Tonight we tried a new restaurant for dinner, Brindisi Cucina, located at 88 Belden Place in downtown San Francisco. The front desk at the hotel recommended that street and we found a number of great looking bistros on a narrow alley off of Bush and Kearney. Very European–also reminded me of Boat Quay in Singapore.

I had the pork chop filled with prosciutto and mozzarella over roasted potato, while my co-worker Jake had the mixed seafood skewers chef’s selection of fresh market fish over Sicilian couscous. We both agreed it was one of the best meals we’ve had in a long time. Gotta love San Francisco for dining…

Last night Jake and I went to the Giants-Blue Jays game at AT&T Park on the bay. We sat way up high, but the seats were great, halfway between home plate and first base. We had perfect views of the water–I don’t think there is a bad seat in that place.

The Giants won 4-3 after Barry Bonds hit his 747th home run to center. I don’t follow baseball much, but I do know about the Bonds scandal/excitement. Either way you look at it, it was cool to be there.

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The joy of winning wire-to-wire at the 2007 Tapemark Charty Pro-Am unfortunately didn’t carry over to Monday for John Carlson of the NGA Tour. His attempt to qualify yesterday at Hastings Country Club for this week’s Nationwide Tour Showdown at Somerby event fell short. His 76 (+4) tied him for 80th and was six shots from a playoff for the fourteen available slots.

Another NGA Tour player, Matt Anderson from Edina, was the medalist, shooting a ten-under-par 62. Two Tapemark professional participants made the cut: Kane Kanson of Detroit Country Club (T2, 65, -7) and Shad Muth of Hastings Country Club (T4, 68, -4).

Showdown at Somerby Player List

Today was the first day of the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in downtown San Francisco. After three days of non-stop Tapemark Charity Pro-Am action, my co-worker Jake and I jumped on a plane at 9:30pm yesterday night and arrived here at 3am Minnesota time.

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NGA Tour professional John Carlson went wire-to-wire at the 2007 Tapemark Charity Pro-Am, shooting 65-66-67-198 (-15) to win by 8 strokes over six-time champion Don Berry.

In his first Tapemark since 2003, Carlson eagled the par-5 18th hole (his ninth hole of the day) and had 3 birdies and one bogey during his round. He just missed a birdie putt on his last hole that would have broke the tournament record by one.

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NGA Tour professional John Carlson continued his strong play on day two of the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am, shooting a 5-under par 66, giving him a 6-shot lead over six-time champion Don Berry (Edinburgh) and Kane Hanson (Detroit Lakes).

Scores today were lower than Friday, as winds decreased and a brief spot of rain softened the course slightly.

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31-year-old Detroit Lakes resident Michael Berg was scheduled to play in his first ever Tapemark Charity Pro-Am this weekend. He shot a 73 in the May qualifier at Southview, but had to withdraw after earning one of the 156 spots in next week’s U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club.

Four years ago, Berg won a 4-for-1 playoff at Mendakota Country Club against Greg Peterson, Jim Lehman and J.T. Johnson by birdieing the first hole to earn a spot in the 2003 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont.

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High winds, firm greens and tight pin placements greeted players in the first round of the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am at Southview Country Club in West St. Paul.

NGA Tour professional John Carlson has the 18 hole pro lead after shooting a six-under 65. Jeff Sorenson from Columbia is three shots back, with a large group chasing those two at 69 and 70.

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Mounds Park Academy sophomore Natalie Lansing started taking golf lessons from Top 100 teaching professional Gerald McCullagh in March 2006–brand new to golf. Fifteen months later, she was playing in the Minnesota Class A State Golf Championship at Izatys.

Her dad Tom was following her group today and said she was a little nervous the first day, shooting a 98 in the rough, windy weather.

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The Minnewaska girls team successfully defended their title today at Izatys Resort, winning by a convincing 47 strokes over second place St. Cloud Cathedral.

The course manager at Minnewaska Golf Club had contacted me earlier this season to let me know about the youth on their strong team: three freshmen, one sophomore, one junior and one senior. It will be fun to see if they can make it three straight next year.

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Minnehaha Academy senior Katie Detlefsen won a record fourth consecutive Minnesota Class A golf title today at Izatys Resort in Onamia, Minnesota. Her 71-73-144 (E) total was twelve shots better than second place golfers Kaytie Spangler of Ely and Molly Noser of Rochester Lourdes. This is the first time any golfer in Class A or AA, male or female, has won four consecutive titles. The girls played both rounds on the par 72, 5328-yard Sanctuary course.

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FORE! Minnesota, on Saturday, June 9, 2007 (9 am on KSTC-45):

• Course Tour: Crow River GC (Hutchinson, MN)
• Stories of Golf: “Mr. 59” Shad Muth (Hastings Country Club)
• Tad Reeve’s Dream 18: Chaska Town Course #18
• Pro Strategies: Craig Waryan (Edinburgh USA)

Samantha Sommers followed up her first round 70 with a 77, but that was easily enough to win the girls individual AA title today at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids. Same story for Eagan senior Ryan Peterson, whose 67-73-140 (-4) was three better than Minnetonka senior Donald Constable.

