Burnham and Herrick to Square Off Again in MWPGA Match Play Final

By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


  COON RAPIDS, Minn. – Sarah Burnham has advanced to the finals of the Minnesota Women’s Public Golf Association Match Play Championship in each of the past two seasons, coming away with a victory both times.

After downing Lexi Bollant, 3 and 2, during Saturday’s semifinal match, Burnham looks to win her third consecutive championship Sunday as she will face Olivia Herrick in a rematch of last year’s final, which Burnham survived, 2 and 1.

“I struggled on the greens yesterday and even today I struggled—I wasn’t able to make as many putts as I would’ve liked,” Burnham said following her round Saturday. “I hit the ball well, kept grinding it out and kept making par after par today. Trying to be consistent was all I could do.”

Burnham, who will begin her junior season at Michigan State University this fall, took advantage of a three-putt bogey by Bollant at the par-4 second hole to take the early lead before taking a 2-up lead when Bollant failed to get up-and-down at the par-5 sixth hole.

Bollant, a soon-to-be junior at Augusta University, cut into Burnham’s lead at the par-3 seventh with a chip-in for birdie and Burnham would maintain a slim 1-up lead after nine holes.

A three-putt at the 10th green by Bollant extended Burnham’s lead to 2-up before Burnham put her approach at the par-4 13th to 10 feet where she would convert birdie and take a 3-up lead with five holes to play.

Bollant rebounded at the par-5 14th by sticking her approach to six feet and dropping her birdie chance. At the 15th, Bollant left her approach short of the green before chipping five feet past the hole. Unable to get up-and-down for par, Bollant faced dormie three.

Both Burnham and Bollant made par at the 16th as Burnham clinched the match, 3 and 2, advancing to Sunday’s final against Herrick. During her opening-round match against Haley Tollette Friday, Burnham trailed after six holes but used two birdies on the final nine holes to slip past Tollette, 2 and 1, advancing to the semifinals Saturday.

In the other semifinal match, Herrick overcame two early bogeys to outlast three-time champion, Leigh Klasse, to advance to her third final match in the last four years.

“I would say that I still have not yet played my best golf out here. I’ve just hung in there and did what I needed to do to get the job done. I need some range work and get my driver figured out before tomorrow if I want to play well,” Herrick said Saturday.

Herrick and Klasse traded a pair of bogeys to begin the round Saturday and would remain square through five holes before Klasse again took a slim lead after chipping in for birdie at the long par-3 seventh hole.

“I’ve played enough match play to know that it’s not over until it’s really over,” Herrick said of trailing Klasse early in the match Saturday. “If you don’t stay focused and stay competitive on what you need to do, you can get really discouraged.”

Herrick, champion in 2008 and 2010, struggled off the tee most of round but would take command of the match after sticking her approach inside of five feet at the par-4 eighth hole. She would convert her birdie opportunity to even the match Klasse as Herrick would par the next nine consecutive holes.

“I could not get a putt to roll today and I was leaving everything short so that felt good to hit it close and to be able to convert that one,” Herrick said.

Klasse, a three-time champion, failed to get up-and-down at the par-3 12th hole, giving Herrick her first lead of the match and after a pair of late bogeys by Klasse, Herrick clinched the match at the 17th, 3 and 1.

“I’m hitting my irons really well so I’m confident in my approaches from the fairway. Tomorrow I need to put myself in better position off the tee,” she said.

The final match of the 2016 MWPGA Match Play Championship is scheduled to begin at 8:40 a.m. Sunday at Bunker Hills Golf Club.



2016 MWPGA MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
BUNKER HILLS GOLF CLUB
COON RAPIDS, MINN.
5,551 YARDS, PAR 72


SATURDAY’S SEMIFINAL RESULTS
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
Sarah Burnham, Rush Creek GC, def. Lexi Bollant, Wild Marsh GC, 3 and 2
Olivia Herrick, Manitou Ridge GC, def. Leigh Klasse, Keller GC, 3 and 1


FIRST FLIGHT
McKenzie Swenson, Rush Creek GC, def. Sally Deyak, Wapicada GC, 19 holes
Kaitlyn Alvarez, Bunker Hills GC, def. Krista Larsen, Fox Hollow GC, 1-up


SECOND FLIGHT
Clare Pobanz, Keller GC, def. Lynn Cunningham, Rum River Hills GC, 3 and 2
Beth Rubin, Wirth GC, def. Molly Baker, Braemar GC, 8 and 7


THIRD FLIGHT
Cheryl Lombardi, Hollydale GC, def. Alicia Barber, EWGA, 6 and 5
Joan Frie, Monticello CC, def. Lori Shore, Rum River Hills GC, 4 and 3


FOURTH FLIGHT
Jan Nelson, Brookview GC, def. Lola Heinrich, Spring Brook GC, 3 and 2
Sarajane Myers, Dwan GC, def. Pauline Whelan, EWGA, 3 and 2


FIFTH FLIGHT
Tammy Nermyr, Monticello CC, def. Carol Dennis, Baker Nat’l GC, 4 and 2
Kathy Gerber, Inver Wood GC, def. Wendy Haisley, Rum River Hills GC, 6 and 5