WOODBURY, Minn. – Claiming a wire-to-wire victory last season at Oak Glen Golf Course, the pairing of Justin Burleson and Jesse Larson picked up where they left off a year ago by firing a 7-under 65 Saturday at Eagle Valley Golf Course to take the first-round lead at the 2025 Minnesota Public Golf Association Four-Ball Championship.
The defending champions will take a one-stroke lead over the team of Will Frazier and Daniel Johnson to Sunday’s final round.
Carding a pair of birdies over their first five holes during the opening round Saturday, Burleson and Larson tallied back-to-back birdies to close out their front nine at 4-under for the championship.
Larson converted his birdie opportunity at the par-5 10th for a third consecutive birdie before his partner Burleson capitalized on a birdie opportunity at the par-3 13th.
A final birdie by Burleson at the 18th put the defending champions into the clubhouse lead for a second consecutive season by posting a bogey-free 7-under 65.
Frazier and Johnson started quickly with back-to-back birdies to begin their round Saturday before carding two more birdies at the sixth and seventh holes to earn a share of the lead at 4-under through nine holes.
Moving to 5-under with a birdie at the 14th, the two gave back a stroke with a bogey at the 15th. The two rebounded with consecutive birdies at the 16th and 17th to finish the first eight holes of play one back of the lead at 6-under 66.
Getting off to a fast start Saturday, the twosome of Jacob Herdine and Connor Herman carded three birdies over their opening four holes to help them post a round of 5-under 67 to open the championship Saturday.
They will begin the final round two shots off the lead in a tie for third with the twosome of John Butler and Joel B. Johnson.
The final round of the 48th MPGA Four-Ball Championship is set to begin at 11:39 a.m. at Eagle Valley Golf Course