Schmitz 3 Ahead in Defense of Mid-Am Crown

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ROSEVILLE -- Besides being the best player in the field at the Minnesota State Mid-Amateur Championship, Sammy Schmitz is also one of the longest hitters. He made good use of his length in Tuesday's second round, as he birdied three of four par-5's at Midland Hills Country Club on the way to a 2-under-par 70.

That put him at 142 for 36 holes, and as a result, he's three strokes ahead.

Of course, a three-stroke lead in this tournament can be a fragile thing. John Anderson shot a 68 at Midland Hills on Monday and started his second round on Tuesday at Town & Country Club (the other course being used this week) with a three-shot advantage. It was gone by the time he finished one hole.

Playing the back nine first, Anderson made a triple bogey at the 377-yard, par-4 10th, and he bogeyed the par-3 11th. He made four birdies on Day 2, but suffered four bogeys, plus the triple at No. 10 and a double at No. 6 (468 yards, par 4). He ended up with a 77, which put him at 145.

He's tied for second place with David Rehfeldt and David Steingart going into Wednesday's final round, which will be played at Midland.

Rehfeldt matched Tuesday's  second-best score, a 71 at Midland Hills (Daryl Schomer, whose tied for eighth at 148, also shot 71 at Midland). Steingart followed a 73 at T&C with a 72 at Midland.

There is also a three-way tie for fifth, which includes 2010 State Mid-Am champ Troy Johnson, who shot 76 at T&C. Also in joint custody of fifth place are Steve Chesley, who had a 75 at T&C, and Jesse Bull.

Bull put together a 72 at T&C, which is noteworthy because it's one of only two 72's that were shot there in the first two rounds. Schmitz produced the other one, on Monday.    

Schmitz, who won this tournament -- and the MGA Player of the Year Award -- last year, has started slowly so far in each of his rounds. He bogeyed the first two holes at T&C on Monday on the way to his opening 72, and on Tuesday, he was 1 over after six holes on the back nine at Midland Hills (he started on the 10th). But he birdied the 195-yard, par-3 16th and the 530-yard, par-5 17th to get things going in the right direction.

He bogeyed the short first hole (325 yards, par 4) and parred the next three. Then he got his crack at the consecutive par-5's on the front nine. He didn't squander the opportunity, making birdies at the 474-yard fifth and at the 519-yard sixth.

MINNESOTA GOLF ASSOCIATION

State Mid-Amateur Championship

At Midland Hills (par 72, 6,533 yards)

Roseville

and at Town & Country Club (par 72, 6,381 yards)

St. Paul 

Second-round results (Wednesday's final round will be played at Midland Hills) 

1. Sammy Schmitz                72-70--142

T2. John Anderson                68-77--145

T2. David Steingart                73-72--145

T2. David Rehfeldt                74-71--145

T5. Steve Chelsley                72-75--147

T5. Jesse Bull                         75-72--147

T5. Troy Johnson                   71-76--147

T8. J.T. Anderson                   71-77--148

T8. Daryl Schomer                 77-71--148

T8. Andrew Layton                 73-75--148

T8. Terry Moores III                74-74--148

T8. Phil Ebner                         73-75--148

T8. Bradly Andvik                    73-75--148