— The smell of competition was in the air at Detroit Country Club on Monday, Aug. 11, as the first qualifying day of the 93rd Pine to Palm came to a close.
Familiar faces of the tournament were crowned Senior, Super-Senior and Legends division champions, while the Mid-Am division was cut to a field of 32 after its first qualifying round.
Rick Kuhn and Mark Ecklund co-medalists
The two-time champion and Mandan, North Dakota native, Rick Kuhn, and the 2023 Senior division champion and Glyndon native, Mark Ecklund, shared the medalist title after the two shot an even par 71.
Mandan, North Dakota, native Rick Kuhn tees off on Hole 7 during the Senior division qualifying round at the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, at Detroit Country Club in Detroit Lakes.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Kuhn finished the day with birdies on Holes 3 and 13 and bogeys on Holes 14 and 15. Ecklund finished the front nine with a 1-over-par 37 but came back with a single birdie on Hole 14 with eight pars to finish with a 1-under-par 34.
The lowest 32 scores earned their spot in the championship flight for match-play beginning on Thursday.
Other notable qualifiers were Hoople, North Dakota resident and 2010 champion Todd Hillier, who finished in seventh place with a 5-over-par 76. Perham’s Bob Cavanagh placed 10th with a final score of 6-over-par 77. 2009 and 2011 Mid-Am champion Jay Olafson secured a match-play spot after shooting a 7-over-par 78.
Detroit Lakes assistant boys golf coach Jay Peterson will hit the course Thursday after an 8-over-par 79 showing. Right behind him is 2021 and 2022 senior division champion and Lakeville, Minn. resident Bill Schommer, who also shot an 8-over-par 79.
Glyndon native Mark Ecklund hits his putt on Hole 16 during the Senior division qualifying round at the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, at Detroit Country Club in Detroit Lakes.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Kent Spriggs is back on top
Fargo resident Kent Spriggs earned his Super-Senior medalist title after shooting a 2-under-par 73. Despite having five bogeys, he secured the top spot with three birdies on the back nine.
From Alexandria, Steve Herzog finished with the seventh-lowest score of 6-over-par 77. He is on the hunt to take down his brother Mike, who has defeated Steve in two consecutive years for the Super-Senior crown.
Fargo native Kent Spriggs watches his tee shot on Hole 8 during the Super-Senior division qualifying round at the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, at Detroit Country Club in Detroit Lakes.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
The final four spots went to Rob Harris from Eden Prairie, Robert Sumada from Minneapolis, Keith Aasen from Bismarck and Kevin Harrison from Fargo. The group won the final playoff rounds, leaving a legend of the tournament, Jim Strandemo, and Mark Erickson from Loveland, Colorado, out of the championship flight for Thursday.
Alexandria native, Steve Herzog, hits a putt toward the cup on Hole 14 during the Super-Senior division qualifying round at the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, at Detroit Country Club in Detroit Lakes.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Doug Gilliam earns second medalist title
Doug Gilliam from Detroit Lakes was the ninth-ever medalist for the senior division in 2005. This year, he became the second-ever Legends medalist with a final score of 3-over-par 67. He beat out RJ Smiley, one of the co-medalists from 2024, by three strokes.
Two-time Super-Senior medalist and runner-up Paul Krueger from Detroit Lakes secured a top 16 spot with a 17-over-par 81. Lynn Marr from Detroit Lakes is also on his way to Thursday’s match play with a 15-over-par 79.
Detroit Lakes native Doug Gillam hits his tee shot on Hole 10 during the Legends division qualifying round at the 93rd Pine to Palm golf tournament at Lakeview Golf Course on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Mid-Am cut down to top 32
The first day of Mid-Am division qualifiers ended with Oxbow, North Dakota native and 2020 champion, Tyler Nelson leading the way with a 1-under-par 70. He was the only golfer to finish under par, securing four birdies on the day.
Alan Spriggs from Fargo ended the afternoon with a 1-over-par 72. 2021 and 2022 champion from Ramsey, Minn., Michael Melhus, finished in a four-way tie for 17th place with a 7-over-par 78. 2023 champion Joe Schornak stayed above the cut line with a final score of 6-over-par 77 and a share of 12th place.
Oxbox, North Dakota, native Tyler Nelson hits a tee shot on Hole 6 during the Mid-Am division qualifying round at the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, at Detroit Country Club in Detroit Lakes.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Detroit Lakes natives Jason Justesen (76), Blake Jacobus (77), Aaron Tait (77) and Jacob Radermacher all lived to see another day.
The second qualifying round for the Mid-Am tees off at 11:50 a.m.
The Championship division begins its first qualifying round on Tuesday with golfers teeing off at 7:05 a.m.
Roseville, Minn., native Jake Witham chips his ball onto the green on Hole 11 during the Mid-Am division qualifying round at the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, at Detroit Country Club in Detroit Lakes.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
For complete results and Tuesday, Aug. 12, tee times, visitÂ
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Detroit Lakes native Jason Justesen hits a putt on Hole 17 during the Mid-Am division qualifying round at the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, at Detroit Country Club in Detroit Lakes.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Reigning Legends division champion and Fargo native Leland Petersen chips a shot onto the green on Hole 13 during the qualifying round at the 93rd Pine to Palm golf tournament at Lakeview Golf Course on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Hawley native Ted Cox (left) and his brother Robbie (right) watch the other golfers in the group hit their putts on Hole 17 during the Mid-Am division qualifying round at the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, at Detroit Country Club in Detroit Lakes.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Prior Lakes, Minn., native Todd Vincelli hits his ball onto the green on Hole 11 during the Mid-Am division qualifying round at the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, at Detroit Country Club in Detroit Lakes.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Detroit Lakes boys golf assistant coach, Jay Peterson, gently taps his ball for a putt on Hole 14 during the Senior division qualifying round at the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, at Detroit Country Club in Detroit Lakes.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Savage, Minn., native Jim Strandemo blasts his drive on Hole 15 during the Super-Senior division qualifying round at the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, at Detroit Country Club in Detroit Lakes.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
My name is Nick Leonardelli and I am the sports editor for the Detroit Lakes Tribune and Perham Focus. I moved to the area in October of 2022 after covering sports for the Monroe County Herald in Sparta, WI for nearly a year. I was also working for ESPN La Crosse as a show producer. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2021 with a degree in sports management and a minor in media studies.
I cover sports and write columns for the Detroit Lakes Tribune and Perham Focus. You can reach me via email at nleonardelli@perhamfocus.com or by phone at 218-844-1461.