Rose, Carlson and Anderson Among Top Seeds to Advance During First Round of MGA Senior Players' Championship

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  LAKEVILLE, Minn. – Jerry Rose, Leif Carlson and John Anderson each won their respective matches as three of the four top seeds advanced from the opening round of the 19^th Minnesota Golf Association Senior Players’ Championship Tuesday at Brackett’s Crossing Country Club.
 
Rose, who defeated Carlson in last year’s final, 2-up, at St. Cloud Country Club, turned away Steven Knutson after going up early with a pair of bogeys over the first three holes and hung on to win, 4 and 2, to begin the championship Tuesday. Rose will now face James Price during the Round of 16 Wednesday after Price disposed of Mark Hayes, 4 and 3, to start play Tuesday.
 
Carlson fell down early during his match against Daniel Mullins before Mullins carded three consecutive bogeys to finish the front nine, giving Carlson his first lead of the match. Mullins drew even at the 17^th, but Carlson closed the door with a birdie on the final hole to win, 1-up. Carlson now faces Mark Ecklund, who defeated Mike Tharp, 6 and 4.
 
The biggest upset of the opening round came when David Haslerud, seeded No. 3 entering the championship, fell to Ray Sauer, 1-up. Haslerud, the defending MGA Senior Amateur champion, fell behind early, but managed to even up the match twice before a bogey on the final hole gave Sauer a slim victory.
 
David Rehfeldt, seeded No. 26 this week, won three consecutive holes against Jon Empanger to begin their opening round match Tuesday, as Rehfeldt cruised to a 4 and 3 victory. Rehfeldt faces Bill Tadewald during the Round of 16 Wednesday.
 
Jim Lehman, a three-time MGA Senior Amateur champion, won his opening round match Tuesday and will face Scott Hogan Wednesday. John Anderson, the 2009 Minnesota Senior Open and MPGA Senior Public Links champion, advanced to face three-time MGA State Amateur champion Mike Fermoyle.
 
Steve Whittaker, a two-time MGA Senior Men’s Player of the Year, advanced from the first round and will face Mark Knutson when the tournament resumes Wednesday.
 
Brackett’s Crossing hosted the 2014 championship, where Pat Vincelli defeated Leif Carlson, 1-up.
 
The 19^th MGA Senior Players’ Championship continues Wednesday when the Round of 16 begins at 7:30 a.m. at Brackett’s Crossing Country Club.