Resorters Golf Tournament: Bennett knocks off second seed in Men's Division

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The Men’s Regular championship flight offered a little bit of everything on Wednesday with upsets, close matches, blowouts and last year’s champion picking up right where he left off.

Alexandria’s Ben Vangsness didn’t skip a beat on his way to a 6-5 win over fellow Alexandrian Derek Swedberg. Third-seeded Jerry Rose of Sarasota, Florida and fourth-seeded Casey Vangsness of Alexandria also earned wins to advance to the field of 16 today.

The biggest upset of the afternoon came on the right side of the bracket as second-seeded Chris Sholts was knocked off by Marshall’s Matt Bennett in a 4-3 match. Bennett entered as the 31st seed but used an eagle on the par-5 12th to turn the tide in his favor.

Bennett and the rest of the remaining men’s contestants will take to the first tee box this afternoon. The first group is set to tee off at 1:48.

B. Vangsness def.

Swedberg, 6-5

Vangsness played like the returning champion on Wednesday afternoon as he ended things early against fellow Alexandrian Derek Swedberg.

Vangsness shot 4-under on the day and never wavered after a fast start on the front. He birdied the first hole for a win before his only bogey of the day drew the two players even after three.

Vangsness took control from there. Birdies on Nos. 4 and 5 gave him a 2-up lead. A par win on No. 9 added to the momentum before a birdie on the par-4 ninth put him 4-up and gave him a 33 on the front.

Vangsness didn’t slow down on the back. He parred the first three holes, earning a win on No. 12. He then ended things in style with a birdie win on the par-3 13th.

Montplaisir def.

E. Peterson, 4-3

Jacob Montplaisir of Gilbert, Arizona earned the right to play the defending champion today after taking care of Benson’s Eric Peterson 4-3 on Wednesday.

Montplaisir never trailed in the match after taking a lead on the third hole with a par win. He added birdie wins on Nos. 5 and 8 to add to that lead before a par on No. 9 sent him into the turn 4-up.

Peterson was able to get a couple back with a par and birdie win on the first two holes after crossing the road. That’s as close as the match got, though, as Montplaisir ended things in style with an eagle on 14 before putting Peterson away with a par win on 15.

Meyer def. S.

Peterson, 3-2

West Fargo’s Grady Meyer built a four-hole cushion on the front that he never let go of in a 3-2 win over Benson’s Sam Peterson.

Meyer birdied Nos. 2 and 7 and added a couple wins on 5 and 6 before Peterson was able to get one back with a birdie on 8. Meyer took that 3-up lead across the street, where he immediately added to it with a birdie win on No. 10.

Peterson tried to claw his way back into it with a couple of birdies of his own over the next two holes. He couldn’t get any closer than that, though, as both players parred the next three holes before Meyer put the match away with a par win on 16.

Brinker def.

B. Hafdal, 3-2

Minnetonka’s Derek Brinker won in a similar fashion as Meyer, building an early lead and holding on late for a 3-2 win over Alexandria’s Brady Hafdal.

Hafdal opened the door for him by shooting 9-over on the front, and Brinker took advantage of it. He earned a par win on the first hole and three bogey wins after that to head to the back 4-up.

Hafdal tried to battle back with a couple birdie wins on Nos. 10 and 11, but Brinker answered with a birdie of his own on the 12th. The two players halved the next five holes to give Brinker the win.

C. Vangsness def.

A. Heinen, 1-up

Current St. John’s Johnnies golfer Casey Vangsness needed all 18 holes to put away Alec Heinen of Edmond, Oklahoma.

Vangsness found himself down by one after 14 holes. He turned it on from there, earning a par win on No. 15 before birdying No. 16 to take the narrow advantage. Both players parred the final two holes as Vangsness held on for the win.

The match was never separated by more than one hole all afternoon. Vangsness took the first lead on No. 4 before Heinen birdied Nos. 7 and 8. Vangsness then returned the favor on No. 9 with a birdie that made things all square going to the back.

Conder def.

Braniff, 19-holes

The only match of the division to go to a playoff was won by Lehi, Utah’s Shay Conder on the 19th hole.

Conder watched as a 1-up lead disappeared on 18 after St. Cloud’s Charlie Braniff birdied to force the playoff. Conder answered right back with a birdie of his own to take the match on the first hole.

It was a fitting ending to a match that went back-and-forth all day. Conder went into the turn 1-up before a birdie win on 10 evened things up for Braniff. That’s how it stayed for the next four holes before Conder was able to break through with a par win on the 15th.

Gergen def.

Emond, 7-6

Dylan Gergen of Mendota Heights coasted to a 7-6 win over Garrett Emond of Lakeville behind a front nine that saw him shoot 3-under.

That helped him take a 5-hole lead into the turn. Gergen didn’t look back from there, winning Nos. 10 and 12 with two more birdies to finish off one of the more impressive rounds of the day at 5-under.

N. Heinen def.

Webskowski, 4-3

Last year’s Junior 13-15 champion from Edmond, Oklahoma saved his best for last as Nick Heinen turned it on on the back to complete a 4-3 win over Plymouth’s Paul Webskowski.

Heinen trailed by one at the turn but three straight birdies on Nos. 11, 12 and 13 gave him his first lead of the day. It was a lead he never relinquished after a par win on 15 sealed the deal for him.

Bennett def. Sholts, 4-3

Sholts came into the day having fired a 68 in qualifying but couldn’t sustain that as the second-seed was knocked from the championship field by the 31st seed Bennett.

