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Amateur golf: Inspired by his late golf mentor, P.J. Noelke turns back time and wins Madison City Tournament

MIDDLETON -- Much of what P.J. Noelke learned about golf, he learned from "Big John" Feiner, the long-time course superintendent at Johnson Park Golf Course in Racine.

Feiner, 66, died Thursday at his home from a cardiac issue. He had spent the last 37 years at the famous public course, home at one time or another to state golf legends such as Mark Bemowski, Gary Menzel, Jim Covelli and Archie Dadian.

It was also where Noelke, an accomplished junior golfer who played at the University of Wisconsin and UW-Green Bay, got his start in the game. He worked many years for

Feiner and memories of his mentor inspired him to do something Sunday he hadn't done in a very long time: Win a golf tournament.