Minnesota State Junior Boys' Golf Championship

The Minnesota State Junior Boys’ Golf Championship is an annual tournament conducted by the Minnesota Golf Association (MGA) to determine the state golf champion for boys less than 19 years of age. While the MGA traces the tournament back to 1924 (the 2014 event was billed as the 88th annual),[1] the lineage to that first tournament is circuitous. Over the years, the state junior golf championship has encompassed four independently sponsored and differently named statewide tournaments with intervals during which two of the tournaments have overlapped.

The first iteration of the state junior championship was established by the MGA and conducted from 1924-1935.[2] Known as the Minnesota Junior Golf Tournament,[3] the first winner was Lester Bolstad. In 1931, the St. Paul Voiture of the American Legion Forty and Eight Veterans Organization sponsored a similar, if competing, statewide tournament called the Forty and Eight State Junior Golf Tournament.[4] The two tournaments were played until 1935 after which the MGA discontinued its state championship.[2]

The Forty and Eight State Junior Tournament distinguished itself from its MGA rival in that it saw greater participation – and success – among non-Minneapolis and St. Paul metro golfers. From 1934 to 1937, the tournament was won consecutively by out-state competitors.[5] Except for the World War II years of 1943-1944 during which the tournament was not played, the Forty and Eight State Junior Tournament continued through 1945. However, in 1946, the Forty and Eight organization ended its sponsorship resulting in no state junior golf tournament for that year.

After a one-year pause, the Minnesota Junior Chamber of Commerce assumed sponsorship of the tournament. The renamed Minnesota Jaycee Junior Golf Tournament was first played in 1947.[6] The Minnesota Jaycee Junior was different from its predecessors in that players not only competed for the state title, but also to qualify for the International Jaycee Junior Golf Tournament – one of the major junior golf tournaments at the time.[7]

At the height of the Minnesota Jaycee Junior’s popularity and 25 years since ending the original Minnesota Junior Golf Tournament, the Minnesota Golf Association began the MGA Junior Golf Championship in 1961. The MGA Junior format included both individual and team competitions in which the best three of four scores of each round counted toward four-man team scoring.[2] Four golfers - Ron Benson, Gary Rodin, Jon Chaffee, and Bill Israelson - won both the Minnesota Jaycee Junior and the MGA Junior.

In 1969, unable to find financial backing for the International Jaycee Junior Tournament, the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce ended the International.[8] While state and local Jaycee Junior competitions continued in Minnesota, a significant draw for the state Jaycee Junior tournament was lost with the termination of the International. Consequently, by the mid-70s, the growth and expansion of the MGA Junior Golf Championship eclipsed that of the Minnesota Jaycee Junior Golf Tournament and, after the 1975 event, the state Jaycee Junior was abandoned.[2]

The MGA Junior Golf Championship – the surviving tournament of the four state golf championships – continues to this day. In 2002, the MGA renamed the tournament to the Minnesota State Junior Boys’ Championship[9] and its winner represents the state of Minnesota as its junior golf champion.

Winners

edit

Minnesota Junior Golf Tournament (1924-1935)

Year Champion Runner-up Course Location
1924 Lester Bolstad Walter Moynihan Minikahda Club Minneapolis
1925 Don Burris Jack Falconer Superior Golf Club Medina
1926 Al Snell Earl Larson Superior Golf Club Medina
1927 Vernon Allen Edgar Bolstad Hilltop Golf Links Columbia Heights
1928 Phil Halverson Earl Larson Edina Country Club Edina
1929 Pat Sawyer Earl Larson Hillcrest Golf Club St. Paul
1930 Pat Sawyer Dale Morton Minneapolis Golf Club St. Louis Park
1931 Cy Anderson Don Winge Somerset Country Club Mendota Heights
1932 Wally Taft Loren Krugel Golden Valley Golf and Country Club Golden Valley
1933 Loren Krugel Melvin Larson University Golf Club St. Paul
1934 Robert Graves Jack Bain Edina Country Club Edina
1935 Merrill Peterson Walter Hodge Hillcrest Golf Club St. Paul


Forty and Eight State Junior Golf Tournament (1931-1945)

Year Champion Runner-up Course Location
1931 Al Clasen Ralph Clasen Highland Park Golf Club St. Paul
1932 Douglas Erickson Lawrence Robertson Highland Park Golf Club St. Paul
1933 Lambert Fyhrie Robert Knutson Highland Park Golf Club St. Paul
1934 Robert Knutson John Tighe Highland Park Golf Club St. Paul
1935 William Cooper Dean Larsen Highland Park Golf Club St. Paul
1936 Eugene Christensen Robert Graves Highland Park Golf Club St. Paul
1937 Russell Valby Eros Zotalis Highland Park Golf Club St. Paul
1938 Chet Latawiec Jarvis Knutson Theodore Wirth Golf Course Minneapolis
1939 Wally Ulrich Bob Clasen Soldiers Field Golf Course Rochester
1940 Ed Leary Jarvis Knutson Pine Beach Golf Course Brainerd
1941 Bill Waryan William Kaline Highland Park Golf Club St. Paul
1942 Bill Waryan Jim Fortier Theodore Wirth Golf Course Minneapolis
1943 No tournament
1944 No tournament
1945 Charles Stenvig Dean Daugherty Theodore Wirth Golf Course Minneapolis
1946 No tournament


