Schell’s Bottle Cap Open crowns new winners in 26th year
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NEW ULM -- The New Ulm Country Club concluded its 26th annual Schell's Bottle Cap Open Tournament on Monday, with Scott Mickelson, Matt Ness, Mike Bornhoft, Marie Hort and Don Olson taking home first place.
The team shot a 128 on the day. It was the first time winning the tournament for much of the team, with the exception of Olson, who has participated in every tournament since its inception and has won a handful of times.
"It's a great group," Ness said. "We were like family. We had fun."
The group agreed that the people and the format were highlights of the tournament for them. Olson, 92, said that he's a regular at every tournament at the New Ulm Country Club.
"It's something I do," he said. "I participate in all the tournaments that the club has. I play the B&L, this one, the Pro-Am. I just play tournaments."
Mickelson had a strong open to the tournament for the group, while Ness came on strong later. Bornhoft, Hort and Olson contributed with strong drives and critical putts.
"These guys played great," Ness said. "Marie had some awesome holes, Don is lights out -- 92 years old, he is a stick. He's a great ball player. Mike had some great tee shots and he had a couple putts that were great. Everybody just clicked.
"We had a good time as a group, and I'm thankful for being able to golf with Don and Marie and Mike and Scotty. We had a good time."
Bob Roth, Tim Rahe, Leon Kettner, David Vorwerk and Jeff Schone took second in the tournament with a score of 130, while Hunter Bode, Brian Patterson, Scott Lambrecht, Lou Geistfeld and Gary Kruggel placed third with a 133. Fourth place was Josh Sabatino, Steve Prunty, Gregg Holm, Ray Koberg Sr. and Dan Risius with a 135, while Matt Fischer, Jerry Boddy, Nick Taralson, Brian Deinken and Neil Herzog shot a 135 for fifth place. In sixth were Todd McKeeth, Tony Sowder, Shane Strack, Shannon Smith and Steve Quiring with a 135, while A 136 got Jeff Ferrell, Jon Hunstad, Chad Schmidt, Eric Converse and Jim Schmidt seventh place. Mathias Eichten, Nate Neubauer, Bill Hutchinson, Kevin Bassett and Mike Thunander placed eighth with a 136. Ties were broken with a scorecard playoff starting with the fifth hole.
Also in the tournament, Bode and Patterson took first in low best ball with a 57, with Mickelson and Ness placing second (59) and Sabatino and Prunty taking third (61). In the low scramble, Adam Johnston, Kale Marti and Jackie Schuetzle placed first (69), with Bornhoft, Hort and Olson placing second (69) and Kettner, Schone and Vorwerk finishing third (69). Mike Thunander had the longest put on Hole 9, Randy Kirchberg was closest to the pin on Hole 10, and Marti had the longest drive on Hole 18.