A 66 Moves Bull to Top of MGA Mid-Amateur Leaderboard

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  WACONIA, Minn. – Behind a 6-under 66 during his second round at Chaska Town Course Tuesday, Jesse Bull moved to the top of the leaderboard at the 36th Minnesota Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship, in search of his first state victory in seven seasons.

Bull fired a near-flawless round Tuesday, sinking seven birdies and one late bogey to move two shots clear of Jason Pendleton ahead of Wednesday’s final round at Island View Golf Club.

“I was able to get more out of my round today from 100 yards and in,” Bull said following his second round Tuesday. “The par 5s at [Chaska] were very available for birdies after a couple quality shots. Then it was a chip and a putt or a two-putt birdie.

“Drove it into the pond on [No. 3], and saving par felt like my first birdie. Playing the last 12 in 6-under is not something I realized, but the par 5’s helped move the round along nicely.”

Despite making only his third start at a state championship this week, Bull followed an opening-round 71 by stringing together four birdies over a five-hole span mid-round. 

He finished his round with birdies at three of his final four holes, seeking out his first win since he paired up with Andrew McCain to win the 2016 MGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Edina Country Club.

“I knew if I signed up for the mid-am it would force me to play three days in a row. In my opinion, the only place to know where your game is at is to play in tournaments," said the 48-year-old Bull. "This week is the third tournament of the year, and I’m happy I get to go out there and have a whole new test tomorrow.”

Bull entered the week riding momentum after qualifying for the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship earlier this month, carding a 6-under 65 at Woodhill Country Club, and advanced to the semifinals of the 98th Northland Invitational at Northland Country Club a week later.

A former hockey player at the University of North Dakota, Bull’s first state victory came at the MGA Amateur Championship in 2014 at Golden Valley Country Club when he sank his birdie putt on the final hole to become the first player in 66 years to win on his home course.

Since his most recent victory, Bull placed third at the MGA Mid-Amateur at Southview Country Club before finishing tied for second at the MGA Amateur the following season at Hazeltine National Golf Club.

Rolling in five birdies during his final nine holes Tuesday at Island View put former the Minnesota State University-Mankato golfer Pendleton in the final group for the second consecutive season, firing a bogey-free 7-under 65.

“I hit the ball well off the tee and then on the back nine, I really started to hit the ball a little closer and made some putts,” Pendleton said Tuesday. “Really solid playing today. Bogey-free is always nice."

Starting his second round with back-to-back birdies at the second and third holes, Pendleton heated up during his final nine by sinking a pair of birdie chances from inside of eight feet at the 10th and 11th holes to move to 2-under for the tournament.

After sinking a 25-footer for birdie at the 13th, Pendleton’s putter rolled in a 15-footer for birdie at the 14th to reach 6-under for the round.

Finding the green at the par-5 17th from 260 yards with his second shot, Pendleton would two-putt for birdie to card a tournament-low 7-under 65 to move within two shots of Bull’s lead at 139.

“If I can make some putts is when I usually shoot under par,” said Pendleton. “Made a lot of those six to 10-footers for birdies today, and had some luck of getting good lies in the fairway and good lies in the rough.

“I’ve been playing well—tough start yesterday being 4-over through four and then shooting 2-under after that. Could’ve been a 78, but I turned it into a 74, so I’m almost more proud of yesterday’s round for sticking with it when things weren’t going well."

Kane Bauer, the 2011 MPGA Match Play and 2018 MPGA Combination Championship winner, will need to erase a five-stroke deficit entering Wednesday’s final round.

Bauer opened with a 1-under 71 Monday at Island View, duplicating his score Tuesday at Chaska Town course to sit in third at 2-under 142.

Tony Krogen, Noah Lawson, Ryan Conn and Joe Conzemius will begin the final round in a share of fourth place, six shots back at 143.

The final round of the 36th MGA Mid-Amateur Championship is scheduled to begin at 7:50 a.m. at Island View Golf Club.