Lyons roars in Minocqua

It was anyone’s game in the final round of the Wisconsin State Open. In the end, amateur Max Lyons from Peoria, Ariz. won the 104th Suter Ward Group Wisconsin State Open last Wednesday at Minocqua Country Club.

A stacked leaderboard and low scores made for an exciting finish among Wisconsin’s best. Lyons held the trophy thanks to his 16-under 272, two strokes better than runner-up George Kneiser of Oconomowoc. 

Lyons’ success continued a recent trend in the State Open, which has seen an amateur win four out of the last five years.

Lyons had a hot start on Monday with a 7-under 65. He proceeded to shoot 70 the next two rounds. He brought it home in the final round with a 5-under 67. He charged to the lead on the back nine, with birdies on five of the last seven holes. 

Lyons said he didn’t even know he was leading the tournament until a pair of his Marquette University teammates greeted him as he walked off the green on the 72nd hole. 

“I had no idea what was going on, and they told me I had the lead,” Lyons told Wisconsin.Golf afterward. 

“Coming into this week, I didn’t even think about expectations,” Lyons added. “A couple of my friends were playing in the event. I just wanted to see them and have fun.”

There were four players within three strokes of Lyons. Defending State Open champion Cameron Huss from Kenosha was among that group. He finished at 13-under to tie for third. He shot a 1-under 71 on Wednesday afternoon, his highest score of the tournament. 

It was a roller coaster Wednesday afternoon for Huss, who opened the final round with an eagle on the par-5 first hole, got to 15-under when he holed a 9-iron from 140 yards for another eagle on the par-4 11th. But he hooked his drive into the woods on the par-5 12th and made a bogey, then missed a 2 1/2-foot slider for birdie on the par-5 15th and followed it with a bogey on the 16th.

“I hung in there. I just didn’t have my best stuff this afternoon,” Huss told Wisconsin.Golf.

Two-time State Open champ Harrison Ott from Brookfield — who won the State Amateur at Minocqua Country Club in 2018 —ended up tied for sixth at 12-under par. He shot a 69 in the fourth round.

Kneiser made a charge up the leaderboard shooting Wednesday, shooting matching 67s in both the third and fourth rounds.

The biggest jump though came from Lakewood, Colo.’s Griffin Barela who made a little history. He shot a course-record 63 in the fourth round. He jumped 19 spots up the leaderboard and finished tied for third at 13-under overall.

Zach Burry of Appleton was in the hunt after three rounds. He shot a 74 over the final 18 holes and dropped 10 spots on the leaderboard with an overall score of 10-under.

Nekoosa’s Adam Miller looked to be in a great position after the first two days at 9-under par to share the 36-hole lead with Lyons and Sam Weatherhead of Hartford. Miller shot a 70 in the third round and a 76 in the fourth round that dropped him to tied for 18th place at seven-under overall. Weatherhead was undone by a 75 in Wednesday morning’s third round. He rallied with a 67 in the final round fo finish alone in 10th at 11-under.

Last week marked the first time that the State Open was played at Minocqua Country Club and, by all accounts, the event was a success.

“No doubt. Huge success for the Country Club,” Minocqua Country Club head golf professional Dave Kemnitz said. “I think we were able to open the doors. We had so many people get to experience the golf course — the clubhouse, the grounds including players, spectators, caddies. Huge success. Several compliments on everything — the conditions of the course and the experience, the staff and the members that were volunteering. They felt like the red carpet was rolled out. I would say that’s a great success for us.”

“I thought it was very dramatic and exciting,” assistant executive director of the Wisconsin PGA Chris Hoel said. “Of the 20 different State Opens that I’ve run, it was certainly one of the most unpredictable final rounds. There were so many people that had a chance to win, and you didn’t really know which direction it was going.

“We were pleased with everything that Minocqua Country Club presented — course, membership, facility,” Hoel added. “They did a fantastic job of hosting.”

Kemnitz had aspirations of playing all four rounds at his home course, following an opening round of even par 72, but followed with an 81 on Tuesday to miss the 36-hole cut by six strokes. 

“It was a fun day,” Kemnitz said of his opening round. “I played really well. My ball striking was really good. I had it going for awhile. I made a couple bogeys coming in which was disappointing, but overall it was a great round of golf, it was a lot of fun. My son (Noah) was out there helping me out, caddying a little bit so that made it even more special.”

Regardless, Minocqua Country Club had the spotlight for the state’s best golfers for three days. The club took full advantage and showcased their golf course.

“I think there’s a couple things,” Kemnitz said. “First of all, our club is giving back to the game of golf. When we’re hosting these events, it’s an opportunity to give back. We’ve previously hosted events for the Wisconsin State Golf Association. Now we’re working with the Wisconsin PGA, and it’s an opportunity to give back to the game of golf, so I think that’s probably No. 1. And because so many of these participants, they don’t have access to play the golf course or the opportunity to play the golf course so it really gives them the chance to experience what our members get to experience all the time. There’s so many neat traditions and history with the club and to expose people to that was special.”

Information from WPGA, courtesy of Gary D’Amato from Wisconsin.Golf, was used in this report.

Brett LaBore may be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].