Herrick Hangs on to Win Second Straight MGA Women's Mid-Am

By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


  COON RAPIDS, Minn. – Entering the final round of the 19th Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship with a two-stroke lead Monday at Bunker Hills Golf Club, Olivia Herrick carded a 79 to fend off Leigh Klasse to win her second consecutive championship.

Herrick earned her first mid-amateur title last year with a two-stroke victory over Claudia Pilot and found herself in a similar situation heading into Monday’s final round.

Carrying a one-stroke lead to the final hole, Herrick put her approach to within five feet with an aggressive shot at a pin placed left on the green. Herrick rolled her birdie putt right of the cup, but had an easy tap-in to clinch her second mid-amateur title, shooting a 79 Monday to finish on top at 154.

“I have a long way to go, but I’m looking forward to working hard the rest of the summer,” Herrick said Monday.

Herrick played with Samantha Sommers in the inaugural U.S. Women's Four-Ball Championship in May at Bandon Dunes Golf Club in Bandon, Ore., as the two reached the event as alternates at the qualifier last fall.

Herrick and Sommers shot 72 to begin the tournament before carding a 69 to advance to match play, but were eliminated during the Round of 32.

Opening the championship with a 3-over par 75 Sunday, Herrick stumbled early for the second straight day as she made bogey on the opening hole to fall to 4-over for the championship.

“I got off to a rough start again,” Herrick said following her victory Monday. “I was hitting the ball well and I felt good, but it was a weird day. I was in a couple of divots and had some weird lies. Everything felt a little off.”

Another bogey at the par-5 sixth hole put Herrick at 2-over on the day before rolling in a birdie on the eighth and she would make the turn at 4-over with a three-stroke lead over Klasse.

Herrick, Dellwood Country Club, increased her lead over Klasse with a par on the tenth but both players would run into trouble late in the round Monday.

A bogey by Herrick at the par-3 12th hole shrunk her lead to three strokes, and after a birdie by Klasse on the 13th, Herrick’s lead was trimmed to two.

Herrick made a routine two-putt for par on the 14th, but when Klasse's par putt was pushed wide to the right, Herrick increased her lead once again to three shots.

Finding trouble off the tee on the 15th, Herrick struggled to find the green with her next two shots before pitching to two feet with her fourth, eventually rolling in her bogey putt. When Klasse’s four-foot par putt grazed the right edge, Herrick maintained her three-shot lead.

The six-time champion Klasse came firing back on the following hole as she stuck her approach to five feet before her curling her birdie putt short of the hole, tapping in for par. Herrick failed to drop her par putt and gave away a stroke with a bogey with two holes to play.

Klasse, Keller Golf Club, caught a break on the 17th after failing to get up and down on the 180-yard par-3. Short of the green off the tee, Herrick’s second rolled into the rough behind the green. Her third landed well short of the cup and after a two-putt, Herrick’s lead was trimmed to one with a double-bogey heading to the 18th.

Knowing her lead was slim late Monday, Herrick said some butterflies crept in, but something she’s been able to control playing high school and collegiate golf.

“I’ve played a lot of competitive golf and I feel like my nerves always sort of flare up, but I’m happy about that. When you’re nervous it’s a reminder that you care and you’re passionate, so I tried to harness that. The best two shots I hit today were my first and second on 18,” she said.

Klasse found trouble to the right off the tee but placed her approach 25 feet right of the pin. With 106 yards left to the pin, Herrick stepped up and hit one of her best shots of the round to essentially seal the victory as she two-putted for par.

Klasse’s birdie putt on the final hole flirted with left edge, but didn’t drop as she tapped in for par to finish in second at 155.

“I thought I hit the ball good, I just putted terrible,” Klasse said. “I hit a lot of edges which meant I either hit it too hard or played too much break. I needed to putt better and I had three three-putts on the back side.”

“Overall I’m happy with how I played—I haven’t played very much so far and after this week I think I’ll be able to focus a little more.”

Brenda Williams, Pioneer Creek Golf Club, carded an 85 to open the tournament Sunday, but came back with a 3-over par 75 Monday to finish second at 160, six shots off the lead.