Rask Jumps into Lead at Minnesota State Open With Three Birdies and an Eagle on Back Nine

By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


  MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. – Even through nine holes during the second round of the Minnesota State Open Saturday, Clayton Rask carded three birdies and an eagle on his back nine to shoot 67 for the second straight day to take the lead at 10-under par 134 at Mendakota Country Club.

Rask, the 2010 champion, leads Andrew McCain by two shots after McCain fired a 4-under par 68 for the second consecutive round as he sits in second place at 136, while professional Jeff Sorenson carded a 5-under par 67 Saturday to jump into contention in third place at 137 heading into Sunday’s final round.

“I started off pretty good with a couple birdies and had a little hiccup on 16 and 17 and then started hitting it better on the back,” Rask said after his round Saturday. “I missed a lot out there today too, the driver was giving me some troubles.”

Rask began his round on the 10th tee and got off to a quick start with birdies at the 10th and 13th holes to move to 7-under for the championship. He would pull even for the day with back-to-back bogeys at the 16th and 17th.

With a birdie on the opening hole of his back nine Saturday, Rask would get back to 6-under before rolling in an eagle putt at the par-5 fifth hole to jump to 8-under for the tournament.

Taking advantage of a birdie look at the 7th, Rask moved to 9-under before sticking his approach to inside five feet on the final hole.

Rask dropped his birdie putt to card another 67, shooting 5-under par 31 over the final nine holes Saturday.

“Overall I’m very pleased coming back on the back nine and getting it where it should be,” Rask said. “Everything is working really well right now and I’m not going to change anything. I just want to go out there and keep having fun.”

McCain, Dellwood Country Club, opened with a 4-under par 68 during Friday’s first round and started quickly with a birdie on his opening hole Saturday. He pulled even on the day with a bogey at the fifth, but would turn at 1-under after dropping his birdie chance at the ninth.

Opening the back nine with a birdie at the 10th, McCain would move to 6-under for the tournament before adding his fourth birdie of the day at the 12th, getting to 7-under par.

McCain finished his solid back nine with another birdie at the par-4 16th after putting his approach to three feet from a fairway bunker to card a second consecutive 68 and will begin Sunday’s final round two shots off the lead at 136.

“Yesterday was good from the start and I was kind of in a groove all day,” McCain said following his round Saturday. “I hit it close a lot and made some nice putts early and then had a couple good six-footers for par to keep things going.”

“My plan has been to hit fairways and greens—you’re really not going to hit that many fairways out here but I hit a lot of greens. I had nice up-and-downs on nine and 10 and that kick started [the back nine] and had another [up-and-down] on 12,” he said. “For the most it was boring golf—in play off the tee and hit the green and two-putt, and that’s how it’s been both days.”

McCain finished tied for 30th Wednesday at the 112th Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Championship, and was happy with his play, saying his putter was the difference down the stretch.

“I hit it great [at Northland Country Club], I think I missed seven greens and five fairways in 54 holes but had 111 putts in three rounds. I didn’t think I played badly, but I got a fresh start out here. There are definitely some opportunities to make birdies early here and I just need to stay patient because you’re going to make some eventually.”

Sorenson, the Minikahda Club, opened the championship Friday with a 2-under par 70 and began his second round Saturday with a birdie on the 11th hole as he began his round on the 10th tee.

Rolling in another birdie at the 13th, Sorenson would move to 4-under before giving back a stroke with a bogey at the par-4 15th hole.

Sorenson would answer with two birdies over the final three holes on his front nine to make the turn at 3-under for the round.

A bogey at the par-3 second hole dropped Sorenson back to 4-over for the championship, but he would again rebound to finish the day with three more birdies over his final seven holes to card 67 and sits in third place at 137.

Donald Constable followed up his opening-round 67 with a 1-under par 71 Saturday and will need to overcome a four-stroke deficit during the final round Sunday as he sits in fourth place at 138.

Starting on the 10th tee, Constable remained even through three holes before dropping an eagle putt at the par-5 13th hole to quickly get to 7-under for the tournament.

He would give back a shot on the 15th with a bogey, but bounced back with a birdie at the par-3 17th hole.

Constable would drop to even for the round after taking a double-bogey at the 18th hole and headed to the final nine holes of the second round at 5-under par.

Finding consistency on his back nine Sunday, Constable would card eight pars with one birdie at the sixth hole to finish the day with a 71, four shots back.

Joe O’Brien, the 2015 MGA Mid-Players’ Champion, fired a 71 Saturday and sits in fifth place at 139, while two-time champion, Don Berry, will begin the final round in sixth place at 140.



2015 MINNESOTA STATE OPEN
MENDAKOTA COUNTRY CLUB
MENDOTA HEIGHTS, MINN.
6,980 YARDS, PAR 72


SATURDAY’S RESULTS
1. Clayton Rask, Riverwood Nat’l Golf Course, 67-67—134
2. Andrew McCain, Dellwood Country Club, 68-68—136
3. Jeff Sorenson, the Minikahda Club, 70-67—137
4. Donald Constable, Spring Hill Golf Club, 67-71—138
5. Joe O’Brien, Rush Creek Golf Club, 68-71—139
6. Don Berry, Edinburgh USA, 67-73—140
7. Justin Smith, University Golf Club, 72-69—141
T8. Jacques Wilson, Chaska Town Course, 70-72—142
T8. Brian Hills, Wild Marsh Golf Club, 71-71—142
T10. Erik Christopherson, StoneRidge Golf Club, 71-72—143
T10. Beau Hanson, Detroit Country Club, 72-71—143


For complete tournament results go to: http://mnpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/mnpga15/event/mnpga1546/contest/1/leaderboard.htm