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Saturday, August 15th, 2009
Sweet 16 field set for Pine to Palm Championship Hanson makes noise in first Pine to Palm By BRIAN WIERIMA
brianw@dlnewspapers.com There hasn’t been any rookie jitters from 16-year-old Beau Hanson in his first venture in the Pine to Palm Golf Tournament. Hanson didn’t waste anytime introducing himself to the field of the 77th Pine to Palm Tournament after qualifying for the Sweet 16 in his first year of eligibility to play. The Frazee golfer had to give away his first free entry into the Pine to Palm last year to his father after winning the Detroit Country Club men’s league championship, since he didn’t meet the age requirement of 16. But after winning his second DCC men’s league championship last month, Hanson was primed to make his mark in his home golf course’s prestigious tournament. “I expected to make match play and I knew I could make it this far,” the soft-spoken Hanson said. “I was confident I could do well.” Hanson also knows how to play in high-pressure golf, after finishing fourth as a freshman in the Minnesota Class 1A state boys’ golf tournament in June. Most sophomores in high school would shy away from taking on college-aged golfers, but Hanson hasn’t been affected by that intimidation factor this week and enters as the youngest qualifier in the Sweet 16. He earned his berth for
“I was confident I could do well.” Beau Hanson ▼
match play with a qualifying rounds of 72-76 for a six-over par 148. Although match play was pretty new to Hanson, he has built insurmountable leads in the first two rounds, topping Moorhead’s Nick Olsgaard 5 and 4 Thursday in the opening round. Hanson proceeded to start quick again Friday in round two, building a 5-up lead after six holes on Brian O’Connell. His mistake-free golf helped him gain the big edge after taking birdie on one and winning by par on holes two, five and six. Hanson needed that 5-up cushion, as O’Connell trimmed the deficit down to two holes and didn’t allow the Frazee golfer to win a hole until 15. But Hanson captured 15 with par to punch his ticket to the final round of 16.
BRIAN BASHAM/SPOTLIGHT
Frazee’s Beau Hanson chips up to the third green during his Friday match against Brian O’Connell. Hanson has been a quick learner in match play as he duels against his elder counterparts. “I’ve just learned how to cope with the pressure and how
to keep it going after you have built a lead,” Hanson said. “I just go out there and play my game and not worry about my opponent’s game.”
BRIAN BASHAM/SPOTLIGHT
Former Pine to Palm champion Rick Kuhn watches his tee shot on the par four fourth hole Friday. Kuhn beat Geoff Pirkl 5 and 3 to advance to Saturday’s match play.
Hanson had only one threeputt against O’Connell and was able to get up and down effectively consistently. That, along with playing fairway golf with a straight drive, has made his young age a nonfactor thus far in the tournament. Hanson will be tested by another veteran of the Pine to Palm in Ryan Vincelli, who survived an extra-hole playoff with Anthony Cordes. Another young and first-time Pine to Palm qualifier kept making her assault alive and well as she kept moving along in match play. Oxbow’s 17-year-old Amy Anderson shot 5-under par during her match against Wade Walters to advance to the third round with a 3 and 1. Anderson made birdie on 16 to cap her match, after once again playing her usual consistent fairway-to-green golf. “She doesn’t miss the center of the fairway,” Walter said. “I knew after shooting a 69-69 in qualifying, I had to shoot better than that to beat her. She is so steady out there.” Anderson — the first female to qualify for Pine to Palm Championship match play — will try to keep her historical pace going Saturday where she will face the oldest competitor
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