Peterson Makes it Four Straight at MPGA Mid Public Links

  ST. MICHAEL, Minn. – With a pair of early exits recently at both the Minnesota Golf Association Mid-Players’ Championship at The Wilderness at Fortune Bay and the MGA Players’ Championship at Spring Hill Golf Club, Trent Peterson felt a change was in order.

Switching putters this week at the 21st Minnesota Public Golf Association Mid Public Links Championship at Fox Hollow Golf Club, the four-time champion Peterson followed his opening round 70 with a 4-under 68 Sunday to earn a two-stroke victory for his first win of the season.

“I put my Scotty Cameron back in the bag. I used my [two-ball putter] up north and last week and my putting wasn’t good,” Peterson said. “I definitely had more confidence on the greens and putted much better both days.

“Always good to get that win under your belt and then it’s all gravy after that. Hopefully, I can keep it going.”

Getting off to a sluggish start to begin the tournament Saturday, Peterson took a bogey on his opening hole before a pair of eagles and a pair of birdies over his next 10 holes helped the 38-year-old to a share of the opening-round lead.

“The two eagles yesterday really kept me in it because I put myself in some bad spots where I couldn’t get up-and-down with where the pins were on the greens,” Peterson said. “Overall, I was happy. Figured if I cleaned it up today, I’d be fine, and I did.”

A faster start Sunday with three consecutive birdies beginning at the fourth helped Peterson climb to 5-under for the championship.

A bogey for the second consecutive day at the par-4 seventh put Peterson back at 4-under for the tournament, but he would separate himself from the field with three consecutive birdies beginning at the ninth, including an 18-footer at the 10th.

An inconsequential three-putt bogey at the final hole gave Peterson his fourth consecutive win at the championship and fifth win over the past seven years.

“I hit my driver great, stayed out of trouble and took advantage of the downwind par-5s. I was 5-under yesterday and 3-under today on them,” Peterson said. “The looks I had, I took advantage of, and it made a relatively stress-free day.”

“I really like this course. I’ve played it quite a few times in some tournaments in the last three years. Every time I’ve played really well, and confidence is high out here.”

With his victory Sunday, Peterson captured the 41st state victory of his career and also extended his streak to 13 seasons with at least one victory.

His four-win season a year ago marked the third time the former South Dakota State University golfer collected four state victories in one season.

Improving on his seventh-place finish from a year ago, Frazzini surged up the leaderboard during his back nine Sunday, carding three birdies and an eagle over a six-hole span to climb within two shots of Peterson’s lead.

A late bogey put Frazzini into the clubhouse with a final-round 69 to finish in second place at 4-under 140.

“Didn’t start off the great, but my putter got hot on the back nine,” Frazzini said following his round Sunday. “I was happy with how I played—not good enough to beat [Peterson].

“I played well in the [MGA Amateur qualifier] last week, so my game feels pretty good right now.”

Womeldorf, who entered Sunday’s final round one shot off the lead quickly played himself into contention by converting three birdies over his first four holes to begin the final round.

Cooling off on a sweltering day, Womeldorf would play his next 11 holes in even par before a bogey at the par-4 16th gave him a third-place finish at 3-under 141.

Runner-up a season ago, Yarri Bryn fired the low round of the championship Sunday, a 6-under 66 to compliment his opening-round 76 Saturday to finish in fourth place at 2-under 142, four shots back.

The 22nd MPGA Mid Public Links Championship will be played at New Prague Golf Club.