Dean and Peterson Edge Anderson and Klasse at MGA Women's Senior Four-Ball

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  PEQUOT LAKES, Minn. – In perfect partner fashion, Adele Peterson began the final round of the 2022 Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship with a pair of birdies during her front nine, while Christine Dean hit the shot of the tournament on the final hole to help the twosome secure a two-stroke victory Monday at Whitefish Golf Club.

Dean and Peterson shared the opening-round lead with four-time champions Lynn Anderson and Leigh Klasse after both teams posted an even par 72 during Sunday’s opening round, but Dean and Peterson surged on the final day, firing a 3-under 69 to claim the win.

“I don’t want to use the word bookend because it’s not over yet, but to win as a junior and then 35 years later as a senior is pretty incredible,” said Dean, whose last MGA victory came in 1987 at the Minnesota State Junior Girls’ Championship at Tartan Park Golf Club.

“I’ve never won a team event before—it’s so much fun,” Peterson said. “I told [Christine] we need to play with some heart on the last three holes, then I didn’t play with much heart on the last hole, but she came through.”

Dean and Peterson birdied the final hole of the opening round Sunday before Peterson kicked off the scoring on the opening hole of the final round Monday, rolling in her birdie opportunity from eight feet to take the outright lead at 1-under.

Sinking her putt from eight feet at the fifth, Dean put her team at 2-under and Peterson would counter by sinking at 15-footer for birdie at the sixth to put her team up by three shots at 3-under for the tournament.

Climbing back into contention with birdies at the eighth and ninth, Anderson and Klasse moved within one shot of the lead before Peterson’s birdie putt from 12 feet fell at the par-3 12th to get to 4-under. Dean and Peterson’s lead shrunk to one with their second bogey of the championship at the 13th.

Following an Anderson-Klasse bogey at the 17th, Dean and Peterson again took a two-stroke lead before Dean’s second found the left rough at the par-5 18th. With Peterson staring down at least bogey on 18, Dean breathed a sigh of relief after she feathered a low punch shot that rolled onto the green and stopped inside of 10 feet.

“I had a branch in front of me and had to hit it low. That was one of my best shots ever,” said Dean, who two-putted for par on the final hole to close out the championship.

Monday’s win for the former LPGA Tour player Peterson is her second state win after she claimed the 2020 MGA Women’s Senior Amateur at Woodhill Country Club.

“Today’s round was a lot more fun,” Peterson said. “We were dropping more putts today."

“The biggest key was just hanging in there. I started out on the range today not hitting the ball well, but there’s been so many times where I’ve played good after hitting the ball bad on the range.”

Dean and Peterson joined forces for the first time last season, posting back-to-back rounds of 73 at Burl Oaks Golf Club to finish two shots back in fourth place.

Anderson and Klasse posted a 1-under 71 Monday to finish in second place by two strokes. The two combined for four consecutive wins at the event beginning in 2015.

Betsy Aldrich and Barbara Miller, winners in 2020, carded a final-round 74 Monday to place third at 5-over 149.

Following their opening-round 71 Sunday, Sally Deyak and Lynnda Scott posted an even par 72 Monday to claim a four-stroke victory over Mary Flynn and Lili McMillan in the First Flight.

In the Second Flight, Colleen Boerboom and Joan Frie bettered their opening-round score by five strokes, carding a 2-over 74 to edge Debbie Enger and Joan Hasskamp for a one-stroke victory at 9-over 153.

A round of 78 helped the twosome of Theresa Dehn and Beth Ripley to a one-stroke victory in the Third Flight, edging the team of Robin Goetz and Tracy Reilly at 14-over 158.

Melanie Jaeb and Emi Sako combined to shoot a final-round 78 Monday to earn a one-stroke victory in the Fourth Flight, defeating the twosome of Jill Fedo and Kay Rasmusson and the pairing of Karla Ryshavy and Mary Williams at 20-over 164.

A final-round 79 helped the team of Janice Barstad and Jeri Meola to a five-stroke victory in the Fifth Flight, while Deb Hockett and Terri Knutson earned top honors in the Sixth Flight, shooting a 36-over 180 to claim a one-stroke victory.