Extended Season Boosts Golf Rounds in Minnesota in 2024
December 23, 2024
By Nick Hunter
nhunter23@hotmail.com
BRAINERD, Minn. – Kendal Hake shot a 3-over par 75 to take the lead Sunday at the 2013 Minnesota Golf Association’s Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at the Dutch Legacy course at Cragun’s Resort.
Hake, Heritage Links Golf Club, has her work cut out for her as four previous winners are within four shots of the lead.
Hake had a steady opening round Sunday as she was 2-over par through the first five holes, but finished her front nine with a birdie and three pars to make the turn at 1-over par 37.
She would find herself in a bit of trouble on the back nine as she made consecutive bogeys on holes 11, 12 and 13 and quickly found herself at 4-over par. She would maintain composure and finish her final five holes with a birdie and four pars to finish 3-over par.
Defending champion Kristen Wagner is just two strokes behind Hake after the first round. Wagner, Minneapolis Golf Club, won last year’s event at Brackett’s Crossing Country Club in Prior Lake, Minn.
Wagner played well on the front nine with seven pars and two bogeys finishing at 2-over par before stumbling on her final nine holes. She had back-to-back bogeys on the 10th and 11th holes before a double bogey on the 13th hole. Wagner would limit the damage with a birdie on the 14th hole and four straight pars to finish at 5-over par 77.
Leigh Klasse is certainly no stranger to the Mid-Amateur Tournament as she has taken home the trophy six times, including five in a row from 2004-2008. Klasse, Keller Golf Club, got off to a very quick start with a birdie on the first hole. From there she would par her next eight holes to finish the front nine at 1-under par 35.
The second nine holes weren’t as friendly to Klasse as she bogeyed the 10th and 11th holes with another coming on the 13th. She would then take a triple bogey on the 440-yard, par-5 16th hole. Klasse finished with two pars to card a 5-over par 77, just two strokes behind the leader.
Another former champion, Alison Hurley, also sits just two strokes behind Hake and in great position to add another championship to her resume. The 2009 winner was 3-over par on the front nine with three bogeys. She stumbled on the 10th hole as she double bogeyed and dropped to 5-over par. But Hurley, Minnesota Valley Country Club, would par her final eight holes to keep her chances alive as she finished at 5-over par 77.
Claudia Pilot, who won three straight titles (2001, 2002, 2003) sits just four shots behind the leader as she shot a 7-over par 79 Sunday. Pilot, Austin Country Club, double bogeyed the 5th hole and bogeyed the 7th hole as she finished her first nine holes 3-over par. With five pars and four bogeys on her final nine holes, Pilot sits four strokes back in 5th place.
Brenda Williams, the 1999 winner, finished her first round in a tie for 8th place with a 12-over par 84.
Tee times for Monday’s second and final round will begin at 8:30 a.m.
For complete tournament results go to: http://www.ghintpp.com/mngolf/TPPOnlineScoring/ResultsStroke.aspx?id=469&fid=0
December 23, 2024
December 17, 2024
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