Jahnke, field ready to test itself

Date: July 19, 2013

GOLF: WISCONSIN STATE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Jahnke, field ready to test itself

Kewaskum native wants to put 2010 behind him

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
Daily News Sports Editor

Kewaskum’s Jason Jahnke got a rude awakening in the 2010 Wisconsin State Amateur Championship at The Bull in Sheboygan Falls.
It was his first State Amateur. He thought he had a chance of at least making the cut.
“I thought my swing was there,” Jahnke said. “I learned my lesson.”
In the first round, Jahnke had a rough three-hole swing toward the end of his round, shooting 7-over par. Before that, he was 1-under through 13 holes. He finished with an 8-over 80. In the second round, he shot a 19-over 91.
“Back then, I don’t think my mental game was fully developed,” Jahnke said. “You’ve got to let mistakes go. I was still struggling with it. Now you make a bad hole, you move on.”
The next week, on the same course, Jahnke shot a 75 and qualified for the Wisconsin State Open.
“I feel like I can play with the top players in the state,” Jahnke said. “It’s a matter of putting it all together.”
Jahnke, 25, a 2006 Kewaskum High School graduate, and a field of 179 other golfers will try to do the same beginning Monday with the 112th Wisconsin State Amateur Championship at The Bog in Saukville.
The tournament returns to The Bog for the first time since 2004. In that tournament, Pat Boyle overcame a seven-shot deficit to win the tournament in a one-hole playoff over Jeff Kaiser.
“You get the best players in the state,” Jahnke said. “It shows you where you sit as a player and how good you are and what level you’re at.”
There will be plenty of players to watch in a tournament that’s featured some of the state’s best golfers. Past winners include Steve Stricker (1985), Skip Kendall (1987), Mark Wilson (1996) and two-time U.S. Open champion Andy North (1969).
Brady Strangstalien is the defending champion, but is not scheduled to compete.
One player to watch will be Jordan Niebrugge of Mequon. Niebrugge is the 114th-ranked player in the World Amateur Rankings. He will try to become the third golfer in state history to win the State Open, the State Amateur and the State Match Play titles, joining Kendall and Wilson.
Niebrugge is believed to be the youngest State Open champion in the modern era. He was 18 at the time.
Niebrugge is currently in the quarterfinals of the USGA Amateur Public Links Championship in Virginia. Brookfield’s Kyle Henning is also in the quarterfinals and will compete at the State Amateur.
A player from The Bog will not compete, making Jason Samuelian in 1992 as the last player to win the State Amateur on his home course.
Out of Washington County, five players will compete in the tournament: Jahnke, Phillip Johnson (Colgate), Mike McDonald (West Bend), Jason Rosenfeldt (Germantown) and Jake Schmitt (Hartford).
McDonald is the 2011 State Amateur champion.
In addition, four players from outside of the county but with county-course affiliations will compete in the tournament: Jacob Mayer (Hartland, Washington County GC), Mitch McGuire (Rubicon, West Bend CC), Matthew McIntosh (Hartland, Washington County GC) and Sam Weber (Hartland, Washington County GC).
Jahnke is prepared for his second State Amateur.
“I feel more excited than anything,” he said. “I feel like my game is ready.”
Jahnke’s had a good summer. In May, he won the WSGA Match Play qualifier at Mee-Kwon Park Golf Course, shooting a 3-over 73. He finished tied for ninth at the WSGA State Amateur qualifier at the Hartford Golf Club with an evenpar 72.
“When I won that, it was an awakening,” Jahnke said. “It made me feel like something’s coming together. Like I turned over a new leaf in my golf game.”
Jahnke played a practice round Wednesday at The Bog, designed by seven-time majors champion Arnold Palmer and opened in 1995. Jahnke was happy with his even-par 72 round.
Jahnke last played at The Bog as a junior golfer about eight years ago. He didn’t remember much about the course, except for one factor.
“There are a lot more blind tee shots than I remember,” he said.
“I should be able to make the cut without struggling,” he added. “My head feels really clear. I think I’m prepared and ready. My game has come around this summer. The last couple rounds I’ve been even par or 2-under. I feel good.
“I don’t think my game is quite developed (to win). I should make it within the top 30.”