A 72 Moves Herrick Closer to Fourth MGA Women's Mid-Amateur Title

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 HASTINGS, Minn. – Olivia Herrick, a three-time champion of the Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, moved one step closer to collecting her fourth championship trophy Sunday, carding an even par 72 at Hastings Golf Club to take a one-stroke lead.
 
Following an early bogey during her front nine Sunday, Herrick, a five-time MGA Women’s Player of the year, drew even by converting her birdie chance at the 14^th to pace the field with her round of 72.
 
When the tournament resumes, Herrick will have to hold off Rachel Hernandez, who carded a 1-over 73, and two-time defending champion Jasi Acharya, who posted a 4-over 76 to enter the final round four shots back.
 
Herrick claimed back-to-back victories at the championship in 2014 at Victory Links Golf Course and 2015 at Bunker Hills. Her win in 2018 at The Legends Club, was her most recent state victory.
 
Hernandez, the Member Services Manager for the MGA, started strong with a birdie at the first, but would play her next five holes in 3-over. Bouncing back with a birdie at the seventh, Hernandez turned in 1-over.
 
A string of three consecutive birdies to open her back nine Sunday put the former University of Wisconsin-Stout golfer at 2-under for the championship, but a bogey at the 17^th and a double-bogey at the last put Hernandez in the clubhouse one shot back of Herrick at 73.
 
Acharya claimed her first victory at the championship in 2019 at Bearpath Golf and Country Club and successfully defended her title last season, defeating Betsy Aldrich by three strokes with back-to-back rounds of 75.
 
On Sunday, Acharya opened the championship with a bumpy front nine, carding a pair of birdies against five bogeys to turn in 3-over, but would steady herself during the final nine holes with a lone bogey at the 14^th to post a 4-over 76.
 
The former University of Montana golfer, who now works in sales for PXG, finished inside the top-2 three times in 2019, including her win at the Women’s Mid-Amateur to help her earn MGA Women’s Player of the Year honors.
 
The final round of the 2021 MGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship gets underway at 8 a.m. Monday at Hastings Golf Club.