Pebble Creek Golf Course hosted the 2015 U.S. MGA Amateur Sections Championship Monday despite rain and sloppy conditions threatening to postpone the event.
“We are one of the only area golf courses that could have possibly held this tournament on such a rainy, wet day,” said Pebble Creek Golf Pro Troy Malo.
That proclamation was due to the fact Pebble Creek sits on sandy soil and is groomed to drain well.
“Bert and his staff did a fantastic job getting this tournament to happen,” said Malo, referring to Head Groundskeeper Robert Stern.
Malo said “Bert” approached MGA Tournament Director Doug Hoffman early Monday morning in the Pebble Creek parking lot and said the golf course was “fine” — which shocked Hoffman since he was trying to process how he was going to try and reschedule the tournament because of the weather situation.
“I think he was shocked we could still pull it off,” said Malo.
Seventy-seven men from five states and parts of Canada descended upon Pebble Creek Monday to play 36 holes with the hope of making nationals. Most of Minnesota’s best golfers participated, with six Gopher state players making the top 10. Jordan Rykal of Big Lake finished tied for 12th at three-over par.
Garrett Rank of Ontario medaled with a six-under-par 138 followed by Troy Johnson of Maple Grove (-4) and Shane Barnes of Bloomington (-3). All three of these golfers qualified for nationals and two other Minnesotans — Jesse Polk of Lakeville and Kyle Moore of St. Paul — were named alternates by shooting even par.
Rank, a native of Elmira, Ontario, has been one of Canada’s best amateur golfers in recent years and after qualifying Monday, Rank will travel to Winnipeg to compete in the Players Cup before representing Canada at the Pan Am Games starting July 16.
When he isn’t traveling the globe playing golf, Rank keeps busy during the winter as a referee in the National Hockey League.
Malo said he received tons of positive feedback from all the golfers during the wet and wild Monday event.
“It’s great to hear such high praise about our golf course from guys who play a lot of golf all over the world,” he said. “The course held up great and I heard many talk about the great condition it was in.”
Malo and Pebble Creek hosted the MGA U.S. Amateur Sections back in 2011 and is always on the radar of MGA officials for the possibility of hosting events annually. Pebble Creek’s reputation as an outstanding venue continues to grow every year.
The 115th U.S. Amateur Championship will be played Aug. 17-23 at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, IL.
Pebble Creek has many events still on the calendar for 2015 including a Toys for Kids event July 18, the 19th Annual Chamber Golf outing July 23, a Women’s Club Backpack Buddies event July 28, a Becker/Big Lake Hockey Association event Aug. 7 and a Coborn’s event Sept. 14.
Pebble Creek will also host a couple fall events including the Texas Big Cup three-person scramble Oct. 17 and a Skins Game Oct. 25.