Bennett proved ready from the get-go, winning Nos. 2 and 3 to take his first lead of the day after Sholts had won No. 1 with a par. Bennett added a birdie win at 6 and a par win at 7 as he carried that 2-up lead onto the back.

He never let it slip away once he got there. Sholts got one back with a par win on the 10th, but an eagle on 12 proved to be the turning point in the match for Bennett. He followed that with a birdie win on 13 before a par on 15 wrapped up the win.

Witiak def.

Winge, 3-2

Collin Witiak of Colombia, South Carolina built a lead on the front and never gave it back on his way to a 3-2 win over Eden Prairie’s Christopher Winge.

Winge held his only lead of the day after a birdie on the first hole. Witiak answered with a par win on No. 2 and added birdie wins on 4 and 5 to take his first lead. He added to that with a par win on the 7th.

Another birdie on No. 10 put Witiak back to 3-up. Winge was able to cut his deficit to two, but a par on 13 by Witiak upped the cushion back to three before both players parred the next two holes to end it.

Lervick def.

Brandabur, 3-1

Chanhassen’s Collin Lervick never trailed in his 3-1 win over Minnetrista’s Tommy Brandabur.

Lervick took his first lead with a birdie on No. 2 and added to that with another birdie on the 4th. That 2-up lead is how things stayed until the 9th when Lervick took a little momentum onto the front with a par win.

Brandabur was able to cut it to a one-hole deficit after winning Nos. 11 and 12. Lervick was able to get one back with a win on 14. That’s exactly how it stayed through the next three holes as Lervick put things away after both players pushed on 16.

Haukom def. Bahe, 1-up

Marshall’s CJ Haukom edged Kyle Bahe of Annandale on the 18th hole in a close match from start to finish.

Things were all even after 10 holes. That’s when Haukom created a little bit of breathing room with a par and birdie win on Nos. 11 and 12, respectively, to move to 2-up.

It was a lead that didn’t last long. A couple bogeys opened the door for Bahe, who took advantage of it with par wins at 14 and 15 to even things up again. That’s exactly how they went to the 18th tee box before Bahe’s bogey allowed Haukom to come away with a par win for the match.

Rose def. Kolden, 7-6

One of the four medalists from Tuesday picked up right where he left off as Jerry Rose coasted to a 7-6 win over Morris’ Jordan Kolden.

Rose, the 54-year-old from Sarasota, Florida, shot 1-under on the front as Kolden went 8-over. That allowed Rose to take a 6-hole lead into the turn and cruise to the 7-6 win.

Deutz def. Shroyer, 4-3

Max Deutz of Marshall outlasted Victoria’s Joey Shroyer 4-3 on Wednesday afternoon.

Deutz built a three-hole lead with consecutive par wins on Nos. 4, 5 and 6. He added a birdie win on the 7th and went into the turn at 3-up.

Shroyer was never able to get closer than that over the next six holes. Deutz bogeyed No. 14 but was able to answer right back with a par win on 15 to wrap up the match.

Strandemo def.

J. Hafdal, 5-4

Thomas Strandemo of Fargo was able to open up a close match against Prior Lake’s John Hafdal with some strong play on the back.

Strandemo shot 3-under through five holes after making the turn to end things early in a 5-4 decision. His lead was just one at the turn, but a birdie on 10 and a par win on 11 helped him take control.

He all but put things away with an eagle on the par-5 12th. Both players bogeyed 13 before another birdie on 14 gave Strandemo the win.

Brundell def.

B. Black, 1-up

A battle between Alexandria’s Nick Brundell and Bennett Black went down to the wire before Brundell took the match 1-up with a clutch birdie on the 18th.

The biggest lead of the day was two after Brundell birdied No. 5. Black battled back and eventually tied it after a birdie on 12.

Brundell got the lead back with a birdie on 14 and watched a 1-up lead slip away twice over the next three holes. That just set the stage for a memorable 18th hole as the 17-year-old Cardinal golfer ended it in style with a birdie.

WEDNESDAY RESULTS

UPPER BRACKET

Ben Vangsness def. Derek Swedberg, 6-5

Jacob Montplaisir def. Eric Peterson, 4-3

Grady Meyer def. Sam Peterson, 3-2

Derek Brinker def. Brady Hafdal, 3-2

Casey Vangsness def. Alec Heinen, 1-up

Shay Conder def. Charlie Braniff, 19-holes

Dylan Gergen def. Garrett Emond, 7-6

Nick Heinen def. Paul Webskowski, 4-3

LOWER BRACKET

Matt Bennett def. Chris Sholts, 4-3

Collin Witiak def. Christopher Winge, 3-2

Collin Lervick def. Tommy Brandabur, 3-1

CJ Haukom def. Kyle Bahe, 1-up

Jerry Rose def. Jordan Kolden, 7-6

Max Deutz def. Joey Shroyer, 4-3

Thomas Strandemo def. John Hafdal, 5-4

Nick Brundell def. Bennett Black, 1-up

THURSDAY PAIRINGS

1st tee

1:48 p.m. – B. Vangness vs. Montplaisir; Meyer vs. Brinker

1:57 p.m. – C. Vangsness vs. Conder; Gergen vs. N. Heinen

2:06 p.m. – Bennett vs. Witiak; Lervick vs. Haukom

2:15 p.m. – Rose vs. Deutz; Strandemo vs. Brundell

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