MGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship

MGA Championship

Chaska Town Course | Chaska, MN
August 20-22, 2012

Tournament Information

Entry Fees:

Deadline: Monday, August 6, 2012

Entry Fee: $230 per team

Entry is limited to the first 192 two-person teams (96 teams each day) to enter.

Players are encouraged to enter all MGA events online. Entry forms will not be accepted prior to Monday, April 2, 2012, but must arrive by the deadline of Monday, August 6, 2012, at the office of the Minnesota Golf Association. Entry is on a first-come basis, and the full entry fee must accompany the entry form.

Late or incomplete entries are not acceptable and will be returned. Entries submitted by telephone, email or fax are not acceptable. Time limit for entries means time of receipt by the MGA.

Entries with insufficient funds will be considered incomplete and will be withdrawn. The entrant is responsible for any fees incurred by the MGA for such payment and must pay such fees before entry into further MGA events is allowed.

Eligibility:

Entries are open to amateur golfers:

Who are currently Associate Members of the MGA at the club from which they are playing,
Whose club is a current member club of the MGA, and
Whose combined total USGA Handicap Index for 18 holes does not exceed 12.4 at the time of entry.

All entries are subject to rejection at any time by the MGA Tournament Committee.

NOTE: Players do not need to be from the same club.

Additional Information

Since 1962, the MGA Four-Ball Championship has been an institution for players who enjoy team competition. The Championship is a two-person, 36-hole four-ball competition. (A four-ball competition, often referred to as a "best ball," takes the best score of the team for each hole.) The first round is split over the first two days, ultimately qualifying 36 teams for the final round.

In the history of the Championship, there have been several multiple winners. Steve Johnson and Mike Fermoyle teamed up to win three times (1985, 1993, 2001) and each won with another partner before creating their "dynamic duo" (Johnson with Greg Harvey, 1969, and Fermoyle with Jim Ihnot, 1972). Dick Blooston and John Harris have won three titles each, two as a team (1987, 1989) and one each with another partner (Blooston with Les Peterson, 1964, and Harris with Rick Ehrmanntraut, 1973). Two other teams (Leif Carlson/Mark Boettcher and Chris Baas/Phil Schmidt) have won two titles each.

Last year saw the dynamic duo of Mark Aldrich (Mendakota CC) and Erik Christopherson (Teemaster/Baker National GC) claim their second Four-Ball title in the last three years. Their first title was a rain-shortened event in 2009. Christopherson won a third back in 2002 with Tom Guyer (Somerset CC), also a rain-shortened event. This time, they had to go the distance and then some, six extra holes in fact. However, Christopherson's birdie on the sixth extra hole, the 1st at Oak Ridge, finally put an end to the playoff that saw some spectacular play between the Aldrich / Christopherson team and the team of Nick Jarrett (Prestwick GC) and Jesse Polk (Hastings CC). It was the fifth birdie between the four players in the six holes. Both teams had finished with an 11-under par, 129 total.

Already at 11-under with eight holes to play, Aldrich and Christopherson could only make pars, while Jarrett/Polk made three birdies and two bogies over the last six holes. It then became a putting contest in the playoff, with Jarrett holing putts of 12', 30', 3', 8' and 9' in succession to keep his team playing. Ultimately, it was Christopherson's 12-footer, almost the same putt he had made to start the day, that ended it when Polk couldn't convert his birdie try.

Tied for third, one stroke back, were the teams of Chris Baas/Phil Schmidt (Green Lea GC and two-time past champions) and Jordan Hawkinson (StoneRidge GC)/Jesse Larson (LeSueur GC). Another stroke back were cousins Michael & David Christensen (Pokegama GC/Elk River GC) and Brett Jacobson/Troy Johnson (Rush Creek GC).