Different route for Falk on Day 2

Published 8:24 am Thursday, June 4, 2009

Albert Lea senior Mike Falk’s second round at the Class 3A boys’ state golf tournament was a lot like his first round — scoring-wise — but he got there far differently than the first day.

Falk shot a second-round 82, the same as his first round, but he made a few more putts and didn’t have the same good iron play he had on the first day at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids.

“It was kind of funny I ended up the same score but it was two completely different rounds,” Falk said. “I hit the ball a lot better yesterday than I did today. I managed to make a few more putts.”

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Falk finished in a seven-way tie for 57th overall with a two-day total of 164. Joe Petrulo, of Eastview, and Paul Moberg, of Forest Lake, finished tied for first with two-day totals of 148.

Wayzata won the team title with a two-day total of 606.

Falk shot 39 on the east course and 43 on the west course Wednesday and had opportunities to score on the second nine.

“There wasn’t any consistency,” Albert Lea head coach Riley Worth said. “Today was more fun to watch, probably a little more nerve wracking to play.”

He made his first birdie of the tournament on the back nine, but found himself having to make par-saving and bogey-saving putts throughout much of the day.

Falk started the back nine with two consecutive bogeys but settled in on the next six to play even par.

“I was a little disappointed with an 82 yesterday, but the way I hit the ball today I was satisfied,” Falk said. “I didn’t hit well enough to go low.”

Falk had nine fewer putts than he did on the first day of the tournament and said playing in the state tournament was a great way to conclude his high school golf career.

“It was a great way to go out,” Falk said. “You don’t get much more competitive than the past two days.”