ONALASKA, WI - Tyler Church has been oh so close to winning his first La Crosse County Amateur County Amateur Men’s County Amateur Golf Championship as presented by Pepsi-Cola of La Crosse.
Maybe this is Church’s year after firing a 5-under par 66 in the opening round of the 32nd annual, 36-hole event at The Golf Club at Cedar Creek in Onalska on Saturday. Church (pictured) has a four-stroke lead going into Sunday’s final round at Drugan’s Castle Mound Country Club in Holmen.
The question is can he hold off Jordan Graf or Shawn Borre in the final grouping? Graf posted 70 on Saturday. Borre managed even par 71. There’s also Mike Drugan, the 2005 champion and last week’s Kwik Trip Seniors winner with 72, in addition to 2009 champ Ross Wilhelm and three-time winner and defending champion Joe Weber, both at 73.
“I putted well today,” said Church. “I made a lot of putts and hit the ball really well.”
The long-hitting Church birdied three of the four par-5 holes. Finishing with a 1-under 35 on the front nine, Church added four more birdies on the back side. His scorecard showed 8 birdies, 7 pars and 3 bogeys.
Church’s strategy Sunday despite a rainy forecast?
“Don’t force anything and replicate what I did today,” he said, smiling.
Weber was 2-under after the front nine, but carded 39 on the back nine.
“I hit my irons really well all day, but I lost my driver on the back nine,” said the West Salem dentist. “I went 4-over on the back and Tyler went 4-under. That’s an 8-shot swing.”
Weber, playing in the same group with Church, said the leader was fun to watch.
“Tyler really hit the ball well and if he keeps the pedal to the metal, he deserves to win one of these. I hope he does,” Weber said. “As for me, my first goal on Sunday is to hit the first fairway and then go from there.”
Paul Williamson, all-time County Am winner with seven titles, shot 76.
“Tyler’s really hitting the ball well right now. Good for him,” he said.
Ryan Quinn, Williamson’s nephew who lives with his wife and twin sons in Bloomington, Ill., managed 81. One of his sons, Jack, followed his father all day.
“Golf is a hard sport,’ said Quinn, five-time County Am champ and former mini tour pro, who regained his amateur status several years ago. “I just didn’t play very well, but there’s more to golf nowadays. “I’m not as competitive, and there’s more things I want to be, like a good role model, things like that. That’s more important.”
Ross Wilhelm, a special agent with the Secret Service, and winner of the 2009 County Am, is in the process of moving his family from Oklahoma City, Okla., to Washington, D.C., after being assigned to the U.S. Presidential detail recently.
“I had 33 on the front, then everything changed and I didn’t hit very good shots,” said Wilhelm, who, like Quinn and 2006 champion Mason Milner from Burnsville, Minn., hope to return in 2023.
Elsewhere, Jon Strangstalien tops First Flight with 74, Bill Feehan, Jr., has a two-shot lead in Second Flight with 75, Joel LaPlount’s 78 tops Third Flight, and Marv Davis owns a three-shot edge in Fourth Flight with 75. This is the first year that Fourth Flight players are using the gold tees.
2022 LA CROSSE COUNTY MEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
AS PRESENTED BY PEPSI-COLA OF LA CROSSE
Saturday, Aug. 6, First-Round Results
At The Golf Club at Cedar Creek
In Onalaska, WI
(Par-36-35-71)
Men's Championship Flight
Tyler Church 35-31 66
Jordan Graf 34-36 70
Shaun Borre 36-35 71
Mike Drugan 37-35 72
Ross Wilhelm 33-40 73
Joe Weber 34-39 73
Jon Wilson 39-36 75
Drew Schroeder 36-39 75
James DeBoer 38-37 75
Carson Brock 38-37 75
Mason Milner 40-36 76
Eric Olson 41-35 76
Paul Williamson 40-36 76
Bjorn Berg 37-40 77
Tony Roberts 39-38 77
Sam Evenson 40-37 77
Nick Anderson 38-39 77
Aaron Bishop 35-43 78
Tom McClintock 40-38 78
Sam Dobbins 39-40 79
John Percy 39-40 79
Marcus Williamson 41-39 80
