Greve Bounces Back From Tough Finish at State Open, Qualifies for U.S. Amateur with Reddig and Sigel

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  EDEN PRARIE, Minn. – A little more than 15 hours after a disappointing double-bogey Sunday to finish the 101^st Minnesota State Open in a tie for third place, Ben Greve walked to the clubhouse of Olympic Hills Golf Club early Monday morning still perturbed.
 
The two-time defending State Open champion posted a final round 70 Sunday to derail his chances of a three-peat at one of the state’s biggest championships.
 
“I was really hot and still annoyed after 18 yesterday,” Greve admitted Monday. “I’m pretty good most of the time and it was probably better to play today and get that out of the system.”
 
The result was a round of 66 early Monday before coasting to a 2-over par 74 Monday afternoon to earn medalist honors as well as a spot in the 2018 U.S. Amateur Championship next month at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif.
 
“I played really well for 29 holes today. I hit it great early just like yesterday at the State Open and didn’t get much out of my round,” Greve said. “Today I putted well early on and I think I missed one green this morning.
 
“Pebble Beach will be a lot of fun—I’ve been there and never played, so it should be special.”
 
Greve, who resides in Minneapolis, will be joined at the championship by Parker Reddig and Ben Sigel, who both finished the 36-hole qualifier at 1-under par 143 to earn the final two spots for the national championship August 13-19.
 
Starting his first round on the 10^th tee Monday, Greve bogeyed his opening hole, but would card five birdies on his front nine before adding a pair of birdies over his final nine to shoot 66. Getting off to a hot start during Monday’s afternoon session, Greve two-putted for birdie at the first before sinking his birdie look from eight feet at the second to move to 8-under overall.
 
Taking a step back with a double-bogey at the par-3 fourth, Greve fell back to 6-under, but responded by sinking three more birdies to finish his front nine at 9-under, seemingly coasting to a qualifying position.

“I thought even par would get through today. This course, you can get ahead of yourself or get frustrated and it’ll get you sometimes and I knew I had to hit fairways and greens. I have the same goal every time I play and that’s to go 1-under every three-hole stretch. For a while it was going well until 13.”
 
Greve found the bunker off the tee and a second bunker with his approach before a three-putt for double-bogey. At the 16^th, Greve caught another unfortunate break in the bunker similar to his final hole at the State Open Sunday, leading to bogey. On 17 Greve flew the green from the tee and hit a poor sand shot, which led to a two-putt for a second double-bogey as he played his final six holes at 5-over par.
 
Asked if his stumble down the stretch was due in part to fatigue setting in after playing his eighth round of golf in eight days, “I want to say yes. Generally with my game when I’m not playing that well, my lower body stops moving and I hit high blocks to the right and that’s exactly what I started hitting. I haven’t played quite as much this year, so it might’ve been a little fatigue.
 
“I was on cruise control and all of the sudden 4-under and brought everyone back in. I needed a good birdie on 18 and hit it way right into the fescue and made a good par.”
 
Prior to playing in the 2018 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta, Fla., in mid-May, Greve’s only other USGA appearance came in 2004 when he qualified for the U.S. Public Links Championship.
 
Reddig, from Minneapolis, began the qualifier by posting 73 early Monday before carding a 2-under par 70, including a birdie on his final hole, to earn the second qualifying position at 143.
 
“Coming into it after the past week I was worn out,” Reddig said after also playing eight rounds of golf in the last eight days. “No expectations, no nothing. It was kind of a bonus day to be honest after my finishes at the State Amateur and State Open. I was more excited than anything to play this golf course and seeing all of the stuff they’ve done to it since I haven’t been here in a very long time.”
 
Reddig played in two U.S. Junior Amateur Championships, but learning the 2018 U.S. Amateur would be played at the iconic Pebble Beach last year, Reddig set his sights on qualifying for the field after playing the course during his freshman year in high school.
 
“This means a lot to get back there—it’s a beautiful place and it’s going to be fun playing with some of my teammates from [Florida State University].”
 
Reddig, 19, will begin his sophomore season for the Seminoles this fall.
 
Next month’s championship will be the second consecutive trip for Sigel, who qualified at Brackett’s Crossing Country Club a year ago. After firing a 73 during the first round Monday, Sigel birdied his first two holes during the second round Monday afternoon en route to a round of 2-under par 70 to earn the final qualifying spot.
 
“It was a solid day and got a lot out of it—I was hitting my irons pretty poorly, but I hit it well off the tee and made what I had to to get the job done,” Sigel said after qualifying Monday. “The wind picked up a little in the afternoon, so I thought I would have a chance if I got [under par].
 
“I didn’t play very well last year [at Riviera Country Club] and put a lot of pressure on myself. This one it’ll be fun to go out to Pebble Beach and compete because I’ve been playing well this summer. I’ve played in some USGA events, but last year was my first U.S. Amateur and you’re there with the top-50 players and you get a little intimidated. Through college and some of my summer tournaments I’m used to competing with them now, so I just want to go in and play well and see what happens.”

Sigel, of Deephaven, Minn., will begin his sophomore season at the University of Kansas this fall.
 
Monday's round was also highlighted by former University of Minnesota golfer Riley Johnson's hole-in-one at the par-3 12th from 167 yards with a 9-iron.

Bradley Wohlers, from Vadnais Heights, Minn., and David Morgan, of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., finished as first and second alternates, respectively.
 
 
 
2018 U.S. AMATEUR SECTIONAL QUALIFYING
OLYMPIC HILLS GOLF CLUB
EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN.
7,103 YARDS, PAR 72
 
 
MONDAY’S FINAL RESULTS
1. Ben Greve, Minneapolis, Minn., 66-74—140 (medalist)
T2. Parker Reddig, Minneapolis, Minn., 73-70—143 (qualifier)
T2. Ben Sigel, Deephaven, Minn., 73-70—143 (qualifier)  
4. Bradley Wohlers, Vadnais Heights, Minn., 70-74—144 (1^st alternate)
T5. David Morgan, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 73-72—145 (2^nd alternate)
T5. Tristan Nelko, Plymouth, Minn., 75-70—145  
T5. Peter Jones, Owatonna, Minn., 75-70—145
T8.Connor Glynn, Waconia, Minn., 74-72—146
T8. Ramie Sprinkling, Camarillo, Calif., 71-75—146
T8. Joe Fewer, Edina, Minn., 74-72—146
T8. Anson Kuznik, Orono, Minn., 72-74—146