Waukesha golfer defeats younger players, wins third State Open title

Over the years, longtime golf professional Eddie Terasa has been one of Wisconsin's best players. His resume includes all kinds of championships and more than a handful of appearances in PGA Tour events, including several majors.

At 50 years of age, Teresa's competitive schedule has slowed down, but don't get fooled by the lack of action. Once he gets to the golf course, Terasa is all business. Last week at The Legend at Bristlecone in Hartland, the longtime Waukesha resident strutted his best stuff at the Wisconsin State Open, the most prestigious professional golf tournament regularly held in the state.

Terasa, paired with two young mini-tour players in the final 18 holes Wednesday afternoon, battled the challenges of the young guns and walked off with the championship by parring the first hole of a three-man sudden-death playoff, giving him his third Wisconsin State Open title and first since 1995. His first title came in 1985.

"I think it probably was the most challenging one, because 50-year olds aren't supposed to win this, playing against the college kids and the mini-tour players," an exhausted Terasa said after the final round. "It's fun to be in that arena, but I don't make any bones about it. The young players have kind of passed me by a little bit. So I would say it's very satisfying that I pulled one out for the old guys."

Terasa wins in sudden death

Terasa turned out to be just too tough for the two young professionals playing with him in the playoff, 25-year-old Charlie Delsman of Hartland and 23-year-old Dan Woltman of Beaver Dam. Terasa, the former Oconomowoc Golf Club professional and now pro at North Hills Country Club in Menomonee Falls, calmly sank a four-foot putt for par on the par-4, 18th hole, giving him the championship. Woltman 3-putted from 60 feet and Delsman took himself out of contention by hitting his 3-wood off the tee into the water hazard on the right.

"Don't get me wrong," Terasa said. "If Danny and I played every day for 10 days, I'd probably get him twice. Charlie, the same thing. They've both got bright futures."

Actually, it looked like Terasa had things wrapped up with two holes to play in the 72-hole tournament, leading Woltman by one and Delsman by three. However, he bogeyed the final two holes. On the 18th, his second shot went into the right hazard, forcing him to make a conservative approach to the green from a tough lie. He two-putted for bogey. Woltman and Delsman both missed 22-foot birdie putts from the fringe that would have eliminated Terasa.

Delsman got himself into the playoff by making a 10-foot birdie putt on 17, while Terasa and Woltman bogeyed. Both Delsman and Woltman parred 18.

The playoff started on 18, and none of the three hit their drives down the middle. Woltman and Terasa were a little stymied by the small trees to the right of the fairway.

Woltman was partially blocked out and had to fire to the left side of the green, landing 60 feet away. Terasa had a better angle and lofted his 9-iron from 130 yards out to the back collar, 20 feet away. Terasa used his hybrid from the fringe and put the ball four feet short of the pin. After the other two players had finished, Terasa drained his putt into the center of the cup before a large crowd surrounding the 18th hole, giving him the championship.

For winning, Terasa walked off with the first place money of $7,000. Delsman and Woltman shared second place and took home $3,900 apiece. This year's tournament had a total purse of $54,000.

Early showing

Terasa was in the lead or close to it from the first round on Monday through the final round on Wednesday. He shot 67 on Monday to share the lead with Bristlecone owner Jack Gaudion of Wales. He added 68 on Tuesday and then fired 71 Wednesday morning. He shot another 71 in the afternoon round on Wednesday.

Teresa, Delsman and Woltman finished at 3-under-par, the only players in the field to break par. Andy Hansen of Mequon and Jeff Bisbee of Green Bay were next at even-par 280 over the 7,005-yard, par 70 layout.

Two other Waukesha players also made the 36-hole cut. Mark Voeller shot 283 (70-71-72-70) and tied for ninth place. Kevin Cahill, playing out of Merrill Hills Country Club, shot 292 (68-74-73-77).