Minnesota Jaycee Junior Golf Tournament (1947-1975)

Year Champion Runner-up Course Location
1947 Richard Pogue, Jr. Bob Braff Greenhaven Country Club Anoka
1948 Bob Braff Richard Pogue, Jr. Greenhaven Country Club Anoka
1949 Mitchell Rosenholtz Clayton Johnson Greenhaven Country Club Anoka
1950 Ted Vickerman Bob Nordstrom Greenhaven Country Club Anoka
1951 Jack Flatt, Jr. Pete Passolt Greenhaven Country Club Anoka
1952 Jim Lucius Tom Hadley Greenhaven Country Club Anoka
1953 Tom Hadley Bill McGovern Greenhaven Country Club Anoka
1954 Bill McGovern Cy Northrop* Greenhaven Country Club Anoka
1955 Dick Kielty* Tom Rose Greenhaven Country Club Anoka
1956 Gene Hanson Rolf Deming Greenhaven Country Club Anoka
1957 Rolf Deming Harry Newby, Jr. Virginia Golf Club Virginia
1958 Bob Balega Tom Maas Crow River Country Club Hutchinson
1959 Jon Konz Vern Novak, Jr. Faribault Golf and Country Club Faribault
1960 Tim Jolin* Dave Gumlia Virginia Golf Club Virginia
1961 Ron Benson Mike Zidel Greenhaven Country Club Anoka
1962 Mike Zidel Dick Lindahl Virginia Golf Club Virginia
1963 Al Loomis Ron Benson Island View Country Club Waconia
1964 Bob Barbarossa Dwight Holmbo Virginia Golf Club Virginia
1965 Bob Barbarossa Bob Hildebrandt Interlaken Golf Club Fairmont
1966 Dennis Johnson James Terry Mendakota Country Club Mendota Heights
1967 Greg Gustafson Jim Kruzich Pebble Lake Golf Club Fergus Falls
1968 Gary Rodin Jon Carr* Hastings Country Club Hastings
1969 Jim Holisky Gary Rodin* Pebble Lake Golf Club Fergus Falls
1970 Robert Deem Robbie Harris Greenhaven Country Club Anoka
1971 Guy Coopet Ed Demery Hastings Country Club Hastings
1972 Jon Chaffee* Brian Sund Dellwood Hills Country Club Dellwood
1973 Bill Israelson Brad Cook Hastings Country Club Hastings
1974 Bill Israelson Jim Harper Virginia Golf Club Virginia
1975 Eric Niskanen Bob Kertscher Detroit Country Club Detroit Lakes

* Won in a playoff


MGA Junior Golf Championships (1961-2001)

Year Champion Runner-up Course Location
1961 George Shortridge Richard McMillan, Jr. Somerset Country Club Mendota Heights
1962 Ron Benson Phil Reith White Bear Yacht Club Dellwood
1963 James Carlson* Bob Barbarossa Interlaken Golf Club Fairmont
1964 Robert Hildebrandt* Ward Johnson North Oaks Country Club North Oaks
1965 Gary Ostrin Mick McGrath* Meadowbrook Golf Club Hopkins
1966 Dave Haberle* Don Allen Mendakota Country Club Mendota Heights
1967 Dave Haberle Bill Homeyer Minnetonka Country Club Excelsior
1968 Jay Jordan* John Harris University Golf Club St. Paul
1969 Gary Rodin* Larry Lenoch Greenhaven Country Club Anoka
1970 Mark Peterson Dennis Barr Hiawatha Golf Course Minneapolis
1971 Gary Jacobson Gary Hvass St. Cloud Country Club St. Cloud
1972 Gary Duren Ed Demery Forest Hills Golf Club Forest Lake
1973 John Chaffee Craig Stein Les Bolstad Golf Course Falcon Heights
1974 Brian Sund John Chaffee Gross Golf Course Minneapolis
1975 Bill Israelson* Gary Gabrielson Minnetonka Country Club Excelsior
1976 Mark Norman Gary Gabrielson Island View Golf Club Waconia
1977 Stu Oftelie Joe Kroc Tartan Park Golf Course Lake Elmo
1978 Jeff Teal John Miller White Bear Yacht Club Dellwood
1979 Dave Tentis Jeff Tollette Hastings Country Club Hastings
1980 Steve Schiffler Pat Herzog Crow River Country Club Hutchinson
1981 Gordy Skaar, Jr. Bill Banton Interlaken Golf Club Fairmont
1982 Steve Barber* Mike Lehman Burl Oaks Golf Club Minnetrista
1983 Tom Nyberg* John Reynolds Island View Golf Club Waconia
1984 Kirk Vanstrum* Mike Scheller Elk River Golf Club Elk River
1985 Brad Geer Jeff Stadheim Purple Hawk Golf Club Cambridge
1986 Tom Anderson* Tim De Jarlais Dahlgreen Country Club Chaska
1987 Russ Simenson Scott Goergen Tartan Park Golf Course Lake Elmo
1988 Brad Yzermans Tim Herron Forest Hills Golf Club Forest Lake
1989 John Dailey Russ Simenson New Prague Golf Club New Prague
1990 Dan Doeden Paul Meyer Timber Creek Golf Club Watertown
1991 Aaron Barber Sean Gorg Le Sueur Country Club Le Sueur
1992 Jason Rudquist Conrad Ray/Mike Bolf Crow River Country Club Hutchinson
1993 Ryan Bard Craig Trastek/David Christensen/Eric Ecker Enger Park Golf Club Duluth
1994 Mike Christensen Matt Burgess New Ulm Country Club New Ulm
1995 Eric Ecker Mike Christensen/Justin Royer/Andrew Johnson Purple Hawk Country Club Cambridge
1996 Justin Robel* J.P. Prenevost Pebble Lake Golf Club Fergus Falls
1997 Kyle Blackman John Marschall Pokegama Golf Course Grand Rapids
1998 Mike Marshall Ryan Paulson Dahlgreen Country Club Chaska
1999 David Supalla A.J. Hoffman/Pat Herzog Shoreland Country Club St. Peter
2000 Luke Benoit Brian Bohlig University Golf Club St. Paul
2001 Rodney Hamblin Ralph Baxley Town and Country Club St. Paul

