Ike Martin is always happy to be playing in the Bloomington City Golf Tournament when it rolls around each summer, as it has for nearly 60 years since he played in his first one.
He’ll never take it for granted again, if he ever did.
Not even two weeks ago, he was waking up in a hospital, with no idea how he got there. It was heat stroke. He took a week off from work, but as long as the doctors would let him, he wasn’t missing his favorite tournament, now in its 98th year.
The defending Super Senior champ’s 2-up win over No. 9 Burke Geene on Sunday, July 12 at Cascades Golf Course, following a 7 and 6 win in the opener on Saturday, pushed him into the final four in search of a record 14th title. Martin was down one at the turn.
“I don’t know how I did it,” Martin said. “A week and a half ago, they were peeling me out of here in an ambulance. So all this is a positive.”
Over the years, the 71-year-old Martin has shown up despite surgeries on his back and knees and a hand that needed worked on last year. He’s posted lopsided wins and hit all kinds of clutch shots. He’s also faced plenty of setbacks on the golf course, from bad bounces to underdogs who got hot for a day. Facing death? Now he can add that to the list.
A couple of weeks ago, after a long stretch at work mowing the course’s fairways on a hot, muggy day, Martin decided to come back to the course to get nine holes in around 5:30. Martin jokingly mentioned he got a good talking-to from his wife after the episode.
“It was the stupidest thing, because I didn’t hydrate,” Martin said. “And I’m lucky that the people who were here immediately went to work on me and basically saved my life. I had no pulse, my blood-sugar was 200. I was not drinking any fluids.
“I was in the hospital all night. The only thing I can remember is I looked at the clock in my room and it said 1:30. They wouldn’t let me leave the next day until I passed urine, to check my kidney function.”
Martin was drained after golfing two days in a row, a rarity for him nowadays.
“It doesn’t have the importance this year as it usually does, because I know what could have happened,” Martin said.
All the same, he’s still the same fierce competitor, coming back from 2-down after 11 against a long hitter, wins on 16 and 17 sewing it up.
“The EMT said, ’20 minutes more and you wouldn’t be here,'” Martin said. “So I’m just really grateful.”
Super Senior roundup
Martin is part of a final four with the top four seeds included.
His opponent in the semis will be Bob Hasty, who went all the way to 18 to hold off Robin Harper, 1 up. He had just one birdie on the day.
They were tied going into 14, but Hasty won two straight to create the cushion he needed. They split 16, Harper took 17 and a pair of pars gave Hasty the win after a 12-foot putt to force extra holes came up a few inches short.
The other semi, pits No. 2 seed Dan Neubecker against 2022-23 champ No. 3 Rory Brown. Those two met in the 2024 final as Neubecker has made the title match three years in a row.
Brown saw a big lead with five holes to go slip down to two as Mike Vernon took advantage of some tree trouble for Brown.
“Then (on) 17, hit a terrible tee shot, great recovery pitch and had about a 3-footer,” Brown said. He made it to counter a 10-footer by Vernon to clinch the win. “Nothing is ever easy.”
Neubecker had no problems rushing past No. 7 John Kaser 7 and 6.
“John didn’t play as well as he did yesterday,” said Neubecker, who had two birdies on the back to pull away.
The killer shot, he said, came on 11 when a shot bent out from under the pines left of the fairway found the ride glide path and ended up rolling onto the green.
Semifinals and finals are scheduled for July 18-19 at Cascades.
Combs upsets defending Senior champ
Ninth-seeded Charles Combs made his way back to the final four with a 2 and 1 upset of defending champ Chad Osborne, avenging a 3 and 2 loss in last year’s match play opener.
“I owed him from last year,” Combs said. “It was a good match all day long. Went back and forth. Nobody was more than 1 up the whole day until No. 16.”
Osborne went for a winning birdie putt on 16, but missed and the comebacker was wide as well to end up with a bogey that put Combs up two.
Knocking out the top seed was a familiar scenario for Combs. In 2024, Combs made it to the title match for the first time after four decades in the tourney by beating then defending champ Jim Alexander in the semis. He lost to Tim Gillespie in the final, but has a chance to make up for that as well.
“The last two months have been pretty rough, but it seems to be coming together,” Combs said. “I hit the ball on the fairway, You just have to keep it in play. And I’ve been putting really good.”
Combs will have his hands full, taking on No. 4 Matt Till, who sizzled in a 7 and 6 win over No. 5 Brad Leach after a 6 and 5 win over Jason Storm on Saturday.
“It was a little different than yesterday when I started out 2-down,” Till said. “I got up two right away on (Leach) and put some pressure on him. And for me the rest of the way it was fairways and greens. I hit a ton of fairways and a ton of greens. Threw in a birdie or two there. Just made a ton of pars and Brad didn’t have his best game today.”
Two of the other quarterfinals were nail-biters, too, as No. 2 Gary EuDaly needed a strong finish to put away No. 7 Chris Stedman, 2 and 1. It was even at the turn. EuDaly, 67, wanted one last crack at a record fifth Senior title before aging up to the Super Seniors and he’s on track. His last title came in 2020.
“Every year I’ve played in this thing, the real goal is to just make the final four,” EuDaly said. “Then whatever happens, happens.”
EuDaly lost 15 but used wins on 10 and 14 and 16, the last a drive and a 9-iron to a tap in, to go 2-up.
“Case of I hit the right shot at the right time,” EuDaly said. “Especially after I hit the opening shot (out of bounds).”
He’ll play No. 3 Brian Muehlhaus, the former Bloomington North coach in his first year in the Seniors, who had to rally past No. 6 Alexander, 2 and 1 after trailing by one after nine holes. It sets up a semi between the youngest and oldest members of the Seniors.
