2022

First Round & Final Round - St Croix National GC (Hudson, WI) Par 72

The 39th Riggs Open was held at the scenic St Croix National GC in Hudson, WI.  The first round featured beautiful weather with sunny skies and a temp of 75!  Despite the greens being “punched’/aerated a few days before our tourney, they played fair and to a good speed.  The course was in great shape!  Dave Nagle shot a gross score of 85, which put him at +1 (net), and gave him the first-round lead.  Close behind were Chad Thomas (87 gross, +2 net), Mike Winge (83 gross, +2 net), John Bevans (82, +3 net), and Scott Riggs (93, +3 net).  

The final round weather was a little warmer, which was great –it was a nice, 80-degree day!  The groups teed off.  And, after nine holes, a couple of the leaders had faltered.  The co-tournament hosts, Scott Riggs and Brent Riggs, had played well and were now tied for the lead!  At the end of their round, all carts had gathered around the 18th hole to watch the finish.  Brent took a 7 on the par-5 18th and finished in the clubhouse lead at +7 net.  Scott was in the rough about 150 yards from the green laying two.  He was told that if he parred the hole, he would win the tourney, and a bogey would mean a playoff.  His third shot went just over the green into the thicker rough.  His chip landed on the green, but came up short of the hole.  So, he still had a long 15-foot putt to win the tourney.  It came up short, and he tapped in for bogey –forcing a sudden-death playoff between Scott and Brent!  This marked the first time that Scott and Brent would be in a Riggs Open playoff together!   

The first playoff hole was Hole #1 at St Croix, and both hit good drives.  Brent was just down the left-side of the fairway, and Scott was towards the right-side –in the first cut of rough.  Brent went first on his approach shot of about 130 yards and it was straight-on, ending up on the fringe –on the front of the green.  Scott’s approach was about a 110 yd shot.  It took off nicely off the club and went straight towards the flag, stopping about one foot from the cup.  Near the green, Brent's third shot was a chip.  His birdie effort stopped about six feet short of the hole.  Then, he stepped up and knocked in the par -as the putt fell in the side of the hole!  So, Scott needed to hole his short putt to win the tourney.  He walked around all sides of the hole to study the putt, lined it up, took a couple practice strokes, then knocked in the putt –giving him his second Riggs Open title (2003)! 

S. Riggs shot gross scores of 93-94 (+7 net), B. Riggs shot 99-92 (+7), and rounding out the top 5 were C. Thomas (87-93, +10), Winge (83-92, +13), and D. Nagle (85-97, +14).