Johanson Claims Second MPGA Junior Public Links Championship

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By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


  COON RAPIDS, Minn. – Just four days before leaving for college, Luke Johanson squeezed one final tournament into his busy summer schedule Wednesday.

The result was a four-stroke victory to claim his second consecutive Minnesota Public Golf Association Junior Public Links Championship at Bunker Hills Golf Club.

Players, ranging in age from 13 to 18, play 18 holes of stroke play to determine the top 12 players, plus ties, who then play a final nine-hole round to determine an overall winner.

Johanson, Chaska, Minn., was tied for second, one shot off the lead at even par 72 with Mason Fiddle after Wednesday’s morning session.

The defending champion had little trouble over the final nine holes Wednesday as he made par on the first five holes to remain even, before rolling in a 12-foot birdie at the sixth to move to 1-under for the championship.

An errant tee shot on the par-3 seventh hole led to his only bogey during the afternoon as he fell back to even par, but rebounded well with a birdie on the par-5 ninth and final hole to end the championship on top at 1-under par 107.

“I had a really good start with four birdies on the front,” Johanson commented on his round earlier Wednesday. “I evened out on the back, but I was pleased with it. I was putting well—putting saved me. I wasn’t hitting the ball that well all day, but I was able to make some putts.”

Johanson cruised to a five-stroke lead a year ago, carding a 3-under par 105 and said there’s no secret to playing well other than solid, fundamental golf.

“You really need to keep the ball in the fairway on this course. You have to play safe and smart and not take too many risks,” he said. “I’m happy to get a win heading into college. It’ll help me to get ready for that kind of competition and I’m excited—it’s going to be fun,” Johanson added.

Johanson, a Class A state champion in 2013, carded four birdies with two bogeys on the opening nine holes, making the turn at 2-under par 34 before making seven pars and two bogeys over the final nine holes to shoot even par 72.

Johanson heads south Saturday to begin his freshman season at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Fiddle, White Bear Lake, Minn., recorded one birdie and a pair of bogeys on the opening nine during Wednesday’s morning session and made the turn at 1-over par 37 before rolling in two birdies with just one bogey over the next nine holes to shoot even par 72.

Fiddle got off to a rocky start on the final nine holes with a double-bogey on the first to fall to 2-over for the championship. He would answer with a birdie on the following hole, rolling in a 10 foot uphill putt to get back to 1-over.

A pair of bogeys on the fifth and seventh holes all but dropped Fiddle out of competition as he would make par on the final two holes to shoot 3-over par, and finish tied for second with Dakota Krech and Noah Rasinski at 111.

“I hit the ball good this morning and putted pretty well, but started slow. I bogeyed the first hole and bogeyed the fourth hole, but finished pretty strong,” Fiddle said.

“I had my first three-putt in five rounds on [the 19th hole] and then pulled a couple more. I didn’t putt very good on the last nine holes,” he said. “I tried to come back but [Johanson] made some long putts that helped him out—it’s hard to beat a guy that’s putting good.”

Lee Froelich took the early 18-hole lead after carding a 1-under par 71 during the morning session Wednesday.

Froelich, St. Paul, Minn., started with a bogey on the opening hole during Wednesday’s morning session, but responded with two birdies over the next eight holes to make the turn at 1-under.

He would roll in two birdies with two bogeys over the next nine to finish on top of the field at 1-under par 71.

The 14-year-old would slip during the final nine holes Wednesday as he double-bogeyed the opening hole and bogeyed the second to quickly drop to 2-over.

Froelich found a bit of a groove as he rolled in five consecutive pars before making bogey on the final two holes of the championship to finish tied for fifth with Matt Swanson and Austin Kottke at 4-over par 112.



2014 MPGA JUNIOR PUBLIC LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP
BUNKER HILLS GOLF CLUB
COON RAPIDS, MINN.
6,664 YARDS, PAR 72


WEDNESDAY’S FINAL RESULTS
1. Luke Johanson, 72-35—107
T2. Mason Fiddle, 72-39—111
T2. Dakota Krech, 77-34—111
T2. Noah Rasinski, 75-36—111
T5. Lee Froelich, 71-41—112
T5. Matt Swanson, 76-36—112
T5. Austin Kottke, 75-37—112
T8. Eric Chambers, 78-38—116
T8. Andrew Muesing, 77-39—116
T10. Benjamin Peterson, 74-43—117
T10. Ben Hauge, 78-39—117
12. Trey Sheehan, 77-41—118
13. Aaron Walzak, 78-41—119
14. Harrison Cooper, 78-42—120
15. Zach Heiser, 76-45—121