Hickey's 68 Takes 36-Hole Lead at MGA Mid-Amateur

By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


  CHASKA, Minn. – Will Hickey’s round of 4-under par 68 Wednesday at Chaska Town Course propelled him into the lead after the second round of the 2014 Minnesota Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship.

The field of 156 players played one round at Chaska Town Course and one round at Wild Marsh Golf Club, with the top 60 players, plus ties, advancing to Thursday’s final round at Chaska Town Course.

Hickey, StoneRidge Golf Club, fired a 1-under par 71 at Wild Marsh during the opening round and began Wednesday’s second round one shot off the lead.

A birdie at the par-4 second and Hickey quickly moved to 2-under for the championship before making bogey at the sixth. Hickey would get a big boost by chipping in for eagle at the par-5 ninth hole, making the turn at 3-under.

Back-to-back bogeys at the 12th and 13th holes would send Hickey back to 1-under for the championship, but he caught fire late in the round Wednesday to birdie four of his final holes to shoot 68 and finish the first two rounds at 5-under par 138.

“I have been hitting the ball well all summer and yesterday was an extension of that,” Hickey said Wednesday of his first-round 70 at Wild Marsh.

“I played in the U.S. Amateur qualifier out here and played three rounds to get prepped for this tournament, so I’m comfortable with the course,” Hickey said of Chaska Town Course, which will be to his benefit as Thursday’s final round will be played there as well.

Hickey said his play around the greens made the difference during the opening rounds as his chip-in for eagle gave a big boost to his game Wednesday.

“I hit the ball okay but the short game really kept me in the game,” he said. “I made a lot of good up and downs when I was in trouble and it really helped to birdie four of the last five holes.”

Hickey’s 68 Wednesday is the tournament low, but said his game plan will remain the same as the opening 36 holes.

“I just thought about making birdies out there. I’ve been playing pretty respectable all summer and if I can get the putter, I can throw a good number out there. I was focused on making good shots, hitting fairways and getting myself in position to make putts,” he said.

Jesse Larson, Le Sueur Country Club, carded a 71 to finish the opening round at Chaska Town Course tied for the lead and followed it with a 2-under par 69 Wednesday at Wild Marsh to sit alone in second place at 140, two shots behind Hickey with 18 holes remaining.

Larson got off to a fantastic start during the second round Wednesday, rolling in three birdies on the front nine to make the turn at 4-under for the championship.

He got to 5-under with another birdie at the par-4 11th, but fell back to 3-under after bogeys at the 12th and 15th.

Battling back with a birdie at the par-3 16th, Larson went back to 4-under but he would finish the round at 69 after a bogey at the 17th and will begin the final round Thursday in second place.

Adam Wynia also shared the lead after the opening round Wednesday, carding a 2-under par 70 at Chaska Town Course.

Wynia, University Golf Course, put together another solid round for the second consecutive day despite getting off to a poor start Wednesday at Wild Marsh.

Beginning his day on the 10th hole, Wynia recorded a triple-bogey on the par-4 11th hole to quickly fall back to 1-over before making double-bogey at the 12th to drop to 3-over.

Slipping even further with a bogey at the 16th, Wynia finally was able to limit the damage and quickly turned things around with back-to-back birdies to finish the front nine at 2-over.

Wynia kept things rolling on the back with birdies at the second and fourth holes to draw even and finished strong with a birdie on the final to card 72 and sit in third place at 1-under par 142.

Troy Johnson’s 1-over par 73 Wednesday put him into a three-way tie with former Gopher Phillip Ebner and 2009 Mid-Am winner Tom Whaley.

Johnson, MGA Mid-Am winner in 2010, got off to a shaky start with a birdie and four bogeys on the opening nine holes Wednesday, but rallied with two birdies on the final nine to card a 73, and he will start the final round five shots off the lead.

“I hit the ball great,” Johnson said following his round Wednesday. “The front nine I didn’t score and the back nine I scored. I’m looking forward to tomorrow because I found my swing. Tomorrow I need to get off to a good start and hopefully I can put some pressure on the leaders.”



27TH MGA MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
CHASKA TOWN COURSE
CHASKA, MINN.
6,531 YARDS, PAR 72


WILD MARSH GOLF CLUB
BUFFALO, MINN.
6,505 YARDS, PAR 71


WEDNESDAY’S SECOND ROUND RESULTS
1. Will Hickey, StoneRidge GC, 70-68—138
2. Jesse Larson, Le Sueur CC, 71-69—140
3. Adam Wynia, University GC, 70-72—142
T4. Troy Johnson, Rush Creek GC, 70-73—143
T4. Tom Whaley, Minneapolis GC, 70-73—143
T4. Phillip Ebner, Windsong Farm, 69-74—143
7. Matt Witham, Keller GC, 74-70—144
T8. Aaron Roth, Chaska TC, 74-71—145
T8. Scott Gustafson, Hazeltine Nat’l GC, 73-72—145
T8. Joel B. Johnson, Links at Northfork, 72-73—145
T8. Leif Carlson, Valleywood GC, 72-73—145
T8. Erik Christopherson, Baker Nat’l GC, 74-71—145


For complete tournament coverage go to: www.mngolf.org/Tournament/27th_MGA_Mid-Amateur_Championship