Johnson, Conn, Nelson and Meyer Final Four Standing at MGA Mid-Players' Championship

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  BIWABIK, Minn. – Collecting two more wins during the second day of competition at the 15^th Minnesota Golf Association Mid-Players’ Championship Tuesday at The Quarry at Giants Ridge, Troy Johnson moved closer to claiming his fourth victory at the event.
 
Johnson posted a perfect 3-0 record in pool play to open the championship this week before giving defending champion Justin Burleson more than he could handle during Tuesday’s quarterfinal round with a 4 and 3 victory.
 
The only back-to-back winner at the championship, Johnson seeks his first tournament win since 2014 when he meets 2020 MGA Player’s Championship runner-up Ryan Conn during semifinal action Wednesday.
 
“My game has been pretty good. I went through some swing changes this winter and I’m starting to feel pretty good about that,” Johnson said after his fourth win of the championship Tuesday. “It’s given me a little more speed, but just haven’t got quite the feel that I’m looking for yet. The last couple of weeks I’ve made some really good swings and I’m starting to feel good about my game.
 
“It seems like I’ve played better in the morning than I do in the afternoon. I need to stay steady and now it’s a matter of making birdies. Everyone at this point is on their game and playing well, so I just need to make sure I’m not giving holes away.”
 
Playing a new format at the championship this week, Johnson squared off against Noah Lawson in a battle of unbeatens in pool play with a spot in the quarterfinals up for grabs.
 
Carding a pair of birdies and an eagle on his front nine, Johnson took a 2-up lead to the back nine and watch Lawson even the match with two early birdies. Johnson regained control with back-to-back birdies at the 13^th and 14^th and would hang on for a 1-up lead to reach the quarterfinals.
 
Johnson jumped out to an early 2-up lead over Burleson by winning the second and third holes and extended his lead to three with a birdie at the seventh. Rolling his birdie at the short par-4 13^th, Johnson increased his lead to four before Burleson countered with a birdie at the 14^th.
 
An errant tee shot at the 15^th would lead to a bogey for Burleson at the 15^th and Johnson would close out the match and clinch a spot in the semifinal round by sinking his 4-footer for par at the 15^th for the victory, 4 and 3.
 
“I got a little tired during the second match—still played good and I was happy with it, but wasn’t totally on my game like the first match today. I don’t think Justin had his A-game, either—he gave me a couple holes, I gave him a couple holes and I just made a couple more birdies.
 
“We are both very similar—we hit our driver about the same and our irons the same. Today I made a few more putts.”
 
Winning his first MGA Mid-Players’ Championship in 2009, Johnson earned a pair of victories in 2013 and 2014 and remains the tournament’s only three-time winner.
 
Johnson will now face Ryan Conn, who advanced from his pool by earning a half point with his tie against Matt Pfingsten before overcoming an early deficit to defeat Jesse Larson during the quarterfinal round to reach Wednesday’s semifinal match.
 
“I putted pretty well today. I still don’t feel great tee-to-green,” Conn said Tuesday. “I’ve played eight rounds in six days, so there’s a little fatigue, but I’m hanging in there. I’m trying to find ways to get it done and I did today.”
 
Larson jumped out to an early lead over Conn by dropping a pair of early birdies, but Conn surged right back to win four of the next five to take a 2-up lead. Larson cut into Conn’s lead with a birdie at the 12^th, but a two-putt birdie for Conn gave him the cushion he would need to hang on for a 1-up victory.
 
“Jesse got off to a great start and we shared some holes during the match,” Conn said. “We were both steady on the back—Jesse played really good and he made a few birdies. Right now it’s just survive and advance.
 
“I’d definitely say I’m the underdog tomorrow and I’m going to have to play really well. [Johnson] is playing great and he’s such a solid ball-striker. It’s a great course for him because he hits it dead-straight and right in the center of the clubface. I’ll have to hit the right shots at the right times and make a few putts.”
 
Conn teamed up with Hunter Rebrovich to win the 2019 MGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship at The Classic at Madden's, and more recently, fell to Cecil Belisle during the championship match at the MGA Players’ Championship a year ago at Hastings Golf Club.
 
Casey Nelson emerged from Group 7 Tuesday with his win over last year’s runner-up Matt Norgaard, 3 and 2. Nelson heated up late during his quarterfinal match with Tyler Obermueller, carding three birdies over a four-hole stretch to pull out a victory to advance to the semifinals, 2 and 1.
 
Nelson will face Paul Meyer, who went 3-0 in Group 3 to advance to the quarterfinal round against Ben Egart. Meyer carded a single bogey during his opening nine late Tuesday to take a 2-up lead. Extending his lead to three with a birdie at the 10^th, Meyer would close out the match with an eagle at the 16^th to earn a 4 and 2 victory and a spot in the final four.
 
The semifinal round of the 15^th MGA Mid-Players’ Championship begins at 8:20 a.m. Wednesday at The Quarry at Giants Ridge.