CHASKA, Minn. – Sinking a short birdie putt on the 54th hole Wednesday at Chaska Town Course, Bryce Hanstad secured a one-stroke victory over Max Tylke to claim the 37th Minnesota Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship.
With his 17-under 199 this week, Hanstad set a new tournament record of lowest aggregate score, as well as score in relation to par since the championship switched to a 54-hole event in 2005.
“I knew my game was in a good spot, but I’ve been forcing some things the last couple of tournaments,” Hanstad said after his sixth state victory Wednesday. “It was nice to be confident in my game and it rose to the surface. Winning golf tournaments is hard, so it’s always nice to get one across the line."
Claiming back-to-back wins at the MGA Mid-Players’ Championship in 2022 and 2023, Hanstad began his season with a fourth-place finish at the Twin Cities Open before falling to Tylke in the semifinal round of the MGA Mid-Players at Deacon’s Lodge.
The following week Hanstad lost the final match of the MGA Players’ Championship to Joe Conzemius at Hastings Golf Club.
“My coach at [Olympic Hills Golf Club] Brandon Sutton and I have focused more on the strategy side—always enjoyed and excelled in the match-play realm, but it’s really nice to get one on the stroke-play side to show some diversity in my game."
The 37-year-old Hanstad will now set his sights on the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship next month at Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot, Va., earning an exemption into this season’s championship by advancing to the semifinal round in 2022 at Erin Hills in Wisconsin.
“It’s always nice to get some momentum going into a tournament like that,” he said. “I’m excited—it’s always a treat to play in those events. Getting into match play the last two years has been a confidence boost of knowing I can get there to the belief that I can.”
Beginning his final round Wednesday one shot behind 36-hole leader Ben Greve, Hanstad got help from his putter mid-round by sinking three birdie chances from outside of 15 feet through his first 10 holes to reach 16-under for the championship.
After converting his fifth birdie of the final round at the 15th, Hanstad carded just his third bogey of the week at the 17th to fall into a share of the lead with Tylke at 16-under for the championship.
Lagging his eagle putt inside of four feet on the final hole, a short birdie putt gave the former Colorado State University golfer a one-stroke victory at 17-under 199.
“I knew I had to stay somewhat aggressive and keep the pedal down,” Hanstad said of battling against Tylke, Greve and Peterson during Wednesday's final round. “But, at the same time, I tried to be patient and let the golf course come to me.
“A few putts started to fall at the latter part of the front nine. Varying speeds on the greens was definitely an adjustment all week with the heat and the storms.”
Hanstad's first victory came at the MGA Amateur Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club in 2007, and he followed it by claiming the Resorters Tournament title the same season.
In 2008, Hanstad won the Red River Amateur Championship (formerly the KX Amateur) at Moorhead Country Club.
A silver lining for Tylke, who claimed his sixth runner-up finish of the season Wednesday, is his lead over Trent Peterson in the MGA Player of the Year race expands to 140 points with only a few events left on the 2024 calendar.
“I’m playing good and I’m not making many mistakes, but it seems like there’s always something goofy during the round that slows you down,” Tylke said Wednesday. “I had two three-putts today, and that triggered it—everything is going well and you get a little careless.
“Every tournament it’s disappointing, but in every tournament, I’ve had a chance to win. Maybe in the next month or two I need to sit down and figure what I can do differently to get a little closer. Sneak two wins in and it’s an unbelievable season—no one’s questioning anything.”
Beginning his final round two shots back of the lead, quickly went to work with four birdies and an eagle against one bogey during his front nine to turn on top of the leaderboard at 16-under for the championship.
But a pair of bogeys during his final nine holes slowed momentum, and a three-putt par at the last would but Tylke one back of Hanstad at 16-under 200.
The 31-year-old Tylke reached double-digit state victories last season with a win at the Worthington Labor Day Classic, but he's been turned away in each of his eight appearances so far this season.
Tylke and partner Ryan Tschann came up one stroke shy of Justin Burleson and Jesse Nelson at Oak Glen Golf Course to begin the season at the Minnesota Public Golf Association Four-Ball Championship in May.
The following month Tylke lost to Peterson in the finals of the MGA Mid-Players’ Championship at Deacon’s Lodge.
He fell in a playoff to Carson Herron at the Minnesota State Open at Rush Creek Golf Club in July and came up three shots shy of Nate Deziel at the MGA Amateur at Minnesota Valley Country Club a week later.
Tylke fired an 8-under 137 to finish second to Peterson by three strokes at Loggers Trail Golf Course two weeks ago.
The 36-hole leader Ben Greve, who was searching for his first state victory since the 2022 MGA Amateur Championship at Olympic Hills Golf Club, posted a final-round 70 Wednesday to finish in a share of third with the five-time champion Peterson at 15-under 201.
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