Golf Notebook: Mellin wins Arrowhead; Chamber, Enger Park events

DULUTH — Matt Mellin etched his name deeper into local golf history Sunday afternoon, capturing the Arrowhead Invitational championship with a 2-and-1 victory over Alex Kolquist at Ridgeview Country Club.

Mellin, a steady left-hander with a calm demeanor and strong course knowledge, came from behind on the back nine to win the match and even the career title count with Kolquist. Both now sit at three wins apiece in one of the Midwest’s longest-running amateur tournaments.

Kolquist, the pride of Hermantown and a former collegiate standout, held a narrow lead through nine holes. But Mellin turned the tide with solid play around the greens, stringing together a series of pars and a critical birdie on the 13th hole that gave him the lead for good.

The two are familiar foes and friends in Northland golf circles, having faced off in high-level competition for more than a decade.

The event marked the 99th running of the Arrowhead, widely regarded as the region’s signature amateur match-play tournament. Ridgeview’s firm greens and classic layout again proved a worthy stage, offering players a stern test over three days of competition.

The senior championship also concluded Sunday, with Mike Weinkauf claiming the title by defeating Gary Carlson 2-and-1. Weinkauf sealed the win on Ridgeview’s par-3 17th with a well-struck mid-iron that landed safely near the pin.

Tournament officials praised the level of play and strong turnout throughout the weekend, noting the anticipation already building for next summer’s 100th anniversary edition.

Chamber Golf Classic Draws More Than 200 for 56th Annual Event at Ridgeview

More than 200 golfers, 75 sponsor organizations and dozens of volunteers gathered at Ridgeview Country Club last week for the 56th Annual Chamber Golf Classic, a longtime networking and community event hosted by the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce.

Tournament Results

The team of Chad Curran, Marty Olson, Scott Sandelin, Jon Francisco and Cory Fairchild claimed first place with a score of 55, winning in a card playoff.

The runner-up group — Jason Crawford, Jon Birkeland, Connor Randall, Dave Gaddie and Nick Licari — also shot 55.

Two teams were selected as random draw winners:

• Colin Haider, Matt Erickson, Zach McKinnon, Bill Slattengren and Ryan Zuk.
• Kelly O’Toole, Andrea Altmann, Al Bastien, Kevin Cornwell and Mary Cornwell.

Proximity Contest Winners

• Hole 2 Longest Drive (Men): Rich Mertz
• Hole 3 Closest to Pin: Andrew Bronson
• Hole 5 Closest to Pin: Luke Kuettel
• Hole 7 Longest Drive (Women): Maddy Schintz
• Hole 9 Longest Putt: Steve Steele
• Hole 12 Closest to Pin: Ken Johnson
• Hole 13 Longest Drive (Men): Jason Crawford
• Hole 16 Longest Drive (Women): Maddy Schintz
• Hole 18 Longest Putt: Al Bastien

Raffle Winners

• Round of Golf for Four with Carts at Ridgeview: Dave Gaddie
• Two Tickets to Bret Kreischer at AMSOIL Arena on Sept. 21: Jim Paquette

The 57th Annual Chamber Golf Classic will return to Ridgeview Country Club on Monday, July 20, 2026.

Enger Park Notebook

Several high-profile golf tournaments are scheduled at Enger Park in August, with local sports programs set to benefit from the annual fundraisers.

The Denfeld Hockey Golf Fundraiser will tee off Friday, Aug. 2, giving supporters a chance to help raise funds for the Hunters’ high school hockey program. The event typically draws a strong turnout from alumni, parents and community supporters.

On Friday, Aug. 9, the Dick Forbort Trojan Legacy Golf Fundraiser will be held, utilizing all three nine-hole layouts at the host course to create three separate 18-hole tournament experiences. Organizers say the expanded format will allow for more participants and increase fundraising capacity for the event, which supports the legacy and future of the Trojan athletics program.

Rounding out the month, the annual Frink and Grote Invitational is set for Tuesday, Aug. 27.