CHASKA, Minn. – Following her opening round 1-under 71, Leigh Klasse fired a 3-over 75 in Wednesday’s final round to finish at 2-over for the championship to claim a nine-shot victory over Linda Goodno and Lynn Anderson at the 2025 MGA Women’s Senior Amateur Championship at Chaska Town Course.
Adding to her Hall of Fame career, Klasse won her sixth title in the nine years of the championship being contested since the MGA and Minnesota Women’s Golf Association merged in 2016.
Winning this championship again in Minnesota holds special meaning for Klasse.
“Minnesota will always be my home and in my heart – winning here means a lot,” reflected Klasse following the round. “I love the ladies, I love the association – it has always been good to me, and I am thankful that I am able to play here.”
Klasse got off to a shaky start, bogeying her first two holes, cutting her five-shot lead to a three-shot lead over Lynn Anderson. She knew there would be chances during the final 16 holes to get those shots back.
“I knew there were opportunities for birdies out there to make that back. One of those bogies (on the first two holes) was a three putt, which I don’t do very often but it happens,” Klasse said.
She would go on to make a birdie at the par-4 fifth to get back to 1-over for the day but would give another shot back on the next hole with her third bogey of the day.
Klasse made bogey at the par-5 ninth to make the turn at 3-over for the day which gave her a three-shot lead over Lynn Anderson heading into the back nine. She knew she would have to play steady golf over the final nine holes in order to close out the championship.
“I knew I would have to make a lot of pars, get on [the green] in regulation and have a chance for birdie but just try to make pars,” said Klasse.
Klasse did just that, shooting an even-par 36 on the back nine capped off by an eight-foot birdie on the closing hole to close out a nine-shot victory.
Set to play in her 14th U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship, September 13-18 at The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Va., Klasse used the event to see where her game was at.
“I was looking at this event as prep work to see what needed to improve. I am heading down to Arizona next week to play in their [Arizona Golf] Senior Women’s Amateur, so I’ll get a little more opportunity to figure things out,” said Klasse.
Klasse will look to improve on her best finish at the national championship making it to the Round of 16 four times.
The 2023 champion at The Bridges in Winona, Lynn Anderson (77-78) and Linda Goodno (76-79) finished in a tie for second at 11-over while Kara Salava shot a pair of 78’s to finish in fourth place at 12-over. Amy Schintz shot the round of the day shooting a 1-over 73 to move up the leaderboard finishing in fifth at 14-over.
In the first flight, Beth Flindall carded a final round 80 to win the first flight by two shots over Wenmei Qi while Kathy Hubert-Wyss bested her first round 89 with a final round 87 to claim the second flight by three shots over Kore Grate and Sally Twelves.
Emi Sako finished with a convincing 15-shot victory in the third flight over Karen Studer after her final round 15-over 87. Kay Anderson won the fourth flight by four shots following her 103 Wednesday.
Jean Solheim used a final round 113 to sneak by first round leader Sue Olafson by two shots to win the fifth flight while Barbara Patrow used a pair of net 74’s to claim the Master Division by six shots over Sandy Majerus.