2024 Minnesota PGA Player of the Year Campbell Holds off Sorenson to Claim Twin Cities Open

PRIOR LAKE, Minn. – Last season, professional Thomas Campbell earned Minnesota PGA Rolex Player of the Year Award for the first time in his career, finishing more than 200 points better than seven-time award winner Jeff Sorenson.

 

Campbell won five section events and finished in the top three for number of wins, top 10s (25), scoring average (69.86) and par breakers (28.6 percent). But still, the 38-year-old former University of Minnesota golfer wasn’t quite satisfied.

 

“I do well in pro-ams,” Campbell joked Wednesday. “I had a lot of top-5 finishes last year and I know I’m better than that.”

 

On Wednesday, Campbell posted a 36-hole total of 9-under 135 before surviving a three-hole playoff against Sorenson at The Wilds Golf Club to claim the 2025 Twin Cities Open for his first state victory since 2020.

 

“It’s hard to win events, especially when you haven’t done it in a while. It feels good to finally get it done,” he said. “I’m still working on some stuff, so I think I’ve taken a step in the right direction. I’m really excited for the summer with the events we’ve got.”

 

Heavy rain washed out Tuesday’s opening round, so the field of 92 golfers played the complete 36-hole championship on Wednesday.

 

Opening with a 5-under 67 during Wednesday’s morning round, Campbell shared the early lead with Sorenson before carding four birdies over his first six holes to move in front.

 

Converting three straight birdie chances, including a pair of tap-ins, helped Campbell move to 8-under for the championship before rolling in a 15-footer at the sixth to turn with the lead at 9-under.

 

The New Zealand native two-putted for birdie at the par-5 12th, but finished the day with a three-putt bogey at his 36th to share the lead with Sorenson at 9-under 135.

 

Sinking a 15-foot putt for par to force a third playoff hole, Campbell rolled in his short par putt to close out the championship as the fifth consecutive professional to win the event.

 

“I honestly had no expectations coming in,” Campbell said following his win Wednesday. “I grabbed one of my short putters for the [MGA/PGA Cup Matches] on Monday and putted okay. I figured I’d just keep doing it and rolled it really good again. That was probably the key to it—I got off to a good start both rounds and it was kind of a grind from there.

 

“Putting was just solid and the putts I missed were right on the edge of the hole. Stats probably would’ve shown I putted amazing, so it was pretty stress-free and I just got it done.”

 

In his first two starts at section events earlier this month, Campbell notched a runner-up finish and followed it with a third-place finish three days later.

 

As one of the section’s steadiest players, Campbell has collected more than 35 wins in the section, along with over 150 top-10 finishes.

 

Also posting a 5-under 67 to begin play Wednesday, Sorenson bounced back from an early bogey with three birdies over his final four holes of the front nine to turn in 7-under for the championship.

 

A pair of birdies at the 12th and 15th holes moved Sorenson into a share of the lead before his birdie from four feet at the last to win the tournament slid past the cup.

 

“I played well—had a good opportunity on 18 and hit it a little too hard through the break,” Sorenson said. “With [preferred lies] it was fair, but it was still brutally tough out there.

 

“My iron play was really good and I drove it fine. I kept the ball in play and made some putts.”

 

Turning professional last August, Nate Adams, carded a 3-under 69 to open the championship Wednesday to sit two shots back of the lead with 18 holes to play.

 

The former Maple Grove High School and North Dakota State University standout tallied three birdies during his opening nine during his afternoon round to quickly move within striking distance of Campbell.

 

Birdies at his 10th and 15th holes put Adams at 8-under for the championship, but he would take his first bogey of the final round at his 16th hole, going on to finish in third place at 7-under 137, three shots back.

 

“Today was my first real round of real competition in about six months, so it felt good to get back out and get my feet wet again,” Adams said. “Through the first seven holes I just was not hitting well and kind of struggled.

 

“For the next 20 to 25 holes, it was pretty steady, a bunch of birdies and no mistakes, really.”

 

Bryce Hanstad, 2024 Minnesota Golf Association Mid-Amateur champion, began play with a round of 72 Wednesday before carding the low round of the championship, a 6-under 66, to climb 12 spots on the leaderboard to finish in a tie for fourth with University of North Dakota golfer Kagan Kollar to share low-amateur honors.  

 

 

1. Thomas Campbell (p), University GC, 67-68—135 (won three-hole playoff)

2. Jeff Sorenson (p), The Minikahda Club, 67-68—135

3. Nate Adams (p), Rush Creek GC, 69-68—137

T4. Bryce Hanstad, Olympic Hills GC, 72-66—138

T4. Kagan Kollar, Rush Creek GC, 69-69—138

T4. Muzzy Donohue (p), North Oaks GC, 70-68—138  

T7. Andrew Ramos, TPC Twin Cities, 68-71—139  

T7. Bennett Smed (p), White Bear YC, 69-70—139

T9. Jesse Larson, Olympic Hill GC, 71-69—140

T9. Matthew Armstrong, StoneRidge GC, 71-69—140

T9. Joel B. Johnson, Links at Northfork, 74-66—140

T9. Alex Kline (p), Kilkarney Hills GC, 71-69—140

T9. Grant Shafranski (p), North Oaks GC, 69-71—140