PGA Sinks MGA 22-18 in 37th MGA/PGA Cup Matches

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By Nick Hunter
nhunter23@hotmail.com

STILLWATER, Minn. – With a sizeable 26-8-2 record against the amateurs of the Minnesota Golf Association, it would be easy to assume that the PGA professionals would have little trouble expanding that lead in the MGA/PGA Cup Matches. The MGA put up an honorable fight in a see-saw battle, but in the end the PGA would win the 37th annual contest 22-18 Wednesday at Indian Hills Golf Club.

The tournament was 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 would play an individual match against the opposing organization which resulted in one point awarded to the winning team. Within each foursome the two MGA players would also play a four-ball format against the two PGA players with the winning team getting two points for a victory.

In the early morning, the PGA got out to a quick start and appeared to be well on its way to its 27th victory, but as many groups made the turn and scores came in, the MGA wasn’t willing to go quietly. Through nine holes, the PGA led 10 of the 20 individual matches (MGA led nine matches and one match was all square). In the four-ball matches, the PGA and MGA each led five matches.

The MGA dominated the women’s division, earning all eight possible points, but it wasn’t enough as the PGA would go on to win 22-18 by taking 11 of 20 possible points in the individual matches and 11 of 20 points in the four-ball matches, improving its overall record to 27-8-2 in the MGA/PGA Cup Matches.

The PGA was led by Danny Sinksen who, on his 30th birthday, birdied his first six holes to finish with a 7-under par 65 and won easily over the MGA’s Greg Werner 8 and 7.

"I was driving the ball really well and when the putts fall, it’s easy to make birdies out there,” Sinksen said. “As a team (paired with Chris Peterson) we kept the ball in play and that helped us a lot. The course, I thought, was in great condition being that it’s still early, but it was my first time playing in this event and it was a lot of fun.”

Sinksen’s partner, Peterson, was 2-down through nine holes, but battled back to birdie his first two holes on the back nine to even the match.

"I bogeyed the first two holes and was behind right away but after that I calmed down and steadied the ship. It was a good match all the way through.I pulled away with a birdie and then an eagle with two holes to play,” Peterson said.

Asked about the competition between associations during the matches, Peterson said, “You want to play well but it’s just a fun tournament and it’s a great way to meet a lot of people and I enjoy watching these young guys come up through the Minnesota ranks. I was really impressed with some of the guys the way they handled themselves and didn’t get frustrated when things didn’t go their way.”


Individual Matches:
Brent Snyder (PGA) def. Daryl Schomer (MGA), 4 and 3
Pete LaCoursiere (PGA) def. Robert Bell (MGA), 4 and 2
Kristen Wagner (MGA) def. Kathy Swanson (PGA), 6 and 5
Leigh Klasse (MGA) def. Lori Money (PGA), 3 and 2
Jeff Sorenson (PGA) and Jesse Larson (MGA), halved
Ben Meyers (PGA) def. Jordan Hawkinson (MGA), 4 and 3
Jon Empanger (MGA) def. Bill Israelson (PGA), 3 and 2
Dale Jones (PGA) def. Larry Barnacle (MGA), 6 and 4
Don Berry (PGA) def. Matt Schneider (MGA), 3 and 2
Craig Brischke (PGA) def. Andy Jacobson (MGA), 1-up
Mike Barge (PGA) def. Kyle Beversdorf (MGA), 3 and 1
David Christensen (MGA) def. Eric Chiles (PGA), 2 and 1
Leif Carlson (MGA) def. Mike Zinni (PGA), 1-up
David Kokesh (MGA) and Steve Whillock (PGA), halved
Chris Peterson (PGA) def. Trenton Olson (MGA), 2 and 1
Danny Sinksen (PGA) def. Greg Werner (MGA), 8 and 7
Jacyln Shepherd (MGA) def. Angela Ause (PGA), 3 and 2
Steffi Neisen (MGA) def. Jody Christensen (PGA), 5 and 4
Dan Moline (MGA) def. Tim Brovold (PGA), 6 and 5
Chris Borgen (PGA) def. Jesse Polk (MGA), 3 and 2

Four-Ball Matches:
Snyder/LaCoursiere (PGA) def. Schomer/Bell (MGA), 4 and 2
Wagner/Klasse (MGA) def. Swanson/Money (PGA), 4 and 3
Sorenson/Meyers (PGA) def. Larson/Hawkinson (MGA), 6 and 5
Empanger/Barnacle (MGA) def. Israelson/Jones (PGA), 2 and 1
Schneider/Jacobson (MGA) and Berry/Brischke (PGA), halved
Barge/Chiles (PGA) def. Beversdorf/Christensen (MGA), 2 and 1
Zinni/Whillock (PGA) def. Carlson/Kokesh (MGA), 3 and 2
Peterson/Sinksen (PGA) def. Olson/Werner (MGA), 5 and 4
Shepherd/Neisen (MGA) def. Ause/Christensen (PGA), 1-up
Moline/Polk (MGA) def. Brovold/Borgen (PGA), 4 and 3