Jenkins wins sixth Vandersluis championship

BEMIDJI – Tom Jenkins won his first Vandersluis title in 2002. Monday at the Bemidji Town and Country Club the Bemidji native and current resident of Plymouth claimed his sixth tournament championship and he did it in style.
In Saturday’s first round Jenkins carded the low round with a 69. Sunday he was the only man on the course to break par as he finished at 1-under-71.
Monday Jenkins duplicated that performance and he shared the low round of the day with Lee Hetletved of Grand Forks.
Jenkins’ 5-under-par total for 54 holes dominated the field. Hetletved, who played with Jenkins in Monday’s final foursome, was a very distant runnerup at 76-73-71-220.
Jenkins’ Vandersluis resume includes titles in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009. Last year he shot 212 and was second to Bruce Hegland of Apple Valley who finished at 211.
Hegland tied for fourth this fall with rounds of 73-77-73-223. Claiming third was Toby Palmiscno of Bemidji who shot 74-72-76-222.
Completing the top 10 were Jeff Peltier of Bemidji (223), 2012 Birchmont champion Josh Bergrud of Grand Forks (228), John Mark Brown of Yoakum, Texas (229), Jeffrey Cannon of New Hope (229), Kevin Krigbaum of Bemidji (230), Nathan Olson of East Grand Forks (230) and Steven Young of LaSalle, Manitoba (230).
The Men’s Championship division attracted 53 golfers.
Senior Championship
Curt Howard of Sapulpa, Okla. trailed Michael Sansom of Grand Forks by a shot heading into Monday’s final round and was in the final group along with Brent Armstrong of Winnipeg and Greg Tighe of Fort Frances who also owned 151s heading into Monday.
By the end of the day, however, Howard was standing above the rest as he shot a 2-under-par 70 to overtake Sansom and claim the championship with rounds of 77-74-70-221.
Ray Sauer, who was the defending senior champion, also did well Monday, shooting a 74 and vaulting into second place at 76-76-74-226.
Armstrong finished in third at 227 while Sansom shot 79 on Monday and slipped into fourth at 229.
Also placing in the top 10 were Bill Zeweniuk of Winnipeg (229), Glen Hasselberg of Staples (230), John Wangberg of Bemidji (232), Greg Ross of Fort Frances (233), Tighe (233), Chris Chmielewski of Winnipeg (234) and Charlie Peterka of Little Falls (234).

2012 Vandersluis
Top 10 Finishers
Men’s Championship
Tom Jenkins (Plymouth)69-71-71-211
Lee Hetletved (G.Forks)76-73-71-220
Toby Palmiscno (Bem)74-72-76-222
Bruce Hegland (A.Valley)73-77-73-223
Jeff Peltier (Bem)74-76-73-223
Josh Bergrud (G.Forks)71-82-75-228
John Brown (Texas)77-75-77-229
Jeff Cannon (New Hope)75-78-76-229
Kevin Krigbaum (Bem)71-80-79-230
Nathan Olson (EGF)73-82-75-230
Steve Young (Manitoba)77-73-80-230

Senior Championship
Curt Howard (Okla.)77-74-70-221
Ray Sauer (St. Cloud)76-76-74-226
B. Armstrong (Winnipeg)74-77-76-227
Michael Sansom (GF)75-75-79-229
B.Zeweniuk (Winnipeg)75-79-75-229
G.Hasselberg (Staples)77-75-78-230
John Wangberg (Bem)79-75-78-232
Greg Ross (Ft. Frances)81-73-79-233
Greg Tighe (Ft. Frances)76-75-82-233
C.Chmielewski (Win.)77-79-78-234
C.Peterka (L.Falls)74-79-81-234