EAST GULL LAKE — Not even a bogey on the final hole could dampen Andrew Israelson’s feelings.
The Staples-Motley High School and North Dakota State University graduate shot a 1-under 70 Friday, Aug. 29, in the second round of the PGA Tour Americas CRMC Championship presented by the Northern Pacific Center to clear the cutline by two strokes.
Israelson will be playing on the weekend and that is all that matters to him following his round.
“I have no idea how it feels because I’m feeling it right now,” Israelson said with a huge smile. “It’s a lot different than a lot of the other events I play in. I was grinding from the first shot today. The bogey on 18, to be honest, I don’t even care about it. As soon as I knew I was good to go, I may have lost a little focus there at the end. I was pretty jacked. The biggest smile I had all day was on 18 green.
Andrew Israelson hands off a club after teeing off on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, during the PGA Tour Americas CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center at Cragun’s Legacy Courses.
Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch
“It was a really good test of my ability today. I hit a couple of poor shots, but when I have a tough shot, or a shot I need to get in play, I feel the nerves. The difference is, I’m embracing being nervous and I’m excited about playing golf and hitting these shots.”
Israelson’s tee shot on 18 went left into thick rough. The old swashbuckling S-M Cardinals Israelson would have taken a 3-wood and attempted to hit the green on the par 5. The older, mature Israelson hit a pitching wedge over a group of trees and landed it in the fairway for an easy approach.
“I hit it over there a lot and each time, I hit a pitching wedge or 9-iron to the same spot,” Israelson said. “Unfortunately, my ball was inches in front of a divot. I had the perfect yardage for a 60-degree wedge, but I played it on the safe side and went with a 54-degree, which is why I hit 30 feet past the pin. I honestly could have stuffed one in there, but I was thinking I would not be happy if I hit one in the water. It was unfortunate, but I’m just happy. I’m a happy guy.”
Golfer Drew Nesbitt tees off on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, during the PGA Tour Americas CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center at Cragun’s Legacy Courses.
Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch
Israelson entered the second round tied for third after an opening 7-under 64 Thursday. He rattled off four straight pars before a birdie 4 on the par-5 fifth hole. He followed it with a birdie on the par-4 sixth hole to move to 2-under.
The 27-year-old positioned himself for another birdie on the par-3 seventh hole, but his putt burned the edge and he settled for a par. And that’s how the remainder of his round went as he posted 11 straight pars before finishing with a bogey on the 18th hole.
“I just felt like my speed was a little off,” Israelson said. “It’s a confidence thing. When I’m rolling it good and get a couple of practice sessions in before the round or last night, I just stick to what I’ve been doing. It’s all about hitting confident strokes. When your speed is a little off, you start to second-guess things or take different lines. Every putt that I missed was just a little bit of a misread or line. I like the way I’m stroking it and rolling it nicely.”
Israelson is tied for 25th going into the third round Saturday, Aug. 30, at Cragun’s Legacy Courses. The cut was 6-under, which 26 players are sitting at. That group and Israelson are chasing 36-hole leader Derek Hitchner, who was in Israelson’s group.
Golf Luke Gannon putts the ball on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, during the PGA Tour Americas CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center at Cragun’s Legacy Courses.
Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch
Hitchner, a Pepperdine University graduate, caught fire on the back nine with six birdies and three pars. That was after shooting a 3-under 33 on the front nine. Hitchner was second with an 8-under 63 Thursday. He’ll enter Saturday’s third round with a three-shot lead over Thomas Ponder and Grant Booth.
Israelson was invited into the field on a sponsor’s exemption from Mike Higgins of Northern Pacific Center. Also playing on a sponsor’s exemption and making the cut was Carson Herron, who is tied for 13th with a 10-under 132. The son of former PGA Tour player Tim Herron shot a 65 Friday.
People watch golf on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, during the PGA Tour Americas CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center at Cragun’s Legacy Courses.
Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch
Israelson will tee off at 11 a.m. Saturday for the third round. His playing partner will be Paul Conroy. The first tee time will be 7:30 a.m., with the leaders scheduled to tee off at 2:15 p.m.
“I’m happy to get quality support from the community,” Israelson said. “I saw a ton of people from Staples over here. There were people from Brainerd. I even saw a couple of members from my course. It was really cool to see. Making the cut just gives me another opportunity to play in front of people who maybe haven’t seen me play since I was 13 or 14.”
Golfers putt in on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, during the PGA Tour Americas CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center at Cragun’s Legacy Courses.
Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch