— There’s always a first time for everything. For 16-year-old Chase Birdwell, his experience in the Championship division of the 93rd Pine to Palm has been quite exciting.
The final qualifying round on Wednesday, Aug. 13, cut the Championship division to a field of 64, with match-play beginning on Thursday.
Birdwell entered the afternoon having shot a 2-under-par 69 the day before. When he sank his par putt on Hole 8, he finished with a 7-under-par 64, which tied the best round of the day and secured him his first-ever Pine to Palm Championship division medalist honor.
“It’s been amazing being able to play with tons of people of different ages,” Birdwell said about his first Pine to Palm. “It’s an amateur event. I think it’s my first one ever. It’s fun. The atmosphere here is pretty great.”
Birdwell suffered a bogey on Hole 4 and was 1-over-par through four. But he shrugged off his only error of the round and came back with eagles on Holes 5 and 6. Birdwell picked up his first birdie on Hole 7 and continued his dominance into the back nine.
Chase Birdwell watches his birdies putt on Hole 18 during the second Championship division qualifying round of the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament at Detroit Country Club in Detroit Lakes on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
After sinking three more birdies and paring out the final four holes, Birdwell ended with an impressive 32.
“I was just hitting it really well, and I was also making a ton of putts,” Birdwell said about what was working. “When I hit it close, they were going in every time.”
But it wasn’t without the help of his caddie, his cousin, who kept Birdwell level-headed and was the perfect piece to an almost perfect puzzle.
My caddie was just so helpful out there,” Birdwell continued. “He was just giving me the best reads, giving me the right numbers and everything. I got to talk to him throughout the round. He’d keep me in the moment. I would just be there. He’d help me read the putts. He helped a lot today.”
Alexandria’s Carver Nelson hits his tee shot on Hole 7 during the Championship division second qualifying round of the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament at Detroit Country Club at Detroit Lakes on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Birdwell is used to the competition. He was the lone representative of Spring Lake Park High School in Spring Lake Park, Minnesota, at the 2025 Class AAA boys golf state championship.
He finished in a four-way tie for 15th place (148). Two of those Pine to Pine golfers, Alexandria’s Carver Larson and Northfield’s Elias Ekern, shared 15th place with Birdwell. Larson moved on to match play after finishing with a 140 (66, 74) and secured the 15th seed and a first-round match-up with Hawley’s Carter Justesen. Ekern was one of six to fall in the 11-man playoff for the final five spots.
Birdwell’s run continues with a matchup with the 63rd seed, West Fargo’s Greg Melhus. Birdwell has a tough opening match with the 2003 champion and 2001 runner-up, but he fazed.
Fargo’s Jake Skarperud hits his ball out of the bunker on Hole 7 during the Championship division second qualifying round of the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament at Detroit Country Club at Detroit Lakes on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
“I love match play and being able to not worry about making a really high score,” Birdwell said. “You only lose by one on the hole. I’m looking forward to winning a few matches and seeing how far I can go.”
Match-play tees off at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. The full bracket for all divisions can be found on the
, using the GGID, P2P, to gain access.
Fargo’s Kane Hanson heckles some of the golfers in his group on Hole 1 during the Championship division second qualifying round of the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament at Detroit Country Club at Detroit Lakes on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Legends champ Leand Peterson moves on
The Legends division started its match-play over at Lakeview Golf Course. 2024 champion Leland Peterson used his top-seed advantage and took down No. 16-seeded Owen Germundsen.
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
No. 13-seeded Hazelhurst, Wisconsin Jim Jensen upset No. 4-seeded Mike Jones from Scottsdale, Arizona. The 11-seeded Mesa, Arizona’s Ken Riesberg, moved on after defeating No. 6-seeded Bob Heller. And No. 10-seeded Lynn Marr from Detroit Lakes rounded out the upsets with a win over No. 7-seeded Michael Lillestol from West Fargo.
The Legends tee off at Lakeview at 9:28 a.m. The Mid-Am championship flight will kick off match-play at 7:58 a.m.
Hazelhurst, Wisconsin native Jim Jensen hits a putt on Hole 9 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
For complete results and Thursday, Aug. 14 tee times, visit
. Use code P2P on the Golf Genius app. Weeklong Pine to Palm coverage can be found at
under the
tab.
Maple Grove, Minnesota’s Josh Galvin watches his tee shot on Hole 7 during the Championship division second qualifying round of the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament at Detroit Country Club at Detroit Lakes on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Detroit Lakes’ Logan Schons watches his putt on Hole 16 during the Championship division second qualifying round of the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament at Detroit Country Club in Detroit Lakes on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Clyde Hil, Washington’s Toby Moore hits his second shot on Hole 16 during the Championship division second qualifying round of the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament at Detroit Country Club in Detroit Lakes on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Nick Leonardelli / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Breezy Point, Minnesota’s Tyler Seeling hits his drive on Hole 1 during the Championship division second qualifying round of the 93rd Pine to Palm Golf Tournament at Detroit Country Club at Detroit Lakes on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
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.