Late Birdies Put McArthur in Lead at MGA Mid-Amateur

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – Carding six birdies with two bogeys during his opening round Tuesday at Montgomery National Golf Club, Adam McArthur posted a round of 4-under 68 to take the first-round lead at the 32^nd Minnesota Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship.
 
A field of 140 players will play one round at Montgomery National Golf Club and one round at Bearpath Golf and Country Club before the top-60 players, plus ties, will advance to the final round Thursday at Bearpath.
 
McArthur will take a one-stroke lead over 2014 MGA Amateur champion Jesse Bull when the tournament resumes Wednesday.
 
“I played pretty boring golf—I managed the course well, hitting mid-irons off of a few holes and just hit it in the right spots,” McArthur said after his round Tuesday. “As far as expectations go—I didn’t have any. I just wanted to keep the ball in front of me and I managed to execute.
 
“I haven’t really had a great summer, so it was nice to post a solid number today and I’m looking forward to the rest of the week.”
 
McArthur, from Territory Golf Club, was one of 14 players who managed to score below par during the opening round as Bearpath proved to give the field a tougher challenge despite perfect scoring conditions Tuesday, surrendering just three rounds in red figures.
 
Using his length to his advantage early Tuesday, McArthur reached the par-5 second in two and two-putted for birdie before rolling in a 12-footer at the sixth to move to 2-under for the round.
 
Missing the green with his approach at the par-5 eighth, McArthur chipped in for birdie to turn in 3-under for the championship, but would take a step back with a bogey at the 11^th. He would answer by driving the green at the 301-yard 12^th hole and left his eagle putt on the lip, tapping in for birdie to get back to 3-under.
 
McArthur was unable to save par at the par-3 14^th, but lipped his eagle putt at the 15^th to leave another kick-in birdie. Sticking his approach to six feet on his final hole Tuesday, McArthur capped off his opening round by converting his birdie look to sit on top of the leaderboard with a round of 68.
 
Bull was the owner of a colorful scorecard during his opening nine Tuesday at Bearpath, rolling in five birdies against three bogeys with a lone par to turn at 2-under for the day. The 2016 MGA Amateur Four-Ball champion Bull sank back-to-back birdies to open his back nine and move to 4-under for the round, but took a step back with a bogey on the final hole to post a 3-under 69.
 
Erik Bredesen, Justin Burleson, Matt Norgaard and Jason Pendleton each carded rounds of 2-under par 70 to finish in a tie for third, two shots off the lead.
 
The second round of the 32^nd MGA Mid-Amateur Championship is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. at Bearpath Golf and Country Club and at 8:40 a.m. at Montgomery National Golf Club.