Burleson Gets Rematch Against Peterson at MGA Players', Wilson to Face Duensing

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org


  LAKE CITY, Minn. – Trent Peterson and Justin Burleson each won two matches Tuesday to advance to the semifinals of the 39th Players’ Championship at The Jewel Golf Club, setting up a rematch of the finals from the Mid-Players’ Championship four days ago.

Peterson got the better of Burleson, 3 and 2, to claim his first Mid-Players’ trophy in his first year of eligibility, but after his quarterfinal win Tuesday, Burleson said he looks forward to having another shot at Peterson.

“I would love it—I’d love to play him again,” Burleson said of potentially playing Peterson in the semifinals Wednesday. “That’s the best part about the competition is playing the best players. Sammy [Schmitz], Trent—they’re hands down the two best players here, if I get the chance again, I look forward to it.”

Burleson defeated Preston Kopel to reach the quarterfinals against Sam Foust Tuesday. Burleson grabbed the early lead following a three-putt bogey by Foust on the opening hole. Foust drew even by sinking his birdie chance from off the left edge 12 feet away at the par-4 fourth.

Foust, who recently finished his sophomore season at the University of Oregon, took control of the match momentarily following a bogey by Burleson at the seventh, but Burleson drew even by sinking birdie on the following hole.

A bogey by Foust at the ninth gave Burleson all the momentum he would need as Foust ran into trouble off the tee on the back nine and couldn’t recover. Burleson posted back-to-back birdies at the 12th and 13th before taking the 14th hole with a par. He would close out the match at the 15th when Foust was unable to get up-and-down for par.

“I hit just about every fairway and made a lot of pars and a few birdies. Both matches I parred them to death and until they made some mistakes. My misses were straight—I’m not really long, but when my misses are straight, I’m usually playing pretty good. I putted well yesterday and today and really the last couple weeks.”

Migrating north from Beaumont, Texas, Burleson and has quietly become of the state’s more steady players. He’s now collected 12 top-10 finishes since 2013 and won his first event at the Minnesota Public Golf Association Mid-Public Links Championship at Blackberry Ridge Golf Course last year.

“This is my third year being totally involved in the tournament scene up here and it’s the first year to make this deep of a run in both tournaments—they were really close together with Sunday being my only day off, but I feel alright and I’ve got a caddy coming tomorrow. That’ll help a lot," he said.

“The difference this year has been putting. I grew up in Texas and I was always a good putter, but it’s different down there. With Bermuda greens you have to pop it and you don’t play much break and hit it hard. That didn’t work out too well the first two years here. The state am during first couple years I probably had six three-putts a round and I haven’t been doing that. I made a conscious effort this year to try to be slower with my stroke and lag it more and it’s been working. I think I’m getting accustomed to the bent grass greens, but it’s different than where I grew up.”

Reaching the semifinals Tuesday, Burleson now earns a spot into the MGA State Amateur Championship at Interlachen Country Club next month. He was one win away from earning an exemption last week when he finished runner-up at the Mid-Players’ Championship.

“I was wanting to get into Interlachen. I think I finished 16th in points last year so I was one spot out. The best thing about winning this match today is getting into the state am, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

Moving closer to defending his title Tuesday, Peterson got past Joe McCormick, 4 and 3, to reach the quarterfinal round against Jesse Bull in the afternoon session.

Arguably the best match player competitor in the field, Peterson had an uncharacteristic stumble early with back-to-back bogeys to open his match against Bull. He would answer by rolling in a 20-footer for birdie at the eighth before hitting his approach to three feet at the ninth to make birdie and even the match at the turn.

Making his third bogey of the round at the par-4 13th, Peterson surrendered the lead again, but bounced back by sinking a short birdie putt at the 14th.

With the match all square on the 17th green, Peterson studied his 25-foot birdie chance and gave an emphatic fist pump when it fell to, seemingly, take a late lead as Bull was looking at a 20-footer for birdie as well. Playing about a two-foot break, Bull walked towards the cup and watched his putt drop to remain even with Peterson with one hole to play.

Both found the fairway from the 18th tee and Bull’s only bad shot of the round proved costly, hitting his approach into the bunker short of the green. He failed to get up-and-down and Peterson clinched the match to set up a rematch against Burleson Wednesday.

With the victory late Tuesday Peterson has now played 11 rounds of golf over the past six days. With two wins still needed to claim another Players’ Championship, fatigue will certainly play a factor Wednesday.

“If I don’t think about it—it’s okay,” Peterson said of grind of playing multiple rounds in recent days, “The legs are actually doing pretty well and the swing is there.”

In the other semifinal match Tuesday, Jacques Wilson will face University of Minnesota golfer Charlie Duensing Wednesday after Wilson Bradley Wohlers earlier Tuesday before ousting Devon Johnson, 2 and 1, to reach the semifinals.

“Today was sporadic at times. Match play is all about momentum,” Wilson said Tuesday. “I started off hot this morning and then cooled down, but then got hot again. It was a quick turnaround—I only had half an hour break and the momentum kept going because I eagled my first hole this afternoon.

“It’s been a long day and it’s going to be a very early morning. Everyone that is still playing is dealing with some fatigue. This afternoon guys started winning holes with pars instead of birdies because everyone is getting tired. I’ve really been happy with my putting and have been hitting it really well since January—working really hard and it’s nice to see the ball go in.”

Duensing defeated 2012 champion Andy Jacobson during the Round of 16 Tuesday before taking down Jamie Quesnel during Tuesday’s afternoon session to advance to play Wilson.

The semifinal round of the 39th Players’ Championship is slated to begin at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday at The Jewel Golf Club.