Lehman in Front Early at 97th MGA Senior Amateur in Bemidji

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  BEMIDJI, Minn. – As a three-time champion of the Minnesota Golf Association Senior Amateur Championship, Jim Lehman enters this week’s tournament riding a wave of momentum.
 
Lehman made the cut at the Trans-Miss Senior Championship in May before advancing to the quarterfinal round of the MGA Senior Players’ Championship in June. He qualified for the MGA Players’ Championship a week later and placed first in the Senior Division at the 2018 Minnesota State Open in July.
 
More recently, Lehman notched a top-15 finish at the 72-hole Canadian Men’s Senior Championship in Bathurst, New Brunswick two weeks ago before falling in a playoff with teammate Jerry Rose at the MGA Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship last week at Northfield Golf Club.
 
“I feel like I’ve been playing a lot of good golf lately and this summer has been really good,” said Lehman, a two-time MGA Senior Men’s Player of the Year winner. “There are a lot of really good players in Minnesota in senior amateur golf, but if I can continue to play well, I have a good chance to win.”
 
Lehman fired a 2-under par 70 Monday, posting one of two rounds below par to open the championship at Bemidji Town and Country Club, and he will take a one-stroke advantage over Bruce Hegland to the second round Tuesday.
 
“I played very solid—other than a three-putt bogey on my very first hole, I didn’t make any other bogeys the rest of the way,” Lehman said. “I hit most of the fairways and most of the greens and I felt very comfortable out there. Overall, I’m happy with 2-under.
 
“If I continue to play my game and hit fairways and greens and minimize my mistakes, that’s how I succeed typically and that’s what I’m going to focus on. There are some guys behind me that can play good golf as well.”
 
Beginning his opening round on the 10^th tee Monday, Lehman took a step back with bogey, but answered by rolling in his birdie look from 15 feet at the 13^th and would turn at even par.
 
Lehman, from Windsong Farm, wedged his approach at the par-4 third hole to 10 feet and sank his birdie chance to move into red figures for the round and would finish the day with a birdie on the final hole, dropping a short birdie chance from three feet to take the opening-round lead by one stroke.
 
Lehman won his first MGA Senior Amateur in 2013 at Bearpath Golf and Country Club and successfully defended his title at Somerset Country Club a year later. In 2016 Lehman cruised to an 11-stroke victory, posting an impressive 7-under par 212.
 
Hegland also began his first round off the 10^th tee Monday and started slow with a pair of bogeys before sinking a short birdie chance at the par-5 15^th to get back to 1-over for the round.
 
Rolling in a slippery, left to right 10-footer for birdie at the first, Hegland drew even before taking a step back with bogey at the fourth. Thanks to a strong finish late with birdies at the sixth and ninth holes, Hegland would card a 1-under par 71 to sit one shot off the lead after the first day of competition.
 
“It wasn’t a very good start—I thought it was going to be a long day,” Hegland said of his two early bogeys Monday. “I was happy with my lag putting, I didn’t have a ton of birdies, but I had a lot of long putts.
 
“I’ve done well up here and won the [Vandersluis Memorial Golf Tournament] a couple of times, but I have zero expectations this week. I’m trying to keep it in play—hit it and find it. This course, even when I don’t play well, I know where to miss.
 
Hegland, a member of Cannon Golf Club, collected a win at the 2005 MPGA Combination Championship, but has claimed 13 top-10 finishes in the state since 1999.
 
Bob Rolston, from The Minikahda Club, posted a round of even par 72 Monday and sits in third place with 36 holes to play, while four players are tied for fourth at 73.
 
The 97^th MGA Senior Amateur Championship continues Tuesday with the second round slated to begin at 8 a.m. at Bemidji Town and Country Club.
 
 
 
THE 97^TH MGA SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
BEMIDJI TOWN AND COUNTRY CLUB
BEMIDJI, MINN.
6,498 YARDS, PAR 72
 
 
MONDAY’S FIRST ROUND RESULTS
SENIOR DIVISION (55-64)
1. Jim Lehman, Windsong Farm, 34-36—70
2. Bruce Hegland, Cannon GC, 34-37—71
3. Bob Rolston, The Minikahda Club, 36-36—72
T4. Scott Thul, Bunker Hills GC, 36-37—73
T4. Scott Hogan, Cannon GC, 36-73—73
T4. David Kokesh, Bent Creek GC, 36-37—73
T7. Don Cherrey, Medina G&CC, 36-38—74
T7. Mark Knutson, Hazeltine Nat’l GC, 36-38—74
T7. Bob Snyder, Cannon GC, 37-37—74
T7. Jon Empanger, Island View GC, 38-36—74
T7. Mark Sperling, Heritage Links GC, 36-38—74
T7. David Rehfeldt, StoneRidge GC, 34-40—74
 
 
MASTERS DIVISION (65-74)
1. James Ryan, Hazeltine Nat’l GC, 39-34—73
2. Steve Whittaker, Pebble Creek GC, 39-35—74
T3. Skip Schultz, University GC, 37-38—75
T3. Doug Taylor, Headwaters CC, 36-39—75
T5. Ralph Johnson, Pheasant Acres GC, 39-37—76
T5. Pat Vincelli, Brackett’s Crossing CC, 39-37—76
7. Leif Carlson, Valleywood GC, 37-40—77
T8. Bruce McIntosh, Golden Eagle GC, 40-38—78
T8. Tim Anderson, University GC, 40-38—78
T8. James Price, Legends Club, 39-39—78
 
 
GRAND MASTERS DIVISION (75 and older)
1. David Haugan, Hiawatha GC, 36-38—74
T2. Dennis Haugan, Hiawatha GC, 42-38—80
T2. Mike Howell, Village Green GC, 42-38—80
4. R.J. Smiley, Braemar GC, 41-41—82
5. Jack Rice, Woodhill CC, 46-45—91
6. Bob Ostlund, Tianna CC, 44-50—94