but I thought I was pretty consistent.”

For the 2015 season, Berry notched nine victories, including the Minnesota Senior PGA Professional Championship, the Minnesota PGA Professional Championship, as well as the Minnesota Senior Open.

He claimed 27 top-10 finishes, translating to more than $30,000 in earnings, while missing just two cuts, both at national events (Senior PGA Championship, PGA Professional National Championship).

“I felt like I played well [during the quarterfinals Wednesday] and good this morning,” Berry said. “I thought I putted pretty well. This course is hard and if you miss these greens, it’s tough chipping.”

During the championship match Flaherty took a 1-up lead after Berry failed to get up-and-down from the back edge of the second green, but Berry came charging back by drilling a 50-foot birdie putt at the third to even the match.

Berry, Edinburgh USA, took advantage of a bogey by Flaherty at the par-4 sixth holes to take his first lead of the match Thursday before sinking his birdie from four feet at the eighth hole, taking a 2-up lead.

Seemingly in full control of the match, Berry would take a 3-up lead after a bogey by Flaherty at the par-5 10th holes, but Flaherty would win three of the next four holes to swing momentum back on his side.

Flaherty’s tee shot rolled five yards off the left edge of the 11th green, but he stepped up and dropped a 45-foot putt to pull within two of Berry with seven holes to play.

Berry would struggle to reach the 12th green and would take a bogey as Flaherty cut the deficit to one before sticking his approach to inside three feet at the 14th, tapping in birdie to square the match.

A wayward tee shot at the par-4 16th for Berry found the water, but he would put his third to the back of the green, two-putting for an important bogey as Flaherty failed to get up-and-down for par after leaving his approach short of the green.

“That was a good bogey because [Flaherty] made a bogey,” Berry joked. “If he made par, then it wouldn’t have been a good bogey. It was a good halve—put it that way. That third shot I hit was really nice, but that putt was so fast.”

Berry and Flaherty parred the final two holes of regulation before Berry made a two-putt par from 10 feet. Missing his approach right, Flaherty’s chip sailed 10 feet past the flag and he was unable to drop his comeback par to give Berry the 1-up victory.

“This morning the course seemed easier and I think I played a little bit better,” Berry said after his victory Thursday. “I was in a divot on [No. 1] and in a divot on [No. 3] and I thought, this might not be my day, but made the long putt and things were going good but on the last nine I sort of lost my swing—hard to explain. I didn’t know if it was going right or left. [Flaherty] played better than I did and should’ve won, but it’s match play, and I got up early and was able to hold on.”

“I’m not a very good match play player and I don’t seem to play very good in it,” Berry said, which is hard to believe considering he has seven Minnesota PGA match play championships to his credit.

Berry will travel to northern California next month as he earned medalist honors at the Minnesota Senior PGA Professional Championship in September, firing back-to-back rounds of 71 to qualify for the national championship.

Flaherty faced Peter Krause during his semifinal match Thursday and took a 3-up lead after eight holes before closing Krause out on the 16th hole to win, 3 and 2.

“This morning I played solid and I knew I couldn’t make any mistakes in the [final match against Berry]. I didn’t feel good about the front because I just didn’t putt good today. I made one putt all day,” Flaherty said. “I had a chance to make a couple putts coming in and I just didn’t do it.”

“This was a lot of fun for my first senior match play,” he said. “I finished second here and second at the [Club Professional Championship] so I feel good about that—it’s been a good year.”

Playing in his first senior event at the Minnesota Senior PGA Professional Championship at Dellwood Country Club in early September, Flaherty carded rounds of 71 and 73, respectively, to finish tied for second at 144 to earn a spot in the national championship at Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Courses in Seaside, Calif., Oct. 15-18.



2015 MINNESOTA PGA SENIOR MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP EDINA COUNTRY CLUB EDINA, MINN. 6,696 YARDS, PAR 72 THURSDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH Berry def. Flaherty, 1-up THURSDAY’S SEMIFINAL RESULTS Flaherty def. Krause, 3 and 2 Berry def. Peterson, 5 and 4 WEDNESDAY’S QUARTERFINAL RESULTS Peter Krause def. Dave Nordeen, 1-up Mike Flaherty def. George Smith, 4 and 2 Don Berry def. Matt Vandelac, 4 and 2 Mark Peterson def. Marty Lass, 1-up WEDNESDAY’S ROUND OF 16 RESULTS Dave Nordeen, Somerby GC def. Craig Waryan, Edinburgh USA, 5 and 3 Peter Krause, Edinburgh USA, def. Steven Fessler, Riverwood Nat’l GC, 1-up Mike Flaherty, University GC, def. James Kidd, Windsong Farm, 5 and 4 George Smith, 2nd Swing, def. Steve Whillock, Oak Marsh GC, 4 and 2 Don Berry, Edinburgh USA, def. Jeff Drimel, Medina G&CC, 4 and 3 Matt Vandelac, unattached, def. Bob Miller, Rich Spring GC, 3 and 2 Mark Peterson, Brackett’s Crossing CC, def. Bump Werness, Golf Galaxy, 3 and 2 Marty Lass, Edina CC, def. Jeff Otto, Olympic Hills GC, 1-up