Brennan Dirks 38-42 80
Carter Gault 38-42 80
Quinn Schultz 40-40 80
Sam Simones 42-39 81
Cody Dirks 39-42 81
Ryan Quinn 40-41 81
Bruce Simones 43-39 82
Montana Stewart 43-39 82
Austin Roth 38-44 82
Trevor Schultz 42-41 83
Kade Smith 42-41 83
Ben Korger 44-39 83
Ethan Kramer 43-40 83
Joel Preeshl 41-43 84
Carson Reider 41-44 85
Mark Miller 43-44 87
Jared Gendron 51-40 91
Jack Litsheim 45-47 92
Noah Neil Nelson 47-46 93
Men's First Flight
Jon Strangstalien 36-38 74
Jim Socha 39-39 78
Jeff Pigorsch 39-39 78
Nick Skibba 37-41 78
Bruce Lindseth 38-40 78
Joe Hightower 36-45 81
Dalton Hoffland 42-39 81
Mitch Gault 41-41 82
Sam Przywojski 45-38 83
Bob Newberry 47-36 83
Nick Dobbins 40-43 83
Tony Friedl 39-44 83
Alex Jackson 43-42 85
Will Hundt 41-45 86
Mason Lee 43-49 92
Men's Second Flight
Bill Feehan, Jr. 36-39 75
Paul Franke 38-39 77
Rahn Pischke 39-39 78
Matt Euler 39-40 79
Paul Bruha 37-42 79
John Munson 42-38 80
Brandon Amann 38-42 80
Robert Timm 42-38 80
Brock Morris 39-42 81
Gavin Olson 41-40 81
Jordan Rudolph 40-42 82
Jeff Osgood 40-43 83
Scott Strozinsky 44-43 87
Leon McNutt 42-47 89
Ethan Phelps 44-45 89
Men's Third Flight
Joel LaPlount 36-42 78
Keith Seidel 39-40 79
Damian Bork 37-44 81
Joe Hunter 41-42 83
Bob Roers 40-43 83
Brent Staff 40-44 84
Curt McIlquham 42-43 85
Michael Oldenburg 43-42 85
Kyle Larkin 41-45 86
Tyler Ritter 43-45 88
Mark Millis 43-45 88
Chad Wynos 45-43 88
Daniel Breeden 48-45 93
Kyle Koske 44-50 94
Jim Dolesy WD-Injury
Men's Fourth Flight
Marv Davis 36-39 75
Robert Schoen 36-42 78
Mike Huegel 38-42 80
Ebe Bosse 39-41 80
Greg Espenes 40-41 81
Larry Shingleton 39-43 82
Boyd Grant 38-44 82
Eric Davidson 41-41 82
Patrick Rice 43-40 83
Monte Jacobson 44-40 84
Dick Sater 39-46 85
Steven Hubbard 41-46 87
Rod Kleinertz 45-46 91
Mike Fortin 44-50 94
Steve Crogan 46-49 95
Sunday, Aug. 7, Final-Round Pairings
At The Golf Club at Cedar Creek
In Onalaska, WI
(Par-36-35-71)
Men's Fourth Flight
7:32 a.m. - Rod Kleinertz, Mike Fortin, Steve Crogan.
7:40 a.m. - Monte Jacobson, Dick Sater, Steven Hubbard.
7:48 a.m. - Boyd Grant, Eric Davidson, Patrick Rice.
7:56 a.m. - Ebe Bosse, Greg Espenes, Larry Shingleton.
8:04 a.m. - Marv Davis, Robert Schoen, Mike Huegel.
Men's Third Flight
8:12 a.m. - Daniel Breeden, Kyle Koske.
8:20 a.m. - Tyler Ritter, Mark Millis, Chad Wynos.
8:28 a.m. - Curt McIlquham, Michael Oldenburg, Kyle Larkin.
8:36 a.m. - Joe Hunter, Bob Roers, Brent Staff.
8:44 a.m. - Joel LaPlount, Keith Seidel, Damian Bork.
Men's Second Flight
8:52 a.m. - Scott Strozinsky, Leon McNutt, Ethan Phelps.
9 a.m. - Jordan Rudolph, Jeff Osgood, Brock Morris.
9:08 a.m. - Gavin Olson, Brandon Amann, Robert Timm.
9:16 a.m. - Matt Euler, Paul Bruha, John Munson.
9:24 a.m. - Bill Feehan, Jr., Paul Franke, Rahn Pischke.
At Drugan's Castle Mound Country Club
In Holmen, WI
(Par-35-36-71)
Men's First Flight
8 a.m. - Alex Jackson, Will Hundt, Mason Lee.
8:08 a.m. - Nick Dobbins, Tony Friedl, Bob Newberry.
8:16 a.m. - Dalton Hoffland, Mitch Gault, Sam Przywojski.
8:24 a.m. - Nick Skibba, Bruce Lindseth, Joe Hightower.
8:32 a.m. - Jeff Pigorsch, Jim Socha, Jon Strangstalien.
Men's Championship Flight
(Par-35-35-70)
8:40 a.m. - Jack Litsheim, Noah Neil Nelson.
8:48 a.m. - Carson Reider, Mark Miller, Jared Gendron.
8:56 a.m. - Kade Smith, Ethan Kramer, Joel Preeshl.
9:04 a.m. - Austin Roth, Ben Korger, Trevor Schultz.
9:12 a.m. - Ryan Quinn, Bruce Simones, Montana Stewart.
9:20 a.m. - Quinn Schultz, Sam Simones, Cody Dirks.
9:28 a.m. - Marcus Williamson, Brennan Dirks, Carter Gault.
9:36 a.m. - Tom McClintock, Sam Dobbins, John Percy.
9:44 a.m. - Sam Evenson, Nick Anderson, Aaron Bishop.
9:52 a.m. - Paul Williamson, Bjorn Berg, Tony Roberts.
10 a.m. - Carson Brock, Mason Milner, Eric Olson.
10:08 a.m. - Jon Wilson, Drew Schroeder, James DeBoer.
10:16 a.m. - Mike Drugan, Ross Wilhelm, Joe Weber.
10:24 a.m. - Jordan Graf, Shaun Borre, Tyler Church.
