Resorters Golf Tournament: Rose turns back the clock in Men's Division

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Sarasota, Florida’s Jerry Rose is showing a young field of golfers that there is still plenty of game left in the three-time Resorters champion.

Rose has been locked in all week, qualifying with a 68 before winning 7-6 in the opening round of match play on Wednesday. Nothing changed yesterday as the 54-year-old cruised to a 5-3 win over 18-year-old Max Deutz of Marshall.

Defending champion Ben Vangsness of Alexandria also punched his ticket to the quarterfinals after a 6-4 win over Gilbert, Arizona’s Jacob Montplaisir. Fellow Alexandrians Nick Brundell and Casey Vangsness are also still alive after wins on Thursday.

Here’s a look at how all of the remaining competitors got here before they tee off this afternoon at 1:24 and 1:36 with a spot in Saturday’s semifinals on the line.

B. Vangsness def.

Montplaisir, 6-4

It took a little while for Vangsness to get going, but once he did, it was all over.

The 24-year-old from Alexandria trailed by one after five holes before jump-starting his round with a birdie win on No. 6. That was the first of four straight wins for him as he finished off the front with a birdie that put him 3-up.

That was all the momentum Vangsness needed. He took par wins on Nos. 11 and 12 before ending the match with a birdie win on the 14th.

Meyer def.

Brinker, 2-1

Grady Meyer, a 17-year-old from West Fargo, used a par win on the 17th to edge Minnetonka’s Derek Brinker 2-1.

Neither golfer was able to gain much separation in this match. Brinker went 1-up with a birdie win on No. 7, but Meyer answered right back with a birdie win of his own on the eighth. That took them into the turn all square after both parred No. 9.

Meyer took control once they got to the back. He used a birdie on 10 to take the lead before an eagle on No. 12 gave him all the momentum. Meyer added a par win on 13 and never trailed again. Brinker got to within one by winning the next two holes, but a par win on 17 gave Meyer all he needed to wrap up the win.

C. Vangsness def.

Conder, 19-holes

Casey Vangsness has proven himself in pressure situations through the first two rounds of the tournament.

A day after winning 1-up, the 20-year-old from Alexandria used a birdie on the first playoff hole to beat Shay Conder of Lehi, Utah in 19 holes.

Vangsness trailed by one after the first hole before evening things up with a birdie win on No. 5. He added to that with a par win on 8 and a birdie win on 9 to take a 2-hole lead into the turn.

Conder battled back once they got there. A birdie cut his deficit in half after 10. After a par win by Vangsness on 11, Conder added birdie wins on Nos. 12 and 15 to even things back up. They matched each other shot-for-shot over the next three holes, including a couple of birdies on the par-3 17th, before Vangsness was finally able to prevail in the first extra hole.

Gergen def.

Heinen, 4-3

Sixteen-year-old Nick Heinen of Edmond, Oklahoma stuck right with Dylan Gergen, 23, of Mendota Heights through 14 holes.

That’s when Gergen ran away with things, though, as he won the final four holes on his way to a 4-3 win. Heinen overcame an early two-hole deficit by birdying Nos. 6 and 7 to even things back up before they crossed the road.

That’s how things stood going onto the 12th tee box. Gergen would need to make something happen, and he did that, birdying Nos. 12, 13 and 14 to turn the tide in his favor. Heinen couldn’t recover from that as a par win on 15 gave Gergen the win.

Witiak def.

Bennett, 2-up

Collin Witiak of Columbia, South Carolina used a couple of late wins to break a tie and take care of Marshall’s Matt Bennett 2-up.

Bennett had battled his way back from a two-hole deficit after a couple of par wins on Nos. 13 and 14. He couldn’t sustain that momentum as Witiak parred No. 15 to regain the lead.

He did one better on 16 with a birdie win that put him in the driver’s seat with two to play. Witiak didn’t let Bennett sneak back into it as he drained his par putt on 17 to halve the hole and end the match.

Lervick def. Haukom, 6-5

Collin Lervick was trailing by one after six holes before taking complete control in his 6-5 win over Marshall’s CJ Haukom.

Haukom’s only lead came after a par gave him the 1-up advantage on No. 6. Lervick responded with a birdie win on 7 to even things up.

That seemed to spark the 19-year-old from Chanhassen. The win on 7 proved to be the first of seven straight for him as he opened up what had been a tight match. Lervick ended things in style, birdying Nos. 12 and 13 to finish off Haukom and advance to the quarterfinals.

Rose def. Deutz, 5-3

Rose may be twice as old as any other player left in the field, but he’s using that experience to make a run in this year’s Men’s Division.

Rose is a three-time champion whose wins have stretched across three different decades. He took his first title in 1979 before adding another in 1983. His last one came in 2000 when he defeated Reid Lende of Livingston, Montana 2-1. Rose is playing like he wants another one in 2012 after taking down Deutz 5-3 on Thursday.

Things were all square through five before Rose began to make his move with three straight wins. He birdied 6 and added par wins at 7 and 8.

Rose never let that lead dwindle much after that. He settled down after a double-bogey at No. 10 with a birdie and four straight pars. Those four pars were all good for wins as he ended things early after 15.

Brundell def.

Strandemo, 2-up

The biggest upset of the day came when 22nd-seeded Brundell knocked off sixth-seeded Thomas Strandemo of Fargo.

The two 17-year-olds went toe-to-toe the entire afternoon before Brundell put Strandemo away with a birdie win on No. 18. That was a fitting ending to a day that saw Brundell earn almost every hole he got by shooting a 4-under 68.

Brundell took his first lead with a birdie win on No. 9 and never trailed after that. He added to it with a birdie win on No. 10 before Strandemo used a birdie of his own to get back within one. Both players bogeyed the 12th but responded with birdies on 13.

Brundell was able to stretch his lead back to two with another birdie on the par-5 14th. Strandemo was able to cut his deficit in half with a birdie on 16. He had a chance to force a playoff with a win on 18, but Brundell made sure that didn’t happen with a birdie.

MEN’S REGULAR DIVISION

THURSDAY’S RESULTS

UPPER BRACKET

Ben Vangsness def. Jacob Montplaisir 6-4

Grady Meyer def. Derek Brinker, 2-1

Casey Vangsness def. Shay Conder, 19-holes

Dylan Gergen def. Nick Heinen, 4-3

LOWER BRACKET

Collin Witiak def. Matt Bennett, 2-up

Collin Lervick def. CJ Haukom, 6-5

Jerry Rose def. Max Deutz, 5-3

Nick Brundell def. Thomas Strandemo, 2-up

FRIDAY’S PAIRINGS

1ST Tee

1:24 p.m. – B. Vangsness vs. Meyer; C. Vangsness vs. Gergen

1:36 p.m. – Witiak vs. Lervick; Rose vs. Brundell

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