120th MGA Amateur Fact Sheet

• 2023 MGA Amateur Championship Round 3
• 2023 MGA Amateur Championship Round 2
• 2023 MGA Amateur Championship Round 1

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MINNEAPOLIS GOLF CLUB OFFICIALS – Jocelyn Anderson, Club President; Jared Keller, Golf Course Superintendent; Dan Simpson, Golf Professional; and Joseph JJ Wagner, General Manager.

MINNEAPOLIS GOLF CLUB –Established in Golden Valley in 1916, the Minneapolis Golf Club settled on its existing St. Louis Park location the following year. William D. Clark, a Scotsman, was hired in 1917 to finish Willie Park, Jr.’s, original design. In 1920, Donald Ross was enlisted to reconfigure the course routing, which remains essentially unchanged to this day. In 2007, Ross restoration specialist Ron Prichard was hired to refashion bunkers and tees, and bring the course up to modern standards. The classic Golden Era design underwent a complete turf renovation in 2020, which included creating larger green complexes featuring more flexible hole locations.

Minneapolis GC has hosted the Minnesota State Amateur Championship five times in the club’s 107-year history. Three early editions were conducted as match play, with Harrison “Jimmy” Johnston defeating Les Bolstad, 9 and 8, (1925), Dick Sawyer besting Oliver “Ole” Williamson, 3 and 1, (1936), and Henry Ernst taking down Don Holick, 3 and 2, (1953). After the MGA Amateur switched to stroke play, Jon Christian posted a 2-under-par 214 (77-65-72), five shots better than Jerry Dalen in 1988. And more recently, Kane Hanson (74-70-72) tied Brett Swedberg, Joe Stansberry and J.B. Lloyd at even-par 216, and prevailed on the first playoff hole in 2003.

LAST YEAR'S CHAMPIONSHIP – After an opening-round 66 on his home course at Olympic Hills Golf Club, Ben Greve hung on over the final two days of the 119th Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Championship in grueling conditions to claim a one-stroke victory over Jack Ebner for his first state title in five seasons.

Entering the final round with a five-stroke lead, Greve posted a 7-over 79 to claim his first state win since his back-to-back titles at the Minnesota State Open in 2016 and 2017.

Greve started fast by carding a birdie on the opening hole to move to 6-under for the championship and then got up-and-down from a greenside bunker at the third to save par.

Despite a pair of bogeys over his next six holes to turn in 4-under, Greve still maintained a four-shot advantage.

Unable to get up-and-down for par at the par-3 17th, Greve took a three-shot lead to the final hole, needing just double-bogey to win—and did exactly that, posting a final-round 79 to earn the victory at 2-over 218.

Ebner, a fifth-year senior at Miami University, posted a 75 during his opening round and followed it with an even-par 72 during the second round to begin the final round eight shots off the lead.

Stringing together four birdies midway through the final round, Ebner quickly climbed the leaderboard to challenge Greve at 1-over par. Three bogeys over his next six holes seemingly put him out of contention, but a birdie at the last would put him into second place at 3-over 219.

University of Iowa golfer Ian Meyer posted a final-round 74 to place tied for third with Bethel University’s Conor Schubring at 4-over 220.

THE FIELD – There are a slew of formidable challengers including seven former MGA Amateur champions: Mike Christensen, Alexandria Golf Club (1995); Eric Deutsch, Northland Country Club (2004); John Dutoit, Northland Country Club (2015); Ben Greve, Olympic Hills Golf Club (2022); Bryce Hanstad, Hazeltine National Golf Club (2007); Clay Kucera, Somerby Golf Club (2019), and Trent Peterson, Windsong Farm Golf Club (2008).    
 
Notable competitors in the field include the 2021 NJCAA Division II National Championship champ and 2020 and 2022 MGA Players’ champ, Cecil Belisle (Red Wing GC); the 2019 Minnesota PGA Junior Boys’ champ, Gunnar Broin (Chaska Town Course); the 2022 Minnesota State Junior Boys’ champ, Peyton Coahran (USGA/Minnesota GC); the 2019 Mr. Minnesota Golf, Connor Glynn (University GC); the great grandsons of Carson Lee Herron, the 1933 MGA Amateur champ, and the sons of Tim Herron, the 1992 MGA Amateur champ and former PGA Tour player, Carson, Mick and P.J. Herron (Wayzata Country Club); 19-year-old amateur who qualified for the PGA Tour’s 2023 John Deere Classic, Anders Larson (Pine Island GC); the 2020 Minnesota State Junior Boys champ, Dayne Mann (The Refuge Golf Club);  the 2018 Mr. Minnesota Golf, Tristan Nelko (Windsong Farm GC); the 2022 MGA Senior Amateur champ, Bob Neuberger (Burl Oaks GC); the 2021 MGA Senior Men’s Player of the Year, Tim Peterson (Forest Hills GC); the 2023 Mr. Minnesota Golf, Joseph Rohlwing (Minnesota YOC); the 2021 Minnesota State Junior Boys’ champ, Mason Roloff (TPC Twin Cities); the 2015 U.S. Mid-Amateur champ, Sammy Schmitz (Stoneridge GC); the 2020 MGA Junior Boys’ Player of the Year, 2021 and 2022 Class AAA High School individual champ and 2022 Mr. Minnesota Golf, Nate Stevens (Northfield Golf Club); the 2016 and 2018 MPGA State Public Links champ and 2021 MGA Players’ champ, Max Tylke (Legends Club); the 2017 Minnesota PGA Junior Boys’ champ, 2018 MGA Junior Boys’ Player of the Year, 2018 Minnesota State Junior Boys’ champ, 2022 MGA Player of the Year and 2023 Minnesota State Open champ, Caleb VanArragon (Bunker Hills GC).

COURSE SET UP – 7,180 yds, Par 36-36 – 72

As of July 13, there are 127 players in the field with “plus” USGA Handicap Indexes (that is, having an index that is better than scratch), with Anders Larson atop the list of competitors at +7.2.

The oldest competitor in the field is Jerry Rose, Alexandria Golf Club, 64 years, 9 months and 11 days; the youngest, Dylan Kringen, Spring Hill Golf Club, 16 years, 1 month and 24 days.

PAIRINGS/NOTICE TO COMPETITORS
Complete pairings and the notice to competitors are available online at: https://www.mngolf.org/Tournament/MGA_Amateur_Championship_13.

ABOUT THE MGA
Founded in 1901, the Minnesota Golf Association is the governing body over amateur golf in the state, responsible for administering the Rules of Golf, and committed to uphold and promote the game of golf and its values for all golfers in Minnesota. The MGA conducts 23 major amateur championships and 14 USGA qualifying events each year. Thanks to the support of its member clubs and associate members, and the efforts of its volunteers and staff, the MGA provides a variety of services such as handicapping, course rating and measuring, an online golf news and information resource, mngolf.org, and an official publication, Minnesota Golfer magazine, which benefits all golfers throughout Minnesota.