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Joe DeRosa, a Holmen High School graduate and the assistant pro at the La Crosse Country Club in Onalaska, has been playing more tournaments in preparation for this week's Wisconsin PGA State Open at the Eau Claire Country Club. But he had nearly as big a win Monday in prepartion for next week, winning the WPGA's state assistant's championship at Chenequa Country Club in Hartland to qualify for this fall's national assistant's championship at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Flor.

DeRosa carded consecutive round of 1-under-par 70 at Chenequa Monday, finishing tied with Ryan Helminen, playing out of Sentry World in Stevens Point. DeRosa and Helminen were each in the right rough on the first playoff hole, the 438-yard, par-4 1st hole.

DeRosa was able to get close enough with his second shot to have a 40-foot putt for birdie, while Helminen only was able to manage a 20-foot chip for par. DeRosa lagged his putt to within about four inches of the hole and tapped in for par, while Helminen lipped out his chip, giving DeRosa the title.

“I had to hit it over a ridge, and it had good left-to-right break,” DeRosa said of what was essentially the tournament-winning putt. “It was a good lag putt. I knew if I two-putted I had a chance to win.”

DeRosa had five birdies on four bogeys in his opening 36-34-70. He had just two birdies in his second round of 35-35-70, but avoided trouble well with just one bogey. His greatest success came on the courses par-3s, which he played at 3-under-par, including a birdie on the 183-yard 8th hole in his opening round.

DeRosa finished two shots clear of needing to go to a playoff to advance to the national tournament, as fourth-place finisher and first alternate Brian Brodell finished at even-par 142. The win puts DeRosa in good position entering the Open, which will be played Monday through Wednesday at the Eau Claire Country Club.

“The win (Monday) should give me some good momentum going into the Open,” DeRosa said. “The course was similar (Monday). There's a lot of trouble off the tee, so visually I'll be dealing with a lot of the same thoughts. I just hope I can keep it going.”

DeRosa would seem to be in good position beyond Monday's results, he said.

“No one part of my game was better than another (Monday),” DeRosa said. “I was just solid all day.

“My goal is to play well. If I find myself in a position to win, we'll see what happens.”

Two of the more vital parts of any players game that could be tested at Eau Claire are driving accuracy and putting, DeRosa said. DeRosa, Country Club pro Jim Kjellenberg of Onalaska, and former Cedar Creek club pro Mark Schneider of Holmen played a practice round together in Eau Claire recently.

“They're averaged-sized fairways, but the greens are pretty sloped, and there's a lot of trouble off the tee,” DeRosa said. “You have to be careful what you hit off the tee. There aren't a lot of let-up holes off the tee.”