Rollins and Frie Net Am Winners, Banyais and Teals Claim Net Team Title

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  PEQUOT LAKES, Minn. – A pair of late net birdies helped Ron Rollins secure a victory at The Preserve at Grand View Lodge Wednesday, carding a net 67 to claim the 2023 Minnesota Golf Association Net Amateur Championship.

Rollins tallied a total of 41 Stableford points to defeat John Berg by four points. Severe weather washed out Tuesday’s opening round at The Pines at Grand View Lodge, shortening the event to Wednesday’s 18-hole round.

Rollins, of Baker National Golf Course, carded three net birdies over his opening seven holes before taking a step back with a bogey at the par-4 ninth to turn with 20 points.

Bouncing back with back-to-back net birdies at the 10th and 11th holes, Rollins would then card his second bogey at the par-4 15th.

Rollins took advantage of both par-5s late in the round, carding a pair of birdies to finish on top of the leaderboard with 41 points.

Berg, from Cragun’s Legacy Courses, earned points early with consecutive pars before sinking back-to-back birdies at the sixth and seventh holes.

Following a bogey at the eighth, Berg traded a birdie at the 10th with a bogey at the 11th, and carded the third bogey of his round at the 16th.

Berg finished strong with a birdie at the 18th to place second with 37 points.

A late eagle lifted Mike Quinn into third place, while Nate Plagge finished in fourth place with 34 points.

Frie Rallies Late to Claim Women’s Net Title
A pair of late birdies also propelled Joan Frie to the top of the leaderboard in the Women’s Division Wednesday, posting a total of 31 points at The Preserve at Grand View Lodge Wednesday to earn a two-point victory over Lola Heinrich.

Frie, an MGA volunteer from Pebble Creek Golf Club, started quickly by earning five points on the first two holes, including a birdie at the par-3 second, but managed just eight points over her final seven holes to turn with 13 points.

Opening her back with consecutive pars, Frie then carded back-to-back bogeys at the 12th and 13th holes before staging a late rally with birdies at the 15th and 17th holes to secure a two-point victory.

Heinrich, from Spring Brook Golf Course, birdied the first hole of the day Wednesday, but stumbled with a triple-bogey at the sixth, followed by a double-bogey at the ninth to turn with 13 points.

Finding her footing by carding just two bogeys during her inward nine, Heinrich tallied 16 points over her final nine holes to finish in second place with 29 points.

Brenda Breckheimer earned a third-place finish thanks to late birdies at the 16th and 18th holes Wednesday, while Sanda Lemke placed fourth with 28 points.

Banyais and Teals Claim Net Team Title
Combining for 44 Stableford points during their opening nine holes at the Preserve at Grand View Lodge Wednesday, the foursome of Shawn and Kendall Banyai and Jack and Jeff Teal followed it by posting 45 points during their final nine to claim an eight-point victory in the MGA Net Team Championship.

The foursome was led by Shawn Banyai, who carded a net 68, while Kendell Banyai posted a net 74 during the weather-shortened 18-hole championship.

Jeff Teal, the 2015 Minnesota Golf Association Senior Match Play champion contributed by shooting a net 75, and Jack Teal added to the winning effort by shooting a net 76.

The team of Steve Forsberg, Jack Mateffy, Ron Rollins and David Wilson carded 39 Stableford points during their opening nine Wednesday, and finished their round with 42 points over the final nine holes to place second with 81 points.