THE LEGEND CHALLENGE
SCRATCH PRO-AM
EVENT PARTNERS
(Max and Mason Schmidtke)
The 18th edition of The Legend Challenge — Two Person Scratch Pro-Am hosted by the Wisconsin PGA — featured a sold-out field of 56 teams on Tuesday, May 19, at The Legend at Merrill Hills, where strong winds and dropping temperatures created a demanding test from start to finish.
Teams competed in a one better ball of two scratch format on the challenging Merrill Hills layout, with five teams ultimately finishing tied at 4-under-par 68 after regulation play.
The Schmidtke brothers, Max and Mason, surged into contention late with a closing stretch that featured four birdies over their final seven holes to earn a spot in the playoff.
The championship was ultimately decided in a dramatic hole-by-hole playoff that featured several pivotal moments on the opening extra hole. On the par-4 18th, Josh Grisa nearly ended the competition immediately when his approach struck the flagstick and barely missed going in for eagle.
Moments later, Dustin Schwab and Mason Schmidtke both answered under pressure by hitting their approach shots to three feet and converting the birdies to advance each of their teams to the next playoff hole.
On the second playoff hole, the par-4 1st, after the other two teams failed to convert, Max Schmidtke sealed the victory by draining a 14-foot birdie putt to clinch the title.
The five teams tied at 4-under-par 68 included:
- Max Schmidtke / Mason Schmidtke
- Jeffrey Kaiser / Garrett Jones
- Erik Stenseth / Dustin Schwab
- Josh Grisa / Jake Simms
- Wyatt Wilderman / Jake Kupsky
Well known in Wisconsin golf circles, Max is now in his second year as an assistant professional at Whistling Straits Golf Course, while his brother Mason recently completed his junior year on the Marquette University Golf Team and earned All-Big East honors for the 2025–2026 season.
Special appreciation goes to Premier Golf & Utility Vehicles, Elijah Craig Bourbon, Shade Headwear, and the PGA TOUR, whose continued support helped make it another successful Legend Challenge. We’d also like to thank the entire team at The Legend at Merrill Hills for serving as a tremendous host facility and for delivering excellent course conditions and hospitality throughout the day.