By Brenda Erdahl
Maple Lake High School junior Larson Melgaard earned a trip to the State Golf Tournament after an intense second day at the Section 5AA Playoffs that landed him in a shoot-off.
Melgaard and two of his teammates, Brayden Fobbe and Landon Salmela advanced to the second day of the two-day tournament at Pebble Creek early last week.
Melgaard shot a 79 on Thursday, May 30, but nerves set in on Monday, June 3 knowing what was on the line. Melgaard had set goals for himself early in the season and getting to state was at the top of the list.
“I think that’s why I didn’t play my best, I put so much pressure on myself,” he said.
The Irish junior had been shooting in the low 70s pretty much all season long until sections. On day two, the pressure set in even more.
“I was getting off the tee box well, but iron play was not its best and I had a lot of putts, but I scrapped and was able to pull it off,” he said.
Melgaard ended day two with an 81 to tie for fifth place with a golfer from Zimmerman. That sent the pair to a playoff hole.
“I knew I had to win, losing wasn’t an option this year,” he said.
Melgaard had gotten as far as the second day of the tournament before, but nerves always set in, and he never got as near to that coveted State berth as he’d wanted. But this time he was feeling confident. He had gotten this far and only needed to outshoot this one opponent on the par 4 hole.
Maple Lake junior Larson Melgaard finished fifth at the Section 5AA Playoffs for a trip to the State Golf Tournament this week.