MGA Victorious at 38th MGA/PGA Cup Matches

By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


HOPKINS, Minn. – The professionals from the PGA may hold a significant 27-8-2 all-time lead against the amateurs from the Minnesota Golf Association at the MGA/PGA Cup Matches, but the MGA did its best to narrow that margin with a 24 ½- 15 ½ victory Wednesday in the 38th installment of the championship at Oak Ridge Country Club.

The tournament is comprised of ten groups of four players, two players from the MGA and two from the PGA in a Men’s, Women’s and Senior division. Each player plays an individual match against the opposing organization which results in one point being awarded to the winning team.

Co-currently, within each foursome the two MGA players also play a Four-Ball format against the two PGA players with the winning team earning two points for a victory.

Though it’s just the ninth overall victory for the MGA in 38 years, the MGA has won two of the last three seasons and won three consecutive titles starting in 2003.

Wednesday the MGA jumped out to a big lead early as the team of Sammy Schmitz and Jesse Polk swept all three matches against their opponents.

Three-time MGA Player of the Year Schmitz downed the PGA’s Andy Smith 7 and 6, while Polk got past Derek Holmes 4 and 3. In Four-Ball, Schmitz and Polk won 2-up.

“I didn’t play all that well but I got help from my partner [Polk]. He’s a buddy of mine so it’s always fun to play with him but [Polk and Holmes] had a good match and they were both making a lot of birdies,” Schmitz said.

“This is a fun event to play in—it’s something different and a little more relaxed. It’s fun too because there’s that little rivalry between the pros and the amateurs and it’s fun when you can have the bragging rights.”

The team of Jesse Bull and Troy Johnson also played a big role in the win for the MGA as they too swept all three matches as Bull defeated Scott Cole 4 and 2, while Johnson downed Eric Chiles 2 and 1. In the Four-Ball match, Bull and Johnson won 4 and 3.

“We partnered up really well,” Johnson said after the victory. “We were both pretty solid and never really struggled during the match. We led almost the entire match. It was a comfortable round; we started off on top and there was never really a pivotal point to the match.”

The MGA dominated in both Women’s matches as Leigh Klasse breezed to a 7 and 6 victory over professional Robin Nardini while teammate Claudia Pilot won her match against Lori Money, 4 and 3. In Four-Ball, Klasse and Pilot won 6 and 4.

Amateur Cassie Deeg, who plays at the University of Nebraska, defeated professional Kellie Hoiness 5 and 3, while teammate and Minnesota Gopher Anna Laorr halved her match with Angie Ause. Deeg and Laorr won their Four-Ball match 3 and 2.

“The first couple of holes we had to grind to get up and down but we played really steady after that,” Deeg said.

“We started a little shaky but we made some good birdies down the stretch and [Hoiness and Ause] played really well. [Ause] did not miss a shot all day,” said Laorr.

Both Deeg and Laorr said their distance off the tee was an advantage over Hoiness and Ause, especially on the par-5s.

“I felt like on every par-5 we were both playing for birdie as opposed to playing for par; we always had a really good look at birdie,” Laorr said.

The PGA was led by the pairing of Eric Rolland and 2013 Player of the Year Brent Snyder as the two swept all three matches over 2013 MGA Amateur Four-Ball champions Jordan Hawkinson and Jesse Larson.

Mike Zinni and George Smith also swept the pair of David Kokesh and David Rehfeldt, as Smith put together a solid round, hitting 17 of 18 greens on the day.

The pairing of Trent Peterson and J.T. Johnson was also victorious in the Four-Ball match as the two split their individual matches against professionals Mike Barge and Bill Israelson, respectively.

“Both [Peterson] and I had a short par putt on the first hole and we thought we were in good position, but [Barge] chipped in for birdie and [Israelson] drained about a 35-footer for birdie and I thought, ‘uh oh, what are we in for?’” Johnson joked.

Luckily for Johnson, Peterson and the MGA, things turned around quickly.


For complete tournament results go to: http://www.mngolf.org/Tournaments/38th_MGA-PGA_Cup_Matches