PREP BOYS' GOLF: Eisenmenger continues hot streak with medalist honors

WORTHINGTON — It has been one heck of a week on the golf course for Adam Eisenmenger.

The Windom junior had already won Monday’s Southwest Conference tournament at Worthington Country Club and recorded his first ever hole-in-one while playing with his brothers in Windom on Wednesday before even stepping onto the first tee on Thursday for the Section 3A South golf meet at Prairie View Golf Links.

His round of 75 on Thursday gave him his second tournament victory of the week and helped the Eagles secure one of two available team slots for Wednesday’s section tournament in Marshall.

“I was feeling really good going into the round, but I actually started out pretty bad,” Eisenmenger said. “I was four-over after four holes and (double bogeyed) one of them there. I was able to come back and go even the rest of the round with one bogey and one birdie.”

Eisenmenger won by two strokes over Westbrook-Walnut Grove seniors Jared Lindaman and Aaron Theisen, who both fired rounds of 77.

W-WG’s Dana Madson finished fourth with a 78 as the Chargers won the team title with a score of 318 to earn the other team berth for sectionals. Taylor Lindaman rounded out the team score with an 86.

“We’ve had six golfers that have been golfing pretty well,” Theisen said. “Our top four have come along at the end. We’re starting to play our best right now, so that’s good.”

Theisen said that he was hoping simply to contend for the top five in the tournament, though he knew after his first hole that he was probably in for a good day.

“I knew after the first hole I had a shot because I made a 40-foot birdie putt, and I knew it might go my way after that,” Theisen said. “I was just hoping to put a solid round together and see what happens.”

After making the turn in 40 (the boys started on the back nine), Theisen made a five-foot downhill birdie putt on No. 1, but a couple of lip-outs — including one for birdie on his last hole — kept him from finishing strongly enough to catch Eisenmenger.

“I putted amazing today, probably the best I’ve putted all year,” Theisen said. “There were a couple of putts and chips where I felt I should have had them, but I was satisfied with the way I played today.”

Eisenmenger was playing in the same group as Jared Lindaman, the two golfers pushing each other all the way through the round.

“It was pretty close between us all round,” Eisenmenger said. “I like it because it kind of pushes you to keep going. You don’t ever take a hole off, it keeps you concentrated. He happened to have one (double bogey) and that’s kind of where I took the advantage. But he was playing solid all day.”

After his hole-in-one on No. 7 at Windom Country Club on Wednesday — an eight-iron that bounced twice before finding the bottom of the cup — Eisenmenger almost drained another long shot on No. 17, nestling a shot from 88 yards out to around five inches from the hole.

Windom made it a battle for W-WG to take the team title on the day, finishing only six strokes behind the Chargers with a score of 324.

Thomas Elness had a fifth-place finish for the Eagles with a round of 80, Landon Johnson carded an 84 and Jesse Grove rounded out the team score with an 85.

Eisenmenger has been to sectionals the past two years, but has never been able to play some of his best golf at the tournament.

He is hoping his recent success will carry on to next Wednesday.

“It definitely helps having a successful week, I just hope I can keep it going through sections,” Eisenmenger said. “The last two years I kind of struggled there, so I’m hoping I can put a good round in.”

W-WG has had its sights set on making it to state all season long, and they will fulfill that goal if the team can continue its recent good form and win sectionals.

The Chargers have no shortage of experience playing at sectionals, and as a senior Theisen is hoping this is finally the year the team makes it through.

“If we can come in with four scores in the 70s or one in the 80s we should have a good shot of contending there at least,” Theisen said. “We’ll just hopefully give it our best effort. I don’t think our golf team’s ever been to state, so to get to state would be pretty amazing.”

In addition to the Windom and Westbrook-Walnut Grove golfers, 10 individuals earned a place at sectionals: Mountain Lake Christian’s Aaron Wazlak (81), Southwest Christian’s Monte DeKam (81), Fulda’s Mitch Baumhoefner (82), Todd Peterson (89) and Cole Dierks (89), Hills-Beaver Creek’s Caleb Schroer (86), Red Rock Central’s Jordan Smith (87), Tyler Erickson (87) and Collin Nickel (89) and Adrian’s Ben Henning (89).

The Raiders finished third in the team competition with a score of 351. Mic Holinka rounded out the team score with a 91.

RRC was fourth with a 359, with Zach Valentin rounding out the top-four with a 96.

SWC was fifth with a 369, with Dominic Nibbelink (94), Damon Vandermaten (95) and Sam Van Bruggen (99) rounding out the team score.

Adrian (372) was sixth, Southwestern United (373) finished seventh, H-BC (386) was eighth and MLC (394) finished ninth.

Justin Elias (91), Zachary Berreau (93) and Ryan Elias (99) joined Henning in the Dragons’ top-four.

Clay Salzwedel led the Wildcats with a 90, Aurelio Boerlin carded a 91, Walker Crocker fired a 92 and Kyle Wendland rounded out the team score with a round of 100.

The team score for the Patriots was rounded out by Cody Ellefson (91), Wyatt Ellefson (98) and Austin Rauk (99).

The Bears’ top-four was rounded out by Mitchell Hirsch (96), Micah Bargen (103) and Tyler Dick (114).

With the upcoming forecast looking grim, the players preparing for sections can only hope conditions in Marshall will be as ideal as they were at Prairie View on Thursday.

“It was nice with the no wind,” Eisenmenger said. “I’ve never been out here with this little wind. It’s a beautiful day and the greens were fairly quick, so it was a nice all-around day.”

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