With a Combined Eight Titles, Herrick and Acharya Tied at the Top at MGA Women's Mid-Am

CHASKA, Minn. - When Olivia Herrick last claimed the Minnesota Golf Association Women's Mid-Amateur Championship, she shared the opening-round lead with Jasi Acharya after both carded rounds of 1-over 73 at Legends Club in 2018.

The two remained deadlocked through 18 holes the following day before Herrick prevailed on the first playoff hole to earn her third victory at the event.

Fast-forward six years and Herrick and Acharya share the opening-round lead once again, posting rounds of 4-over 76 Tuesday at Chaska Town Course to begin the 2024 championship.

“Today was a tale of two nines—I played great on the front,” Herrick said Tuesday. “Honestly, I didn't feel like I played that bad on the back, but just haven't been out here in a while and made a couple of bad course-management decisions.

“I feel like I've been doing the absolute most with the time I have available, and I've put in the maximum threshold of effort that I can with balancing work and the kids.”

Entering the week with a pair of top-10 finishes this season and an invitation to the 2024 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Championship, Herrick began her first round with a bogey at the short, par-4 third before drawing even with a birdie at the fourth, converting her putt from two feet.

Hitting her approach inside of six feet at the par-5 ninth, Herrick once again took advantage of her birdie opportunity to reach red figures through her first nine.

Stumbling early during her back nine, Herrick played her first two holes in 3-over before a pair of late bogeys put her in the clubhouse with a 4-over 76 to share the opening-round lead with Acharya.

“Tomorrow is going to be so fun—I haven't been able to catch up with Jasi in a long time,” Herrick said. “I have so much respect for her and I'm excited to play with her.”

Herrick earned her first win at the championship in 2014 at Victory Links Golf Course and successfully defended her title the following season at Bunker Hills Golf Club.

Amassing more than 25 state titles since 2005, Herrick hasn't won a state championship since she defeated Acharya in 2018.

The winner of the last five consecutive MGA Women's Mid-Amateur Championships, Acharya has made one appearance at a state event this season, winning the Northland Invitational last month at Northland Country Club.

“It went it stretches today. I felt like I hit a lot of my lines off the tee that I was looking at,” Acharya said following her round Tuesday. “I knew from the practice round that there were going to be a bunch of holes where driver was not going to be an option.

“The putter was so up-and-down today, I three-putted the first three holes. I have a new putter in the bag that I thought was a good idea because I was putting really well with it the last couple of rounds.”

Acharya got off to a bumpy start Tuesday with bogeys at four of her first five holes before finding her footing with a birdie at the par-3 sixth, rolling in a 30-foot putt at the sixth.

After giving a stroke back with a bogey at the seventh, Acharya converted her birdie chance from 25 feet at the par-5 ninth to turn in 3-over for her round.

A string of three consecutive bogeys dropped the 40-year-old Acharya to 6-over for the championship, but she'd rally late by sinking her birdie opportunities from inside of six feet at the 16th and 17th holes to finish her opening round at 4-over 76.

“It felt like a grind with how wet it was out there,” said Acharya, the 2019 MGA Women's Player of the Year. “I felt like I was a little aggressive to some of the pin locations and it cost me a few times. Tomorrow I may start out a little more conservatively to the middle of the green.”

Adele Peterson, winner of three senior women's championships since 2020, posted a 7-over 79 during Tuesday's first round to earn a share of third place with Amanda Woodhull, three shots off the lead.

The final round of the 28th MGA Women's Mid-Amateur Championship is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at Chaska Town Course.