Tuesday May 9, Bluejay varsity golf competed at Wausau Country Club for the 4th leg of the Valley conference tournament. Merrill would go on to place 7th with a score of 375.
Medalists included Wausau East’s Matt Tuman (76), Stevens Point’s Charlie O’Kray (77), Wausau West’s Josh Yang and D.C Everest’s Mike Schmidt with 78.
Leading the way for Merrill was Russell Dettmering who stumbled a little, finishing eighth for the day with an 82. Despite his round, Russell took the bad with the good and hung on to a top-three individual conference standing. Other Bluejay scores were Hunter Wallace (84), Nick Roman (101), Carson Baguhn (105), and Mitchael Cammack (107).
On Friday May 11, the ‘Jays traveled to SPASH to play the currently under-construction Stevens Point Country Club. While playing nine holes twice around, SPASH golfers continued their fine play with a winning score of 319, followed by Wausau West at 328, Wausau East (336), Marshfield (342), Wisconsin Rapids (349), D.C Everest (362) and Merrill (375). Individual medalists included Matt Tuman who achieved a score of 76 from Wausau East and Ben Langlois from Wausau West. West’s Josh Yang and Max Bancher, Stevens Point’s Evan Thomas and Merrill’s Russ Dettmering finished the day at 78. Other Merrill scores included Wallace (91), Roman (100), Cammack (106) and aguhn at 112.
Golfers on the upswing at home invite
On the morning of Saturday May 12, the Merrill Public Golf Club hosted the 10th annual Merrill Bluejay Invitational Meet, a two-man best ball team event and also featuring a team event.
Taking home the crown in the team event was the Lakeland Thunderbirds with a team score of 330, followed by Wausau East (331) and Merrill with a third place finish at 335.
The individual medalist competition found a couple spectacular rounds led by Dettmering with a six-under 66. Tuman followed at 71, while Wallace finished strong at 76. The two-man best ball however is the featured event for the day; winning in record breaking fashion was the team of Dettmering and Wallace with a sizzling nine-under-par 63, which was highlighted by Dettmering’s hole in one on the par three 13th hole.
“What a day that was,” comments Bluejay head coach Joe Mertens. “The top four Bluejay golfers all played their best games of the season and what a time to do it at their own 10-team invitational. In addition to Russell and Hunter with 66 and 76 respectively, Nick Roman posted his first sub-100 round of 94 as did Mitchael Cammack with 99 for a team best score of 335 and third place finish.
“The big news was Russell and Hunter’s spectacular performance individually and as a best ball team,” Mertens added. “Their nine-under-par best ball from the blue tees beat the previous Bluejay invite best ball record by six shots. Russell’s round was truly remarkable, not only did it include a hole in one that flew directly into the 13th hole, but included seven additional birdies and three bogies.
“Russell’s 66 bested the invites previous 10-year medalist best by four shots. All in all it was a great day for the Bluejay golfers and well deserved. They have been working hard and that day’s success was long in coming.”