CCC championship has extra (hole) drama

Taylor Sundbom won the Cloquet Invitational last weekend in dramatic fashion: a sudden death, one-hole playoff against old foe and longtime friend Alex Kolquist. He emerged as the victor of the 93rd annual Cloquet Country Club event. It was Sundbom's fifth championship.

With 180 players, plus family and curious onlookers, the club parking lot and adjacent streets in the neighborhood were overflowing with cars and fans following the tournament. Watching the Sunday afternoon championship foursome has become a tradition, with golf carts lining the fairways and forming a gallery.

WKLK radio personalities Dwight Cadwell and Brian Meisner followed the action on the course, reporting the leaders' shots and results from a golf cart. It is unique for a local amateur tournament. The last golf foursome started at 3 p.m. and the playoff didn't conclude until five-and-a-half hours later.

Sundbom won titles in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021. His brother, Trent Sundbom, won in 2014. Taylor Sundbom and Alex Kolquist have been competing against each other since they played together in junior golf tournaments and as teammates for the Hermantown Hawks.

Hermantown's Reed Kolquist, still a top competitor, holds the overall record with six invitational titles. His first victory was in 1990 and his most recent in 2005. His son, Alex, has two titles to his credit (2013 and 2020), and was runner-up last year by one stroke. Reed's brother, Lee, is a former champion as well (1981 and 1988).

When CCC president Rudolph Weyerhaeuser and golf expert Runcie Martin sent invitations to the first Cloquet Invitational in 1932, they hoped the tough and sporty golf course layout would draw the top golfers from Minnesota and Wisconsin. It did then, and it does now. Legend has it that Weyerhaeuser, the first club president, hired a meteorologist from the University of Minnesota to pick the likeliest, most golf-friendly summer days in Cloquet for the tournament. The week after the Fourth of July was chosen, and it certainly didn't disappoint this year, with sun and temperatures in the high 80s and low 90s.

The last Sunday afternoon foursome - those with the lowest two-day total - included medalist and two-day leader Spencer Hinrichs, Alex Kolquist, Dan Moline and Tanner Grimmius.

The eventual champ is usually found in this last grouping. Sundbom was in the next foursome. By his ninth hole, Kolquist was leading former champs Dan Moline and Trevor Sundbom by two strokes. Grimmius and Hinrichs had fallen back and Sundbom was having a sub-par round.

Dan Moline earned several opportunities on Cloquet's back nine to catch Kolquist, but was turned back by Kolquist's exceptional scrambling and putting ability. Standing on the tee on No. 17, Kolquist still led by two strokes. Then his drive went over trees and landed in a marsh and was unplayable. He dropped his ball, losing a stroke. Many thought he may have clinched the tourney when he hit a high, 155-yard shot within a yard of the pin. He made the putt, saving par and keeping his lead into the final hole.

Taylor Sundbom had birdied 18, so Kolquist, his lead cut to one, needed a par for victory. His tee shot landed in a precarious position in one of the well-bunkered final hole traps. With an uncomfortable stance, he could not chip directly at the pin. A bogie meant he and Sundbom had tied, forcing a playoff. The two had a three-day total of 216, three over par. Dan Moline was one under par for the day and finished third at 218.

In the playoff on the first hole, a 342-yard par 4, both Kolquist and Sundbom hit drives in the fairway. Kolquist hit first and went just past the back pin to the fringe. Sundbom hit to the middle of the green and putted first. He drained the putt for a birdie. Kolquist's tying attempt just missed.

Sundbom shot a final round 36 with birdies on 11, 13, and 18. For the past two years, before regaining his amateur status, Taylor had been trying to play on the Canadian professional golf circuit.

Top Cloquet finishers at the Cloquet Invitational were Karson Patton (fifth), Sam Baker (sixth), John Sheff (ninth) and Brett Morrison (12th).

In the Senior Championship, Shane Johnson was the winner by five strokes. Stu Plante was the top Cloquet scorer, finishing fourth.

Cloquet's Rick Nelson, Sundbom's grandfather and a member at CCC for over 60 years, said Taylor had to leave right after the invitational to play in the 121st Minnesota Gold Association Amateur Championship in Bloomington, Minnesota the next day, with an early tee time. He tied for 24th in that three-day tournament.

"I'm amazed, he shot a three-under-par the next morning, too," Nelson said.

Club manager Matt Carlson and superintendent Jud Crist were praised by participants and guests. The course was in beautiful condition.

"This is the greatest I've seen our greens," said 60-year CCC member Leon Molstad.

Crist's maintenance crew includes Craig Schauer, Todd Mclish, Freddy Pianalto, Brent Smith, Ryan Deshaw, Mike Holmen, Terry Spehar, Michelle Houston, Gaige Houston and Cindy Erickson.

Carlson said they got lots of compliments on the course and the service in the restaurant and pro shop, along with positive feedback about other changes.

"For me, as the new CCC manager, it was rewarding and fun to hear that message," Carlson said.