The second tour stop for PHAT was hosted at Stoneridge in Stillwater MN.
I love this course. It is my favorite course in the cities. I just think the rugged look of the course is absolutely beautiful.
The last time I played here I shot my worst round of 2013. It was actually the last round of 2013 for me as I was so disgusted that I put away the clubs.
That hasn't diminished my love for the course. So a return engagement here was something I was really looking forward to!
I arrived early to grab some lunch at the course, only to find a large contingent of my fellow tour players already there. Boy do they take this seriously!!
Look at all of the players at the range working on their game! Some of these people are even members of the PHAT tour!
The course had aerated the fairways so we played a lift and place from the fairway. The aeration holes were pretty large so your ball usually was sitting down in a hole otherwise.
This week in the tour was the first round of a multi-round match play sub-game. We were seeded based on our results from the first event at the Meadows.
Here is what the matches were (seeds in parenthesis):
Jason Simek (1) vs Scott Loe (16)
Jeff Jiovanazzo (8) vs Bill Starken (9)
Todd Heil (4) vs Michael Vigen (13)
Dan Magnuson (5) vs Jim Crowley (12)
Jeff Heil (2) vs Eddie Rymer (15)
Nick Smith (7) vs Ryan Winterquist (10)
Brad Opsahl (3) vs Matt Oelschlager (14)
Kris Halsrud (6) vs Chad Mechke (11)
Dan Magnuson tees off in the second group as Todd Heil ponders life's mysteries. The first group of Jason, Scott, Jeff, and Bill are on the green on this opening par 4 hole that plays straight away at 311 yards.
Jim Crowley tees off nervously after watching his opponent Dan stripe his down the right side near the woods.
A look at the tee on the par 5 2nd hole. This runs parallel to the par 5 4th hole -one of the best holes on the front. You can see that the recent storms have left some standing water in the traps. The course itself was well drained and the greens rolled a lot better than week one's soggy surfaces.
A view at the well guarded raised green on the par 4 3rd hole that plays 350 from the blues.
Brad and Matt ponder how much of the sand to take on on the tee of the fourth hole. This hole is a gem. You must decide how much of the sand on the right to take on. Into the wind this is a factor but without wind it is fairly easy.
The second shot will likely be just short of the cart path bisecting the hole. Again a decision as to how close you want top go awaits. A large bunker extends down the left side, followed by one down the center right protecting the bottom of the hill on this raised green. The green is not deep and approaches from any distance will likely roll through to some treacherous rough behind the hole. A chip from there gets dicey as you need to hit back to the green sloping down away towards the front. Too far of a chip can lead the ball to spill down the hill far below.
Brad stripes his drive on 4.
A look at the difficult green on 4 as seen from the next hole's tee box. This is the number one handicap and one I agree with.
The 449 yard par 4 5th hole looks tame in comparison to the 4th, however it is a long hole and a well struck tee shot is essential. A large bunker on the left side is mostly hidden from the tee. A miss right is the better option but the rough is thick here.
The elevation drops as you approach the green which is well bunkered on both sides.
Here is a look back down the 5th hole from behind the green, as seen from the 6th tee box.
The sixth hole offers a generous landing area off the tee. Just don't miss the fairway. A huge waste bunker runs down the entire left side passed the tree.
Down the right side is a hill that may funnel a ball back onto the fairway- or leave you with a terrible side-hill lie.
A look into the green from the right side of the hole. The group ahead, captained by Jeff Heil putts out their assured four birdie putts.
A look at the tricky par 3 7th hole. Played usually into the wind, this 150 yard par 3 is made more challenging by the false front on this green that extends a good 15 yards into the putting surface.
The 8th hole is a tough par 4 at 354 yards that plays uphill the entire length. A myriad of bunkering requires you to hit the fairway or face making the second shot to the elevated green nearly impossible.
The 11th hole is probably considered a signature hole on the course. A barn down the left side offers golfers an opportunity to say they can actually hit the broad side of a barn with their tee shot.
A huge landing area is coupled with a huge waste bunker down the right. The approach in on this most accessible par 5 is protected by a centered bunker. The bunker to the left in the picture is actually about 40 yards short of the green.
On of the best examples of the beautiful ruggedness of StoneRidge is exemplified on the par 4 13th hole. A short hole at only 310 yards, it plays diagonally off the tee and offers tremendous risk to anyone trying to shave distance or go for the green. A line of bunkers acts as sentries on the rugged hill that makes up the right side of this hole. Surrounding this hole is probably the largest expanse of sand on a golf course in Minnesota, save for perhaps the Quarry in Biwabik.
In this shot Matt attempts a rescue after hitting into the danger zone on 13. In the background Michael ponders an equally harrowing shot on the 15th hole.
One of the pretties par 3 holes in the cities found at a public course is the 14th. 177 yards of no bail out possible space awaits your tee shot.
And another pretty par 3 is quickly followed on 16. This one is longer at 195 yards but offers an opportunity to miss to the right.
My play didn't live up to the excitement. I ended up carding an 87. More pathetic driving showcased my ever crumbling game. I finished a T-5 week 1 with a 10th place finish.
Jason Simek continues his absolute domination of the league. He has a stranglehold at the top and wins again amassing 200 points out of the gate, besting the next closest comptetitor (Jeff Heil) by 88.5 points.
Here are the overall results of the second event (Gross/Net):
1 Jason Simek 82/72
2 Eddie Rymer 81/73
3 Dan Magnuson 85/75
T4 Brad Opsahl 83/76
T4 Jeff Heil 84/76
T6 Jim Crowley 85/77
T6 Todd Heil 89/77
T6 Ryan Winterquist 82/77
9 Chad Meschke 83/78
10 Kris Halsrud 87/79
11 Bill Starken 89/82
12 Jeff Jiovanazzo 90/82
13 Matt Oelschlager 98/83
14 Michael Vigen 103/84
15 Scott Loe 96/85
16 Nick Smith 101/90
In matches the following occured:
Simek defeats Loe
Jiovanazzo defeats Starken
Todd Heil defeats Vigen
Magnuson defeats Crowley
Rymer defeats Jeff Heil
Winterquist defeats Smith
Opsahl defeats Oelschlager
Meschke defeats me. Boo!
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