Pendleton Paces Field For Second Straight Round at MGA Mid-Amateur

  EDINA, Minn. – Entering Wednesday’s second round of the 38th Minnesota Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship with a two-stroke advantage, Jason Pendleton left Owatonna Country Club after carding a 2-under 69 to maintain his two-shot lead.

Pendleton will need to fend off Jesse Larson and five-time champion Trent Peterson, who both remain within striking distance when the final round gets underway Thursday.

“For my first round at Owatonna Country Club, I'm pleased with the score I shot and felt as though my course management was good,” said Pendleton, who opened the championship with a 7-under 65 Tuesday at Braemar Golf Course.

Pendleton said he looks forward to playing in the final group with fellow Olympic Hills Golf Club member Larson during Thursday’s final round.

“We play almost weekly together during the golf season and enjoy pushing each other to play better.”

In control of his iron work early again on Wednesday, Pendleton left himself a tap-in birdie at the second to move to 8-under for the championship before carding his first bogey of the week at the par-3 ninth.

Leaving his approach inside of five feet at the 11th led to a second birdie for Pendleton, moving him back to 8-under, and he would roll in one final birdie from 15 feet at the 15th to card a 2-under 69 during his second round to pace the field for a second straight day.

After a round of even par 71 Tuesday at Owatonna, Larson matched Pendleton’s 7-under 65 Wednesday at Braemar to move into a share of second with Peterson ahead of Thursday’s final 18 holes of play.

“A clean card—no bogeys, which I was really happy about,” Larson said after his second round Wednesday. “Patient the first three holes, knowing there are some [par-5s] you can get. I took care of the holes I needed to take care of and kept the momentum going.

“I’m playing really well. If the putts keep falling—I can’t make them go in, but that’s the key. Keep hitting good shots, out there specifically, it’s committing to the club and lines you want to hit off the tee, and hope you have a good putting day.”

Larson, winner of the Minnesota Public Golf Association Four-Ball Championship each of the last two seasons with partner Justin Burleson, jumpstarted his round by sinking an eagle putt from eight feet at the fourth before making good on five birdie looks over his final 14 holes, as well as a par save from 15 feet at the 15th to shoot 7-under 65.

"Yesterday [at Owatonna Country Club] I played great, just a few too many bogeys,” Larson said. “It was a really good round, just a few sloppy three-putts, which happens at Owatonna.

Larson has a pair of fifth-place finishes at the championship, including last season at Chaska Town Course, as well as a pair of fourth-place finishes in 2010 and 2014.

Peterson, who claimed his fifth title at the event in 2022 at Indian Hills Golf Club, continued his recent run of impressive golf by carding three birdies during his first nine holes Wednesday to reach 8-under for the tournament.

Taking advantage of the par-5 12th hole for his ninth birdie of the week, Peterson carded back-to-back bogeys at the 13th and 14th holes, going on to shoot 2-under 69 for a share of second with Larson at 7-under 136.

Tony Krogen fired a 4-under 67 at Owatonna Country Club Wednesday, to earn a share of fourth place with Keith Goodman, who carded a 67 at Owatonna during

Tuesday’s opening round, and two-time Minnesota State Open winner and 2022 MGA Amateur champion Ben Greve, three shots off the lead.

The final round of the 38th MGA Mid-Amateur Championship will begin at 7:40 a.m. Thursday at Owatonna Country Club.