New year, same score: Team Tazwood goes wire-to-wire in win over Team Peoria

By Steve Stein

Team Tazwood is a model of consistency in the River Cup Men's competition.

The golfers from east of the Illinois River beat Team Peoria 10.5 to 7.5 on May 31 and June 1 at Lick Creek Golf Course in Pekin.

Team Tazwood beat Team Peoria by the same score last year at Mt. Hawley Country Club in Peoria. This year's win was Team Tazwood's sixth in eight years and increased its lead to 21-12 in the overall series.

After taking a 3.5 to 2.5 lead on May 31 in the best ball portion of this year's competition, Team Tazwood won the first three singles matches June 1 to put even more distance between itself and Team Peoria and it never took its foot off the gas.

Team Tazwood captain Ryan Saurs said his team's win was personally meaningful for him because it was his second time as captain and he's won both years.

Saurs said wins by Curt Minkel and Tim Sheppard, Mason Minkel earning a half-point with a draw, and an eagle on the 18th hole by Zach Heinold to earn a draw were crucial to keeping Team Peoria at bay down the stretch June 1.

"It was getting down to crunch time as it usually does, and our guys came through," Saurs said.

"The 'Dawgs,' as I called us, showed up (June 1). We grind and scratch and claw on Team Tazwood. We have tight knit group on this side of the river and a lot of us are friends."

"We had some new faces this year because of availability issues with some of the regulars. I was so proud of how everyone  represented our team and our towns. Half of our team was battling injuries. And not all of us play a ton of golf during the year."

Saurs said his team went into the River Cup with an underdog mentality and that mindset paid off.

"Peoria always fields a stacked team. There's a lot of talent on that side of the river," he said. "A lot of their guys have big time college experience and some of their guys have been on tours."

In addition to leading Team Tazwood as captain, Saurs contributed on the course, earning a draw with partner Jon Hauter in best ball with an amazing comeback against Team Peoria's Brien Davis and Ryan Julius.

Saurs and Hauter were down four strokes with six holes to play, but cut the deficit in half on 13, to just one stroke on 15, and tied the match on 17.

"I've been battling neck and back injuries since last July, and my game has really suffered for a while," Saurs said. "I wasn't much help for Jon on the front nine, but something switched on the back nine. I started chipping in and scoring for him."

Saurs and other golfers from both teams praised the Lick Creek staff for the conditions of the course.

"Best I've seen it in 10 years," Saurs said.

Julius, the Team Peoria captain who is good friends with Saurs, was gracious in defeat.

"I was blessed and honored to be the captain. It was an amazing experience," he said. "I did everything I could do to get our team organized and prepared. Team Tazwood is a deserving champion. They took full advantage of their home course.

"Our teams have a friendly rivalry. We compete, but we root for each other in golf and in life."

River Cup Foundation President Matt Fahel said it was appropriate that a great weekend of golf took place where the River Cup got it start.

The best ball portion was played at Lick Creek and the singles at Newman Golf Course in Peoria in the inaugural Men's competition in 1993. The sites switched the following year.

Here are the results of the 2025 River Cup Men's competition matches:

MAY 31
BEST BALL
-- Jason Woll/Brian Draher (Tazwood) tied with Britt Bothast/Ryan Brown 68-68.
-- Zach Heinold/Connor Watson (Tazwood) tied with Jeremy Ott/Andrew Wuethrich 70-70.
-- Tim Sheppard/Austin Craig (Tazwood) def. John Ehrgott/Jordan Fahel 67-71.
-- Doug Middendorf/Scot Frankenreider (Peoria) def. Jason Boeker/Ryan Cusack 67-75.
-- Curt Minkel/Mason Minkel (Tazwood) def. Scott Phegley/Steven Taylor 68-69.
-- Ryan Saurs/Jon Hauter (Tazwood) tied with Brien Davis/Ryan Julius 70-70.

MAY 31 SCORE
-- Tazwood 3.5, Peoria 2.5.

JUNE 1
SINGLES
-- Ryan Saurs (Tazwood) def. Ryan Julius 5 and 4.
-- Jon Hauter (Tazwood) def. Brien Davis 2 and 1.
-- Connor Watson (Tazwood) def. Doug Middendorf 6 and 5.
-- Mason Minkel (Tazwood) tied with Steven Taylor.
-- Andrew Wuethrich (Peoria) def. Tyler Schneider 6 and 5.
-- Jeremy Ott (Peoria) def. Jason Boeker 2 and 1.
-- Zach Heinold (Tazwood) tied with Ryan Brown.
-- Curt Minkel (Tazwood) def. Britt Bothast 3 and 2.
-- Jason Woll (Tazwood) def. Scot Frankenreider 1-up.
-- Scott Phegley (Peoria) def. Brian Draher 6 and 5.
-- Tim Sheppard (Tazwood) def. Jordan Fahel 1-up.
-- John Ehrgott (Peoria) def. Austin Craig 4 and 3.

FINAL SCORE
-- Tazwood 10.5, Peoria 7.5.
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