Johnson Moves into Lead After Second Round of MGA Amateur at Golden Valley

• 111th MGA Amateur Round 1
• 111th MGA Amateur Round 2
• 111th MGA Amateur Round 3
• 111th MGA Awards Banquet at Hazeltine National GC, Chaska.

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By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. – Over the past few seasons Troy Johnson has proven to be one of the most consistent and solid players across the state. His resume of championship victories is both extensive and impressive, and all the while, there is one trophy he has yet to lay his hands on—the Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Championship.

After carding a 3-under par 69 during the opening round, Johnson carded a 71 Tuesday to give himself a golden opportunity to hoist the trophy, taking a two-stroke lead at 140 heading to the final round Wednesday at Golden Valley Golf and Country Club.

Johnson will have to stave off a surging Jesse Bull who carded a 1-over par 73 Tuesday and sits in second place at 142, while the opening round leader, Erik Christopherson, will begin the final round Wednesday four shots off the lead at 144.

Johnson, Rush Creek Golf Club, began the second round on the tenth hole and rolled in six consecutive par putts to remain at 3-under for the tournament before a bogey on the 16th, dropped him to 2-over heading to the final nine holes.

With back-to-back birdies to start his back nine, Johnson quickly jumped to 4-under par and with another birdie on the par-4 fourth hole, Johnson got to 5-under.

After a bogey on the sixth hole, Johnson finished his round narrowly missing a birdie on the ninth hole to shoot 1-under par 71 and take the lead at 140.

“It was a good round today, I played pretty solid. I made one mistake on my back nine on 6 and didn’t let it phase me—I came back and made a great up and down on 7,” Johnson said after his round Tuesday. “I made a sandy on 8 for par and had a solid two-putt on 9 to finish it out and have a nice round.”

Johnson said he likes how the course fits his game—rewarding the accurate players and not necessarily the longer hitters.

“For me it doesn’t demand length. I’m not a real long hitter so it requires more accuracy and strategic placement on the greens,” he said, “for me it sets up great. I feel good on the course.”

Johnson won his third MGA Mid-Players’ Championship last month largely in part due to his putter. Before the tournament began Johnson said he had been working on a number of things to improve his game on the green and it paid off.

During the first two rounds of the championship, the course has been unwilling to negotiate low scores as just three players sit under par. Wednesday’s final round will most likely come down to who can navigate the greens successfully.

Good news for Johnson who hasn’t played much in recent weeks, but continues to put in work to increase the efficiency of his putter.

“I kind of took a break because I played so much during the [Mid-Players’ and Players’ Championships], but I’ve still been working on my putting and trying to continue what I’ve been doing well and it’s paid off here—I’ve made a lot of nice putts. These greens are so tough that if you can make a couple of five or ten footers, it makes a huge difference.”

Along with three Mid-Players' titles, Johnson won the 2011 Minnesota State Open, the 2010 MGA Mid-Amateur Championship, the 2008 MPGA State Public Links title, along with the 2007 MPGA Four-Ball Championship.

Bull, Golden Valley Golf and Country Club, was admittedly frustrated after his round Tuesday. After playing the first 10 holes at 2-under par (5-under for the tournament), Bull made three consecutive bogeys on the final three holes to finish his round at 1-over par 73.

“Things were going okay until 16. I was two down and punched one over the green, which is death, and then from there had to putt defensively,” Bull said. “It happens—I got out of rhythm and stayed out. Sometimes the wheels are a little shaky.”

“Bottom line is that it was just a bad finish, so that was frustrating. Everything up until then was okay, not great. Tomorrow is a new day and I’m in a good spot, so we’ll play some golf and see what happens.”

Christopherson, Baker National Golf Club, led after the opening round Monday shooting a 4-under par 68 in humid and breezy conditions but ran into some trouble during the second round Tuesday.

With back-to-back birdies on the 10th and 11th holes, Christopherson looked as though he was going to go low for the second straight day, but three consecutive bogeys and double-bogey on the 16th, put him at 3-over for the afternoon.

Christopherson got back on track on his final nine holes with birdies on the fifth and sixth holes, but would finish his round with a pair of bogeys to card a 3-over 75 to sit in third place at 144 going into Wednesday’s final round, four shots off the lead.

Andy Jacobson, 2012 MGA Players’ champion, took the lead early in the day after carding a second consecutive round of even par 72 Tuesday to lead in the clubhouse at 144 after the morning session.

Jacobson, Eagle Creek Golf Club, rolled in a pair of birdies to start his round but made three bogeys over the final six holes of his front nine to make the turn at 1-over.

Jacobson made birdies at the first and sixth holes to get to 1-under for the tournament, but missed his par putt on the 209-yard, par-3 eighth hole to finish in fourth place at even par 144 through two rounds.

Jack Pexa, New Prague Golf Club, Ben Greve, Minneapolis Golf Club, and Dan Lensing will enter Wednesday’s final round tied for fifth place at 145, five strokes behind Johnson.


For complete tournament results go to: http://www.mngolf.org/Tournament/111th_MGA_Amateur_Championship