Tylke and Jarrett Headed to U.S. Mid-Amateur Along with Johnson and Peterson

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  MEDINA, Minn. – After four runner-up finishes this season, Max Tylke found himself on top of the leaderboard for the first time Thursday, firing a 2-under 70 at Medina Golf and Country Club to earn co-medalist honors with Nick Jarrett and a spot in the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur.

Tylke rolled in five birdies over a six-hole span before a late bogey sent him into a share of the lead with Jarrett, clinching his spot at his second U.S. Mid-Amateur and fifth USGA championship.

“Qualifying for a USGA event is always a great time and really fun,” Tylke said Thursday. “This year’s been great, but everyone wants to win—nobody wants to finish second. This has been one of the best years of golf I’ve had, so this is one of those few times I feel like I could take it deep.

"I’ve finished second more times than I need to count this year, so it feels good to at least close one out. When you talk about the demons, you battle through it and finish the best you can.”

Starting on the 10th tee Thursday, Tylke rolled in three consecutive birdies from inside of 10 feet to begin his round before his momentum was slowed by a bogey at the par-3 13th.

The 31-year-old Tylke quickly responded by converting back-to-back birdie chances at the 14th and 15th to reach 4-under for the round.

As gusty conditions picked up during the round, Tylke would turn in 3-under following a bogey at the par-4 18th, but he’d find his footing by playing his final nine holes in 1-over to post a 2-under 70 to sit atop the leaderboard with Jarrett.

“I got off to a hot start and was able to hold on,” Tylke said. “I drove it well and put the ball in the right spots. I had a bunch of six or 7-footers right up the hill and took advantage of the quick breaks.”

Making his USGA debut at the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship with Trent Peterson in May, Jarrett now qualifies for his second national championship in ten months.

“This is an event that I had circled that I wanted more than some [state championships],” Jarrett said. “It’s unique—I know I only have so many times that I’ll get to play in these. It’s fun to see people from all over the country play very different styles of golf, but they can all compete and they can all play.

“It was nice to play with Trent—he’s played in so many of these, and to see how he went about his business. We played well and made the cut, so that gave me a lot of confidence. I know my game can be there."

Jarrett, a 35-year-old former Concordia University-St. Paul golfer, started quickly with a birdie on his opening hole from 10 feet Thursday before back-to-back birdies at the seventh and eighth from inside of 10 feet sent him to his inward nine in 3-under.

He would cruise over his next eight holes by making consecutive pars before he was tripped up by his only bogey of the afternoon at the 18th to place tied for first with Tylke.

“The course was playing hard, and I was able to stay patient all day,” he said. “I scrambled a few times and had some good looks for birdie, but just didn’t make those. The rest of the way in I made some mistakes, but every time I did, I executed the next shot.

“Made some good putts when I needed to—didn’t have a single three putt, and struck the ball well in the wind. Flighted it well and played smart.”

Surviving a one-hole three-way playoff, Joel B. Johnson and Peterson earned the final two spots to the championship Sept. 21-26 at Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot, Va.

Jumping out to a fast start with two birdies through his first five, Johnson fell back to even par with a double-bogey to begin his back nine Thursday.

Johnson, 53, would get up-and-down for birdie at the par-5 14th, but gave a stroke back with his first bogey of the round at the 16th, finishing in a share of second with Peterson and Wisconsin’s Travis Meyer.

Advancing with a par on the first playoff hole, Johnson returns to the U.S. Mid-Amateur for the first time since the 2015 season.

“USGA events are special,” Johnson said after earning his spot Thursday. “The courses are amazing, and you get to play against the best amateurs in the country, even the world. You don’t get that opportunity very often.

“Tough day—winds her howling, pins were tricky and the greens were fast. It was a day of survival. Game has been good, but it’s golf—some days you’ve got it and some days you don’t.”

Last year, Johnson qualified for the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Kiawah Island Club in South Carolina, as well as the U.S. Senior Open at SentryWorld in Stevens Point, Wis.

Jarrett’s teammate earlier this year, Peterson earns his second trip to the U.S. Mid-Amateur after advancing to the 2017 championship at Capital City Club in Atlanta.

Winner of three events already this season, Peterson carded one birdie and one bogey during his opening nine, and repeated it during his final nine holes to finish in a three-way share of second.

A par on the first playoff hole earned the 37-year-old a spot in his seventh USGA event.

A member of two, now discontinued, U.S. State Team Championships, Peterson also qualified for the final U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship played at Sand Creek Station in Kansas in 2014.

Playing his way into the 2019 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship, Peterson most recently advanced to the match play portion of the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball with Jarrett at Philadelphia Cricket Club in late May.

Travis Meyer, of River Falls, Wis., was eliminated during the first playoff hole to earn first alternate honors, while Ryan Conn, from Alexandria, Minn., posted a 1-over 73 to finish as second alternate.

A USGA championship will be played at Kinloch Golf Club for just the second time in the course’s 23-year history.

Designed by Lester George and Vincent Giles, the club previously hosted the 2011 U.S. Senior Amateur, won by Louis Lee.