Round of the day
Max Schwarz, Paradise Valley, Ariz. For a round that began with all of the excitement of standing in line, it stood to reason that the former University of Wisconsin golfer would end his Tuesday at the 106th Suter Ward Group at Morgan Stanley Wisconsin State Open at Tuckaway Country Club in Franklin at the head of the line.
Schwarz played his final seven holes in 5-under-par with three birdies (Nos. 12, 13 and 18) and an eagle (No. 16) to shoot a 4-under 68 and, at 6-under 138, move one stroke clear of the field entering Wednesday’s 36-hole finale. His pairing the first two rounds accounted for three of the top five golfers on the leaderboard with Madison’s Barrett Kelpin (71) and Brandon Cloete (71) tied for second at 5-under 139 with two-time State Open champion Harrison Ott of Brookfield and Marquette University golfer Mason Schmidtke of Sheboygan.
“Honestly, it didn’t really feel like a special day at all until I hit a really good 4-iron on (No.) 16, the par-5, a nice little cut in there to 12 feet and made it (for eagle),” said Schwarz, who was 1-over through 11 holes with two bogeys (Nos. 4 and 11) and one birdie (No. 8). “I knew it was going to be a solid round. To close it out on 18 with a birdie on a tough hole, tough pin was solid.”
How solid? After Tuckaway Country Club yielded eight sub-70 rounds in the opening round Monday, there were just four rounds in the 60s Tuesday with Schwarz’s 68 the only one authored by a golfer inside of the top 20.
Start of the day
2026 Wisconsin State Open | Day 2 | Sebastian Kasun
Wisconsin.Golf photo / ROB HERNANDEZ
Sebastian Kasun, Elm Grove. The former Loyola University of Chicago golfer, competing in the State Open for the first time as a professional, enjoyed the second-biggest turnaround Tuesday when he bounced back from an opening 78 with a 3-under 69 thanks to a strong start in the fourth group off the first tee at Tuckaway CC.
Kasun, co-medalist in qualifying for the State Open at The Bull at Pinehurst Farms in Sheboygan Falls with a 68, birdied three holes in a four-hole stretch starting at No. 3 to get his round started. He then recovered from a bogey at the par-3 eighth hole with a birdie at the par-4 ninth to make the turn in 3-under 33.
Finish of the day
2026 Wisconsin State Open | Day 2 | Patrick Adler
Wisconsin.Golf photo / ROB HERNANDEZ
Patrick Adler, Winnetka, Ill. The former Marquette golfer, who made his PGA Tour debut last month when he Monday qualified for the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Ill., moved into position to challenge for a Wisconsin State Open title when he finished his second round with three birdies in a row in a 2-under 70 to get to 3-under 141.
It was a much different story than the front nine for Adler, who ditched his signature Chicago Bears cap for one with the TaylorMade logo after complaints from Green Bay Packers fans. After four consecutive pars to start his day, he went bogey/birdie/bogey/birdie/bogey over his next five holes and parred his first six holes on the back.
Adler, who overcame an opening 78 last year at Blackwolf Run to finish ninth, is three back with 36 holes to go.
Stat of the day
2026 Wisconsin State Open | Day 2 | George Kneiser
Wisconsin.Golf photo / ROB HERNANDEZ
George Kneiser, Dousman. The former UW-Green Bay golfer is the only one in the field yet to record a bogey. That’s the good news.
The bad news? Kneiser has two double-bogeys to go with three birdies, one eagle and a tournament-high 30 pars over the first 36 holes.
Shot of the day (with a golf club)
2026 Wisconsin State Open | Day 2 | Kaylor Steger
Wisconsin.Golf photo / ROB HERNANDEZ
Kaylor Steger, Mount Pleasant. There was quite a commotion on the 18th green Tuesday when the 30-year-old Grass League professional holed a putt as long as a basketball court — we’re calling it 94 feet — as he made the turn at Tuckaway CC.
