Rislove Claims Another Victory in Twin Cities Senior

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FALCON HEIGHTS -- Eric Rislove has been playing tournament golf in Minnesota for more than three decades, and before he turned 50 last September he didn't have any victories. 

"I had a couple of seconds and a lot of top-10s," he says, "but I didn't win."

It was almost like a family tradition, or curse. Rislove's father, Jerry, had what could be considered the all-time close-but-not-quite year in 1977. In the first big tournament of that year, the old Minnesota Masters -- which later changed its name to Minnesota Golf Champions -- he finished second, one shot behind the winner, Joel Goldstrand. A couple of weeks later, he finished second in the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am, one behind Rick Ehrmanntraut. And he just missed winning one more time at the Minnesota Section PGA Championship, where he came up one stroke short again. In this case, he finished third. It took a 36-hole total of 145 at Northland CC to get into the playoff for first, which Jim Ahern won over John Cook, and the Elder Rislove shot 146.

Things have changed, however, since Eric turned 50 and started playing in senior events.

His first one was the State Senior Open at Keller, where he tied for eighth. Then he played in the State Senior Publinx at Keller two weekends ago -- and won. Tied for the lead after a first-day 71, he was 2 over par after nine holes the second day. But he played the back nine in 2 under, finished with a 72, and his 143 total was good enough for a two-shot victory over the other two first-day co-leaders, Paul Schubring and Paul Commers.

On Wednesday, Rislove won again. This time it was the Twin Cities Senior Championship, and he did it in dramatic fashion -- with a birdie on the 18th hole at Bolstad/University Golf Course. That gave him a 1-under 70 and a one-shot victory.

"I'm really enjoying senior golf so far," he said with a smile, after signing his card. 

He started his round with birdies on the first two holes. A 60-degree wedge to 15 feet set up the birdie at the 370-yard, par-4 first hole, and he hit a 6-iron to a foot at the 190-yard, par-3 second. Bogeys at the par-3 eighth and par-4 10th had him back at even par for the round when he got to the 435-yard, par-4 18th.

In the old days, players usually had only a vague idea where they were in the standings as they played tournament rounds. But now, the scoring is done on cell phones, and as a result, Rislove knew exactly where he stood -- tied for first -- as he played his last hole. He hit a 145-yard 9-iron to 12 feet, and made the putt to break the first-place tie and finish one ahead of Leif Carlson and Bob Neuberger. 

Carlson, who won the State Publinx 32 years ago at Bolstad/University, and has won the Twin Cities Senior twice (2012 and '17), had one of the early tee times, and he was in position to win this tournament again, at 1 under par after he birdied the 145-yard, par-3 17th. But he bogeyed the 18th and finished with a 71.

"I really didn't play all that well," he lamented, "but I putted well."

Neuberger, who got his first state title last year, at age 59, when he won the State Senior Amateur at Crow River, went bogey-birdie on the fourth and fifth holes, and birdie-bogey at the 14th and 15th, and parred the other 14 holes. He was putting for birdies on the last three holes, but never really came close to making the putt he needed to tie Rislove for first. At the 18th, his second shot ended up right at the front of the green, and he needed to make a 4-footer for par just to remain tied for second.

Bill Tadewald and John Anderson, who have won the Twin Cities Senior a combined four times, tied for fourth at 72.  Basically, they came at that number from opposite directions. Tadewald, who spaced out his three TC Senior victories every six years (2009,2015, 2021), made three birdies and one bogey on the front nine, but he bogeyed the short, 310-yard, par-4 14th and made a calamitous double bogey at the par-3 17th. Anderson, who won this. tournament in 2020, when he was 61, was 3 over after he bogeyed the par-5 seventh, but he played the last 11 holes in 2 under.

There was a four-way tie for sixth at 73, and it included two-tiime champion JT Johnson. One of the longest hitters in the field, despite being nearly 60, he birdied the par-5 seventh (476 yards), which got him to 2 under. But he bogeyed the only par 5 on the back nine (No. 13, 536 yards) and bogeyed the 11th and 18th holes, as well.

The defending champion, Keith Piotrowski, tied Randy Siemers for 10th with a 74.  

Twin Cities Senior Championship

At Bolstad/University Golf Course

Par 71, 6,259 yards

Falcon Heights

Final results

1. Eric Rislove                       70

T2. Bob Neuberger.               71

T2. Leif Carlson                     71

T4. John Anderson               72

T4. Bill Tadewald                  72

T6. Tim Golden                     73

T6. Mark Sperling                 73

T6. JT Johnson                     73

T6. Tim Gordon                     73

T10. Keith Piotrowskl            74

T10. Randy Siemers             74