Burnham to Face Herrick in MWPGA Match Play Final

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By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


  COON RAPIDS, Minn. – Sarah Burnham began her semifinal match at the 2015 Minnesota Women’s Public Golf Association Match Play Championship with back-to-back birdies and would go on to defeat Leigh Klasse Saturday at Bunker Hills Golf Club to move one step closer to retaining her title.

In a rematch of last year’s final, Burnham made two quick birdies to grab a 2-up lead before Klasse responded with a birdie of her own at the fourth to narrow Burnham’s lead.

A bogey by Klasse at the par-3 seventh gave Burnham a 2-up lead once again, but Klasse would respond by winning the 12th to keep Burnham’s lead to one.

Burnham finished off the three-time champion on the 15th hole after Klasse carded three consecutive bogeys, as Burnham advanced to the final match for the second straight season, winning 4 and 3.

Burnham, Rush Creek Golf Club, outlasted Klasse a year ago at Phalen Park Golf Course, winning 1-up to claim her first MWPGA Match Play title and will now face two-time champion, Olivia Herrick in the final match Sunday.

“I’ve been hitting my driver good—I love my driver though,” Burnham said Saturday. “This is a course you can use a lot of wedges because it’s shorter than I’m used to playing.”

After winning titles in 2008 and 2010, Herrick is searching for her third title after defeating Amanda Bigger, 4 and 3, Saturday to advance.

Herrick, Manitou Ridge Golf Club, rolled in her birdie chance on the opening hole to jump out to a quick lead Saturday, and after a bogey by Bigger at the third, Herrick took a 2-up lead.

Herrick extended her lead to 3-up after Bigger failed to get her par putt to fall at the par-4 fifth, and took a commanding 4-up lead on the following hole by dropping her second birdie on the front side.

Back-to-back bogeys by Bigger at the 11th and 12th holes gave Herrick a 6-up lead with six holes to play, but Bigger battled back with a birdie at the 13th to cut into the deficit.

Herrick clinched the match on the following hole with a par to win, 5 and 4.

“This week I came in with the goal of greens in regulation and hitting as many as possible. One of my college coaches always said the goal was to play boring golf and his voice is always in the back of my head,” Herrick said following her round Saturday.

“I just try to keep it relatively simple, focusing on myself and making my own goals for the day. I try to stay relaxed and try to make pars and convert birdies. Tomorrow I want to go out and improve on what I’ve done so far and try to get better,” Herrick said of adapting her game to a match play tournament.

The fact that Herrick is also coming off her second straight Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship victory five days ago on the very same course certainly won’t hurt her chances either.

The final match of the 2015 MWPGA Match Play Championship is set to get underway at 8:48 a.m. Sunday at Bunker Hills Golf Club.