Bowling Green State University star edges Hartzell, Hill
Matt Schneider joked with a local reporter Sunday that he got carded 150 times during a recent trip to Las Vegas.
The Falls Country Club also carded the youthful 22-year-old at the beginning of the 56th annual Smokey Bear Invitational weekend.
He shouldn’t have to worry about that next year at the Falls CC.
Schneider made himself plenty well-known on Sunday when he won his second Smokey Bear Invite in four years.
“I’ve just been playing good all summer,” Schneider said shortly after tipping his cap to a large crowd watching the final group on hole No. 9 (inset).
“I’ve just brought that confidence over to this tournament and it’s helped a lot.”
Bowling Green State University, where Schneider just ended his four-year college career, said on its website the Grand Rapids native is “perhaps the program’s most decorated player.”
He proved he’s tough to compete with over the weekend.
Brandon Hartzell, the 2008 champ and now a two-time runner-up — thanks to Schneider — couldn’t catch the Bowling Green product down the stretch.
Trailing by four strokes heading into the final nine holes, Hartzell never got closer than three shots. He buried a birdie on hole No. 5 to cut the lead to three, but bogeyed the next hole to fall to four back.
“I was so impressed with Matt,” Hartzell said. “I wouldn’t say he hit the ball better than me, but he putted.”
Schneider sank a birdie putt on No. 8 to extend the lead to five, and nearly chipped in from 40 yards out on No. 9 to entertain a large gallery. He tapped in for birdie with his dad— and caddie — Terry, watching closely on the green.
“This tournament is awesome,” Schneider said.
Hartzell, who broke two bones in his left hand May 23 in a car accident, agreed.
“It’s been so good,” the three-time participant said. “The nine holes on Sunday, the last nine is some of the most fun I’ve had all year.”
The final group also included Casey Hill, who plays at Bemidji State University, and returning champ Mike Christensen, who won back in 1996 and hadn’t played in the tournament in roughly 10 years.
Hill finished third, former Bronco Travis Blais finished fourth, Christensen fifth and Bronco junior Brett Musich sixth. Musich was one of four current Broncos that took advantage of the elimination of the 18-year-old rule.
Jeff Lindvall, a six-time champ and the only Bronco to win a state golf title, returned to play in his first Smokey since 1991 and finished sixth in the President’s Flight.
Tournament director Dave Cronin, in his 17th year, said it was the biggest tournament of alltime with 128 participants. The tournament expanded from 88 to 120 with the expansion of the course.
“We had a lot of fun,” Cronin said. “It went so smooth.”
Smokey Bear Invite quick facts:
• In front of a large crowd at Friday night’s Longest Drive contest, Derek Fisher took home first place with a 350-yard drive with the wind down hole No. 10. Christensen finished second at 347 yards and Wade Walters, Hartzell’s cousin, finished third at 342 yards.
• Two participants have won three times in a row — Tony Greaton (1964-66) and Bob Cavanagh (1989-91), while three golfers have won twice in a row — Lindvall (1973-74), Tom Zieman (1980-81) and Eric Walls (2000-01).
• Cavanagh and Lindvall hold the record with six titles each.
• Eighteen cities, two states and two countries have been represented in the championship: International Falls (18 times), Perham (6), Fort Frances (4), Duluth (4), Hibbing (3), Grand Rapids (4), Virginia (3), Green Bay, Wis. (2), Aurora-Hoyt Lakes (2), Elk River (2), Cook (1), Roseau (1), Bemidji (1), Montevideo (1), St. Anthony (1), Lino Lakes (1), Dellwood (1) and White Bear Lake (1).
• A participant from International Falls or Fort Frances won the championship 16 out of the first 31 years (52 percent). Since then, only six out of 25 winners (24 percent) are from the area.
• In a straw poll by The Journal asking over 40 local golf enthusiasts to vote for their favorites to win, Hartzell received the most votes (21), followed by 3-time champ Eric Walls (18), defending champ Tyler Hill (16), Bronco senior Glenn Walls (15), Schneider (14), Lindvall (9), Blais (9), Casey Hill (8) and 2005 champ Bob Mason (7). No one else received more than seven votes.
• Schneider ended his college career (132 rounds) with an 18-hole average of 74.43, which is a school record.
