Schmitz & Bauer Shoot 63 on Day 2 of Four-Ball Championship

CHASKA -- Sammy Schmitz, who makes more birdies and eagles than anyone else in Minnesota golf, combined with partner Kane Bauer to make 12 birdies on Tuesday at Chaska Town Course. Three of them were redundant, but nine counted as they shot a 63 and tied for the lead in the Minnesota State Four-Ball Championship. 

Joe Burgess and Benjamin Hasselbauer divided their birdies equally, four on each nine, although they saved three for the last three holes, as they shot 64. They are tied for fourth going into Wednesday's final round. 

Brothers Jake and Matt Witham turned out to be the only group to shoot 65 out of the two waves of teams that played their first rounds Monday and Tuesday.

Four teams shot 66 on Monday, and five more did it on Tuesday, including two-time former champs Chris Baas and Phil Schmidt. They're tied for ninth.

Schmitz, who won the State Publinks over the weekend, has two claimed two other state titles this year: the State Publinks Mid-Amateur and the MGA Mid-Players' (State Mid-Amateur Match Play) Championship.

Nevertheless, it was Bauer -- winner the Hastings Club Championship nine days ago -- who got things started on Tuesday with a birdie on the first hole. He and Schmitz both birdied the dirvable, par-4 third hole. Presently, Schmitz birdied the par-5 seventh, and Bauer the par-5 ninth.

Schmitz shot 66 on his own ball (34-32), but Bauer, who shot 70, provided the big finish with birdies at the 480-yard, par-4 17th and at the 547-yard, par-5 18th (Schmitz birdied the 18th, as well).    

With their 63, Schmitz and Bauer join the teams of Colton Buege and Tyler Lowenstein, and Jon DuToit and Michael DuToit in a first-place tie.

On Wednesday, Schmitz and Bauer will go the first tee off at 9:50 a.m., along with Adam Arola and John Pavelko, who shot 64 on Monday. The Buege/Lowenstein team and the DuToit brothers will follow them at 10 o'clock.

MINNESOTA GOLF ASSOCIATION

State Four-Ball Championship

At Chaska Town Course

Par 72, 6,817 yards

First-round results (Tuesday scores in bold)

T1. Sammy Schmitz/Kane Bauer                63

T1. Jon DuToit/Michael DuToit                      63

T1. Colton Buege/Tyler Lowenstein             63

T4. Joe Burgess/Benjamin Hasselbauer  64

T4. Adam Arola/John Pavelko                        64

6. Jak Witham/Matt Witham                         65

T7. Jordan Hawkinson/Jesse Larson        66

T7. Chris Baas/Phil Schmidt                        66

T9. Lucas McCormick/Max Schwwartzman 67

T9. J.T. Johnson/Geoff Klein                        67

T9. Jack Wahlers/William Wahlers             67

T9. Joe Larson/Keith Piotrowski                 67

T9. Ben Clymer/Jesse Polk                         67

T9 Scott Gustafson/Jordan Ryan                  67

T9. Erik Van Rooyen/Jim Vennewitz           67

T9. Jack Barnhart/Jake Miller                       67

T9. Sean Larson/William Tucker                  67