Pedersen and Winter Fire 65 to Share MGA Four-Ball Lead with the Christensens

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  BECKER, Minn. – Matching the 7-under 65 by Dave and Mike Christensen from Monday’s opening round, University of Minnesota teammates Jacob Pedersen and Brock Winter combined for six birdies over their final 10 holes during Tuesday’s round at Pebble Creek Golf Club to earn a share of the lead at the 61st Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Four-Ball Championship.

When the final round gets underway Wednesday, North Dakota State University teammates Josh Galvin and Ian Simonich, the pairing of Brian Hoops and Daryl Schomer and the twosome of Brett Benson and Trent Peterson look to erase a slim one-stroke margin after all three teams posted a 6-under 66 Tuesday.

“[Pedersen] started us off with a spectacular up-and-down from the greenside bunker on four,” Winter said following his team’s performance Tuesday. “From there we gave ourselves many opportunities on the front nine, including three lip-outs for birdie in two holes.”

Pedersen and Winter managed just two birdies during their front nine Tuesday, but quickly moved to 5-under for the championship with three birdies over the first five holes of their inward nine.

The two finished strong as Pedersen stuck his approach inside of two feet at the par-4 17th and converted his birdie putt before sinking one final birdie at the 18th to earn a share of the lead with a bogey-free 65.

“Matching the low round with a birdie on 18 will very much help us with the upcoming conditions tomorrow,” Winter said of potentially breezy conditions during Wednesday’s final round. “If we are able to hit a lot of greens, we should see ourselves staying in contention tomorrow.”

Pedersen, a former Minnetonka High School standout, is in search of his first state victory this week, while Winter, a Stillwater High School product, looks for his fifth state win.

Winter most recently claimed the MGA Players’ Championship in June at St. Cloud Country Club.

Bison golfers Galvin and Simonich rolled in three birdie putts during their front nine Tuesday before carding a bogey at the par-3 12th to drop a stroke.

Galvin answered by putting his team to 4-under at the 14th, getting up-and-down for birdie at the par-5.

Simonich took control the rest of the way, sinking a birdie from 10 feet at the 15th and followed it by drilling his birdie putt from 30 feet at the 17th to reach 5-under for the round.

Hitting a 9-iron to 20 feet at the last, Simonich watched his birdie putt drop to put his team in the clubhouse at 6-under 66, one shot off the lead.

“To be honest, we both felt like we didn’t have our best stuff today but found a hot stretch to finish,” Simonich said of his team’s 6-under 66 Tuesday. “Tomorrow we just need to focus on giving ourselves two looks at birdie each hole.

“It looks like it might get a little windy, so just being able to make sure we keep it in front of us and don’t give up any holes will be a key.”

Hoops and Schomer began their opening round on the 10th tee Tuesday, rolling in three birdie chances before Hoops converted his eagle opportunity at the par-5 fifth to go to 5-under for the day.

A birdie at the par-4 eighth put the twosome into a share of third with a 6-under 66.

Benson and Peterson combined for four birdies during their opening nine Tuesday, turning in 4-under before Peterson carded three birdies over the final five holes, including a 6-footer at the last to move within one shot of the lead with a 6-under 66.

A total of six teams will begin Wednesday’s final round three shots off the lead at 4-under 68.

The final round of the 61st MGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday at Pebble Creek Golf Club.