Rask Grinds From Three Strokes Down to Win Fourth MGC

By Nick Hunter
nhunter23@hotmail.com


ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. -- After round one of the 2013 Minnesota Golf Champions Tournament Friday, defending champion Clayton Rask found himself seven shots from the leader. In the final two rounds, Rask shot a staggering 8-under-par to come from behind to win his fourth MGC title Sunday at the Minneapolis Golf Club.

"This is his tournament," Sammy Schmitz said of Rask following the final round Sunday. Schmitz shot a 3-under par 69 (211) to come up one stroke shy of a playoff with Rask.

On Saturday Rask, Elk River, Minn., went low despite blustery conditions and shot a 6-under par 66 to move within three shots of the lead.

"My plan today was pretty much the same as yesterday, I needed to stay out of trouble. I got off to a good start going birdie, birdie, birdie," Rask said.

A three-putt on the fourth hole dropped Rask back to minus-two for the day. Rask's frustration continued with another three-putt and back-to-back bogeys on the seventh and eighth holes. "The difference today was that I had a couple more three-putts so that was pretty frustrating," Rask said.

Perhaps a sign that his luck was about to change came on the ninth hole when Rask just missed the flagstick on his third shot as his ball spun back. He would make the birdie and move to 5-under par for the tournament.

Rask opened the final nine holes with three consecutive pars before a birdie on the thirteenth hole.
Rask's monster tee shot rolled down the left side of the 13th fairway, and with the ball below his feet and slightly downhill, Rask put his second shot below the pin to about eight feet. He would sink the putt and move to 2-under par for the round and 6-under par overall.

With one hole left to play, Rask was still uncertain how players ahead of him had fared.

"Sammy (Schmitz, playing in the group ahead of Rask) told me he thought I was either tied or up by one when we were on 17, so I knew I had to either make par or birdie on the last hole," Rask explained.

His tee shot on the 18th split the fairway and left himself about 140-yards to the pin. Rask pulled his second shot into the second cut to the left of the green and got a bad bounce on his third, which left him with a slippery, four-foot downhill putt for the victory.

After Tom Hoge and Ryan Helminen both made their putts, Rask buried his par putt to seal the championship at 6-under par 210. Rask claimed his second straight MGC title and fourth overall (2013, 2012, 2007, 2005).

"It feels awesome to win this tournament back-to-back. I couldn't have done this if I didn't get my putting lesson on Wednesday from Steve Fessler."

Sammy Schmitz also knew he had a tall order to catch 36-hole leader Helminen on Sunday but perhaps even surprised himself with three birdies on the front nine. Schmitz, Farmington, Minn., stumbled on the ninth hole and dropped to 2-under par for the round but bounced back nicely with four straight pars and back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th holes.

Schmitz, the 2011 and 2012 Minnesota Golf Association Player of the Year, would bogey the 17th and par the final hole to finish at 5-under par 211.

"I putted well again today like I had all week and hit some good shots on the back nine, with a couple getting real close," Schmitz said after his round. "I had no idea I was even close up until the last hole; I figured (Rask) was probably 8 or 9-under." Schmitz claimed the trophy for the low amateur for the tournament.

Former University of Minnesota golfer Justin Smith finished in a tie for third with 36-hole leader Helminen at 3-under par 213. Smith grabbed a birdie on the first hole but gave a stroke back with a bogey on the 6th hole. He would make five straight pars before dropping to 1-under after a birdie on the 12th hole. Smith made par the the next four holes but dropped to even par on the 17th.

Helminen, Menasha, Wisc., was understandably disappointed with his performance Sunday as he let a 4-stroke lead slip away finishing with a 4-over par 76.

"I just never really got into sync today. I was on cruise control for the first two days and it seemed like I was working too hard to make things happen today," Helminen said. "You've got to give Clayton (Rask) a lot of credit, he played great the last two days. Any time you shoot 8-under the last two days, you're going to win some tournaments."

Tom Hoge, who started the day just three shots behind the leader shot a final round 74 and finished alone in fifth place at 2-under par (214). Hoge, Fargo, N.D., had an early birdie on the third hole but didn't seem to find a rhythm as he would double bogey the 7th hole and drop another shot on the 13th and would finish his round 2-over.

Trent Peterson, Eagan, Minn., carded the low round of the day shooting a 4-under par 68 and finished the tournament 1-over (217) tied for sixth place. Former Unviversity of Minnesota golfer Thomas Campbell and Colorado native Jeff Sorenson also finished tied for sixth place at 1-over par (217).

In the Past Masters division Rick Ehrmanntraut, Southview Country Club, finished at 11-over par (155) beating Terry Comstock, Prairie Green G.C., by a single stroke.

Results.