ALEXANDRIA — Riley Larson got a nice confidence boost at the 2022 Resorters Tournament as he gets ready to head into his senior year at Minnewaska Area High School.
Larson, 17-years-old from Glenwood, finished off a big week by winning the Men’s Regular Division first flight in a 19-hole finals match against eighth-seeded Cory Pelzel.
Larson rallied down the stretch, shooting 2-under over the final five holes of regulation after his bogey on 13 allowed Pelzel to move to 2-up with a par win. Larson took hole 15 with a par and then birdied the 18th to force a playoff that he won on the first hole.
“It’s an honor,” Larson said of winning his first Resorters championship. “I’ve been playing since I was 13. I didn’t do too well my first couple years, and I just really wanted to come out this year guns blazing, and that’s what I did. I stuck to my goal and that’s what I accomplished.”
Larson qualified with a 2-over par 74. He won a 2-1 match over 10th-seeded Peter Dierks to open match play before adding a 4-3 win over Blake Stedronsky and a 6-5 win over Logan DuBe in the semifinals. Both Larson and Pelzel shot even-par 72 through 18 in the finals.
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“My key was off the tee,” Larson said. “I hit 16 fairways (Friday), which was a major key to my 6-5 win. Putting was on point. I had 26 putts three times this week, which helped me out.”
Larson felt good about where his game was at coming into Resorters week. He shot a 69 during a practice round for another tournament leading up to this event.
Larson qualified for the Class AA state golf meet this past year as a junior. He shot a two-day score of 169 to tie for 65th.
He is ready to take some momentum with him into his senior year after a strong week at the Alexandria Golf Club.
“It definitely boosts my confidence,” Larson said. “This course is a lot more complicated than the courses we play. So to shoot in the low 70s out here gives me confidence to shoot even lower at these courses I play in high school.”
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