By Nick Hunter
MAPLEWOOD, Minn. – Bouncing back from an early double-bogey during his final round Wednesday at Keller Golf Course, professional Matt Vandelac carded a pair of birdies over his final 12 holes to claim a one-stroke victory at the 40th Minnesota Senior Open presented by Yamaha Golf & Utility.
Vandelac rolled in his par putt from 10 feet at the last to edge 2018 champion John Brellenthin, 2017 Minnesota Golf Association Amateur champion Dave Carothers and Aaron Wiemiller for the third victory of his career.
“This win is huge—I’m 64-years-old,” Vandelac said following his victory Wednesday. “It makes me happy that I put the practice in and shows that I can still compete.
“My plan was to come out and play aggressively. I wasn’t trying to make pars—I wanted to make birdies. Started out kind of rocky, but I made a couple. I stuck with my swing, figured some things out and went with it.”
Entering the final round one shot ahead of defending champion Chris Borgen following his opening-round 67, Vandelac failed to get up-and-down to save par at the second before finding the penalty area behind the fourth green, leading to double-bogey and dropping him to 2-under for the tournament.
Vandelac quickly gained momentum by sinking his birdie putt from 40 feet at the par-4 seventh to get back to 3-under for the championship.
“Being 3-over after four, you’re thinking, ‘Here we go,’ but I hung in there,” Vandelac said. “I made a bomb on seven and I started hitting the driver more solidly. I was just kind of hanging on and guiding it out there. Hitting it well and keeping it in play was the key for me.”
He then took advantage of the par-5 10 by carding his second birdie of the day to reach 4-under and regain a share of the lead.
Much like his opening round, Vandelac leaned on his putter down the stretch during Wednesday’s final round, sinking a six-foot downhill putt to save par at the par-3 15th.
Left with 10 feet at the last to avoid a four-way playoff, Vandelac’s par putt dropped to give him his biggest state victory.
Vandelac’s most recent win came in 2022 when he claimed the section’s Minnesota PGA Fall Scramble at Burl Oaks Golf Club.
The year prior, Vandelac carded a 4-under 68 to win the Heppner’s Auto Body Pro-Am at Indian Hills Country Club.
Following his round of even par to open the championship, Carothers played his first nine holes in even par Wednesday before carding four birdies against one bogey over his last nine to move up eight spots on the leaderboard by shooting 3-under 69.
“I struck the ball a lot better today. I scrambled a little bit yesterday and was able to get it up-and-down,” Carothers said. “Today I was a lot more solid and had a lot of birdie looks. I made a couple of 15-footers.
“Overall, I’m pretty satisfied with how I played. My game was very unknown coming in—I didn’t play last year because I had back surgery. I played a little this spring, so I was pleasantly surprised with how the two days went.”
Carothers became the second oldest player in MGA Amateur Championship history by carding a final-round 66 to earn a one-stroke victory at Interlachen Country Club in 2017.
Wiemiller carded two birdies and two bogeys during his front nine Wednesday, but went bogey-free over his last nine, sinking one birdie at the par-5 12th to post a final-round 71, sharing low-amateur honors at 3-under 141.
Brellenthin, winner of the 2021 MGA Senior Amateur on his home course at The Minikahda Club, remained even for his final round through 10 holes Wednesday before converting a birdie chance at the par-4 11th to move to 2-under for the tournament.
Making one of just nine birdies at the par-3 15th this week, Brellenthin moved within one shot of the lead, finishing with a final-round 70 to place tied for second at 141.
THE 40TH MINNESOTA SENIOR OPEN
KELLER GOLF COURSE
MAPLEWOOD, MINN.
6,677 YARDS, PAR 72
WEDNESDAY’S FINAL RESULTS
1. Matt Vandelac (p), PGA Life Member, 67-73—140
T2. Dave Carothers, Windsong Farm, 72-69—141
T2. Aaron Wiemiller, Pebble Creek GC, 70-71—141
T2. John Brellenthin, Minikahda Club, 71-70—141
T5. Chris Borgen (p), Lost Spur GC, 68-74—142
T5. Derek Stendahl (p), Rush Creek GC, 70-72—142
T5. Eric Chiles (p), Chaska TC, 70-72—142
8. Troy Johnson, Edinburgh USA, 72-71—143
T9. Daryl Schomer, Wapicada GC, 77-67—144
T9. Tony Rohlik (p), unattached, 74-70—144
T9. John Wright, unattached, 73-71—144
T9. Dale Jones (p), Mendakota CC, 74-70—144
T9. Philip Ebner, Windsong Farm, 73-71—144
T9. Jerry Rose, Alexandria GC, 72-72—144
For complete tournament results go to: https://mnpga.bluegolf.com/