Reddig Wins Weather-Shortened Twin Cities Championship

View full size image

 
By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  HASTINGS, Minn. – Spurred on by a tournament-record 9-under par 63 Saturday at Theodore Wirth Golf Course, Florida State University golfer Parker Reddig was declared the winner of the 28^th Twin Cities Championship after heavy rains washed out the final round at Hastings Golf Club Sunday, shortening the championship to 18 holes.
 
Sunday’s round had officially started with multiple groups on the course, but Reddig had yet to hit his first tee shot when golf course and tournament officials decided to cancel play. Reddig held an eight-stroke advantage over Trent Peterson and Ralph Baxley, both carding rounds of 1-under par 71 Saturday.
 
“This win means a lot—it’s the first time I’ve played in this event, and you never want a tournament to end with the cancellation of a round, but yesterday was my best round of the summer and one of my best rounds of all time. It was a pleasure to play at a Minneapolis course and be close to home as well,” the Minneapolis native said Sunday.
 
Reddig's win Sunday is his first state victory since claiming the Minnesota Boys' Junior PGA Championship at Greystone Golf Club in 2014.

On Saturday, Reddig birdied his first three holes and strung together three more birdies beginning at the sixth hole, turning at 6-under for the day. Carding four more birdies over his final nine holes with one bogey coming at the 14^th, Reddig essentially locked up the championship with his round of 63 and an eight-stroke lead.
 
“It was absolutely amazing—a lot of fun. A lot of things were piecing together for me earlier in the week and today was the epitome of that for me,” Reddig said following his record-breaking round Saturday. “Putts fell that I didn’t see fall previously. I was hitting shots just as close as I have been, but the putts today all went in.
 
“It was absolutely one of my best rounds that I’ve played. Maybe not all-time best, but as far as tournament rounds go, I believe it’s my lowest.”
 
Finishing on top of the leaderboard Sunday caps off an impressive week for Reddig, who had multiple remarkable wins at the Minnesota Golf Association Players’ Championship at Pebble Creek Golf Club before finishing runner-up to champion Andrew Israelson Wednesday.
 
Playing less than 20 rounds combined for the Seminoles during his first two seasons in Tallahassee, Reddig admitted earlier in the week that he hasn’t found his way into the lineup as he would’ve liked during his freshman and sophomore campaigns.
 
“I’m starting to buckle down and I realize that if this is something I want to keep doing, I need to work harder than ever,” Reddig said earlier this week during his admirable run at the MGA Players’ Championship. “The last couple of days things have been coming together.”
 
With his runner-up finish at the Players’ at Pebble Creek Wednesday and win Sunday, Reddig should be riding into the heart of the summer with no shortage of confidence.
 
“It’s as high as it’s ever been. I know I’m not at the peak of my game yet, but it’s really been fun to see everything start coming together,” Reddig said. “The past five or six years I’ve been playing a lot, and I’ve had one or two parts of my game missing. Now that everything is here, it’s been a lot of fun. Confidence is at an all-time high. I have no expectations for anything.”
 
Reddig passed through pre-qualifying for the 3M Open, which makes its inaugural appearance as a regular stop on the PGA Tour beginning Thursday at TPC Twin Cities.
 
Shooting a 3-under par 68 Thursday, Reddig was one of 25 players to advance to the next stage Monday. A total of 15 players advanced from Wednesday’s pre-qualifying event at Victory Links. The four low individuals from Monday’s 18-hole qualifier will earn a spot in the championship.
 
“It’s going to be a lot of fun. I know there’s only four spots and the field is really good, so it’s more of an experience for me being the first time I’ve done one. I’m excited and hopefully I can play similar to how I played on Saturday [at Theodore Wirth].”
 
 
 
THE 28^TH TWIN CITIES CHAMPIONSHIP
HASTINGS GOLF CLUB
HASTINGS, MINN.
6,740 YARDS, PAR 72
 
 
SUNDAY’S FINAL RESULTS
1. Parker Reddig, Hiawatha GC, 30-33—63
T2. Trent Peterson, Valleywood GC, 36-35—71 
T2. Ralph Baxley, Valleywood GC, 38-33—71
T4. Erik Bredesen, Edinburgh USA, 38-36—74
T4. Dylan Gergen, Mendakota CC, 35-39—74
T6. Sawyer Bailey, Burl Oaks, 40-35—75
T6. Jason Pendleton, Olympic Hills GC, 36-39—75
T8. Bryan Fleegel, Blackberry Ridge GC, 38-38—76
T8. J.T. Johnson, Olympic Hills GC, 37-38—76
T10. Kyle Berg, Southern Hills GC, 40-37—77
T10. Max Fox, Hastings GC, 38-39—77
T10. David Gunderson, Theodore Wirth GC, 39-38—77
T10. Daniel Johnson, Hazeltine Nat’l GC, 42-35—77
T10. Tim McKenney, Baker Nat’l GC, 41-36—77