Rose Eying Second Straight MGA Senior Players' Win, But Anderson, Rehfeldt and Whittaker Stand in the Way

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  LAKEVILLE, Minn. – Attempting to become the first back-to-back champion in tournament history, 2017 Minnesota Golf Association Senior Men’s Player of the Year Jerry Rose took two steps closer Wednesday by notching a pair of victories to reach the semifinal round of the 19^th MGA Senior Players’ Championship at Brackett’s Crossing Country Club.
 
Rose, who downed Leif Carlson, 2-up, last year at St. Cloud Country Club, cruised past James Price, 6 and 5, during the Round of 16 before facing longtime friend and three-time MGA Senior Amateur champion Jim Lehman during the quarterfinals Wednesday.
 
A birdie by Rose and a string of bogeys by Lehman added up to a 3-up lead for Rose through four holes and he would never trail, advancing to the semifinals after closing out Lehman at the 15^th hole with a 4 and 3 victory.
 
Rose will face John Anderson Thursday as Anderson will look to avenge a runner-up finish to Todd Hillier at Wayzata Country Club in 2015 before falling to Steve Whittaker at Bent Creek Golf Club in 2016.
 
Anderson got past three-time MGA Amateur champion Mike Fermoyle, 3 and 2, during the Round of 16 early Wednesday and downed 1991 MGA Players’ champion Greg Murphy by the same score Wednesday afternoon.
 
David Rehfeldt edged Bill Tadewald, 2 and 1, during the Round of 16 and knocked off Carlson in the quarterfinal round, 1-up. Rehfeldt will face two-time champion Steve Whittaker when the tournament continues early Thursday.
 
Whittaker, a two-time MGA Senior Men’s Player of the Year, slipped past Mark Knutson, 2 and 1, early Wednesday before eliminating Hillier during the quarterfinals in the afternoon session, 3 and 2.
 
Winning his first Senior Players’ title in 2013 with a victory over MGA Executive Director Tom Ryan at Island View Golf Club, Whittaker claimed his second championship three years later.
 
The semifinal round of the 19th MGA Senior Players' Championship gets underway at 7:30 a.m. Thursday at Brackett's Crossing Country Club.