Two members of the North Dakota State University men’s golf team conquered the Headwaters Golf Club course to capture the title at the annual 2-Man Best Ball/Scramble.
East Grand Forks’ Nate Deziel and Staples’ Andrew Israelson followed a 9-under par 63 during best ball play on Friday (June 12) with an 11-under par 61 during scramble play on Saturday (June 13) for a 20-under par 124 to top the 30-team Scratch Division field. Defending champions Danny Menton and Jim Foss finished second with a 16-under par 128 while the Adam Riddering-Tyler Harvey and the Rick Frieburg-Mark Frie duos tied for third at 12-under par 132 in this two-day, 36-hole tournament on the par-72 course.
Deziel and Israelson took control early during best ball play as Deziel birdied four of the first five holes as the duo carded a 32 on the front side. Both golfers carded three birdies on the back side for a 31 and first-day score of 63.
Menton and Foss carded three birdies on the first four holes for a 33 on the front side while four birdies on the back side led to a 32 and a 65 after the first round. Ryan Ames and Chris Swenson combined for five birdies for rounds of 34 and 33 for a 67 to tie Riddering and Harvey, who also combined for five birdies for rounds of 33 and 34.
Three teams were tied at 68 as four birdies led Geoff Martinson and Ryan Holte to rounds of 35 and 33, five birdies gave Aaron Leintz and Matt Haugstad a pair of 34s, and five birdies and an eagle produced rounds of 36 and 32 for Rick Frieburg and Mark Frie. Tadd Usher and Tate Usher used an eagle on No. 18 to claim eighth place with rounds of 35 and 34 for a 69. Dana Husby and Jonnie Miller shared ninth place with rounds of 34 and 36 for a 70.
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During the opening round of scramble play, Deziel and Israelson used birdies on No. 3, No. 4, No. 7 and No. 9 for a 32 to claim a three-shot lead over Menton and Foss, who had birdies on No. 3, No. 8 and No. 9 for a 33. Four birdies by Frieburg and Frie resulted in a 32 and kept that duo five shots behind the leaders. The Ames-Swenson and Riddering-Harvey duos fell six shots back with 34s. Leintz and Haugstad also had a 34 to fall seven shots back while Martinson and Holte carded a 35 to fall eight shots back.
Back-to-back birdies to open the back side pulled Menton and Foss to within one shot. After the leaders traded birdies on No. 13 and No. 14, Deziel and Israelson used an eagle on No. 15 to claim a two-shot advantage when Menton and Foss settled for a birdie. After a birdie on No. 17 pushed the lead to three shots, Deziel and Israelson sealed the win with an eagle on No. 18 as Menton and Foss birdied the final hole. The winners posted a 29 on the back side by shooting 6-under par over the final six holes.
Riddering and Harvey closed with a 65 while Frieburg and Frie carded a 64 to share third place while Leintz and Haugstad used a 65 to earn a share of fifth place with Ames and Swenson at 133. Husby and Miller closed with a 64 to share seventh place at 134 with the Brian Shuck-Taylor Shuck and Jeff Cannon-Toby Palmiscno duos. Sharing 10th place at 135 were the Jim Clark-Joe Motzko, Kevin Krigbuam-Tom Jenkins, and Ryan Sauerer-Scott Holt pairs. The Ushers carded a 68 during the scramble for 16th place at 137.
A sudden-death playoff was needed to decide the 50-team Handicap Division. Bryce Fazekas and Steve Brown birded the fourth playoff hole to defeat the Jim Day-Ron Litzau duo after both teams ended regulation play tied with a net score of 127.
There was a three-way tie for the lead at 5-under par after best ball play on Saturday (June 13) as the Jeff Eberhardt-Randy Leeseberg, Bob Paine-John Baer and Brian Blair-Mike Harding duos carded 67s. Fazekas and Brown trailed by one shot at 68 while the Mark Carlson-Walt Leckner, Jason Christianson-Ryan Olson and Marty Marjama-Wayne Marjama duos shared fifth place at 69. In a tie for eighth place at 70 were the Day-Litzau, Ian Johnson-Scott Johnson, Jed Ryan-Taylor Schroeder, Bryan Kerby-Kyle Kerby and Ed Talbot-Jim Talbot pairs. Also under par after best ball play at 71 were the groups of Aron Moses-David Heijerman, Brian Manning-Bruce Johnson, Brian Lienke-Tim Heiland, Frank Lamb-Jay Erickson, Dan Dormanen-Mike Dunn and Franz Ringle-Paul Nordeen.
Day and Litzau carded a 15-under par 57 during the scramble on Sunday (June 14) to force a playoff after Fazekas and Brown carded a 59. Fazekas and Brown prevailed on the fourth hole of sudden death.
Blair and Harding finished third at 129 while Eberhardt and Leeseberg shared fourth place with Paine and Baer at 131. Christianson and Olson finished sixth at 132, the Marjamas were seventh at 133 and the Johnsons placed eighth at 134. Tying for ninth place at 135 were the Talbots along with the Joe Wavra-Wayne Nelson and Matt Gilbertson-Matt Lau duos. Mike Baso and Jason Huss used a 62 during the scramble to share 12th place at 136 with the Ryan-Schroeder, Carlson-Leckner, and Kerby duos.
SCRATCH DIVISION
1, Nate Deziel-Andrew Israelson 63-61--124. 2, Danny Menton-Jim Foss 65-63--128. 3, Adam Riddering-Tyler Harvey 67-65--132. 3, Rick Frieburg-Mark Frie 68-64--132. 5, Aaron Leintz-Matt Haugstad 68-65--133. 5, Chris Swenson-Ryan Ames 67-66--133. 7, Dana Husby-Jonnie Miller 70-64--134. 7, Brian Shuck-Taylor Shuck 70-64--134. 7, Jeff Cannon-Toby Palmiscno 70-64--134. 10, Jim Clark-Joe Motzko 71-64--135. 10, Kevin Krigbaum-Tom Jenkins 71-64--135. 10, Ryan Sauerer-Scott Holt 70-65--135.
HANDICAP DIVISION
1, Bryce Fazekas-Steve Brown 68-59--127 (won in sudden-death playoff). 2, Jim Day-Ron Litzau 70-57--127. 3, Brain Blair-Mike Harding 67-62--129. 4, Jeff Eberhardt-Randy Leeseberg 67-64--131. 4, Bob Paine-John Baer 67-64--131. 6, Jason Christianson-Ryan Olson 69-63--132. 7, Marty Marjama-Wayne Marjama 69-64--133. 8, Scott Johnson-Ian Johnson 70-64--134. 9, Joe Wavra-Wayne Nelson 72-63--135. 9, Ed Talbot-Jim Talbot 70-65--135. 9, Matt Gilbertson-Matt Lau 72-63--135. 12, Mike Baso-Jason Huus 74-62--136. 12, Jed Ryan-Taylor Schroeder 70-66--136. 12, Mark Carlson-Walt Leckner 69-67--136. 12, Bryan Kerby-Kyle Kerby 70-66-136.
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