After a blazing 66 at Lakeview Golf Course Saturday afternoon, Adam Anderson had to sweat out the city golf tournament's final round Sunday at Wild Oak.
Anderson carded a 77 Sunday for a two-day total of 143 to edge out Scott Nowak, who shot 71-73 for a total of 144.
"Coming down the stretch, I knew where I was," said Anderson, the head men's and women's golf coach at Dakota Wesleyan and a Plankinton native who last won the event in 1999. "I knew I had to play the last three holes pretty well."
Anderson, playing in the final four-some of the tournament, had stiff competition in his own group with Terry Kirby, Nick Gates and Jeff Meyerink nipping at his heels throughout the day. Kirby shot a 145, Meyerink a 146 and Gates a 147 to finish third, fourth and fifth, respectively.
But it was Nowak, who was playing in the group immediately in front of Anderson that ended up posing the biggest threat for the title.
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The door was opened slightly and the two were actually tied when Anderson walked off the 12th green with a bogey. However, Nowak bogeyed No. 13 and Anderson was able to maintain the lead the rest of the way.
His opening-round 66 was just two off the Lakeview Course record and is especially remarkable considering the hot temperatures and gusting wind Saturday afternoon.
"I was in the proverbial zone," said Anderson, who was even-par through four, but made a huge surge in the middle holes to eventually work himself into 8-under through 15. "Everything was going right. That's what won the tournament for me. The other 26 holes were mediocre golf for me.
"My round (Sunday) was really bad. I think I kind of laid back a little bit and played defensively all day long. My chipping was horrible."
Nowak was steady throughout the entire tournament but took a chance on No. 15 that probably ended up costing him the tournament.
With the 11th fairway running parallel to the 15th, he purposely hit his driver into the 11th fairway to get a cleaner shot at the green.
Ironically enough, he hit the ball too well off the tee and it rolled over the bank of the river and just inches into the hazard.
It actually was a sound shot to make as many golfers at Wild Oak play the hole the same way, as did Anderson.
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"I hit it really good," said Nowak, a former DWU golfer who actually coached with Anderson at the school as well. "There aren't too many times I'm going to hit it through that fairway. It's just so dry."
Just as Anderson had an idea that Nowak had crept into the picture, Nowak, too, knew what was happening in the group behind him and could tell that Anderson wasn't as sharp as Saturday.
"Coming into (Sunday), I thought I was going to have to fire a 68 or 69 to have a chance," Nowak said. "A 66, that was awesome (Saturday). He was behind me and he was behind me (Saturday), too. After the first seven holes (Sunday), looking back at how he started, I knew he didn't have the same game he had yesterday."
It still was good enough to hold off the rest of the field as he parred the last two holes of the day to win the title.
Last year's champion, Brandon Sigmund, finished eighth after a rough outing Saturday at Lakeview, shooting a 77. He rebounded with a 71, however, which tied with Denny Rolfes for the best score at Wild Oak on Sunday.
Mitchell City golf tournament
Held Saturday and Sunday at Lakeview and Wild Oak, respectively.
Championship flight
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1. Adam Anderson, 66-77 143; 2. Scott Nowak, 71-73 144; 3. Terry Kirby 70-75 145; 4. Jeff Meyerink 70-76 146; 5. Nick Gates 70-77 147; 6. Aaron Hieb 72-75 147; 7. Denny Rolfes 76-71 147; 8. Brandon Sigmund 77-71 148; 9. Eric Hieb 75-74 149; 10. Bo Koch 72-77 149.
First flight
1. Steve Rice 78-78 156; 2. Frank Stands 86-78 164; 3. Clint Hinker 85-80 165; 4. Dave Fridley 82-83 165.
Second flight
1. Doug Dailey, 82-79 161; 2. Dave Feiner, 84-82 166; 3. Pat Kiner, 85-81 166; 4. Travis Carpenter 85-83 168; 5. Jon Horton, 88-86 174.
Third flight
1. Luke Ryks, 88-87 175; 2. Nick Brink, 94-87 181; 3. Terry Imus 94-87 181; 4. Bryan Rickel 92-92 184; 5. Gary Jackson 89-98 187; Tyler Moody 93-97 190.
