Tylke Rolls on, Makes Match Play in U.S. Mid-Am, and So Does Persons

Max Tylke has put together a remarkable string of performances in tournaments duriing the last 13 months. A three-time Minnesota State Public Links champion, Tylke started the string with a second-place finish -- behind Matt Armstrong -- at the 2023 State Publinx. Since then, he's finished second in six more state championships -- Publinx Four-Ball, MGA Players, State Open, State Amateur, State Publinx (again) and the State Mid-Am -- nearly all of them by a single shot, or in a playoff.

No one has ever put together a run of that many top-2 finishes in the history of Minnesota golf.

Over the weekend, Tylke didn't finish top 2, but he had another strong showing, this time in a national tournament, the U.S. Mid-Amateur. He opened with a 1-under-par 70 at Kinloch Golf Club in Manakit-Sabot, Va., and followed it with a 1-over 71 at Independence GC in Midlothian, for a 36-hole total of 141. That was good for a tie for 38th in the medal-play qualifying part of the Mid-Am, and he's into the match-play portion of the tournament. That will begin Monday.

By qualifying for match play, Tylke has assured himself of at least one title this year. He will be the MGA Player of the Year. The 31-year-old from Rosemount has more than 850 points so far, and could add to that total with any victories he might pick up in match play. Trent Peterson, who has won virtually every tournament there is for an amateur to win in Minnesota -- and beat Tylke this year in the MGA Mid-Players final, and edged Tylke to win this year's State Publinx -- was the only one who had a chance to catch Tylke in the Player of the Year Points Standings. But to do that, he would have had to make a run this week in Virginia, and he missed the cut with a 74-75--149.

Also advancing to match play is Josh Persons. The 40-year-old former North Dakota state high school champ and this year's North Dakota Stroke Play winner turned professional after playing for the University of Minnesota, and he had one victory on the Canadian Tour. Persons got his amateur status back a few years ago, and he nearly cracked the top 10 in the Mid-Am qualifying over the weekend. He shot 70 at Kinloch on Saturday and 68 at Indepence on Sunday. The resulting 138 total put him in a tie for 12th.

The cut came at 142, where 14 players finished, and they will play off for the last 12 spots in match play on Monday morning.

Segundo Oliva Pinto and Evan Beck were the co-medalists. Oliva Pinto just turned 25 and became eligibile to play in the Mid-Am. He started college at North Carolina-Wilmington and won the Colonial Athletic Associatioon individual championship in 2019. After transferring to Arkansas, he won the SEC individual title in 2021.

In spite of that, he wasn't quite convinced when his college career ended that he was good enough to make a living playiing golf. So he's part of an entrepeneurial group coming out with a product called Hangry King Barbecue, which is expected to be available on Amazon before the end of the year. Oliva Pinto hasn't ruled out the possibility of turning pro eventually, but for now he's just playing in all of the amateur tournaments he can work into his schedule.

Beck, 34, is from Virginia Beach, Va., and he's a two-time Virginia State Open champion.

Oliva Pinto and Beck both went 68-65-133 on their way to claiming co-medalist honors, but they did it playing opposite courses. Oliva Pinto shot his 65 at Independence on Sunday. Beck shot his at Kenloch, which will be the course where all the matches are played.

Persons is seeded No. 16, and he will play No. 49 Chad Wilfong on Monday in the Round of 64. Tylke is No. 50 and will take on No. 15 Michael Buttacavoli in his first match. In qualifying, Wilfong tied Tylke with 70-71--141, and Buttacavoli tied Persons with 69-69---138.


U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship

At Kinloch Golf Club -- par 71, 7,250 yards

Manakin-Sabot, Va.

& Independence Golf Club -- par 70, 7,216 yards

Midlothian, Va.

Stroke-play qualifying

T1. Segundo Oliva Pinto, Argentiina 68K-65I--133

T1. Evan Beck, Virginia Beach, Va. 68I-65K--133

T3. Parker Edens, Brookings, S.D. 69I-65K--134

T3. Andy Butler, Philadelphia 66I-68K--134

T3. Scott Harvey, Greensboro, N.C. 64K-70I--134

T12. Josh Persons, Fargo 70K-68I--138

T38. Max Tylke, Rosemount 70K-71I--141

Missed cut -- 142 (14 for 12 playoff Monday morning)

Joel B. Johnson, Hugo 73K-71I--144

Bryce Hanstad, Edina 72K-73I--145

George Ordway, Charlottesville, Va. 73I-74K--147

Trent Peterson, St. Paul 74I-75K--149

Nick Jarrett, Rochester 79K-76I--155