McKenzie Neisen Edges Pilot in Women's Match Play; Deeg Is through to Quarterfinals

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MANKATO -- One of the best matches during the first day of the Minnesota Women's State Match Play Championship was an inter-generational contest between six-time MGA Women's Player of the Year -- and two-time Senior Player of the Year -- Claudia Pilot and high school prodigy McKenzie Neisen. Although she hasn't started her junior year at New Prague yet, Neisen already has two top-5 finishes at the state tournament on her resume, and she's qualified for two USGA events this year: the U.S. Girls Junior and the U.S. Women's Amateur. 

As a general rule, these matches tend to go to the player who's younger and stronger, and Monday's Round of 16 match followed that pattern. 

Neisen established an early lead, thanks in large part to her ability to reach the par-5's in two, and she closed out her 2-up victory at the 440-yard, par-5 18th, where she hit a 255-yard drive, followed it with a 5-iron second shot to within a couple of feet of the green, and presently holed a 5-foot putt for the clinching birdie.

Earlier in the day, Neisen, the No. 7 seed in the tournament, had defeated her Trojan teammate Taylor Ledwein 5&4 in the Round of 32. 

Neisen's sister Steffi, who will be a junior at the University of Nebraska in a few weeks, also won twice. But she wasn't pushed beyond the 15th green. Steffi, who is seeded No. 5, dispatched Jordan Drenttel 6&5 in the morning, and Hailey Boner 4&3 in the afternoon.

Defending champion Cassie Deeg, the reigning MGA Women's Player of the Year -- and the No. 1 seed this week -- beat Tiffany Gretsch 3&2 in the Round of 16. Deeg had a bye in the first round.

No. 6 Sarah Burnham, who won the State Publinx Stroke Play title earlier this month, needed only 26 holes to win her two matches. She beat Elle Carlson 6&4 in the morning and Taylor Auman 7&6 in the afternoon. 

Chelsey Falk, the No. 24 seed, staged two of the biggest upsets of the day. First, she picked off No. 9 Natalie Samb in the Round of 32. The Drake senior-to-be then blitzed No. 8 Mary Sweeney 8&6 a few hours later to earn a spot in Tuesday morning's quarterfinals. 

In the Senior Division, the top two seeds -- defending champ Brenda Williams and Leigh Klasse, the two-time Senior Women's Player of the Year -- both had byes. 

MINNESOTA WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION

Women's State Match Play Championship 

At Mankato Golf Club

Par 72

Open Division

Round of 32 (seedings in parenthesis)

(1) Cassie Deeg bye

(2) Celia Kuenster WD

(3) Kelly O'Brien WD

(4) Anna Laorr bye

(16) Tiffany Gretsch def. (17) Aubrie Nelson 1 up

(8) Mary Sweeney def. (25) Bobbie Bohlig 19 holes

(24) Chelsey Falk def. (9) Natalie Samb 1 up

(13) Tayler Hoag def. (20) Anni Heck 6&5

(5) Steffi Neisen def. (28) Jordan Drenttel 6&5

(12) Hailey Boner def. (21) Katie Kesti 2 up

(22) Taylor Auman def. (11) Danielle Brooks 1 up

(6) Sarah Burnham def. (27) Elle Carlson 6&4

(14) Marisa Toivonen def. (19) Hannah VanAmber 2&1

(10) Claudia Pilot def. (23) Cassie Wurm 4&2

(7) McKenzie Neisen def. (26) Taylor Ledwein 5&4

(15) Jaclyn Shepherd def. (18) Tabitha Kunst 19 holes

Round of 16

(1) Deeg def. (16) Gretsch 3&2

(24) Falk def. (8) Sweeney 8&6

(4) Laorr def. (13) Hoag 1 up

(5) Steffi Neisen def. (12) Boner 4&3

(6) Burnham def. (22) Auman 7&6

(14) Toivonen bye

(7) McKenzie Neisen def. (10) Pilot 2 up

(15) Shepherd bye

Senior Division

(1) Brenda Williams bye

(5) Mary Flynn def. Ellie Layton 19 holes

(2) Leigh Klasse bye

(3) Alison Hurley bye