Defending Champ Burleson Exits Early; Conzemius, Peterson and Schmitz Advance at MGA Mid-Players'

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  HUTCHINSON, Minn. – Despite Minnesota Golf Association Mid-Players’ defending champion Justin Burleson falling during the Round of 16 Monday at Crow River Golf Club, two former champions Trent Peterson and Sammy Schmitz each picked up a pair of victories to remain in contention following the first day of competition.
 
Peterson, who defeated Burleson to win the 2017 championship at St. Cloud Country Club, cruised during his first two matches Monday, downing Blake Onkka, 7 and 6, before defeating Brad Johnson during Monday’s Round of 16, 6 and 4.
 
Carding five birdies and just one birdie in 26 holes Monday, Peterson advances to the quarterfinal round where he will face Tony Vincelli when the tournament resumes Tuesday.
 
Top-seeded Burleson got past 2015 MGA Mid-Amateur champion Joe McCormick, 2 and 1, to begin the championship Monday, but ran into trouble against Chris Myhro during the Round of 16.
 
“I was nervous but I went out there like I had nothing to lose and gave it everything I had and it worked out in my favor,” Myhro said of facing the defending champion Burleson. “I felt like I was getting off the tee really well and my short game was decent. It was a really good match—I was up at times and then he was up.”
 
Qualifying for his first Mid-Players’ Championship, the 30-year-old Myhro took a 2-up lead following back-to-back birdies at the sixth and seventh holes before carding a double-bogey at the eighth as Burleson pulled back to within one.
 
Burleson took advantage of a Myhro bogey at the 10^th before the defending champion rolled in his birdie chance to take the lead at the 11^th. Myhro came charging back by sinking his birdie putt from 20 feet at the 12^th and regained his lead at 13 following a Burleson bogey.
 
Drawing even for a third time during the match, Burleson sank his birdie chance at the 15^th, but Myhro would bury his birdie putt from 15 feet at the 17^th to take a late lead and hung on to close out Burleson, 1-up.
 
“My goal was to just get through the first match,” Myhro joked, “To make it to the second day, I feel pretty good about that and I’m excited to go into tomorrow.
 
“I played a little more aggressively than I normally do, but I hit a lot of fairways and was able to get up-and-down a lot today, so that helped. I put myself on the right side of the hole.”
 
Myhro will face Jamie Quesnel during the quarterfinal round when action resumes early Tuesday.
 
Collecting wins in each of the past two seasons, Joe Conzemius moved on to the quarterfinal round Monday, downing Erik Bredesen, 5 and 3, before eliminating Derek Whiting, 5 and 4, during the Round of 16 Monday.
 
“I thought I played great today—I made one bogey in two rounds. I putted great and had a couple good par saves and made some 10 and 12-footers for par, which helps you stay in the match and keeps the momentum going.”
 
“The match this afternoon was close through five or six holes and [Whiting] gave me one on the par-3, then I birdied the next hole and from there I kept the foot on the gas. I kept the ball in play and never really had to punch out. If you’re in the fairway, you’re going to have a lot of short irons into the greens. If you can make a few putts it certainly helps. I was really solid over my five to 12-footers.
 
Conzemius will now face Jake Witham in the quarterfinal round Tuesday. Witham earned a pair of victories over both Jim Foss and Trevor Anker to advance from the first day of competition Monday.
 
Sammy Schmitz, who claimed the 2012 championship at Dacotah Ridge Golf Club, had little trouble during his opening match Monday, defeating Andrew Howard, 6 and 5, before topping Erik Heltne during the Round of 16, 4 and 3. Schmitz squares off against Mike Fiedler during Tuesday’s quarterfinals.
 
The 13^th MGA Mid-Players’ Championship continues Tuesday with the quarterfinal round beginning at 8:02 a.m. at Crow River Golf Club.