LAKE ELMO, Minn. – A self-admitted constant tinkerer with his golf swing, Joel B. Johnson decided in recent years that enough is enough.
“I’ve switched up my swing so many times,” Johnson said. “I’d get lessons and hear different things every time.
“I just found something about five years ago—more of a natural, simpler golf swing and it’s so much more consistent. The last five years have been really good.”
How good? Since his first victory in 2008, Johnson claimed six more wins over the next 13 years. He’s now won six times over the past three seasons.
“I started to focus on timing, rhythm and ball-striking and it really changed everything,” he said. “I played rounds 10-20 years ago and didn’t think I could hit a green with an 8-iron. Now, I’m thinking about making birdie.”
A late birdie during his final match against Trent Peterson Wednesday at Royal Golf Club propelled Joel B. Johnson to victory, 2 and 1, to become the oldest player to win the Minnesota Golf Association Mid-Players’ Championship.
“It’s a great confidence builder because [MGA events] are so hard to win,” the 55-year-old Johnson said. “It’s nerve-wracking and stressful out there, but to be able to do something like that shows you that you’re able to get it done under the pressure.
“As you get older and older, you deal with some minor injuries a little more and fatigue sets in, but you try to rely on experience and go from there.”
Johnson took advantage of an early Peterson miscue on the first hole to strike first during the final match before back-to-back birdies by Peterson at the eighth and ninth swung the match in his favor.
Trailing for just two holes, Johnson’s birdie putt from five feet was conceded at the 11th to even the match and Johnson would recapture the lead by winning the 16th with a par.
After Peterson struggled to find the green at the 17th, Johnson’s birdie putt was conceded once again and he’d claim the victory, 2 and 1, for the biggest victory of his career to date.
“I’ve played a lot of golf with [Peterson], so I knew I was in for a tough match,” Johnson said. “I know how hard he is to play against because you know he’s going to get up-and-down and he’s going to make putts. You just have to expect it and keep playing your game.”
Opening with a victory over Keith Goodman, 2-up, Johnson then had little trouble during his second round of pool play against Ryan Paris, earning the win, 5 and 4.
Johnson held on for the victory against Jason Folstad to remain unbeaten during pool play, advancing to the quarterfinals where he’d slip past 2017 MGA Players’ champion Jacques Wilson, 1-up.
Despite falling behind Dominick Haskins early during the semifinal match, Johnson won four of the final six holes on the front nine to manufacture a 2-up lead before winning four consecutive holes beginning at the 11th to close out the match with a par at the 14th, 5 and 4, to reach the final round.
Prior to Wednesday’s victory, Johnson’s only other MGA championship win came at the 2008 Amateur Four-Ball Championship with partner Curt Carbaugh at Hillcrest Country Club.
He’s since added a pair of Minnesota Public Golf Association Mid Public Links titles and three MPGA Combination Championship wins. Along with two Loren Krugel victories and two Lyle Cran Shortstop wins, Johnson won the Northland Invitational and the Arrowhead Invitational in 2023.
With a win already to his credit this season, Peterson was turned away from his fourth win at the championship Wednesday.
“I’m actually really happy, I played really well all week,” Peterson said after the final match Wednesday. “The first nine holes of my first match weren’t pretty but was pretty steady from there.
“[Johnson] played great and we halved two or three holes with birdies, but I just made a couple too many mistakes coming in and that was the difference. I thought I played great, but he just played a little better.”
Peterson, who failed to advance from pool play a season ago at The Wilderness at Fortune Bay, entered the week seeded No. 2 but trailed Kevin Falconer by four after just 10 holes early Monday before winning six of the final eight holes to win his opening-round matchup, 1-up.
Facing Joel Oxton, Peterson’s flurry of birdies mid-round allowed him to pull away for the victory, 5 and 4, before downing Joshua Bargfrede, 3 and 2, to advance from pool play unscathed.
During the quarterfinal round, Peterson faced MPGA Four-Ball partner Nick Jarrett and needed extra holes to reach the semifinal round against Joe Conzemius.
After jumping out to a 4-up lead, Peterson watched Conzemius fight his way back into the match, trailing by one after winning three of four holes to close out the front nine.
A conceded birdie at the 17th put Peterson into the finals for the second time in three seasons.
Peterson, 39, collected the 48th state title of his career in May at the MPGA Four-Ball with Jarrett, winning his fourth consecutive MPGA championship dating back to the Mid-Public Links last June.