Martin upsets Knoop after 13 years away

WASAGAMING — Kurt Martin’s first trip to Clear Lake Golf Course was a coincidence that became a tradition.

It nearly resulted in a Tamarack golf tournament title, but for 13 years, the left-handed Texan put that idea to bed.

However, Martin returned for the first time since 2013 and defeated the 2024 champion, Chris Knoop, on the first playoff hole on Tuesday. He’s three wins away from getting over the hump after reaching the final on multiple occasions, including 1997 when he lost to Ken Stadnek and 2005, when Brad Clement beat him.

“Chris was an incredible player and really nice guy too. It feels great to win,” Martin said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been here and I spent most of the day in the moment.”

Martin first heard about the Tamarack through his college teammate, Tom Ralph. The two played NCAA Division I golf together at the University of Texas San Antonio and roomed together.

Ralph stood up in Martin’s wedding, and Martin was Ralph’s best man around 1992. The ceremony just so happened to line up with Tamarack week, and Martin immediately became hooked on the tournament.

He had tried to play pro golf for about 10 months after his college career, but had a realization.

“They are way better than I ever was,” he chuckled.

“I got a job in the alcoholic beverage industry … 34 years of that, retired three years ago, moved out to the suburbs.”

Martin and his wife kept coming back every summer until 2005, when she passed away.

“It was her favourite vacation,” Martin said. “I got to play five or six rounds of golf, so it was my favourite vacation too.”

He took a break until 2012, when he brought his children along. But after the 2013 event, the timing no longer worked out with their school starting.

This year, his daughter had a kid and has been off work, freeing them up to make the trip from Houston.

And for the most part, the 61-year-old hasn’t missed a beat.

Martin made six birdies in the first round of qualifying, posting 3-over 75. He eagled the par-4 eighth hole en route to a 72 on Sunday to reach the championship flight as the No. 15 seed, then had his driver working in Tuesday’s match right from the get-go.

He drove the first green to set up a birdie. Then, already 3 up through seven holes, he used it again to leave himself five feet for eagle on the eighth. However, Knoop bounced his approach shot off the flagstick for a tap-in birdie.

“That kind of rattled me a little bit,” Martin said.

After Martin missed the eagle bid, Knoop played the next 10 holes 2 under to force a playoff.

His driver finally hurt him on 18, not because he hit it poorly, but too well. He had just 36 yards left for his second shot, with little to no chance of stopping the ball near the hole.

Knoop won the hole, sending them back to the 18th tee for the playoff. This time, Martin laid back with a five-wood, then wedged it to three feet to set up the match-sealing birdie.

While Martin battled through 19 holes, a few matches didn’t come close to that level of drama, including that of his quarterfinal opponent, Nolan Tutkaluk.

“I played ridiculously well,” Tutkaluk said after shaking hands with Dustin Schneider on the 12th green.

“I hit 12 greens in regulation; I had five birdies and seven pars. I didn’t give Dustin much of a chance. He played well, with the exception of a two- or three-hole stretch, but it was simply that I made birdie. I made birdie, I made birdie, I made birdie.”

The other quarterfinal on their half of the draw features Kody Fawcett and Joel Matthews, after Fawcett dropped Christian Laughland 7 and 5, and Matthews defeated Brad Pardy 1 up.

On the top half of the bracket, Lars Johnston ousted Carson Adams 4 and 3, while Dustin Dyck dropped Josh McPhail 5 and 4.

Jason Thorpe defeated Bryce Evason 2 and 1, and defending champion Grady Chuback downed medallist Marcus Friess 1 up.

Chuback’s turning point wasn’t until the 16th hole. After he missed a three-footer to the match and watched Friess seemingly drive the 16th green, he knew he needed a great shot and delivered.

“I thought, ‘Oh man, this guy hit it to three feet, and I was probably shaking in my boots a little bit on the tee, but driving up there and seeing my shot 10 feet from the pin was relieving,” Chuback said.

It turned out Friess hit it long and didn’t get up and down for birdie.

Then, Chuback nearly aced the 17th hole and made his birdie to go up one, then closed it out on the 18th.

Both started red-hot and stumbled late in the round.

“It was a monkey see, monkey do situation where we would copy each other, make bogey, make double, make birdie, whatever it was,” Chuback said.

“I had a lot of fun playing him and I really enjoyed the day.”

The men start on the 10th tee on Thursday afternoon.

MEN’S SCRAMBLE QUARTERS SET

In the men’s scramble division, medallists Dave Newman and Scott Kozoroski beat Brett Klassen and Justin Will, while Garry Hargreaves and Harbinger Benning beat Chad Cumming and Jordan Ludwig.

Jarod and P.J. Crane defeated Mark Odut and Lance Delamare to face Jared Jacobson and Jordan Trotter, who beat Kevin Hooke and Dan Murray.

Riese Gaber and Scott McCallum topped Chad Deprez and Lance Prytula, while Devon LeBlanc and Adam Sefton defeated Tim McLachlan and Chris Fortier.

Mark Agnew and Jeremy Marvin ousted Steve Desroches and Jake Wiens, while Chris Bridges and Derek Cantlon knocked out Ethan Guthrie and Nolan Slate.

LOOKING AHEAD

Today’s championship flight matches start with the master’s men’s division, as Chris Patrick plays Darren Graves, Darren Penny takes on Murray Lindenberg, Dale Murray faces Rod Klassen and Jack McDiarmid draws Rod Lindenberg.

They start on the first hole at 9:16 a.m.

The juniors start on the first hole at 2 p.m., with Hunter Oakden playing Brody Pomeroy and Brayden Hamm facing Jewel Lafleche. On the bottom half, Jaxon Jacobson plays Cash McCallum, while Connor O’Greysik squares off with Soren Milne.

The ladies scramble championship flight starts on the 10th hole at 2 p.m.

Karla Dane and Cindy Nylen play Nadine Falk and Rhonda Ritchie. Jen Thiessen and Lana Dubois take on Jody Bieber and Jayne Troop.

Tia Coulter and Alexa Hutsal face Cheryl Bartel and Andrea Guthrie.

Dorelle Fulton and Landis Matthews face Lynda Lowry and Janice Meadows.

The senior men’s division starts on the first hole at 12:30 p.m., as George Panagiotou plays Paul Crane, Emmett Elves takes on Eugene Hodgson, Glen Parker faces Phil Cels and Larrie Kidd plays Dean Murray.

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com