BRAINERD, Minn. – Carding six birdies during his first nine holes Thursday helped Australian Grant Booth to a career-low round of 9-under 62 to take the first-round lead of the CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center at Cragun’s Legacy Course.
Booth holds the 18-hole lead for the first time this season and will take a one-stroke lead over Minnesotan Derek Hitchner to Friday’s second round.
“I actually walked of the course with a bit of a smile—it’s been a little bit,” said Booth, who entered the week ranked No. 64 in the Fortinet Cup standings. “Just solid all the way around. Hitting shots that you really want to execute is just a great feeling.”
Booth, 29, from Penrith, Australia, played his front nine in 6-under to turn in 29 before cooling off slightly by carding three birdies over his final nine holes, including at the par-3 ninth to finish on top of the leaderboard at 9-under 62.
Tallying a couple of top-15 finishes during the Latin America swing earlier this season, Booth’s lone top-10 finish came at the first event of the season at the 93 Abierto Del Centro presentado por Zurich.
Hitchner, winner of the 2021 Minnesota Golf Association Amateur at Rush Creek Golf Club, tied a season-low with his 8-under 63 Thursday to put him one shot off the lead heading into Friday’s second round.
The former Pepperdine University golfer started the scoring with a birdie at the second before closing out his front nine with birdies at three of his final four to turn in 4-under.
Hitchner would then card birdies at four of his final six holes of the opening round to finish one shot back of the lead at 8-under.
Andrew Israelson, a former North Dakota State University golfer and Staples-Motley High School standout, fired a 7-under 64 Thursday to finish his opening round in a share of third with Thomas Ponder, Chase Sienkiewicz, Jonathan De Los Reyes and Carson Bacha, two shots off the lead.
Carson Herron, winner of the 2024 Minnesota State Open, posted a 4-under 67 Thursday and will begin his second round in a share of 25th. Herron carded consecutive rounds of 68 last season to finish tied for 12th.
The second round of the 2025 CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center gets underway Friday at 7:30 a.m. at Cragun’s Legacy Courses.