Park boys golf: Wolfpack struggles at prestigious Tri-State tournament

As temperatures dropped, the Park boys golf team warmed up — taking second place in the 20-team Pines Invitational — but, missing a couple of regulars, went cold at the prestigious Tri-State Invitational.

At the Tri-State Invitational, held Friday and Saturday, April 29 and 30, at Edinburgh USA Golf Course in Brooklyn Park, the Wolfpack finished in 20th place out of 23 teams with a two-day score of 737. Park shot a 356 on the first day and a 381 on day No. 2. Eden Prairie won the tournament with a score of 620 (315, 305), followed by Rogers, which scored a 636 (323, 313).

“We played the most difficult course we have ever played under some of the most severe weather,” Park head coach Hank Tressel said. “We were without our third and fourth best scorers because of family commitments and the results showed it.”

It was the first Tri-State Invitational at Edinburgh. The tournament has previously been played at the University of Minnesota’s Les Bolstad Golf Course. At the Tri-State, two of the three state team champions from 2010 — Class AAA champions Wayzata and AA champ Orono — competed along with 21 more of the top golf teams from Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota.

Based on its 20th-place finish, Tressel said Park won’t be asked back to the invitational tournament next year.

“It won’t be the end of the world,” Tressel said. “We’re not too bummed about it. The best thing was that the kids learned how good of a player you have to be to hold it together at a course like that and when there is bad weather.”

Park senior Trevor Keys had the Wolfpack’s best round at the Tri-State with a 165. Keys shot an 82 on the first day and an 83 on the second day on the par-72 course.

“Considering the course and the weather Trevor really did a good job,” Tressel said. “There aren’t a whole lot of people who are at 165.”

Park senior Jack Barnhart had Park’s second-best total with a 173, shooting an 80 on day No. 1 and a 93 on the second day.

Park’s Jeff Martin shot a 202 and Garrett Mahigan rounded out the Wolfpack’s top four with a 224 total.

Individually, Rogers senior McCabe Buege and Eden Prairie seniors Dylan Baker and Austin Wilson tied for first place with 151 two-day scores.

“We didn’t hit it straight enough,” Tressel said. “That’s our main problem. It isn’t distance, it’s just getting down the fairway.”

On its annual pilgrimage to the Minnesota northland, Park earned second place at the weather-shortened Pines Invitational on Wednesday, April 27, at The Pines Golf Course at Grand View Lodge in Brainerd.

With rainy, then snowy conditions, the tournament was called off midway through and teams counted how many strokes over par they were at that time.

In the match, Park finished second at 15-over-par. Edina, which finished second to Park in the 2008 state tournament, was first with a 12-over par score. Minnetonka took third at 15-over-par.

“It was raining then snowing,” Tressel said. “It got really bad. As it built up and the temp dropped we stopped, after nine holes, and counted how many over par we were. Edina gained revenge for 2008 state championship but we decided our victory then was more satisfying.”

Barnhart was leading the match, along with Stillwater’s Drew Lynch, at 1-over-par when the tournament was stopped.

Tressel said it was the first time Park has played The Pines.

“The kids loved it,” he said. “We had a good day of team bonding.”

Park competed in an invitational at Hastings Country Club on Monday, May 2, and opened Suburban East Conference play on Tuesday, May 3, at River Oaks, after the Bulletin went to print. The Wolfpack will be off until Monday, May 9, when it competes at its second SEC match of 2011, at Prestwick Golf Course in Woodbury.

“We are improving slowly but surely,” Tressel said. “It’s a big week.”

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