“He coached both my son and daughter in high school,” EuDaly said. “I’ve known him for a long time. But I don’t think we’ve ever played each other (in match play). Being 50 years old, you can’t tell it. He’s just really gargantuan long off the tee. He just overpowered that back nine to win that match.”
BLOOMINGTON CITY GOLF TOURNAMENT
SATURDAY, JULY 11 RESULTS
PHIL TALBOT MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP — [1] Jason Bannister d. [16] Zayne Dwigans, forfeit; [8] Daniel Melwid d. [9] Brayden Bunger, 3 and 2; [4] Ryan Decker d. [13] Tim Gillespie 5 and 4; [5] Tyler Jordan d. [12] Zach Sykes, 1 up. [2] Mitch Oard d. [15] Brad Scroggins, 5 and 4; [7] Sam Wise d. [10] Tony Arnett 7 and 6; [3] Logan Vernon d. [14] Jim Southern 7 and 6; [6] Alec Freund d. [11] Jeff Nelson 2 and 1.
PAUL GRAY SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP — [1] Chad Osborne d. [16] Ken Wilson 3 and 2; [9] Charles Combs d. [8] Lance Ringler 3 and 2; [4] Matt Till d. [13] Jason Storm 6 and 5; [5] Brad Leach d. [12] Mike Bruce, 4 and 2. [2] Gary EuDaly d. [15] Thomas Gillespie 4 and 2; [7] Chris Stedman d. [10] Chuck Vernon, 2 and 1; [3] Brian Muehlhaus d. [14] Ross Grimes 7 and 6; [6] Jim Alexander d. [11] Bill Kelson, 3 and 2.
ROSS RUSH SUPER SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP — [1] Ike Martin d. [16] Phil McCann 7 and 6; [9] Burke Geene d. [8] Steve Hinds, 5 and 4; [4] Bob Hasty d. [13] Paul Toddy, 2 and 1; [12] Robin Harper d. [5] Joe Beane, 20 holes. [2] Dan Neubecker d. [15] Marty Hutsell, 3 and 2; [7] John Kaser d. [10] David Devitt, 5 and 4; [3] Rory Brown d. [14] Mike Thomas, 5 and 4; [6] Mike Vernon d. [11] Gary Blackwell, 6 and 5.
SENIOR REGULAR
FIRST FLIGHT — [1] Jay Freund, bye; [4] Dan Smith d. [5] Rock Scherer, 3 and 1; [2] Rich Scheid d. [7] Aaron Santner, 1 up; [6] Brian Wise d. [3] Allen Aung, 1 up.
SECOND FLIGHT — [1] Jeff Huntoon, bye; [4] Brandon Chambers d. [5] Mike Vernon, Jr. 2 and 1; [2] Ed Huff, bye; [6] Ramesh Venkataraman d. Noberto Mejia, 22 holes.
SUPER SENIOR REGULAR
FIRST FLIGHT — [1] George Finley d. [8] Dick Meacham, 4 and 3; [4] Keith Houk d. [5] Davoid Ripley, 1up; [7[ Drew Antilla d. [2] David Smiley, 19 holes; [3] Gerald Wright d. [6] Mark Deal, 2 and 1.
SECOND FLIGHT — [1] Jim Sims, bye; [4] Jan Bond d. [5] John Cantwell, 4 and 2; [2] Brian Werth, bye; [6] Sam Janaraweragul d. [3] Brett Daniels, 3 and 2.
WOMEN’S REGULAR
FIRST FLIGHT — [1] Libby McElhinney, bye; [5] Kourtney Grimes d. [4] Jillian Moss, 4 and 3; [2] Carly Cauble vs. [7] Lisa Wise, PPD; [3] Marley Jackson vs. [6] Sheila Nickle, both WD.
SUNDAY, JULY 12 RESULTS
PHIL TALBOT MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP — [1] Jason Bannister d. [9] Daniel Melwid, 7 and 6; [5] Tyler Jordan d. [4] Ryan Decker, 1 up; [2] Mitch Oard d. [7] Sam Wise, 3 and 2; [3] Logan Vernon d. [6] Alec Freund, 7 and 6.
PAUL GRAY SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP — [9] Charles Combs d. [1] Chad Osborne, 2 and 1; [4] Matt Till d. [5] Brad Leach, 7 and 6; [2] Gary EuDaly d. [7] Chris Stedman, 2 and 1; [3] Brian Muehlhaus d. [6] Jim Alexander, 2 and 1.
ROSS RUSH SUPER SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP — [1] Ike Martin d. [9] Burke Geene 2 and 1; [4] Bob Hasty d. [12] Robin Harper, 1 up; [2] Dan Neubecker d. [7] John Kaser, 7 and 5; [3] Rory Brown d. [6] Mike Vernon, 2 and 1.
MEN’S REGULAR
FIRST FLIGHT — [1] Cameron Cochren d. [8] Brett Oeding, forfeit; [4] Aaron Wicker d. [5] Cole Trueblood, 19 holes; [2] Robert Wise d. [7] James Richardson, 5 and 4; [3] Jake Cunningham d. [6] Henry Ripley, 22 holes.
SECOND FLIGHT — [1] Kevin Greve, bye; [4] Russ Wilkie d. [5] Bryan Fyalkowski, 6 and 5; [2] Jeremy Wise d. [7] Brad Garrison, 3 and 2; [6] Jackson Storm d. [3] Daniel Johnson, 1 up.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: After near-death experience, Ike Martin grateful to be in City Golf semis
Reporting by Jim Gordillo, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
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By Jim Gordillo, The Herald-Times | USA TODAY Network
