Round One Completed at State Junior Boys, 'Mr. Golf' Israelson Leads with 67

  WILLMAR, Minn. – Andrew Israelson’s 5-under par 67 leads 90th Minnesota State Junior Boys’ Championship at Eagle Creek Golf Club following the completion of the first round Wednesday.

The tournament was halted twice during the opening round Tuesday before being suspended for the day. The top-60 players after the opening round will advance to the second round, which will begin Wednesday at approximately 1:15 p.m.

Israelson, Staples, Minn., began his opening round on the back nine and rolled in two birdie chances to turn at 2-under for the tournament. The recently named Mr. Golf Minnesota quickly jumped to 5-under after rolling in three consecutive birdies beginning at the second hole.

Israelson carded a bogey at the par-4 fifth hole, but answered by rolling in his birdie opportunity at the par-4 seventh to finish the opening round with a one-stroke lead at 67.

Chasing Israelson to begin Wednesday’s final round is Lincoln Johnson who fired a 4-under par 68 during the opening round.

Johnson, Chaska, Minn., carded two birdies with one bogey during the front nine before rolling in three birdies over his first four holes on the back side to climb the leaderboard to 4-under par. He would par his final five holes Wednesday to shoot 68, trailing by one heading into the final round.

Carter Haley, the 2015 Minnesota Golf Association Junior Boys’ Player of the Year, fired an opening-round 68 Wednesday and will begin the final round tied for third along with 2016 Class AAA individual champion Ben Sigel.