In the team competition, professional Aaron McClay’s team of Steensland, Skarda and Johnson took the 2010 title by shooting -63. Ensrud, Klein, Bienash and Passe took second at -54, while Snyder, Grove, LeRoy and Schouweiler took third at -50.

The original starting times were scrapped after more than an hour long rain delay Friday morning. The event was converted to a shotgun start, with a morning group going off at 10:00a.m., and an afternoon session starting at approximately 4:00p.m. Borgen and his team took to a damp, but playable Southview Country Club course in the morning session and proceeded to charge to the front of the pack. His one bogey was easily offset by 6 birdies and good enough for a round of 66. The difference between Borgen and John Carlson, was one more bogey on Carlson’s card.

In the team event, the group led by Sundance professional Aaron McClay set the pace early going 21 under par. The groups “A” player is Ryan Steensland, member of the 2009 winning team. Steensland is playing under difficult circumstances, just five days removed from the passing of his 7 year old son who died of an a rare form of cancer on Sunday. His group, however, rallied and held the lead until completion of the afternoon session. Andy Paulson (University of Minnesota) and his group equaled McClay’s foursome, creating a tie after the first round.

The forecast calls for afternoon rain on Saturday, but after the soggy first round conditions, nothing should catch this group by surprise.

And while shots like that will make you a legend, Tentis points out that there are many other legendary aspects to the tournament, such as the level of competition, the comradery of the players and the generosity of the supporters.

“I grew up watching coverage of the Tapemark on T.V,” says Tentis, “so when I turned pro it just seemed natural that I would play in it. This tournament always seemed to have such a wonderful spirit and I wanted to be a part of that.”

Now having played in over 20 tournaments, having won four times, and having created a name for himself with that notorious shot on #9, Tentis finds the most enjoyable part of the tournament just getting to play.

“This is a competitive tournament, and there is no doubt that everyone there is there to play,” he says. “But we all know the real reason for this tournament is help people and that’s what makes it so special.”

Southview golf professional Phil Anderson dropping off donation for Arc's Value Village Store in St Paul.

At the close of the golf season, Anderson takes all his remaining clothing stock from his pro shop and donates it to Arc’s Value Village. In 2009, that donation amounted to $6,170 of brand new golf apparel. In the last two years, Anderson has donated more than $15,400 worth of clothing to Arc’s Value Village Thrift Stores & Donation Centers. Pam Carlson, director of community relations,  Arc Greater Twin Cities, lauded Anderson for his contribution. “This is easily one of the biggest individual donations of clothing we receive each year, and it’s all new, so it’s in great condition.”
 
“I believe that people with disabilities deserve a good quality of life,” Anderson said while making his donation at the new Arc Value Village store on the east side of St Paul. “I know how important the Tapemark charities are to them, and that these organizations continue to have their budgets cut. This is something I can do to help.” To anyone who knows Phil, his generosity and commitment are not surprising. Philip Callen, president of the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am sees this first-hand. “We know from working closely with him that Phil spends a great deal of time in the off-season thinking up ways to make the Tapemark a better golf event and a better fundraiser.” Apparently, it’s a full-time job.
 
Arc’s Value Village Thrift Stores carry gently used and new clothing and household items at locations in St Paul, Richfield, Brooklyn Center and New Hope. All proceeds from the stores benefit the programs and services of Arc Greater Twin Cities, a Tapemark Pro-Am benefiting agency supporting people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Visit them at www.arcsvaluevillage.org or at www.facebook.com/arcsvaluevillage.

Carlson has taken home the $5100 first place check in the last two years at the Tapemark. His fifteen-under par total won in 2007, then he followed with another three stroke victory (at -13) last year.

This is a unique experience for John primarily because he does not often play tournaments in the metro area. He also enjoys the people, “The Tapemark tournament has a great mix of Minnesota natives as well as nationwide professionals teaming up with amateurs for a fun and charitable experience. Tapemark seems to get the best players from the state and it also gets quite a few of our mini-tour and Nationwide tour players to come back and play.”

Out of all the tournaments in the state, John ranks it among the top three. But it is not just the quality of the tournament that places it that high, it is also the experience, “When you’re walking around with a hundred or two hundred people watching the last couple days that’s a whole lot different than any other tournament. The players rate this tournament very highly.”

What does the course do for John as a player? “I probably drive the ball as straight as anyone, and I hit it plenty far, and that gives me advantage over the guys that don’t hit their tee ball quite as straight. It seems that I have got the ball in the right positions on the green so that I can make aggressive putts … those Southview greens can get pretty quick.”

It’s not just the friendly atmosphere that keeps Carlson coming back to the Tapemark. “It’s always easy to come back to the course that you score in the sixties in almost every round I’ve ever played there.” But beyond the results, the tournament is all about having a good time. Over the years he has met some great players, volunteers, and fans. “I’ve played with Fred Boos who is known around the Tapemark for being one of the really fun guys and since then, I’ve had a pretty good friendship with him. I have been able to go up to his beautiful cabin up at Grandview Lodge.” Other amateurs have made the tournament a great experience for John as well. “Last year I played with Mike Opitz from Edina Country Club who is a real character, [and] on the last green Opitz told me that he was going to have a group bear hug with me and he wasn’t kidding. My partners just came running over to me after I made the putt and just engulfed me, these huge guys in front of all those people, that was pretty good.”

