Klasse Erases Early Deficit to Claim Second Straight Women's Senior Amateur Championship

View full size image

 
 
By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  ALEXANDRIA, Minn. – Carding a final-round 73 Tuesday at Alexandria Golf Club, Leigh Klasse finished five strokes better than Betsy Aldrich to win her second straight Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Senior Amateur Championship.
 
Collecting more hardware Tuesday, Klasse has now won at least two events each season since becoming a senior player in 2010—a total of 20 senior victories.
 
“This one means a lot. Betsy is a very good competitor and this is basically her home course,” Klasse said, “I knew I had to play really well to beat her and I wasn’t surprised at all to see her shoot 72 yesterday. She’s been playing awesome this year.
 
“I knew I could make some putts out there and just had to be patient and stick with it. There were some opportunities that came up and I had some good looks for birdies. I thought my putting was very good this week. I like these greens; they roll out really nice with great speed. I just needed to be on more greens so I was putting for birdie.”  
 
Klasse entered Tuesday’s final round two shots back of Aldrich after carding a 2-over par 74 begin the tournament. A three-putt bogey on the opening hole didn’t hurt the defending champion Klasse as Aldrich failed to get up-and-down for par.
 
Getting a big boost of momentum by sinking a 25-footer for birdie at the second, Klasse would pull within one of Aldrich, but overtook the lead following a double-bogey by Aldrich at the third.
 
“That helped a lot because there was no way I should’ve three-putted that first hole. I knew the greens were a little slower—they were a little wet. Making that putt on number two was a good one.”
 
A second bogey by Klasse at the par-4 fourth put Klasse and Aldrich back into a share of the lead, but Klasse would take the lead for good after a bogey by Aldrich at the fifth.
 
Helped by sinking her 6-footer for birdie at the par-4 eighth, Klasse would turn at 2-over for the championship and two shots clear of the field, but her lead was trimmed following her bogey at the par-3 13^th.
 
The Minnesota Golf Hall of Famer would roll in another birdie opportunity from six feet at the 16^th, extending her lead to four before her and Aldrich each carded bogeys at the 17^th. Unable to get up-and-down for par from behind the final green, Aldrich posted a final-round 80, while Klasse two-putted for par at the 18^th to earn a five-stroke victory at 3-over par 147.
 
"I kept mis-clubbing—so many of these holes, you don’t want to be above the pin, so I kept leaving it short or pulling it left because I was trying to get too much out of that club,” Klasse said. “Luckily I was chipping and putting well.”
  
Aldrich led the field by carding a pair of birdies and two bogeys Monday to take the lead after the first day of competition, but struggled with her putter during the final round Tuesday. Unable to save par at the first, she fell to 3-over for the round after a double-bogey at the third.
 
Turning at 4-over following a bogey at the par-4 fifth, Aldrich would record three more bogeys over the final nine holes, unable to gain ground on the defending champion, shooting 8-over par 152.
 
“I hit the ball great on the range and then hit it so great on one and two, that I hit it over the green, but then I was afraid of my club selection and it affected the rest of the day,” Aldrich said Tuesday. “I felt like I played pretty well, but after about 13 or 14, I knew it was over and it was kind of a letdown.
 
“Leigh played great. No mistakes—she got up-and-down, she made birdies. She played so solid. It was fun to play with the big names and good to be in the last group. Very proud ending up second, but I wish I could’ve played better today.”
 
Aldrich claimed the MGA Women’s Senior Amateur Match Play Championship in June, prevailing in 22 holes against Lynn Anderson. With another pair top-5 finishes to her credit this season, Aldrich remains a close second behind Klasse for MGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year honors and has a chance to catch Klasse if she qualifies for the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship as well as another strong showing at the MGA Women’s Mid-Amateur in October.
 
Brenda Williams, winner of the Minnesota Senior Women’s State Amateur at Elk River Golf Club, posted back-to-back rounds of 77 to finish third at 10-over par 154, while Claudia Pilot, winner of five Senior Women’s Amateur and MWPGA State Senior Public Links Championships, finished fourth at 155.
 
 
 
2018 MGA WOMEN’S SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
ALEXANDRIA GOLF CLUB
ALEXANDRIA, MINN.
5,734 YARDS, PAR 72
 
 
TUESDAY’S FINAL RESULTS
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
1. Leigh Klasse, Keller GC, 74-73—147
2. Betsy Aldrich, Woodhill CC, 72-80—152
3. Brenda Williams, Windsong Farm, 77-77—154
4. Claudia Pilot, Pines at Grand View Lodge, 79-76—155
5. Lynn Anderson, Keller GC, 81-82—163
6. Betsy Jackson, Detroit CC, 81-83—164
7. Ellie Layton, Rochester G&CC, 86-79—165
T8. Cathy White, Royal Club, 84-83—167
T8. Barb Miller, Dellwood Country Club, 81-86—167
10. Jacqueline Santopietro, Twin Cities Golf Club, 86-83—169