Anderson Cards 70 to Lead 94th MGA Senior Amateur at Deacon's Lodge

By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


  BREEZY POINT, Minn. – Carding a 2-under par 70 Monday at Deacon’s Lodge Golf Club, John Anderson grabbed an early one-shot lead following the opening round of the 94th Minnesota Golf Association Senior Amateur Championship.

David Haslerud will begin his second round Tuesday just one shot off the lead as he carded a 1-under par 71 during the opening round Monday, while Don Howe, Olympic Hills Golf Club, and Jon Empanger, Island View Golf Club, finished the opening round tied for third place, two strokes behind Anderson as both carded rounds of even par 72.

Anderson, Bunker Hills Golf Club, began his opening round Monday with a birdie on the opening hole before drawing even with a bogey at the par-4 fourth.

Another bogey at the seventh put Anderson at 1-over for the tournament, but he would turn and even par after rolling in his second birdie at the eighth.

Cruising over the final nine holes Monday, Anderson dropped his birdie chance at the par-4 12th to move to 1-under before finishing his day at 2-under par 70 after his fourth birdie of the round at the 16th.

“My iron game was on, every time I hit it was covering the flag and it was the right weight,” Anderson said following his round Monday. “I made two bad swings and short-sided myself on [Nos. 4 and 7] and made two bogeys, my only blemishes and only two greens I missed today. I putted okay—missed at least three five-footers.”

“I didn’t play very well at the [U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifier in July] but two days later I won the club championship at Bunker Hills," Anderson said of his game coming into the week. "I felt good today and this course is not about power, but precision. My game is to hit rescue clubs, 3-woods off the tee to get to my lower irons.”

Anderson finished tied for 12th place a year ago playing in his first MGA Senior Amateur Championship. He also qualified for the 2014 U.S. Senior Amateur at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach, Calif.

Beginning his first round on the tenth tee Monday, Haslerud made bogey at the 11th, but erased it with a birdie at the 12th to draw even for the round.

Haslerud, Southview Country Club, failed to get up-and-down at the par-5 14th hole before turning at even par with a birdie at the 17th.

Rolling in his birdie look at the par-5 second hole, Haslerud dipped into red numbers as he moved to 1-under before adding another birdie at the par-4 seventh, going to 2-under.

He would finish his opening round with a bogey at the eighth hole to card a 1-under par 71, one shot off the lead in second place. Haslerud finished last year’s event tied for second at 226 after shooting a 1-under par 71 to open the championship at Somerset Country Club.

The 54th MGA Senior Amateur Championship continues Tuesday as split tee times are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. at Deacon’s Lodge Golf Club.