* Won in a playoff


Minnesota State Junior Boys' Golf Championship (2002-Present)

Year Champion Runner-up Course Location
2002 Patrick Herzog Grant Lissick/Josh Whalen/Scott Gustafson Tanners Brook Country Club Forest Lake
2003 Clayton Rask Derek Bauer/Eric Harris/Ryan Smith Dellwood Hills Country Club Dellwood
2004 Jon Osgar* Parker Pemberton Legacy Courses at Cragun's Brainerd
2005 Donald Constable Brett Benson/Bryce Hanstad Legacy Courses at Cragun's Brainerd
2006 Matthew Schneider Keith Goodman Burl Oaks Golf Club Minnetrista
2007 C.J. DeBerg The Preserve at Grandview Lodge Pequot Lakes
2008 Robert Bell Timothy Peterzen The Preserve at Grandview Lodge Pequot Lakes
2009 Tyler Rustad* Tanner Lane Wildflower at Fair Hills Detroit Lakes
2010 Thomas Strandemo Colton Buege/Chase Hahne Wildflower at Fair Hills Detroit Lakes
2011 Jon Dutoit* Karter Smith Rochester Golf and Country Club Rochester
2012 Jack Pexa Dominic Kieffer Rochester Golf and Country Club Rochester
2013 Jack Holmgren Matt Rachey Dacotah Ridge Golf Club Morton
2014 Freddy Thomas Max Redetzke Dacotah Ridge Golf Club Morton
2015 Carter Haley* Ethan Kraus Eagle Creek Golf Club Willmar
2016 Andrew Israelson Ben Sigel Eagle Creek Golf Club Willmar
2017 Jack Ebner Carson Haley The Bridges Winona
2018 Caleb VanArragon Jacob Pedersen The Bridges Winona
2019 Ian Simonich Nate Adams* Pioneer Creek Golf Club Maple Plain
2020 Dayne Mann Andrew Ramos Detroit Country Club Detroit Lakes
2021 Mason Roloff Tyler Seeling/Davis Johnson/Braeden Sladek/Ryan Stendahl Detroit Country Club Detroit Lakes
2022 Peyton Coahran Rylin Petry Little Crow Country Club Spicer
2023 Jack Holtz Carson Boe/Justin Luan Little Crow Country Club Spicer

* Won in a playoff

References

edit
  1. ^ "88th Minnesota State Junior Boys' Championship". Retrieved December 17, 2004.
  2. ^ a b c d Kelley, James E. (1991). Minnesota Golf. 90 Years of Tournament History. Minnesota Golf Association, Inc. pp. 160–162.
  3. ^ "Vernon Allen Wins State Junior Title". Moorhead Daily News. Moorhead, Minnesota. August 13, 1927. p. 4. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  4. ^ "Junior Golf Entry Large". Albert Lea, Minnesota: Albert Lea Evening Tribune. June 8, 1936. p. 10.
  5. ^ "16-Year Old Golfer is Junior Champ". Moorhead Daily News. Moorhead, Minnesota. August 12, 1937. p. 4. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  6. ^ "Richard Pogue Takes Lead in J.C. Tourney". Winona, Minnesota: The Winona Republican-Herald. July 12, 1947. p. 10.
  7. ^ Wischmeyer, Bob (August 3, 1961). "The Pressure Was On" (PDF). Amsterdam Evening Recorder. Amsterdam, New York. p. 16. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  8. ^ "Chip Chatter". Racine Journal Times. Racine, Wisconsin. July 15, 1969. p. 18.
  9. ^ "Jr. Boys Past Champs" (PDF). Retrieved December 17, 2014.