Brian Wierima
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Detroit Lakes Newspapers Sports Editor for the last 15 years. St. Cloud State University graduate, who hails from Deer Creek, MN.
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- 5 years 4 months
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It took longer than normal to determine the Pine to Palm Super Senior championship match, but it finally happened as Don Bradford outlasted Dr.
Pine to Palm Senior’s player Rick Johnson was running out of holes to make his move during Saturday’s semifinal match against Jim Brothers, as he faced a four-hole deficit with five to go. After starting on the back nine to start their match, Johnson found himself in some dire straits, with one more loss basically eliminating him from competition. So he told himself something very simple. “When I got to the fifth tee, I said, let’s go to six after this,” Johnson said. He proceeded to make birdie on the fifth hole and trim the deficit to th
BY BRIAN WIERIMA brianw@dlnewspapers.com Kent Spriggs earned another shot at Pine to Palm championship silver after qualifying for the Mid-Am title match with a 3 and 1 victory over defending champ Perry Piatz Saturday. The semifinal match was tight all the way through to hole 16, where Spriggs finally broke open a 2-up lead to secure his win. “We each had a lot of birdies and both of us played well,” Spriggs said. “The one thing I need to stay, is aggressive.
The name Strandemo is synonymous with success at the Pine to Palm Golf Tournament, with Jim Strandemo being a three-time champion, one of only four players to do so. The last title Strandemo won was in 1989, but he has been a mainstay in the Pine to Palm over the course of the last two decades. But now there is another Strandemo back in championship contention, with Thomas playing to the Pine to Palm final four with two wins Saturday at the Detroit Country Club. “Jim is my dad’s (Guy) cousin, but I still call him Uncle Jim, because he’s lik
For over 20 years, Detroit Lakes’ Steve Sundby enjoyed the Pine to Palm Golf Tournament as a volunteer, running the ball spotter crew throughout the week. For his efforts, Sundby was awarded the Rutledge Award in 2008, which honors those who have put in longevity, promotion, service and sportsmanship. After retiring his Pine to Palm duties three years ago, Sundby was able to experience the tournament from the other side as a player and it’s paying dividends. Sundby advanced to the Super Senior semifinals after rallying over Thomas Wood to win 3 and 2. The retired DLHS teacher found
In most matches, Jay Olafson’s game Friday would have been good enough to advance him to the Pine to Palm Mid-Am semifinals, but unfortunately for the two-time champion, his quarterfinal match-up with Perham’s Bob Cavanaugh was not that match. Cavanagh won the battle of the birdies in the Mid-Am quarterfinals to beat Olafson 6 and 5, after he finished with a six-under par score. “Everything was going well for me,” Cavanagh said. “My short game was good, my putting, and my driving.
When Connor Holland won the Pine to Palm Golf Tournament in 2011, he became just the third 17-year-old golfer to do so in its 79 year history. Flash forward to the 82nd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament at the Detroit Country Club and Holland appreciates how difficult it is to win the elusive golf title. “I haven’t made it past the first round since 2011,” Holland said.
There will be one potential repeat Pine to Palm Senior champion left, as 2012 champ Scott Linnerooth played to the semifinals Friday. Linnerooth will face Larry Olin in the final four showdown, after he downed Tom Thompson 2 and 1. Olin beat Rick Samson 2 and 1 in the quarterfinals in upper bracket action. In the lower bracket, Rick Johnson ended Rob Harris’ quest to become a two-time champion with a 2 and 1 victory. Harris already had clinched his second consecutive medalist honor earlier in the week. Johnson will face Jim Brothers, who outlasted John Hagge 1-up in a closely co
This time it worked out to perfection for Pine to Palm Super Senior golfer Chuck Renner. For the second consecutive Pine to Palm tournament, Renner passed up his automatic berth into match play, instead opting to play in the qualifying round and try for his fourth medalist honor in five years. Last year, Renner’s same plan came up a bit short, when Clint Nelson captured medalist laurels by shooting a 69. But this time around, Renner shot a one-over par 72 to share co-medalist honors with Detroit Lakes’ Paul Krueger. “It’s the same thing as it always is as far as setting goals and t
A fast and furious 4-up lead by James Wolff ended Super Senior co-medalist Paul Krueger’s run in the opening round of the Pine to Palm Golf Tournament. Wolff started out making three pars and a birdie to nab a 4-up advantage on Krueger, who still made a stab in match play, but ultimately fell short 3 and 2. “I had a good start and he had some trouble early on,” Wolff said.