Larson Surges Ahead at the Minnesota State Junior Boys' Championship

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Chase Larson opened the 100th Minnesota State Junior Boys' Championship in style, carding a 6-under 67 to grab a one-stroke lead after the first round at The Minikahda Club.

Larson, of Olympic Hills Golf Club and a member of Team Minnesota, rode six birdies and an eagle to nines of 33 and 34, setting the early pace atop a leaderboard that produced a run of low numbers across the top. William Roiland, another Team Minnesota member, was the lone player within a shot, piecing together the steadiest card of the leaders — six birdies against a single bogey — for a 5-under 68 and sole possession of second.

Andrew Burstad of TPC Twin Cities followed at 4-under 69, offsetting five birdies with a lone bogey, while Wyatt Holmes of YOC Minnesota sat a stroke further back in fourth at 3-under 70. Holmes provided one of the day's early jolts, making eagle at the short par-4 first hole on his way to a card of three birdies, two bogeys and that early two. A three-way tie at 2-under 71 came next, where Ryder Rose of Edina Country Club joined YOC Minnesota's Sander Ohe and Braylon Ylkanen.

The depth continued into a seven-man logjam at 1-under, featuring Isa Khan and Russell Ylitalo of YOC Minnesota, Jack Mark of Woodhill Country Club, Henry Johnson of Chaska Town Course, Easton Fiddle of Tanners Brook Golf Club, Chase Birdwell of TPC Twin Cities and Dexter Burkle of Rush Creek Golf Club.

With 14 players already in red figures after the opening round, the Minnesota State Junior Boys' Championship is shaping up as a low-scoring sprint at Minikahda. Larson holds the outright lead and the early momentum, but with Roiland lurking a shot back and a deep pack pressing close behind, the margin for error figures to be thin over the rounds to come.

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