Minnesota (MGA) Four-Ball Championship
EDINA, MN (August 18, 2005) -- Clayton Rask of Monticello Country Club and Chris Little of Fox Hollow Golf Club grew up hitting balls on the practice range together. On Thursday, all those years of hard work and teamwork paid off as the duo won the 43rd Minnesota Golf Association Four-Ball Championship at Indian Hills Golf Club in Stillwater, Minn.
Despite steady rain throughout most of the day, the tandem shot a blistering nine-under-par 62 to run away from the field and win by three strokes, finishing at 14-under-par.
Rask and Little, both former players on the Elk River High School golf team, grew up as neighbors in Elk River, Minn. While they now play out of separate courses, the pair still thrive on competition – especially in adverse weather conditions.
"The weather played into our hands today," said Rask referring to the team’s ability to play well in the rain.
After getting out to a slow start, both players made up-and-down pars on the par-3 sixth hole, which seemed to jumpstart the team.
The duo then birdied the seventh and eighth holes before Rask eagled the par-5 12th hole by hitting a seven-iron to four feet. From there, Rask and Little coasted to a three-stroke victory.
The Four-Ball title is Little’s first MGA championship while Rask adds this trophy to a resume that already includes a victory at the 2004 MGA Players’ Championship. Rask will return to school in a few weeks, where he competes on the University of Minnesota men’s golf team.
Round one leaders Eric Witty and Nathan Proshek of New Prague Golf Club and Robert Leaf and Tim Anderson of Hazeltine National Golf Club slipped during the final day, shooting two-under-par 69 and one-under-par 70 to finish three and four strokes back, respectively.
James Dolan and David Haselrud of Southview Country Club, who shot a second round five-under-par 66, finished all alone in second at 12-under-par.
For complete results, click on the tournament link above (amateurgolf.com membership requested).
ABOUT THE Minnesota Four-Ball
For those players who enjoy team
competition, the MGA Four-Ball has been
an institution since 1962. The Four-Ball is
a two-man, 36-hole best-ball competition.
View Complete Tournament Information