, although Andy Doeden is just as good of a resource. He remembers the days of former sportscaster Jim Adelson being the energy behind it.<\/p>\n
He remembers Jason Lamp in 1990 sinking a 40-foot putt late in the final round that eventually won him the title. This weekend, if things go perfectly, he could be the answer to another trivia question: Who had the biggest gap between tournament championships?<\/p>\n
Doeden won in 2001. He also turned pro a few years later and that\u2019s more the story of his return to the event that starts Friday at the Moorhead Country Club than anything else.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s back.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s been about 15 years since the 46-year-old has teed it up in a tourney like this.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo truly see where my game is at,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019re exposed under pressure so it\u2019s a little different than playing once a week or once every other week. I just love to compete and be around others. I\u2019m at a stage now where I\u2019ve learned some things on what to do and what not to do and share some of that with others.\u201d<\/p>\n
He was 27 years old when he put professional golf behind him, taking a job in the private sector in Fort Worth, Texas. He has since returned to Fargo and is currently with Bell Insurance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just had different priorities over the last 15 years,\u201d Doeden said.<\/p>\n
Priority A is his family, which consists of his wife, Katie, and their children: Claire, 17; Graham, 14; Charlie, 12, and Jack, 9. This weekend will be more than just Andy on the course.<\/p>\n
Graham is one of 130 players in the men\u2019s field, including many top college or recent ex-college players in the Upper Midwest. Charlie will be caddying for his dad, Katie will be doing the same for Graham and Claire is caddying for a friend.<\/p>\n
The tourney will be televised by WDAY from noon-5 p.m. and all three days and can be seen on WDAY Xtra or the WDAY-Plus app. It\u2019s an event that began in 1964 as the KX Amateur behind Adelson, who Doeden remembers well in his days as a young golfer.<\/p>\n
The on-course cameras won\u2019t be anything new to him. He played in a couple of U.S. Amateur tourneys and a few events on the Nationwide Tour that were televised.<\/p>\n
Doeden turned pro in 2002 after four years at TCU. He spent all of 2004 on the Nationwide, at the time the second-best level below the PGA Tour. He won twice on the Tight Lies Tour.<\/p>\n
He obtained his card for the Canadian Professional Golf Tour in 2006, finishing in the top 20 in the tour\u2019s qualifying school.<\/p>\n
But Doeden halted his pro career in 2007, saying golf wasn\u2019t fun anymore.<\/p>\n
It is now. He has a goal of playing in another USGA event. He and Graham played in a two-person event at Headwaters Golf Club near Park Rapids, Minnesota, a couple of weeks ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are all kinds of thoughts that run through your mind as you prepare for a three-day tournament,\u201d Andy said. \u201cIt\u2019s excitement. It\u2019s doubt. What swing am I going to bring to the course? You show up, you see what you have and you adjust.\u201d<\/p>\n
The immediate goal is to make the cut on Friday, with the field reduced to 90 players.<\/p>\n
Doeden won\u2019t be the only former pro in the Red River Am: South Dakota State head men\u2019s golf coach Parker Edens won six events including two on the Dakotas Tour. Edens competed on minor tours for four years before calling it quits in 2018 and getting into college coaching.<\/p>\n
Andy tees off at 9:16 a.m. Friday with North Dakota State assistant coach Ian Simonich and Kolby Koerner, who just graduated from Grand Forks Red River and was named North Dakota\u2019s Mr. Golf.<\/p>\n
Doeden has reconnected with the college scene in a sense hosting an FCA study for Bison players. He\u2019s played and practiced with them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just enjoyed that stage of life because I had great people in my life at that stage who helped me on and off the golf course,\u201d Doeden said. \u201cFor me it\u2019s about giving back this weekend, being around younger talent and encouraging others and competing.\u201d<\/p>\n
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