Mike Barge holds the distinguished honor of being the oldest Minnesota State Open champion winning in 2006 at the age of 51 years, 10 months, and 19 days. Although born in Trimont, Minn., Barge graduated from Fargo South High School in 1972, the same year he won the North Dakota Junior Amateur and the State High School championships. He has spent much of his career as the director of golf instruction at Hazeltine National Golf Club, where he has mentored numerous state golf champions and was recognized by the Minnesota Section of the PGA as its Teacher of the Year two times. Barge knows how to finish a golf tournament having won a Section Stroke Play and two Match Play championships, four Senior Stroke Play championships, the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am, and the Minnesota Senior Open. He has qualified for 25 PGA Professional and Senior Professional championships, including three USGA Senior Opens and two PGA Senior championships. In 2012, Barge was inducted into the North Dakota Golf Hall of Fame.
