Defending Champ Doeden Leads Krugel Invitational after 67

MANKATO -- Justin Doeden picked up on Saturday where he left off last year at the Krugel Invitational. The defending champion shot a 4-under-par 67 at the Mankato Golf Club, and he leads the tournament by a stroke with 27 holes remaining on Sunday. 

Doeden, who was the No. 1 player on the University of Minnesota golf team during the 2016-17 season, was one of seven players who broke par. J.B. Lloyd, who has won the Krugel a record six times, is tied for second at 68, along with Mitch Pfingsten and Trent Peterson. Peterson, a winner of the Minnesota career Grand Slam (he's won the State Amateur, Players Championship, State Open and State Publinx titles), is making his first appearance at the Krugel. Pfingsten tied for sixth this spring in the NAIA Championship, which helped Grand View University (Des. Moines, Iowa) claim victory in the team competition (his brother -- and teammate -- Myles Pfingsten tied for third in that tournament).

Two other players -- Matt Opsal and Joel B. Johnson -- shot 69's on Saturday and are tied for fifth. Jeff Pint, the massively long-hitter from New Prague, is another stroke back at 70, alone in seventh place.

After that, it gets crowded. There are five players tied for eighth with even-par 71's, and another six tied for 13th with 72's.  

MEN'S AMATEUR GOLF

Krugel Invitational

At Mankato Golf Club

Par 71

Mankato

First-round results 

1. Justin Doeden                     67

T2. J.B. Lloyd                          68

T2. Trent Peterson                  68

T2. Mitch Pfingsten                68

T5. Joel B. Johnson                69

T5. Matt Opsal                        69

7. Jeff Pint                              70

T8. Noah Bragg                     71

T8. Terry O'Laughlin              71

T8. Dan Wenner                    71

T8. Carter Haley                    71

T8. Nick Pexa                        71

T13. Devan Johnson             72

T13. Thomas Homan            72

T13. Mark Stuckey               72

T13. Jack Pexa                    72

T13. Carson Haley               72

T13. Ryan Geiger                72

T19. Connor Hedlund          73

T19. Scott Threinen             73

T21. Kyle Viehl                    74

T21. Alex Wallerich             74

T21. Dylan Gergen              74

T21. Alex Case                   74

T21. Topher Baron              74

T21. Bryant Black               74

T27. Blake Onkka               75

T27. Kyle Bahe                   75

T27. Walker Nelson            75

T30. Ben Opsal                  76

T30. Thomas Strandemo   76

T30. Tony Weber                76