Fargo South graduate Papachek finishes three shots up on field to claim state championship

BISMARCK - In golf tournaments, it is usually the good and steady ones that come out on top.

Coy Papachek was the best and the steadiest of them all at the North Dakota Golf Association Stroke Play Championship last weekend.

The 20-year-old golfer from Fargo put together rounds of 69, 72 and 72 at Hawktree Golf Club to capture his first state stroke play championship on Sunday. His three-round total of 213 was three strokes better than the score turned in by second-place Shane Feist of Bismarck.

"That's how I usually am. I'm usually around par ... not too high and not too low," said Papachek, a Fargo South graduate and a soon-to-be sophomore at Concordia. "You have to be steady to win a tournament, and I had three solid rounds here. Looking at the scores, just about everyone else had at least one tough round."

Papachek was one of four golfers who trailed Feist by a stroke going into Sunday's third and final round.

Feist jumped to the top of the leader board after shooting a 4-under 68 in Saturday's second round, but carded a 76 on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Nick Schaefer, Rick Kuhn and Bryce Bohl, all of whom were at 141 after Saturday's action, posted third-round scores of 76, 78 and 80, respectively.

Strong, steady winds wreaked havoc on the golfers through most of the third round.

Only three of the 68 golfers shot even-par or better.

"(On Saturday) I thought it would take a better effort than even-par to win the tournament, but when I woke up this morning and saw how windy it was, I thought even-par might be enough to do it," said Papachek, who was 2-under with two holes remaining. "This is a really tough course when it's windy because of the long grass and no trees. Even the putting is tough. You just have to make adjustments and do the best you can. Considering the wind, I'm very happy with my score."

Trent Olson posted the best score of the day, a 2-under 70. That gave him a three-round total of 217 and pulled him into a tie with Schaefer for third place. Mike Podolak and Tom Welk each turned in a 218, and Kuhn - the defending champion - finished with a 219.

Schaefer had the best net total, 217.

Todd Baumgartner's steadiness earned him top honors in the Senior Division. The Bismarck golfer shot a 75 for the second day in a row on Sunday for a two-round total of 150. He finished two strokes ahead of Dave Andrisen and four ahead of Clint Nelson.

Final results

1. Coy Papachek 69-72-72--213. 2. Shane Feist 72-68-76--216. 3. (tie) Nick Schaefer 69-72-76--217, and Trent Olson 77-70-70--217. 5. (tie) Mike Podolak 71-73-74--218, and Tom Welk 72-71-75--218. 7. Rick Kuhn 71-70-78--219. 8. Perry Andrisen 73-75-72--220. 9. (tie) Bryce Bohl 67-74-80--221, and Robert Reuter 71-76-74--221.

11. Nathan Anderson 77-69-76--222. 12. (tie) Colin Bork 73-74-76--223, and Jacob Dehne 77-72-74--223. 14. Mike Huber 76-72-76--224. 15. Parker Dire 70-74-81--225. 16. Bill Carlson 77-70-79--226. 17. Connor Holland 81-70-76--227. 18. Greg Melhus 70-75-83--228. 19. (tie) Andy Kincaid 77-72-80--229, and Jack Elliot 78-72-79--229.

21. (tie) Jordan Hatzenbuhler 72-76-86--234, and Perry Piatz 76-76-82--234. 23. (tie) B.J. Mahar 74-79-83--236, and Brock Ellingson 76-77-83--236. 25. (tie) Kavin Dvorak 74-82-81--237, and Tom Strandemo 83-72-82--237. 27. (tie) Eric Aughinbaugh 71-79-88--238, and Mike Fedorchak 79-77-82--238. 29. (tie) Laramie Keplin 78-80-81--239, and Jake DeForest 82-80-77--239.

31. Sean Halvorson 80-79-81--240. 32. (tie) Troy Ressler 78-80-83--241, and Brandon Bondley 83-76-82--241. 34. (tie) Perry Bohl 74-80-88--242, and Bill Short 82-81-79--242. 36. Oliver Boeckel 74-85-84--243. 37. (tie) Nathaniel Knopik 75-82-89--246, and Nevin Gillis 80-81-85--246. 39. David Nelson 82-77-88--247. 40. Mason Kennedy 77-85-88--250.

41. Brent Weber 81-79-92--252. 42. (tie) Tim Gienger 83-83-88--254, and Jordan Kautzman 85-82-87--254. 44. Lukas Davison 74-77-85--256. 45. (tie) Ben Berquist 70-88-99--257, and Matt Lundeen 86-83-88--257. 47. Mike Chausee 85-91-83--259. 48. Josh Cleveland 90-84-88--262. 49. (tie) David Richard 84-85-95--264; Doug Bradford 85-86-93--264, and Michael Towle 85-87-92--264.

52. Zachary Bondley 8397-89--269. 53. Tyler Miller 89-89-93--271. 54. Chris Cleveland 81-98-97--276. 55. Paul Ogden 82-97-101--280. 56. Dan Beyer 91-104-96--291.

Senior Division

1. Todd Baumgartner 75-75--150. 2. Dave Andrisen 72-80. 3. Clint Nelson 73-81--154. 4. John Stromstad 71-85--156. 5. (tie) Jim Peluso 78-81--159, Jack Easton 79-80--159. 7. Keith Duchscherer 75-85--160. 8. Guy Otteson 79-84--163. 9. Lee Peterson 81-89--170. 10. Mark Bazan 77-94--171.

11. George Harrington 86-89--175. 12. Evan Lips 92-85--177.