COON RAPIDS — In a field of more than 100 golfers, Community Christian senior Karl Chapin finished in a four-way tie for 65th place after shooting an 18-hole score of 83 during the Minnesota High School Boys Senior Golf Showcase on Tuesday from the Bunker Hills Golf Club.
“It was a lot of fun,” Chapin said. “I was a little bit nervous with the rain forecast, but it ended up being all clear for me. It started raining five minutes after I was done. It was a lot of fun, fun course to play.”
Minnetonka senior Gunnar Broin earned a two-shot victory after shooting a round of 67. Broin had four birdies, an eagle and a bogey.
On Wednesday, nine area players will tee off in the Girls Senior Showcase, also held at Bunker Hills. Those participants are: Abigail Mathiasen, of Willmar; Rachel Halvorson and Izabelle Stender from Lac qui Parle Valley; Jacquline Gossen and Greta Reichmann, of Minnewaska/Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa; and the BOLD foursome of Olivia Hanson, Lanie Mages, Makayla Snow and Ashley Trongard.
Teeing off on the par-72 course at 11 a.m., Chapin shot a 41 on the front nine and a 42 on the back nine. He put up a pair of birdies, but struggled on the 10 par-4s, posting a plus-8 on those holes.
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The senior’s best moments came early in his round after collecting two pairs and a birdie during a stretch from the third hole to the sixth. He nearly collected an eagle on the fourth hole, but settled for his birdie on the 470-yard par-5.
“I hit my driver into the trees, not really expecting much, but then I got up the ball and I had a shot at the green,” Chapin said. “I hit an awesome 3-wood to about 10 feet below the hole and just barely missed my eagle putt.”
The fairways at Bunker Hills are narrow, putting particular importance on tee and approach shots. While Chapin was able to execute that part of his game, he struggled with his putting. From the 14th hole to the 17th, the former CCS Eagle was a plus-5, including a double bogey on the 15th.
“I had a fantastic long game and wedges, but putting just wasn’t there,” Chapin said. “I had some of the best long game of my life, but the short game just didn’t add up in the end to (score) low.”
Finishing the par-4 18th with a par, Chapin’s performance was just below his goal entering the day, but he enjoyed the experience overall.
“I’m a super competitive guy, so I had an expectation that I wanted to go 80 or below,” Chapin said. “I didn’t quite get it, but it was a good day and a good score.”
