Repeat performance

After four days, seven rounds, and 126 holes of golf. David McDonald stood on the 16th green at Lake of the Woods Golf Course, trophy clinched in hand. He lifted the gold-colored prize to his lips and tasted the icy cold beer. It’s tradition that the winner of the Francis Hagan Match Play Championship have a drink out of the trophy before it’s swept away to be engraved with the champion’s name.

McDonald defeated Kyle Kovar in the final match of the tournament at Lake of the Woods to win back-to-back titles. It is McDonald’s fourth Francis Hagan title. He also claimed the trophy in 2000 and 2002.

“I’ve been fortunate. Match play is about playing well at the right time,” McDonald said. “I hit the ball well today, and that made a big difference.”

McDonald defeated former champion D.J. Chung, Sunday morning in the semifinals, 5 and 4.

“He (D.J.) uncharacteristically made a couple boogies early,” said McDonald who chipped in birdies on the 13th and 14th holes to solidify his win. “I was trying to hit good shots, and they just happened to go in. The hole got in the way basically.”

Kovar defeated Doug Solliday 5 and 4 in his early match. Kovar said Solliday was having trouble with his swing.

The championship match began quickly. Both players hoped that their level of play would continue into the finals.

McDonald boogied the first hole, but quickly set the tone with birdies on the second, third, and fourth.

Kovar battled back, making a lot of pars and came into the 16th hole only one-under. Unfortunately for Kovar, McDonald parred the hole, which was enough to end the match there.

Andrew Baier, the tournament director, awarded McDonald the Francis Hagan trophy in front of a crowd of the champion’s friends and family.

Both finalists were excited about how each other played.

“Kyle played great,” said McDonald, who played with Kovar for the first time Sunday. “He has a good future in golf. (He’s) very steady, hits the ball well. He has great flight to the ball and putts good.”

“Dave played really good today,” Kovar said. “He made three straight birdies on the front, and a couple more coming in the back nine. Nothing I could really do about that. Pars weren’t good enough today.”

McDonald was awarded $750 in HyVee gift certificates, and will find his name engraved as champion for the forth time on the Francis Hagan trophy.

As runner-up Kovar hopes he can use his $325 gift certificate at the HyVee gas station.

“It takes a lot of gas driving to the golf course and back,” Kovar said.

Kovar will be back at Lake of the Woods today to play in the Granny’s House three-man scramble.

The Francis Hagan tournament began June 10, with 101 players teeing off in the stroke play, qualifying round. Sixty-four advanced to the first round of match play. For the next six rounds of the single elimination tournament the field was halved until McDonald won.