Brian Bell | Marinette EagleHerald Matt Argall of Terrace Bluf Golf and Country Club poses with the trophy after winning the 2020 men’s UPGA championship Sunday at Riverside Golf Club in Menominee.

MENOMINEE — The Menominee/Marinette area has been good to Matt Argall whenever he travels here for a golf tournament.

In 2015, the Terrace Bluff member in Gladstone, won the Upper Peninsula Golf Association men’s championship at Little River Country Club in Marinette. On Sunday, Argall held on to his three-stroke lead to reclaim his position at the top of the U.P. as he was crowned the 2020 UPGA men’s champion at Riverside Golf Club in Menominee, just over six miles from Little River.

“I own the twin cities now,” Argall laughed after the round. “I felt good on the first tee. It helped to have a three-shot lead and then I started really well and was three-under through nine so I was feeling pretty good all day. Really, the only time I got nervous was the putt on 18, and that was mostly just because it was finally done.”

Argall’s 33 on the front came thanks to an eagle on No. 3, the 480-yard par 5. He coupled that with a birdie on the par 4 8th hole and then seven pars to take an eight-shot lead into the back as second-place Scott Prunick of Marquette Golf Club carded a five-over (38).

On the back, Prunick made up some ground on the par 5 11th and par 4 14th as he birdied both and Argall bogeyed to give up four total strokes and get Prunick back to just four behind with four holes to play.

After both players gave up strokes on the next two holes, Argall still held the four-stroke lead, but now with just two holes left and the door closing on Prunick.

Argall’s struggles on the back caught up with him again on the par 5 17th as he carded a bogey and Prunick came through with a birdie to close the gap to two strokes with just No. 18 left to play, but the rain started coming and the horn blew for a postponement of play.

After about 40 minutes, play resumed and the golfers went back out on the course to finish up the tournament. Unfortunately for Prunick, his ball went into the hazard on the hole, and all Argall had to do was keep it away from the water and he was able to do so as he carded an easy bogey on the final hole and Prunick double-bogeyed to give Argall a three-stroke victory. Argall’s 72-hole score totaled 292 while Prunick carded 295.

“I lost (my game) a little bit on the back and Scott was able to put some pressure on at the end, but I was pretty comfortable all day,” Argall said. “The course was awesome and in great shape and it was a really fun week.”

Carter Mason of Wawonowin Country Club (Champion, Mich.) placed third with a 299, Nash Soli also of Wawonowin took fourth (299) as he beat out Escanaba’s Brian Robinette in the countback.

Steve Schmidt of Riverside was the highest area golfer, finishing with a 302 to beat out fellow Riverside member Tim Kramer, who shot 304 in the four-day contest.

Schmidt came into the day four-shots back of the leader, but had a tough start to his day and could never fully rebound as he carded a final round 80 to take sixth.

“After those first two holes I kind of felt like I was out of it,” Schmidt said. “I was pretty nervous on the tee boxes and after I birdied three I never got another birdie putt to the hole. I had a lot of them, but they just weren’t falling and I wasn’t able to get it going at all.

“Even though I didn’t have the round I wanted today, I think I played pretty well this weekend. It was cool because a lot of people that I don’t know very well kept coming up to me and wishing me luck because I’m one of the oldest guys in the field, and knowing that all of them were kind of backing me up was a really good feeling. Especially my caddy Nick Nerat. He kept telling me to keep it going when I wanted to give up and it was just a really fun time being out there with all those good golfers.”

In the first flight, Scott Lauerman of Riverside was able to hang on to his one-stroke lead in the final round, shooting a two-over-par 75 to defeat Paul Sintowski (307) by two strokes. Defending champion Bryce Douglas of Gladstone placed fourth (310) in the first flight, one shot behind Korey Smith of Gladstone.

Charlie Siem of Riverside fired a final round 77 and made up as much ground as he could on Riverside’s Wes Stripling, but Stripling shot 82 and was able to hold on for a one-stroke victory, shooting a four-day total of 319 to Siem’s 320. Tom Gereau of Gladstone placed third, winning the tie-breaker over Riverside’s Tony Hofer (321).

In the third flight, Rick Rhoades bounced back from two of his worst scores ever to shoot 4-under 68 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead over Nate Rousseau of Gladstone, who also struggled mightily in the first two rounds. Both shot 76s on Sunday to crown Rhoades the winner with a 314. Scott Koski (322) placed third, Jim Wickstrom (330) came in fourth, Bruce Crookham of Wawonowin (334) took fifth and Scott Bell Jr. of Riverside placed sixth (335).

Ed O’Connell had no troubles winning the fourth flight, winning with a four-day total of 337 to defeat second-place Mike Wagner of Little River Country Club by 10 strokes (347). Paul Boyce of Little River (349) came in third and Duane Clausen of Riverside placed fourth (355).

Wawonowin’s Jordan Mason had even less issues taking home the crown in the fifth flight as he bounced back from a 91 on the first day and a 97 on Day 2 to shoot 80 on Saturday and 83 on Sunday for a 72-hole total of 351. Michael Kallio came in second with a 370, Andy Ferm of Little River placed third with a 372 and Richard Campbell came in fourth with a 374.

The UPGA team championship went to Riverside 1 consisting of Stripling, Tim Kramer, Lauerman, Schmidt and Charlie Siem. Their four-day total was 1,546, beating out Gladstone Golf Club by 16 strokes.