NEW ULM — With a final score of 133, the team of Jack Holm, Hunter Bode, Nick Taralson, Rick Kamm and Randy Wiltscheck took home first place at the 2024 Schell’s Bottle Cap Open Monday at the New Ulm Country Club.

The win came as a surprise to the team, three of whom had left before their first-place finish was announced.

“Generally speaking you have to shoot 10 under or better,” Bode said. “At nine under, we just thought we’d be out of the race. They said we won a scorecard playoff because we pared five. As the scrambles and the individuals, we did it.”

The team battled through a hot and muggy day, as the high temperature was 97 degrees in New Ulm on Monday. Despite that, the team put together what they described as a very fun round of golf.

“It was a roller coaster,” Wiltscheck said of the round. “We couldn’t do good, we couldn’t do bad. But everybody was together.”

I think we all had a great time,” Bode said. “Everybody communicated well.”

The experience of the group varied, with Kamm participating in his second Schell’s Bottle Cap Opener and Holm coming in with over 15 years of tournament rounds. Holm was the only on of the group to have won the Schell’s Bottle Cap Opener before, taking home top prize in 2010.

The team all pitched in on the round, with Bode and Holm splitting the course in half with their play.

“Hunter carried us in the front, and I carried us in the back nine,” Holm said. “It was a tale of two nines. I used eight of nine of mine in the back, and Hunter, we used seven of nine of his on the front.”

Hole 14 was the standout hole for the group.

“I made a putt from of the green for birdie for net-one,” Holm said. “And these guys hit a heck of a par, so that was a net four. That was probably our best hole. That was our only two-under hole for the day.”

The pairing of Holm and Bode also placed second in the low best ball with a 60.

Coming in second place were Justin Weinberg, Tom Steinback, Jim Gibbons, Joe Eckstein and Randy Horsejsi with a 134, while Terry O’Donnell, Tom Portner, Bruce Hendrycks, Jim Schmidt and Ray Koberg placed third with a 134. Bob Roth, John Wolkerstorfer, Duncan Larson, Jacob Haag and Jess Condes took fourth with a 135, and Travis Thorson, Nate Neubauer, Scott Arlandson, Brian Runningen and Karl Enzler took fifth witha 135. In sixth were Steve Pribyl, Jim Hannegan, Kelly Dalton, Randy Cole and Shannon Smith with a 136, and in seventh were Ed Sexe, John Eichten, Mike Bornhoft, Joe Slander and Tom Schaefer with a 136. Larry Hahka, Dave Peterson, Matt Schuetzle, Mark Peterson and Kyle Marti took eighth with a 137, and Brodie Raymond, Brand Johannes, Mark Newman, Marie Hart and Eric Bode placed ninth with a 137.

Low best ball went to Justin Weinberg and Tom Steinbach with a 58, while third was taken by Ryan Domeier and Taylor Hayenga with a 61. Placing first in low scramble were Matt Schuetzle, Mark Peterson and Kyle Marti with a 67, while Duncan Larson, Jacob Haag and Jess Cordes tied for second with terry Steinbach, Mike Bode and Mark Windschitl.

The New Ulm Country Club also hosted the Schell’s Bottle Opener on Sunday. In first place were Tom Steinbach, Rick Hulke, Leon Kettner, Marie Hort and Mary Hulke with a 55.6, while Tom Portner, Curt Van Asten, Jon Hunstad, David Vowerk and Conner Portner placed second with a 56. In third place with a 57.8 were Jared Zuhlsdorf, Paul Roberts, ian Kjelsus, Jess Cordes and Shannon Smith, while Justin Weinberg, Tim Kreiser, Eric Bode, Kyle Marti and Marti Franz with a 58.6. Coming in fifth place were Todd McKeeth, Jerry boddy, Dee Boddy, Don Olson and Shannon McKeeth with a 58.8, and in sixth place were Monte Mildenberg, Josh Holm, Wyatt Peterson, Janis Holm and Javen Munce with a 58.8. In seventh place were Larry Hahka, Jim Gibbons, Joe Eckstein, Jay Longhenry and Dean Risus with a 59, followed by Sue Prunty, Steve Prunty, Travis Thorson, Liz Thorson and Mark Windschitl in eighth with a 60.1. Rounding it out in ninth with a 60.7 were Isaac Eckroth, Dean Warta, Gail Holm, Duane Ristau and Tom Schaefer.