Birdies Come Early and Often as Anderson and Wilson Lead After Day One of MGA Four-Ball

View full size image

  WILLMAR, Minn. – Carding six birdies on the front nine Monday helped the twosome of Eric Anderson and Dean Wilson to a 10-under par 62 to open the 56th Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Four-Ball Championship on top of the leaderboard at Eagle Creek Golf Club.

Anderson and Wilson were followed closely by the pairing of Mike Fiedler and Johnny Larson who fired an opening round 63 to finish the first day of competition one shot back.

The top 15 teams plus ties will advance from Monday’s session, while the top 21 teams plus ties will advance from Tuesday’s field to play in the final round Wednesday.

Anderson and Wilson, both from Redwood Falls Golf Club, carded back-to-back birdies to begin the round Monday before adding a third birdie at the fourth to quickly move to 3-under.

They would finish the front nine at 6-under after rolling in three consecutive birdies beginning at the sixth. Fortunate to bounce back after taking bogey at the par-4 11th, Anderson and Wilson would card five birdies over the final six holes Monday to finish ahead of the field at 62.

Fiedler and Larson started quickly Monday with three birdies over the first four holes before adding a fourth birdie to the scorecard at the par-3 sixth and would turn at 4-under par.

Rolling in birdie at the 11th, the two moved to 5-under, but thanks to an eagle by Fiedler at the par-5 13th, the pair jumped to 7-under for the championship. Set back by a bogey at the 15th, Fiedler and Larson would finish on a high note by holing out for eagle at the 17th and converting birdie on the final hole to post an opening-round 63.

Jim Lehman and Jerry Rose combined to shoot a round of 8-under par 64 Monday to sit in a tie for third along with the twosome of Ryan Conn and Tyler Obermueller.

The 56th MGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship continues Tuesday with tee times beginning at 10 a.m. at Eagle Creek Golf Club.