Collegiate golfers Matt Schneider and John Treacy look forward to the change of pace provided by today's 30th Minnesota Golf Association Players' Championship.
The 64-player match-play amateur tournament at Northland Country Club is a reprieve from their typical stroke-play events in the NCAA.
"I like it," said the 20-year-old Schneider, who recently completed his sophomore season at Bowling Green (Ohio) University. "We never get to experience this. It's nice to see another side of golf."
Today's first- and second-round matches will narrow the field to 32. Two more rounds Wednesday will leave four golfers for Thursday's semifinals and final, which is set to start at noon.
"In tournaments like this you find some of the best competition in the state," said the 22-year-old Treacy, who concluded his senior season at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. "I have to qualify for these tournaments before I can play in them."
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Three Northland members -- Kevin Noreen, Scott Anderson and Ray Peterson -- join Treacy in the field.
Noreen will face defending Players' champion Tom Jenkins, while Anderson plays Phillip Ebner, Peterson plays Dave Zuercher, and Treacy takes on Larry Barnacle.
Clint Cornell, who joins Schneider as Grand Rapids alums in the field, will square off with Brian May. Reed Kolquist of Hermantown matches up with Joel Johnson.
Schneider drew Jim Lehman, who won the annual Northland Invitational from 2003-05.
* For complete first-round pairings, see Scoreboard on Page D2.
