Wilson wins Club Championship
John Wilson, right, shares a handshake with 2025 champion Jamie Stinson following their final round Sunday. Bryan Matheny is also pictured.
John Wilson knew there wasn't going to be anything easy about chasing down another championship at McMinnville Country Club.
Four shots off the lead entering Sunday and playing from the tips with the ball down in the toughest setup of the weekend, Wilson knew he was going to have to "grind" his way back into contention. By the end of a hot final round, the four-time champion had done exactly that.
Wilson fired a 2-over, 74 Sunday, finishing at 9-over for the weekend to erase the deficit and beat three-time champion Zack Molloy by three strokes to claim the Championship Division of the McMinnville Country Club Club Championship.
The comeback had a defining moment on the ninth hole.
Playing the Par-5, Wilson went for the green from approximately 230 yards out, launching a 4-iron over the trees and finding the putting surface in two. He followed the impressive approach by sinking a 10-foot eagle putt, officially launching his charge toward the top of the leaderboard.
Wilson had opened the tournament at 7-over Saturday, leaving him four shots behind Molloy, who carried the lead into Sunday after shooting an impressive 75 Saturday. Wilson made up the difference on the final day, grinding his way around a difficult setup.
There was still some late drama.
Wilson briefly opened the door with a three-putt on the difficult par-3 No. 17, but Molloy had already suffered a costly setback at No. 15 when he gave back three strokes. Molloy had another opportunity to make a late push on the 17th, but his 10-foot attempt narrowly missed and his chances of forcing a tie began to fade.
Wilson closed out the victory from there, adding another championship to an impressive run at McMinnville Country Club. His latest title is his fourth since 2019, joining victories in 2019, 2022 and 2024.
It also pushed Wilson ahead in a familiar championship rivalry. Molloy, the winner in 2016, 2020 and 2021, entered the weekend with three titles of his own during the current run of champions. Jamie Stinson, who tied for fourth this weekend at 14-over, had won two of the previous three championships in 2023 and 2025.
Michelle Dodson, left, won her 13th straight Ladies Championship Sunday, while Kate Alsbrook was the women’s Net Division winner.
While Wilson had to come from behind to capture another title, Michelle Dodson continued one of the longest-running championship streaks at the club.
Dodson won the Ladies Championship for the 13th consecutive year, extending a streak that dates back to 2014.
She did it this time with a dominant final round.
After opening at 10-over Saturday, Dodson improved by seven shots Sunday, shooting 3-over to finish at 13-over and win by 50 strokes.
"Today it was just course management, keeping it in the fairway and out of the rough. The first day, I was in the rough a lot and today I tried my best to stay out of it and just go for the center of the greens," said Dodson. "Pin placements were tough, but three birdies helped today too."
Known for being able to bash the ball off the tee, Dodson showed there was much more to her game during Sunday's round.
She started making her move on the par-5 third hole. Dodson nearly holed her approach, watching the ball roll to within inches of the cup before tapping in for birdie.
Two more birdies came on a pair of the course's toughest holes.
Dodson navigated No. 15 for a birdie, then produced another quality shot at No. 17. Her tee shot landed inside five feet, giving the 13-time champion a great look at another birdie as she put the finishing touches on another championship performance.
There were dominant winners in some of the other divisions as well, though competitors outside the Championship Division played different tees and conditions throughout the weekend.
Noel Davis ran away with the Junior Division while playing from the white tees. Davis opened with a 4-under round before shooting even par Sunday, finishing at 4-under and winning by 42 strokes over runner-up Mason Gribble. Grayson Potter was third.
Greg Brock took home the Senior Division championship. Brock opened with a 1-under round Saturday and followed with a 7-over round Sunday to finish at 6-over. William Brock and Buck Brock tied for second at 17-over, while Steve Biles finished fourth at 23-over.
Cole Taylor put on an impressive display to win the Men's Net Division at 4-under. Taylor did most of his damage Saturday with a 7-under round before shooting 3-over Sunday. Daniel Benedict was runner-up at 5-over, followed by Sean Kelley at 7-over, Rickey Minton at 10-over and Coty Grissom at 11-over.
Alsbrook added the Women's Net Division title, finishing at 17-over.
The weekend, though, belonged to Wilson in the club's toughest test. Four shots down when he arrived Sunday, the three-time champion needed something special to make another run at the title.
An eagle, a grind and a 74 later, Wilson walked away a four-time champion.
From left, Cole Taylor, Noel Davis and Greg Brock.
Pictured from left, Nick Stern, Rickey Minton, Zach Minton and Greg Brock.
Brock, MInton win A/B Shootout
The McMinnville Country Club Championship weekend got off to a memorable start Saturday with 20 golfers taking part in the A/B Shootout.
The field started with 10 two-man teams before being whittled down to Nick Stern and Rickey Minton against Greg Brock and Zach Minton for the championship. After the two teams battled all the way through the ninth hole, the title had to be decided with a chip-off playoff on the ninth green.
Fittingly, it came down to father against son.
Zach Minton edged his dad, Rickey, with the winning chip to secure the A/B Shootout championship for himself and Brock. Stern and Rickey Minton finished as runners-up after surviving the field and advancing to the final showdown.
The A/B Shootout served as a fun opening act to a busy championship weekend at McMinnville Country Club, which continued Saturday and Sunday with the annual Club Championship.
