Prior to leaving for Bellevue University in Nebraska to play golf on a scholarship beginning this fall, a 2011 graduate of International Falls High School won the Men’s Club Championship on Tuesday at the Falls Country Club.
Jeff Shermoen won the 27-hole tournament after carding a 107, four strokes ahead of two golfers tying for runner-up in the Championship Flight — Bill Hughes, who won this summer’s Budweiser Tournament at the Falls Country Club, and Travis Blais.
“I actually leave for Bellevue University on Sunday, playing golf for them,” Shermoen said. “Our first tournament is the first week in September in Oklahoma. I really wanted to win this before I went to college, so it was a good way to go out.”
Shermoen said his putting game “was not good” his senior year in high school as he switched between a longer- and shorter-length putter, but he had good results in Tuesday’s tournament using a longer putter he got on Monday.
“My short game really came for me (Tuesday), and that was the big difference,” he said. “I was making everything.”
Another 2011 FHS graduate who qualified individually with Shermoen for this year’s Class AA state tournament, Glenn Walls, placed fourth in the Men’s Club Championship at 114.
Of the 44 players who signed up for Tuesday’s tournament, Shermoen came in with the low score of 71 after 18 holes, three strokes ahead of Hughes. Shermoen’s 36 for the final nine was second lowest.
“The weather wasn’t looking good when I got up (Tuesday) morning, so I thought anything around par would probably be really well,” Shermoen said. “I went out there and posted a good one (for the first 18 holes) and ended up having a good lead going into the final nine.”
Nine golfers whose opening 18-hole scores ranged from 71-77 qualified to play an additional nine holes to compete for the overall scratch golf championship.
Blais has rebounded from his 76 after the first 18 holes when he finished with the best score for the final nine at 35 to deadlock in second with Hughes, who closed out the tournament with a 37.
Following the scratch Championship Flight on the leaderboard, the first through fourth flights factored in handicap to determine those winners after the first 18 holes. Cory Norgart, one of the nine golfers to qualify for the final nine holes, used an eight handicap with his opening 18-hole round of 76 to win the first flight by a stroke.
Championship Flight:
1st Place - Jeff Shermoen
2nd Place - Bill Hughes (tie)
2nd Place - Travis Blais (tie)
4th Place - Glenn Walls
First Flight:
1st Place - Cory Norgart
2nd Place - Kirby Shofner
3rd Place - Tim Anderson
Second Flight:
1st Place - Chris Raboin
2nd Place - Brady Walls (tie)
2nd Place - Earl Evans (tie)
Third Flight:
1st Place - Barry Miller (tie)
1st Place - Kyle Olestad (tie)
2nd Place - Terry Burns (tie)
2nd Place - Bob Davis (tie)
Fourth Flight:
Ist Place - Cam Hardwig
2nd Place - Rick Lucca
3rd Place - Don Svir
Closest to the Pin:
Hole #6 - Brian Youso
Hole #11 - Bill Hughes
Hole #14 - Derek Fisher
Hole #16 - Bill Hughes
