USD's Witherow Sets Course Record at Minnesota State Open, Shares Lead with UND's D'Allaird and Professional Israelson

  ROCHESTER, Minn. – Following his 3-over 73 to begin the 108th Minnesota State Open, University of South Dakota junior Cole Witherow joked with a teammate about the course record of 65 at dinner Tuesday evening.

“We knew it was 5-under, but it really didn’t seem that low,” Witherow said. “But it’s tough to make putts and get any consistency out here.

“I got the putter rolling and was fortunate to get some to go in, but still have a lot of golf left.”

Witherow rolled in six birdie chances during the second round Wednesday to card a bogey-free 6-under 64, setting a new mark at Rochester Golf and Country Club and earning a share of the 36-hole lead.

“I started off great at 2-under through three, but my mentality is just to get the ball in the hole as fast as I can and I definitely learned a lot from yesterday,” he said.

Witherow enters Thursday’s final round in a share the lead along with professional Andrew Israelson and University of North Dakota senior Tucker D’Allaird at 3-under 137.

Beginning on the 10th hole Wednesday, Witherow sank four birdies during his opening nine, including a lengthy bender at the par-4 16th, to turn in 1-under for the championship.

Dropping a 15-footer for birdie at the sixth, Witherow moved to 2-under before rolling in another long putt from 35 feet at the seventh to post a 6-under 64.

“I haven’t played my best and I’ve kind of been in shambles the last couple of weeks,” said Witherow, who shot an 11-over 83 at U.S. Amateur Qualifying at Dacotah Ridge two weeks ago. “I’ve been grinding and it just has not been there, but it was great to see a round like that today.”

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow and the opportunity to compete. Big thing will be to stay patient and slow the mind down.”

In 22 events for the Coyotes, Witherow has claimed a pair of top-10 finishes and posted a scoring average of 73.42 during his sophomore season, 10th best in the Summit League.

Witherow captured the Class A individual title at Pebble Creek Golf Club to cap off his senior season at New Life Academy in 2023, and competed at the national Drive, Chip and Putt competition at Augusta National on three occasions.

Israelson opened the championship with a 1-under 69 Tuesday before getting off to a fast start with four birdies over his first 11 holes Wednesday to move to the top of the leaderboard at 5-under.

The 27-year-old Israelson stumbled down the stretch with three bogeys over his final seven holes, but managed to hold on to a share of the lead with D’Allaird and Witherow with a second-round 68.

“I really grinded out a nice number today,” Israelson said following his round Wednesday. “The course is already tough and then you add some weather into it. I do think my game is made for this type of golf—you’ve got to be really tedious into the greens and attack when you can.

“I like the way I’ve been hitting the ball the last five or six days. Sometimes I get too aggressive, and I think this is a good golf course to pick your spots and earn your birdies.”

Entering Wednesday’s second round one shot off the lead thanks to a 3-under 67 Tuesday, D’Allaird quickly moved up the leaderboard with a pair of birdies over his first six holes before his first of two bogeys at the eighth, turning in 4-under for the tournament.

A lone bogey at the 67-yard 11th put D’Allaird into a three-way tie for the lead at 3-under 137.

First-round leader Tyler Leach ran in his par putt from 15 feet on his final hole Wednesday to remain within one shot of the lead after his second-round 72 Wednesday.

Leach will begin Thursday’s final round in a share of fourth place with Witherow’s college teammate Jack Holtz at 2-under 138.

The final round of the 108th Minnesota State Open will begin at 8 a.m. Thursday at Rochester Golf and Country Club.