Hodag golfers take last in muddy Marshfield regional

In golf, Mother Nature can serve as the ultimate equalizer. That proved to be the case Tuesday as the field battled the elements in a water-logged WIAA Division 1 regional tournament at RiverEdge Golf Course in Marshfield.

The Rhinelander High School golf team, seeded third in its regional, wound up finishing last in the eight-team tournament, which was shortened to nine holes after inclement weather halted the proceedings twice during the round.

Rhinelander shot 176 and only finished five strokes out of the fourth and final team transfer spot to next week’s sectional round in Hudson. Brody Kowieski advanced individually, as his round of 39 landed him in a four-way tie for fourth overall on the day. Sam Schoppe, who qualified for the WIAA state tournament on the very same course last year, missed a playoff for the final qualifying spot by a stroke.

Weather was the dominating story the entire day as the central part of the state was deluged by rain and thunderstorms. Standing water caused the first delay, as the greens became unplayable by the time the final groups reached the fourth hole. Play resumed for a little bit before thunderstorms rolled in with most of the field already through nine holes.

WIAA regulations state a match can be declared official after nine holes, so long as the entire field has played the same nine. With three groups left to make the turn officials decided to shorten the match. The remaining groups were sent out around 2:45 p.m. following the second weather delay to complete the front nine.

Play was moved up an hour, with the opening group teeing off a 8 a.m. in what proved to be a vain effort to beat the weather. Hodag coach Adam Schmidt said that decision actually played into the hands of the lower-seeded teams, who went out in the first five foursomes. The Hodags, seeded third, went out in the second wave, with tee times between 8:50 and 9:40 a.m.

“Normally being in the second wave is a bonus, the kids get to sleep in a little but, really, the first wave got the better deal,” Schmidt said. “We had to play the course soaking wet. The second wave had to play the course absolutely soaking wet. Balls were plugging in the fairway, it was rough. There was standing water on the fairways.

“There were some of us who believed they should have just played Thursday. Everyone had to play in similar conditions, but the first wave didn’t have to (start) when it was soaking wet.”

As the team sat in the clubhouse during the second delay, the math did not look pretty. The Hodags sat at plus-27 with Blake Petroff yet to finish the ninth hole and both Brody Kowieski and Schoppe yet to complete 8 and 9. Marshfield and Wausau East, also playing in the second wave, had separated themselves as the top two teams. Meanwhile, Wausau West and Merrill, out in the first wave, were already in the clubhouse at plus-22 and plus-27. 

There was still an outside chance the Hodags could have snuck into the top four, had they parred their remaining holes, but Petroff bogeyed his final hole to shoot 45 and Schoppe made double at the eighth, which put all the focus on the individual qualifying spots.

Brody Kowieski sat in good position. He was 2-over after nearly holing out for an ace on the par-3 seventh and tapping in for birdie. He was faced with a 20-foot par put on the eighth when play was halted the second time. He made the putt when play resumed and then bogeyed the last to finish at 3-over and finish tied for second among individuals who were not on a qualifying team. 

“The first thing he did was he sunk that putt. I looked at the scoreboard and knew he was good,” Schmidt said. “He played pretty well. When he came back after that first wait, he chipped in for birdie on five, bogeyed six and then almost made a hole-in-one on seven. He hit it back six feet (past the pin), sucked it back and it lipped out. He almost aced it and then we hit up to eight, was on the green and then we had that big, long wait.”

Meanwhile, Schoppe’s double dropped him to 6-over, tied for the final transfer spot. Needing par on the ninth to force a playoff, Schoppe’s approach sailed over the back of the green. He chipped up to 4 feet but missed the putt left to shot 43.

“He just missed the putt on the low side, the amateur side of the cup. That was rough but it was a good lesson. The first nine, you’ve got to play it. You’ve just got to play,” Schmidt said, noting that Schoppe knew what was at stake with his par putt. “Sam just struggled with his wedges. From 60 yards and in he kind of struggled today. Sam has such a good short game, but he didn’t really putt well today.”

Chase West also threatened the hole for an ace on the par-3 seventh, leaving himself a kick-in birdie. That was the highlight on the freshman’s round as he shot 51. Hank Kowieski shot 49. 

Marshfield (156), Wausau East (161), Wausau West (166) and Merrill (171) took the individual qualifying spots, finishing ahead of Medford (172), Stevens Point (173), D.C. Everest (174) and Rhinelander. 

Marshfield’s Keegan Fredrick shot 1-under 35 to take medalist honors. Medford’s Connor Lingen shot even to be the first of the individual qualifiers. Brody Kowieski tied with Medford’s Riley Viergutz for the second spot. Stevens Point’s Zach Hinchcliffe shot 42 and bogeyed the eighth to win a one-hole playoff with D.C. Everest’s Ben Zoesch for the final sectional berth.

Sectionals will take place this coming Tuesday at Troy Burne G.C. in Hudson. For Brody Kowieski to qualify for state, he will need to finish third or better among 38 players who will not be a part of a state-qualifying team.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].