By MGA
Coming off the 36th state victory of his career at the Minnesota Golf Association Mid-Players’ Championship at Deacon’s Lodge on June 12, Bunker Hills’ Trent Peterson wasted little time winning his 37th tournament, shooting 5-under 139 at Highland National Golf Course Sunday to win the 20th Minnesota Public Golf Association Mid Public Links Championship June 15-16.
Peterson carded a final-round 71 to claim a two-stroke victory over Yarri Bryn and Erik Bredesen for his fourth win at the event over the past five seasons.
“It’s been a good week,” Peterson said with a smile after his win.
A two-time MGA Men’s Player of the Year, Peterson rolled in one birdie during his opening nine to keep the field at an arm’s length before trading two birdies with a pair of bogeys to begin his back nine.
Regaining a two-stroke lead after a bogey by Bryn at the 17th, Peterson nearly holed out for eagle at the 18th from the right rough, two-putting for par to claim his second victory in just four days.
“Yesterday was miserable — I knew it was going to be a struggle, but I putted really well and made some nice birdie putts,” Peterson said of the wet conditions during the opening round. “I got through it and was quite happy with the round I had.
“Today I was a little more defensive at times and the putter wasn’t as good. I told myself to get the ball in play, hit the green and two-putt. You make a birdie or two and (the field) has to come get you.”
Following his match play victory at Deacon’s Lodge, Peterson said he had to alter his strategy for a stroke-play event in softer and slower conditions at Highland National.
“In match play you can be much more aggressive,” he said. “If you’re out of the hole, you just move on. Here, you have to avoid mistakes and big numbers, so you’ve got to play more defensively.
“Sometimes it’s harder to go low because you might not be going right at pins like you are in match play. In stroke play, I’d rather have a lot of fours than a seven.”
Peterson earned his first MPGA Mid Public Links title in 2020 at Valleywood Golf Course before emerging victorious in 2022 at Cannon Golf Club, defeating Justin Burleson in a one-hole playoff.
The 37-year-old Peterson fired a final-round 68 to pull away from the field with a three-stroke victory last season at Edinburgh USA for his second consecutive win.
A former South Dakota State University golfer, Peterson admittedly had some unfinished business at Highland National Golf Course after falling to Mike Christensen in a playoff in 2017, the last time the course hosted the championship.
“I hadn’t played this course since that event, so there’s a little redemption. Losing in a playoff is no fun. To come back and win feels nice.”
Bryn, whose lone state championship win came at the Twin Cities Championship at Hastings Golf Club in 2020, entered Sunday’s final round two shots off the lead following his opening-round 70 Saturday.
Even through his front nine, Bryn pulled within one shot of Peterson’s lead with a birdie from 10 feet at the 12th, but a late three-putt bogey at the 17th proved costly.
He would card a final-round 71 to finish tied for second with 2018 Twin Cities champion Erik Bredesen at 3-under 141.
“I think these were my fourth and fifth rounds of the year,” Bryn said. “We have a 6-week-old at home, so I haven’t been playing much. Just getting out here is all I can really hope for right now. I was just trying to hang with Trent — he obviously played pretty well.
“I kept the ball on the golf course. I didn’t putt so well coming in, but I feel pretty good about everything; there’s nothing really bugging me right now.”
Bredesen tied Peterson’s mark for low round of the championship by shooting 4-under 68 during the final round, helped by a string of three consecutive birdies late in the round to move into a share of second for his best finish since he placed fourth in 2022.
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