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Class 3A boys golf: Rosemount’s Owen Rexing birdies final hole to share title with Northfield’s Nate Stevens, Edina’s Jack Wetzel

jace frederick, pioneer press
·4 min read

It seemed academic at the time. Rosemount senior Owen Rexing faced a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole Wednesday at Bunker Hills in Coon Rapids.

He was in third place in the Class 3A state tournament at 3 under par. The birdie would keep him there, with both leaders parked at 5 under.

Rexing certainly wanted to make the putt, but admitted it “just felt like a bonus at the time.” He did indeed drain it to finish at 4-under 140 for the two-day event.

Then one co-leader, Northfield senior Nate Stevens — who was playing in Rexing’s group — missed his par putt on No. 18 to slide back to 4 under.

And the other co-leader, Edina’s Jack Wetzel — who was a few holes back — played his final four holes in 1 over par, to also finish at 4 under.

Suddenly, Rexing was a co-state champion.

Rexing’s putt ended up being “huge, I guess,” he noted.

The three share the state title, which had different meanings for each of them.

For Stevens, it’s a second straight state crown after he won it alone last spring. Coming back this season, the Minnesota Mr. Golf winner noted there were higher expectations, both internal and external, on his shoulders this season.

Golf and, frankly, any other sport is easier to play without expectations. So Stevens was proud of the way he was able to push those to the side and “do my own thing” on the course.

But Wednesday’s result seemed to leave him wanting more. Thinking 5 under would be the score to beat, Stevens called the 18th hole “frustrating.”

Still, he is a two-time champ.

“It’s a good feeling to be able to do it two years in a row. It doesn’t really feel like I did it two years in a row, because there’s three guys at the top and not just one,” Stevens said. “But to be able to just compete again this year is pretty special for me.”

For Wetzel, it was a story of redemption. The Edina senior was in the same spot a year ago that he was in this week — tied with Stevens for the lead after Day 1. But last spring, he faded on Day 2 and wasn’t in contention at the end. He felt like he got in his own head on that day.

Not this time. He placed his focus on competing for Edina’s team, which convincingly claimed the team championship ahead of second-place Spring Lake Park.

He didn’t know his individual positioning until he stood on the 18th tee box, and finally asked Hornets coach Michael McCollow where he was.

“He said, ‘You’re tied,’ ” Wetzel said. “I knew I needed a birdie.”

He piped his drive down the middle of the fairway and delivered a beautiful approach to about 10 feet from the hole. He put a good stroke on the putt, leaving the left-to-right breaker just high.

“I gave the putt a good chance, played the hole well, it just ran by,” Wetzel said.

Despite the result, it was a strong finish to another strong round.

“I just put mind over matter and tried to just play it the same after Day 1, and came through,” he said. “It was fun.”

For Rexing, who entered the day one shot back of the leaders, the result was proof to himself that that is the caliber of golfer he can be. He finished tied for 31st at last year’s state tournament.

He since has gone to hitting more of a cut, which he finds more reliable than his draw. Other than that, he hasn’t made any significant physical changes.

“I don’t really know, just more consistency, practicing,” Rexing said. “I just made a couple more putts and didn’t make big mistakes.”

Even with that, he didn’t expect to contend at this level this week.

“I was like, ‘Top 10 would be cool,’ ” he said. “Coming into today I was still like, ‘Top five would be cool.’ And then I just kept hitting good shots, and it turned out well.”

The same is true for all three involved, though there is still something about a three-way tie at the top that left the ending somewhat unsatisfactory. Stevens said he would rather finish second than in a tie for first. What he likely meant was that he would have loved a chance to duke it out with the other two in a playoff.

They all would have appreciated such an opportunity.

“More than anything,” Stevens said.

“Easily,” Wetzel said. “I would be up for it. Those are great guys, so I’d be down to play with them any time.”

“I think that’d be fun,” Rexing said. “It’d be fun for everyone. I think that would be cool.”

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