Tyler Hoffmann made a long putt from off the back of the 18th green at Erin Hills Golf Course on Saturday afternoon.
The birdie capped off a stellar display for the St. Mary's Springs junior, during which he never looked out of control or flustered. He led the Ledgers to a sixth-place finish at the MACC Fund Invitational tournament, hosted by Arrowhead High School.
“I really came into today just looking to have fun,” Hoffmann said. “It’s a beautiful course and getting here early in the morning, you could hear the birds chirping and everything. It was really cool.”
Springs shot 319, which coach Ed Mueller said he is happy with.
"It was a great day, the guys played well,” Mueller said. “We shot 319 as a team, we’ll take that any day. That’ll get us through sectionals.”
Hoffmann made five birdies during his impressive round, including two bounce-back birdies after bogeys. He said his driver gave him a chance to attack pins.
“This is probably the best I’ve hit my driver all year,” Hoffmann said. “I just got a new one and I’ve been working out the kinks a little bit, but I’ve got it dialed in now so it’s good to see.”
One of those was on the seventh hole: a 551-yard, par-5. Hoffmann got on the green in two and his eagle putt lipped out.
“I just had to surrender the result,” Hoffmann said. “Every putt, you can’t control if it goes in, you can just read your line, read your putt and hit it.”
Sophomore Ben Baker and junior Khalil Rebek shot 81 and 82, respectively.
After a challenging front nine, Baker settled into his round and shot a 38 on the back, which included eight pars.
“The front nine was up and down, but as I got to the back I dialed it in to shoot the 38,” Baker said.
Jameson Ahern rounded out the lineup with a solid back nine and an 85 on the card.
This is the 18th playing of the tournament, which former Arrowhead coach Tom Tallmadge started in 2007 to benefit the MACC Fund.
The MACC (Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer) Fund's mission is to "find a cure for childhood cancer and related blood disorders by providing funding for research." Since 1974, the MACC Fund has raised and donated nearly $84 million to cancer and blood disorder research.
The MACC Fund Invitational golf tournament eclipsed the $1 million mark last year. Greg "Coach Bud" Budzien, who is now the tournament director, said he is proud of what the tournament has become.
"It's just an amazing event," Budzien said.
The tournament features 56 teams in total; 28 playing at Erin Hills and 28 playing at Lac La Belle in Oconomowoc.
“The MACC Fund is great,” Hoffmann said. “This is my third year playing in the event. It’s really fun to come back here and play the course.”
If you'd like to learn more about the MACC Fund and want to donate, visit their website.
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