“I did not step it off, but it was probably the longest possible putt to have on the golf course,” joked Steger, who made three birdies in a four-hole stretch starting at No. 15 before the birdie well ran dry after the long putt and he settled for a 73, leaving him at 3-under 141 in a tie for ninth. “(I) gave it a general read of the whole thing but tried to focus on speed. Always speed. When I initially stroked it, I thought ‘Ooh that felt good; maybe sit a little.’ Then as it got closer, in my head I was thinking “No way … no way … Oh, you lucky dawg right before it dropped 😂”
Shot of the day (video)
Vince Sigl, Seymour. The UW-Green Bay-bound freshman came to the 18th hole Tuesday needing a birdie to have any kind of a chance to make the cut. Sigl made the putt to shoot 75 and get to 4-over 148 for the week, forcing him to straddle the cut line most of the afternoon before his T-60 position proved to be good enough.
Shot of the day (photo)
Former Marquette University golfer Mike Van Sickle shot 71 and remained in the top 10 at 3-under 141 — all while wearing his trademark Loudmouth shorts with the Milwaukee Brewers iconic ball and glove logo. The shorts not only did the trick for Van Sickle, but they must have had some magic for the Brewers, who handed Seattle a 22-0 thumping at American Family Field in Milwaukee.
Wisconsin.Golf photo / ROB HERNANDEZ
Past champion tracker
There are nine former Wisconsin State Open champions in this year’s field. Here is how they fared:
Harrison Ott, Brookfield (8th): The two-time Wisconsin State Open champion (2020, ’21) continued to keep a clean scorecard Tuesday, making four birdies and 12 pars against two bogeys in shooting a 2-under-par 70 and earning a share of second place at 5-under 139. Over 36 holes, Ott has made 26 pars, six birdies and one eagle against three bogeys in his bid to become the 11th three-time State Open champion and the first since 2018 when Dan Woltman won the third of his four.Cameron Huss, Kenosha (T-13): For the second day in a row, the 2023 champion had it going early. One day after getting to 4-under after six holes only to finish with a 2-under 70, Huss started birdie-birdie and only made one the rest of the way. Huss finished with an even-par 72 and, at 2-under 142, will begin the marathon final day four strokes behind former UW teammate Max Schwarz. Max Lyons, Dallas, Texas (T-13): The 2024 champion birdied Nos. 1 and 2 to begin his inward nine and birdied Nos. 8 and 9 to end it, rallying for his second consecutive 1-under 71 to join Huss in a tie for 13th place at 2-under 142. Daniel Mazziotta, Wisconsin Rapids (T-33): It was a long day for the 2022 champion. The Sand Valley GR caddie was 4-over after six holes and was never able to recover, falling 29 spots into a T-33 with a 77 and a 1-over 145 total.Ryan Helminen, Menasha (T-46): It was a tale of two nines for the two-time champion (2008, ’14). Helminen, the runner-up to Jim Lemon the last time the State Open was held at Tuckaway CC in 2013, went out in 1-under 35 with one birdie (No. 2) and eight pars before struggling to a 40 on the back nine. Even so, the former Badgers golfer, a 3-over 147, made the cut in his 33rd State Open.Sam Weatherhead, Oconomowoc (T-46): One year after he reached the 36-hole mark with nine birdies and two bogeys, the script has flipped on the 2025 champion. Weatherhead enters Wednesday’s 36-hole finale with fewer birdies (five) and more bogeys (eight) as he fell 10 spots to T-46 at 3-over 147 total.Jordan Niebrugge, Mequon (T-48): The 2011 champion missed the 36-hole cut by one stroke with a birdie-free 76 in the second round. He had two bogeys, one double-bogey and 15 pars and called it a week with a 5-over 149 total.Eddie Terasa, Waukesha (T-108): The 66-year-old three-time champion (1985, ’95, ’10) ran an 80-foot birdie putt over the left lip on the 18th hole, tapping in for a par and a 1-over 73 — his best score in a State Open since he fired a 69 in the third round of the 2018 championship. Nonetheless, his 7-over 151 total in his 45th State Open resulted in a seventh consecutive missed cut. Andrew Steinhofer, Madison (T-58): The 2012 champion had as many pars between Nos. 12 and 15 (four) as he did the rest of his round. Unfortunately for Steinhofer, that led to a second-round 78 and, at 8-over 152, a missed cut.SWEET SPOT AT THE STATE OPENAustin Gaugert enjoys State Open shadows after time in the caddie spotlight at PGA
2026 Wisconsin State Open | Day 2 | Austin Gaugert
Wisconsin.Golf photo / ROB HERNANDEZ
Sami Mantyla was leaving the first tee at Tuckaway CC, caddying for her husband Kurt in the second round of the Wisconsin State Open, when Austin Gaugert — a PGA Tour caddie from Lake Geneva — offered her some encouragement.