John also holds the amateur contribution fairly high, “I think the professionals who think that the amateurs mess them up should take a good look at themselves. They should really thank the amateurs because they really add to our purse, they really add to the fun of the event. If they weren’t there, then it would be just another Pro series event in the state which offers a small purse, and not a whole lot of camaraderie.”

Like many of the players, volunteers and sponsors in the event, John has a personal reason for being a part of the Tapemark Pro-Am every year, “I have an aunt that works closely with people with mental disabilities, and that’s another reason why I come back and play. This cause rings pretty close to my family.”

Birdies were in ample supply on Sunday, as they had been all weekend. Near perfect playing conditions and the strongest Tapemark professional field ever led to record low scores, and one look at Sorenson’s cards for the weekend bears this out. He carded 17 birdies and three eagles over the three days, but his most important birdie may have been his prettiest. On his final hole of the day, Sorenson’s approach shot on the par-four ninth green hit the green less than a foot right of the hole, hopped straight left over the cup, and settled just left of the hole leaving him an easy birdie putt to secure the lead and his eventual title. But Wynia, who also posted 17 birdies over the weekend, was not to be outdone. His approach shot settled less than 5 feet from the cup, but directly above the cup on the steep slope of the ninth green, and the succeeding tricky putt just missed the left side of the cup.

The course at Southview was in peak condition and set for good scores, with beneficial pin placements and reachable greens. Southview’s greens are notoriously hard to read, with dramatic slopes and some that are less easily seen. But the strong pro field went to work immediately on Friday as Chris Borgen, Rodney Cook, Tom Dolby, David Morgan, and Andy Paulson all shot six-under 65 to tie for the lead. They didn’t distance themselves from their fellow competitors as Wynia, Ben Meyers, Clayton Rask, Mario Tiziani all shot 66 to remain one stroke behind the leaders. Saturday’s second round play was no different, as 18 players broke 70. David Morgan shot ahead to a three stroke lead with his second 65 of the weekend, leading Sorenson, Wynia, and Dave Tentis by three strokes going into Sunday’s final round.

Curt Schnell of Okoboji View GC in Iowa was the Frank Freer Senior Pro champion, finishing at six-under. He edged 1997 Tapemark champion Mike Barge of Hazeltine by two strokes.

Tom Lehman
Tom Lehman from Alexandria, Minn., winner of the 1990 Tapemark Charity Pro-Am (-12): “I remember winning the Tapemark in ’90 very clearly. I won in a playoff on the second extra hole. I also remember the Pro-Am very specifically because it was just a few weeks after our first child was born. I remember her fitting into the little trophy I had won,” said Lehman.

Taking the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am trophy was one of Lehman’s first victories. He went on to become a major force on the professional circuit, compiling more than 23 professional wins, including five on the PGA Tour. In 1996, he won the British Open, the PGA Tour Championship and was named the PGA Player of the Year. He is currently 19th on the alltime PGA money list, with more than $20.3 million in overall winnings.

A Minnesota native, Lehman now resides in Arizona. He still plays several events on the PGA tour and is planning on playing in the PGA Champions tour. Of the Tapemark, he remembered, “It was always a tournament that those who were really serious about golf, especially the professionals, played in. People didn’t skip it. And they still don’t skip it. That says it all.”

Rives McBee
Rives McBee from Las Colinas, Texas, winner of the 1981 Tapemark (-10): “I played pretty well that year, but I have to admit that I had the tourna- ment handed to me when David Haberle missed a real short putt on the second playoff hole. I remember that missed putt, but what I really remember is all the great people up in Minnesota asso- ciated with the Tapemark. It really was a marvelous tournament, run by a bunch of people who all pitched in and ran a really first-class golf event,” said McBee.

McBee played in the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am three times in the late seventies. He took over The Sports Club in Irving, Texas in 1981, where the Byron Nelson PGA event was held in those days. “I left that club a few years later, then I joined the Senior PGA Tour,” he said. “I was fortunate, I played pretty well out there and I made enough money to put a few bucks away and eventually retire.” McBee actually won three times on the Senior Tour, in addition to three second-place finishes.

McBee is now retired, living in Irving. “I take care of my yard and my grandson now,” he said. “Say hello to all the Tapemark people for me.”

Joel Goldstrand
Joel Goldstrand from Worthington, Minn., winner of the 1980 Tapemark Charity Pro-Am (-7): “I played in the Tapemark every year, and I won it in 1980. My tee shot on the last hole landed about two feet from the hole and made birdie to win the tourna- ment,” said Goldstrand. “I remember the Tapemark was always well attended, a good test and a well-run tournament. It was one of the largest in the state.”

Goldstrand became a golf pro at Minneapolis Golf Club in 1973 after a year on the PGA tour. After winning the Tapemark, he went on to take the Minnesota State Open in 1986.

He left the club in 1990 to go into golf course design full-time, and has since designed courses in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North and South Dakota.

After taking some time off from golf in the ‘90s, Goldstrand now plays once or twice a week with a group of life-long friends, including a high school teammate and one he has known since age six.