Deeg and Smith Share Early Lead at Minnesota Women's State Amateur

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By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


  FOREST LAKE, Minn. – Having home-course knowledge never hurts, as evidenced by Cassie Deeg Monday during the opening round of the 2014 Minnesota Women’s State Amateur Championship.

After the first 18 holes, Deeg sits tied for first place with Kate Smith as both players fired a 1-over par 73 at Forest Hills Golf Club.

“The greens are tricky but I grew up playing here,” Deeg said. “I was a member here until I was about 16, so I know the course and I know the greens and felt comfortable. I know where to miss and I know where to place it.”

Deeg, Golden Eagle Golf Club, hit 14 greens during the opening round and said her irons and putter were the big difference Monday.

“My irons dictate how well I’m playing and they feel really good right now and I’m very comfortable with them. If I can hit greens, I should be able to score well here,” she said.

“It was just a solid round,” Deeg said of her first round. “It was my irons mostly and my putter was awesome, but the putts just weren’t going in. I felt like I could’ve scored a lot better.”

After a bogey on the second hole, Deeg came back with a birdie at the fifth to draw even. Another bogey on the sixth put her back at one over, but she rolled in another birdie on the eighth to make the turn at even par.

The soon-to-be junior at the University of Nebraska birdied the opening hole on the back nine to dip into red numbers for the championship, but two bogeys over the final six holes put her in the clubhouse with the early lead at 1-over par 73.

Smith, Ironman Golf Course, got off to a shaky start with a double-bogey on the opening hole to quickly fall to 2-over and dropped another shot on the sixth hole with a bogey. She made birdie on the eighth hole and would make the turn at 2-over par.

The three-time Class AA state champion Smith made bogey on the 10th but would settle in over the final eight holes, rolling in two birdies with six pars to finish the opening round tied for first at 73.

“Today felt really good. I’ve been in a slump lately, I went through a swing change and today it finally clicked,” Smith said. “I four-putted the first hole, but from then on I played pretty good. My ball striking was great—I don’t think I missed a fairway today.”

Olivia Herrick, a two-time winner of the event, carded a 2-over par 74 during Monday’s opening round and will begin the second round in third place, just one shot behind the leaders.

Herrick, Dellwood Country Club, quickly got to 1-under for the day after a bogey on the second hole, but would slip to 1-over with a double-bogey at the fourth. Herrick rolled in six straight pars before drawing even for the round with a birdie on the 11th hole.

She would go back to 1-over with another bogey at the 12th and finished her first round with a bogey on the final hole to card a 2-over par 74.

“Today was up and down. I had some good holes; I chipped in for birdie and made some good putts. I made a nice putt on the final hole to save bogey,” Herrick said. “I just tried to grind it out and stay positive, hopefully I can carry that attitude through the rest of the week,” she said.

Herrick won her first women’s state amateur title in 2009 at the Bridges, and again the following year when it was contested at Woodhill Country Club.

Marisa Toivonen, Red Wing Golf Club, and four others are tied for fourth place after the opening round at 4-over par 76. 

The second round of the Minnesota Women’s State Amateur Championship begins Tuesday with tee times starting at 7:30 a.m. at Forest Hills Golf Club.


For complete tournament results go to: https://www.ghintpp.com/mngolf/TPPOnlineScoring/ResultsStroke.aspx?id=876