Burnham and Nelson Combine for a 68 to Lead MGA Women's Four-Ball in Owatonna

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org


  OWATONNA, Minn. – A 25-foot birdie putt on the second hole ignited the team of Sarah Burnham and Jessica Nelson Sunday and led to an opening-round 68 to take the lead following the first round of play at the 2017 Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Owatonna Country Club.

Carding two birdies with one bogey on the front nine Sunday, Burnham and Nelson rolled in three birdies over the final nine holes to take a one-shot advantage over the team of Grace Kellar and Emily Kratz to Monday’s final round. 

“We could’ve made a few more putts, but for the most part it was a solid round. It was a lot of fun,” Nelson said Sunday.

“The par-5’s on the back nine helped us,” Burnham added, “I was able to reach a couple of those in two.”

Nelson sank her long look at birdie on the second hole Sunday before Burnham rolled in her short birdie chance at the eighth, but the two would turn at 1-under following a bogey at the ninth.

Burnham opened the back nine with a birdie at the 10th and sank back-to-back birdie putts at the 15th and 16th holes to put the pair in the lead after Round One at 4-under par 68.

Reunited after playing golf together at Wayzata High School, Burnham and Nelson took advantage of three of Owatonna’s five par-5’s Sunday and will look to carry momentum to Monday’s final round.

Burnham teamed up with Lexi Bollant to win the 2014 Women’s State Amateur Four-Ball Championship at New Prague Golf Club before defending her title with Kenzie Neisen in 2015 at Alexandria Golf Club. Nelson is in search of her first state amateur championship.

Kellar and Kratz got off to a quick start Sunday with a birdie on the opening hole before drawing even with a bogey at the par-4 fifth hole. Kellar rolled in her birdie opportunity at the par-3 seventh and the two would turn at 1-under.

Carding a birdie to start the back nine, Kellar and Kratz moved to 2-under and would finish the day one shot off the lead after Kellar’s birdie putt fell at the 16th.

University of Minnesota golfers Maggie Heggerston and Christine Portillo fired a round of 2-under par 70 Sunday and will begin Monday’s final round tied for third with the team of Emily Israelson and Sierra Langlie, two shots off the lead.

The 2017 tournament is a combination of the Minnesota Women’s State Amateur Four-Ball Championship and the Minnesota Women’s Public Golf Association Four-Ball Championship due to the merger of the MGA and MWPGA last fall.

Olivia Herrick’s string of six consecutive wins at the MWPGA Four-Ball Championship could be in jeopardy after her and playing partner Alexandra Stewart fired an even par 72 Sunday to sit four shots off the lead in seventh place.

Herrick won two Women’s State Four-Ball titles in 2009 and 2011, while claiming seven victories at the MWPGA Four-Ball event since 2009.

The final round of the 2017 MGA Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Monday at Owatonna Country Club.