Time Machine – The New Millennium

The beginning of the new millennium brought economic promise and the continued trend of adding higher-end public access golf to the growing throng of Minnesota golfers. Many would speculate this exuberance was fueled by the best PGA TOUR player to emerge in several decades – a young man from Cypress, California named Tiger Woods. The second half of this 20 year time-period from 2000 to 2020 would see a retraction from all this growth in the form of a building slow-down and in some cases course closures. This era in Minnesota history saw the introduction of 67 new courses, far fewer than the previous two twenty year periods that preceded it, capped off with the great recession rolling through in 2008-09.

Minnesota was already firmly established as a national golf destination with serious critical mass. This was reflected in the steady roll-out of LPGA, PGA and Amateur Tour events. The 3M Championship opened its impressive 18-year run at TPC Twin Cities in 2001 to great fanfare and continued to evolve, attracting respectable crowds and good participation from the top PGA TOUR Champions players. The event was ‘well played’ as organizers created free attendance policies and added exciting, family-friendly events such as the Greats of Golf Challenge, thus creating an overall atmosphere designed for the fans. It’s old news by now that the big boys will be coming to town in 2019 under the new banner of the 3M Open. To accommodate those monster 300+ yard drives and pinpoint iron play, TPC is planning to tighten the fairways, deepen the roughs, extend water elements and lengthen the tee boxes. Nobody wants to see a PGA TOUR event end at -35.

Turning the page and looking back at the Majors hosted in the Twin Cities is always a pleasure and the years after Y2K provided plenty Minnesota magic. The 2002 season turned out to be a busy year with both the PGA Championship and Solheim Cup being held in the southwest Twin Cities roughly one month apart from each other.

The 2002 PGA Championship was hosted August 15-18 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska. Rich Beem won his only major title that year, finishing one stroke ahead of runner-up Tiger Woods in a dramatic finish that saw Tiger surge on the back nine as Beem nervously watched the finish from the clubhouse. That 2002 event was the third major played at Hazeltine (the others being 1970 and 1991). The PGA Championship returned seven years later in 2009, ending in another runner-up finish for Tiger, more on that later.

Interlachen Country Club in Edina hosted the 7^th Solheim Cup Match, which was played September 20-22 under beautiful Minnesota autumn skies. Team USA won the trophy for the fifth time by a score of 15½ to 12½ points. Rosie Jones gained the winning point in her victory over Karine Icher. There was rivalry in the air as the American and European teams squared off. The European Team was anchored by the number one player in the world – Annika Sorenstam. At 31 years of age she was in her prime. Her iron play accuracy was off the charts. The Solheim Cup was extra special for Minnesota viewers this time around as an 84 year old Patty Berg raised the American flag while the national anthem played at the opening ceremonies. With the 9/11 terrorist attacks still fresh on everyone’s mind, it wasn’t hard to feel ‘Minnesota proud’ about one the greatest women’s player of all-time and founders of the LPGA representing our great state of golf.

The best women golfers in the world descended again on Interlachen in 2008 for a major event. Again, Annika Sorenstam led the charge in what was billed as her final year of professional play. The 2008 U.S. Women’s Open would be remembered for her remarkable last shot of the tournament. She hit a 6 iron that landed short of the green, rolled towards the hole and dropped in for an eagle. Annika and the spectators lost their minds. Maybe it’s fitting that this Swedish star is still leaving her mark on Minnesota golf with the 2017 opening of the Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo where she has designed the back-nine leaving the front to Mr. Arnold Palmer. The King and Queen indeed. The 2008 Open will always be significant as a young Korean named Inbee Park won her first professional tournament at the age of 19 – the youngest women’s champion in golf history. As we all know, Inbee is still dominating the game and finding herself atop the leaderboard with great regularity, and to think it all started here in Minnesota.

The PGA Majors continued their march through Minnesota in 2009 with the PGA Championship on the tree-lined, serpentine fairways of Hazeltine National Golf Club. The 91^st PGA Championship, held August 13-16 at Hazeltine was the fourth major championship held at the course, which had previously hosted the PGA Championship in 2002 and two U.S. Opens in 1970 and 1991.

Most will remember that Y.E. Yang defeated Tiger Woods to win his first major title by three strokes on the final day. I think many Minnesotan’s were disappointed by this outcome, but that is the nature of the game… turnover, unexpected outcomes, twists of fate, shots that can’t be repeated. All this led to the first time Woods had failed to win a major after he had led at 54 holes. In a breakthrough that is sure to continue into the future, Yang became the first Asian-born player to win a men’s major championship. In 2009 Hazeltine had that course set-up as the longest-to-date for a major at 7,674 yards. That type of distance has become more the norm and play’s straight into the strengths of today’s young players and it certainly did in 2009 at Hazeltine when a young man from Northern Ireland finished 3^rd in the event in only his 3^rd year of professional play, that young man is Rory McIlroy.

The capstone golf event in Minnesota golf history for many of us is certainly the 2016 Ryder Cup. If you can argue with that opinion, please bring your story forward. Again, Hazeltine was the stage while patriotism, competitive spirit, beautiful blue skies and a gallery of rocking Minnesota fans was the backdrop for what would become one of the United States greatest Ryder Cup victories. Such was the event’s success that Hazeltine was rewarded a second chance to host the event in 2028. Yes world… Minnesota golf rocks!

The 2016 Ryder will be remembered for the outright vocal competitiveness on display by the typically subdued professionals on both sides of the pond. Reed vs. Rory exemplified the open, spirited play and electrified the crowds who were not shy about putting their national pride on display. Throngs of European visitors were seen singing anthems and hoisting cheers along many of the fairways as their team battled head-to-head with the U.S. team’s best.

The U.S. won for the first time since 2008 at Valhalla, and dominated most of the way. Like 2008, the U.S. never trailed during the tournament. In the end Ryan Moore defeated Lee Westwood by one hole to reclaim the Cup with three matches still in progress. The win was dedicated to Arnold Palmer, who had passed away a month earlier. If you attended the event you are lucky enough to be in possession of an Arnie’s Army button, which were handed out as you entered the event. Arnold Palmer’s last course design is on Minnesota soil at the newly minted Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo, a blessing and a nod to the quality of golf in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

The future of PGA and LPGA play in Minnesota is in good hands as 2019 will see the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine along with the inaugural start to the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities. A bit further down the road, the 2028 Ryder Cup will be back at Hazeltine, much to the delight of the Minnesota golf community.

For us Minnesotan’s the last 18 years brought some fantastic playing options to the table. Highlighting a few in chronological order of opening date shows why Minnesota not only delivers on quality golf but is still writing history as a top-tier golf destination: the Cragun’s courses (2000), StoneRidge (2000), TPC (2000), The Quarry (2003), Windsong Farm (2003), The Wilderness at Fortune Bay (2004), The Meadows at Mystic Lake (2005) and the Royal Golf Club (2017). The courses listed above and many more not mentioned represent top-shelf golf my friend. As good as it gets in this country.

Our future is in good hands. The playing prospects within a reasonable driving distance will outnumber your PTO days to play. The PGA and LPGA professionals competing on our courses will only get better. Youth programs, participation and access to the game will continue to improve. The next Tom Lehman is practicing somewhere on a range with big dreams. The state of Minnesota Golf has its humble beginnings on the rolling hills above the Mississippi at Town and Country, but its future lies in the dedicated hearts and passion of the Minnesota golf enthusiast – you and I.