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Tonight was drawing night for the 2007 Tapemark Charity Pro-Am at Southview Country Club. The tournament starts Friday morning at 6:40am and runs through Sunday. Spectators are encouraged and admission is free.

The field for this year’s tournament is very strong. Dave Tentis returns to defend his title and will be joined by six-time winner Don Berry, two-time winner Bill Israelson, 2005 champion Tim Hegna, 2004 champion Chris Winkel, 2000 champion Craig Brischke, 1997 champion Mike Barge and a host of other talented pros.

Pro-Am Pairings

The 70th Annual Midway on the Fairway Golf Tournament was held yesterday at Town and Country Club in St. Paul. A fund-raiser for the Midway Chamber of Commerce, this year’s event is using the money raised to upgrade computers and offset the cost of dues.

Today was the first day of the 2007 Class AA Boys’ and Girls’ Golf Tournament at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids.

On the boys side, Eagan has a one shot team lead over Forest Lake and Minnetonka. Full results from day one are listed here.

The Burnsville girls team has an eight shot lead over Alexandria and Wayzata. Full results from day one are listed here.

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Next week’s U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, will be lacking in golfers with Minnesota ties. Tom Lehman failed to qualify in a sectional tournament in Columbus, Ohio, firing a 71-74-145 to miss a playoff by two shots. At the same site, Kane Hanson of Detroit Lakes was one shot better than Lehman at 69-75-144, but also missed out.

Tim Herron needed to win last week’s Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village to get in on a multiple PGA Tour win exemption, but he finished T15. It does not appear that he attempted to qualify at any of the sectional sites this week.

One Minnesotan did qualify at a sectional qualifier–Michael Berg of Detroit Lakes finished two shots ahead of Don Berry at the Mission Hills, Kansas, event held at Indian Hills Country Club to claim the one available slot, shooting 73-67-140.

As mentioned yesterday, I had the opportunity to play Somerby Golf Club in Byron, Minnesota. Somerby is a private 7,209 yard championship course designed by John Fought and Tom Lehman that opened summer 2004. The beautiful clubhouse that overlooks the 18th green cost a reported $9 million to build and it shows. The attention to detail and the amenities are very well done, as was the food and service in the grill.

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Jake Keohen, general manager of the Montgomery Golf Club reports that the sixth annual Montgomery Cancer Classic will be held Saturday, June 23. The four person scramble event costs $60 per golfer ($30 extra for carts) and has raised more than $40,000 to date for the American Cancer Society. The shotgun start is at 1pm, followed by dinner and entertainment at 6pm.

To register, contact Jake at 507-364-5602 or email jake.montygc@frontiernet.net.

Today I had the opportunity to play Somerby Golf Club in Byron, Minnesota, home of the Nationwide Tour’s Showdown at Somerby. This year’s tournament has been moved up to U.S. Open week, June 11-17. Admission Monday-Wednesday is free; Thursday-Sunday tournament admission is $10 per day or $30 for a four-day pass. Tickets can be purchased several ways:

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Today was the final round of the NCAA Division I Championship at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg, Virginia.

The Gophers started the day in a tie for 8th place after a rough third round that saw them drop 19 shots to leader Stanford.

The team played a little better today, led by Swedish sophomore Victor Almstrom, who had 4 birdies on his way to a 66. Senior Bronson LaCassie also got back on track, shooting an even-par 70.

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Today I ran my fourth Heart of the City Half Marathon in Burnsville, benefiting the Tender Hearts Foundation. I like this event a lot and it keeps getting better with age. Apparently I do too, as I set a new PR today: 2:18:50 (my other results are on the running fetish page).

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As Tad Reeve of the Pioneer Press first reported, St. Paul golfer Bill Schaaf had quite an experience last month. On Wednesday, May 9, the three handicap golfer had his first ever hole-in-one at Oak Marsh Golf Club in Oakdale during league play. His 8-iron shot on the 149 yard fifteenth hole sailed into the sun and into the hole.

The next morning, he went to another Wendell Pittenger course, St. Croix National Golf Club in Somerset, Wisconsin. The first tee was backed up, so his group teed off on the back nine first. When they got to the 141 yard fifteenth, lightning struck again as his PW shot went in for his second ace in ten hours. This time there was no sun glare and he saw the whole thing from the elevated tee.

Bill figures the odds at about nine million to one. The bar tabs were substantial, but he says he’s not looking forward for his cell phone bill to arrive, as it’s been ringing ever since. Not one to push his luck, he took a break from golf on Friday.

Manager John Kendall reports that The Legend course at Giants Ridge opened for play today, several weeks after The Quarry course. The Legend had some winter damage this year and they elected to let it recover further before opening. Both courses are still offering spring rates through June 14 ($55 Monday-Thursday, $65 Friday-Sunday). All green fees include golf car, range balls and yardage book, but do not include sales tax.

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Golf can be a fickle master. Friday’s third round of the NCAA Division I Championship at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg, Virginia, was a tough one for the maroon and gold.

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