“Hey, caddie hard out there,” Gaugert told her with a grin.
“I’ll try my best,” Sami Mantyla replied.
“That’s all you can do,” Gaugert said playfully. “You showed up on time; you’re better than me.”
If you were wondering how Gaugert is handling his notoriety after an awkward caddie/player situation in May at the PGA Championship that resulted in his split with Garrick Higgo, that exchange should give you an idea.
If not, The Sweet Spot was curious so we asked Gaugert what his life as a caddie has been like since his former boss, Garrick Higgo, was late to the first tee for the opening round of the PGA at Aronimink GC in Newtown, Pa. Higgo was assessed a two-stroke penalty and eventually missed the cut at the PGA; Gaugert was dismissed a few days later and has since found work with Patrick Rodgers.
“I feel bad for what happened at The PGA,” Gaugert told us. “It’s the worst day of caddying in my life that I’ve ever had. I love my job and there are a lot of great things that come with it, but I just messed up. Garrick takes all the blame for it, but that’s on me. I mean he’s got to be there, but I’ve been reminding him for the whole year that I caddied for him ‘Hey, we’ve got this much time to go to the tee’ and I just never said it.
“I messed up. It’s something I don’t want to go back and live again, but unfortunately it happened.”
Higgo finished 166th in the FedExCup standings and did not qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs. Gaugert helped Rodgers finish 64th in the standings and qualify for last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, but Rodgers was not able to climb into the top 50 and advance to this week’s BMW Championship despite a T-19 showing.
That’s why Gaugert was able to tee it up this week at Tuckaway CC. He bounced back from an opening 76 with a 69 and moved into a tie for 33rd at 1-over 145 — seven shots behind leader Max Schwarz with 36 holes to play.
“I played the Kenosha County Open (in July) at Brighton Dale (Links in Kansasville),” Gaugert said when asked how he managed to find time for State Open preparations around his caddying duties. “I think the first nine I shot 41 and then I shot 35-34-35. That part has been good. It’s probably not as pretty as what the scorecard looks like, but it’s fun to come out here and grind and be on the other side of the bag. I think I can learn a lot from my job for that.”
Plus, Gaugert has an affinity for Tuckaway CC. He finished T-4 when the State Open was held here in 2013.
“I love this place; I play it like two or three times a year,” Gaugert said. “They invite me to play the Pro-Member, which is like one of my favorite days of the year and I’m not just saying that in case the members see this. It’s fun to play with some guys from here. The format is really cool. I don’t know, for some reason I’ve always loved coming here — probably because I have feelings from 2013, my best State Open finish.”
History suggests Harrison Ott has ’em right where he wants ’em
Two-time State Open champion Harrison Ott was told there’d be no math this week, yet there he was Tuesday counting his blessings that he’s right where the Brookfield golfer wants to be entering the 36-hole finale Wednesday at Tuckaway Country Club — chasing someone at the top of the leaderboard.
In 2020 at Blue Mound G&CC in Wauwatosa, Ott went into the final day two shots behind second-round leader Kaylor Steger, shot a pair of 68s and won by six. In 2021 at Blackwolf Run in Kohler, Ott began the final day five shots behind second-round leader Piercen Hunt, fired two 68s on the Meadow Valleys Course and won by four.
“I’m not even going to do the math,” said Ott, whose turnarounds those two years are the only reminders he needs going into Wednesday’s marathon finale that patience will be his biggest virtue. “It’s just one of those things where (Wednesday) is a long day. You can make up a bunch of shots. But, in those moments, it almost surprises you when you’re four down to start the day or two down with 20 holes to go, you’re like ‘OK, I have to make birdies.’ And then you put your head down and try to do that and you’re seven up at one point.”
IN THEIR WORDS
Wisconsin.Golf’s Rob Hernandez and Gary D’Amato talk with golfers after the second round of the 2026 Wisconsin State Open Championship: