Scanlon Claims National Car Rental Minnesota PGA Assistant Championship

Kyle Scanlon of Forest Hills G.C. shot an even-par 144 to win the 2017 National Car Rental Minnesota PGA Assistant Championship at White Bear Yacht Club. Scanlon won by two shots over Derek Holmes of Dellwood C.C. In tough conditions with rain for most of the day, Scanlon was more than satisfied with his performance for all 36 holes today.

"It was a really tough day, there was so much rain," said Scanlon. "I hit a lot of low irons when I'm used to hitting wedges. It's not a really long course but the weather made it feel a lot longer."

"I probably went through about nine [golf] gloves," he added jokingly.

Scanlon began the second round one shot up on Derek Holmes and two shots ahead of Michael Marshall of Oak Ridge C.C. He bogeyed the par-3 3rd and par-5 7th to start but responded nicely with a birdie at the par-5 9th. Holmes finished his first 9 holes of the second round at even-par, so the two were in a deadlock at 1-over making the turn.

The pair both birdied the par-4 10th but Holmes would add another at the par-5 13th to take his first lead of the final round. His lead didn't last long as he gave one back on the very next hole. Holmes saw his opportunity at a victory slip away at the par-5 16th with a costly double-bogey, paving the way for Scanlon to come out on top. Scanlon parred his final eight holes in route to the win.

"I just wanted to keep the ball dry today," Scanlon emphasized. "On the last five holes, I definitely played it a lot safer than I would ever want to. I was trying to feel out how the other players were playing in my group. I kind of knew that even-par for two rounds was going to be a really good score."

Scanlon and Holmes along with Casey Vangsness of Minnewaska G.C. and Bennett Smed of The Pines at Grand View Lodge have qualified for the 2017 National Car Rental Assistant PGA Championship being held November 9-12 at PGA Golf Club in Port Saint Lucie, Fla.