Peterson Moves Closer to Record-Tying Fifth MGA Mid-Amateur Win

View full size image

  STILLWATER, Minn. – Firing a 4-under 68 Wednesday at Indian Hills Golf Club, four-time champion Trent Peterson found himself in familiar territory once again by taking the 36-hole lead at the Minnesota Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship.

Entering the final round with the lead at three of the last four championships, Peterson has emerged victorious on each occasion.

“This is a great tournament. It’s fun because it’s guys my age and they’re usually on great courses,” Peterson said Wednesday. “The college kids, who bomb the ball through the course—they’re out. You still have to make some shots around here."

The four-time MGA Player of the Year will enter Thursday’s final round with a two-stroke lead over Bryan Hoops as he looks to tie Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame member John Harris with five wins at the championship.

Already a winner twice this season, Peterson posted a 2-under 70 to open the championship Tuesday at Forest Hills Golf Club.

“I made some good par putts yesterday, but I didn’t have as many good birdie looks as today,” he said. “I made all my good looks today.

“Both courses I’ve played, but it’s just been a couple years. I recognize a lot of things, but I’ve forgotten a lot of things. Yesterday, I just wasn’t able to get my speed down on the greens. It took me too many holes to get it down."

On Wednesday, Peterson quickly made a move up the leaderboard with a pair of birdies at the third and fourth holes to reach 4-under for the championship before taking his only bogey of the second round at the par-3 seventh.

The 35-year-old Peterson two-putted for birdie at the 12th to get back to 4-under for the championship before sinking an 8-footer to save par at the 13th to keep a clean scorecard during his back nine Wednesday.

Hitting his approach to six feet at the 15th, Peterson converted his birdie look to move to 5-under and would card his final birdie two holes later, feathering his approach from the left rough inside of five feet, helping him post a second-round 68.

“Both days I’ve been hitting the driver great, so I’ve been staying out of the trees, which is key because both courses are so tight,” Peterson said, looking ahead to Thursday’s final round. “I can just rip at it and feel confident that it’s going to go where I want it to instead of steering it, so it just frees you up.

“There’s some slope on these greens, so maybe stay below the hole. Just ball positioning and not go for every pin.”

Hoops, who finished his opening round in a share of second place thanks to a 3-under 69 at Indian Hills, changed locales Wednesday, carding a pair of birdies over his first 10 holes at Forest Hills to move to 5-under for the championship.

The 53-year-old Hoops fell back to 4-under with a bogey at the 11th. He rallied late with birdies at the 14th and 16th holes, but stumbled at the finish line by carding back-to-back bogeys during his final two holes to post a second-round 71.

"Just tried to be patient and played pretty safe. Slow and steady round," Hoops said. "I'm hitting it well and now I've seen the holes. I will attack where I can, but still being patient will allow for a lot of birdie chances. Just need to make a few putts and the rest will take care of itself."

Jason Pendleton, owner of a pair of top-10 finishes at the championship since 2017, will begin Thursday’s final round four shots off the lead in third place at 2-under 142, while Nick Jarrett and Danny Anderson finished two rounds of play in a tie for fourth at 143.

The final round of the 35th MGA Mid-Amateur Championship is slated to begin at 8 a.m. Thursday at Indian Hills Golf Club.