Hanstad Ties Course Record with 64 to Begin Twin Cities Open

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  PRIOR LAKE, Minn. – After recording seven birdies and an eagle over his first 17 holes Monday at The Meadows at Mystic Lake, Bryce Hanstad found the water at the par-5 18th for his only bogey of the round to begin the fourth Twin Cities Open.

The good news for Hanstad is that he managed to tie the course record with an 8-under 64, and take a two-stroke lead over defending Minnesota State Open and Minnesota Golf Association Amateur champion, Caleb VanArragon, following the first round of play.

“A lot of things were clicking today,” Hanstad said Monday. “Unfortunately, a little bit of a sour finish at the end, but I can’t complain. A lot of putts were dropping and the work on ball-striking seems to be paying off from over the winter.”

Hanstad began his round by carding three birdies over his first six, turning in 4-under after another birdie at the eighth.

Fueled by an eagle at the 10th to begin his inward nine, Hanstad then carded back-to-back birdies at the 11th and 12th to reach 8-under for the round.

Hanstad birdied the par-3 17th to move to 9-under, but a bogey at the last put the 36-year-old on top of the leaderboard at 8-under 64.

“We’ll see how the afternoon shakes out—I think the scoring is out there today,” Hanstad said after taking his 8-under 64 into the clubhouse for the early lead. “Hopefully we dodge some of the weather tomorrow.”

Hanstad, who played collegiately at Colorado State University, claimed the 2007 Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club.

He won the Red River Amateur (formerly the KX Bank of the West Amateur) the following season at Moorhead Country Club, but it would be 14 years before Hanstad would claim another state victory.

Hanstad defeated Ryan Conn to claim the 2022 MGA Mid-Players’ Championship at Royal Golf Club, and successfully defended his title last season once again over Conn at Alexandria Golf Club.

VanArragon, a recent graduate of Valparaiso University who had a record-setting 2023 season by winning the Minnesota State Open and MGA Amateur by a combined 21-strokes, traded a pair of early birdies with two bogeys on his front side before a birdie at the eighth put him at 1-under for the championship.

Settling into his round, VanArragon tallied a pair of birdies at the 10th and 12th holes before finishing with three straight birdies to post a 6-under 66 in his professional debut.

North Dakota State University golfer Nate Adams played his first 13 holes in 6-under Monday, including an eagle at the par-5 10th, to post an opening-round 67. He will begin Tuesday’s final round in third place, three shots back.

Professionals Andrew Israelson, Zach Sklebar, Scott McDonald and Jack Hiemenz each tallied rounds of 4-under 68 to finish the opening round tied for fourth, four strokes behind Hanstad.

The final round of the 2024 Twin Cities Open is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at The Meadows at Mystic Lake.



THE 4TH TWIN CITIES OPEN
THE MEADOWS AT MYSTIC LAKE
PRIOR LAKE, MINN.
7,135 YARDS, PAR 72


MONDAY’S FIRST ROUND RESULTS
1. Bryce Hanstad, Olympic Hills GC, 32-32—64
2. Caleb VanArragon (p), Bunker Hills GC, 35-31—66
3. Nate Adams, Rush Creek GC, 34-33—67
T4. Andrew Israelson (p), Minneapolis GC, 34-34—68
T4. Zach Sklebar (p), Edgewood Muni GC, 33-35—68
T4. Scott McDonald (p), Minnewaska GC, 33-35—68
T4. Jack Hiemenz (p), Victory Links GC, 34-34—68
T8. Josh Whalen (p), GolfTEC Roseville, 38-31—69
T8. Brady Madsen (p), Eagle Creek GC, 38-31—69
T8. Ryan Conn, Alexandria GC, 33-36—69
T8. Alex Bradley, Heritage Links GC, 38-31—69
T8. Casey Vangsness (p), Minnewaska GC, 33-36—69


For complete tournament results go to: https://mnpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/mnpga24/event/mnpga2466/contest/1/leaderboard.htm