Although described as balmy in comparison to Friday, the windy, cold, overcast weather at Rose Creek on Saturday was more suited for hockey than golf.
It only made sense then that Erick Galt prevailed. Because like a less volatile version of Happy Gilmore, the Fargo South senior considers himself a hockey player first - see the stocking cap, playoff-shaggy beard and long-enough-to-be-visible-under-helmet hair - and a big-hitting golfer second.
Playing the No. 5 spot on his team and roughly his 12th round of the year, Galt shot a second consecutive 72 to finish at 2-over 144, six shots ahead of runner-up teammate Adam Gronaas at the two-day Fargo North Invitational.
The victory, Galt's third on the varsity level, helped complete two hat tricks for the Bruins, who have claimed top individual and team honors (600) three years in a row at their rival's tournament that this year included two teams and three individuals ranked in Minnesota.
"I'm just doing this for fun," said Galt, an offensive defenseman on the ice. "I enjoy playing golf and the team's great. It's just kind of whatever intrigues you more. I guess hockey gave me more breaks, too, and that helps a lot."
ADVERTISEMENT
When the golf season began, South coach Steve Kennedy believed Galt wasn't even going to be on the team, having transferred to a high school in Nebraska where he played for the USHL's Lincoln Stars after leading the Bruins to a state hockey championship. And there's no golf allowed at Lincoln, where he'll return this fall.
The time off hasn't hurt his game. Never mind that he won this tournament - the fact that he's good enough to crack South's lineup is a statement.
The Bruins have won six of the past seven North Dakota Class A titles and earlier this week shot a collective 8-under 280 at King's Walk in Grand Forks, N.D. It was the school's second-best score in Kennedy's 14 years as head coach, bested only by a 274 turned in by a squad that included future NCAA Division I players Brandon Askew (UNLV), David Schultz (TCU), Kane Hanson (Drake) and Aaron Anderson (Portland).
"We've got some good players here now and they look at those (former) players and say, 'We're not as good as they are,'" Kennedy said. "But they have to remember when those players were in high school they weren't as good as they are now. But when they (former players) were in high school, they were as good as they (current players) are."
And yet Detroit Lakes, Minn., with five sophomores in its top six players, hoped it might be better than South as it was earlier at a meet earlier this season in Perham, Minn. Ranked fourth in Class 2A, the Lakers improved their Day 1 score - as 11 of 12 teams did - by four shots to finish at 624, some 24 shots behind the Bruins and six better than fourth-place Moorhead, one of their main challengers in the upcoming Section 8 tournament.
"Second's not bad, but we're a little disappointed," said Detroit Lakes sophomore Josh Herzog, who tied North Dakota State recruit Taylor Cavanagh of Perham for fourth at 154. "They (the Bruins) are just a good team and good competition and we want to beat them."
Team scores: Fargo South 307-293-600, Detroit Lakes 314-310-624, Grand Rapids 325-302-627, Moorhead 324-306-630, Roseau 327-311-638, Fargo Shanley 330-310-640, Fargo North 338-314-652, Thief River Falls 328-330-658, Valley City 337-323-660, Bemidji 343-319-661, Grand Forks Red River 344-321-665, Perham 352-340-692
Top 5: 1, Galt, South, 72-72-144. 2, Gronaas, South, 75-75-150. 3, Ambrosie, Moorhead, 78-75-153. 4 (tie), Herzog, DL, 79-75-154; Cavanagh, Perham, 77-77-154; Freeman, South, 82-72-154; Schneider, GR, 81-73-154.
ADVERTISEMENT
Other metro finishers
South: Hoge 81-74-155, Steiner 79-76-155, Ihry 86-75-161
North: Eshenko 82-75-157, Labernik 86-76-162, Callaghan 85-81-166, Harrison 85-82-167, Bekkedahl 88-84-172, Holm 90-85-175
Shanley: Thomas 83-73-156, O'Rourke 78-78-156, Johnson 83-78-161, Roehrich 86-81-163, Sinner 90-82-172
Moorhead: Deitz 82-77-159, Olsgaard 84-78-162, Buckellew 82-80-162, Wheeler 87-76-163, Erickson 82-86-168
Readers can reach Forum reporter Terry Vandrovec at (701) 241-5548
