Top of the Leaderboard Crowded With Gophers at MGA Women's Amateur Four-Ball

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  DELLWOOD, Minn. – The leaderboard following the opening round of the 2020 Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship is covered in maroon and gold as the twosome of University of Minnesota golfers Kate Lillie and Grace Kellar earned a share of the lead along with teammates Emma Carpenter and Grace Curran, both teams carding rounds of 4-under 69 Tuesday at Dellwood Country Club.
 
Playing their first six holes in even par Tuesday, Carpenter and Curran carded birdie at the sixth and added another at the par-5 eighth hole to turn in 2-under. The twosome took a step backwards with a bogey at the 10^th, but Carpenter converted her eagle chance at the par-5 11^th to put her team at 3-under.
 
Following a birdie at the 13^th, Curran rolled in her birdie look at the 15^th to get to 5-under before the two would card their second bogey of the round at the 16^th to finish the day with a share of the lead at 4-under 69.
 
Lillie kickstarted her team with back-to-back birdies to begin the round Tuesday before they gave back a shot with a bogey at the sixth. Kellar responded by sinking her birdie chance at the seventh and the two would turn in 2-under.
 
Kellar moved the pairing to 3-under with a birdie at the 12^th before Lillie countered with a birdie at the 13^th. A second bogey on the scorecard at the 16^th put the Gopher teammates back to 3-under, but they would finish with a flurry by sinking one final birdie at the last to join their fellow Gopher teammates at 4-under 69.
 
When the tournament resumes Wednesday, 2018 champions Megan Welch and Taylor Ledwein will need to make up two shots after firing a round of 2-under 71 during the opening round Tuesday. Overcoming a bogey at the third, the two carded three birdies over their final 14 holes to finish the first day in third place.
 
The defending champion team of Stephanie and Leah Herzog posted an even par 73 Tuesday to finish the first round tied for fourth with the pairing of Paige McCullough and Olivia Herrick, four shots off the lead.
 
Firing a 5-under 68 Tuesday, the team of Kate Taylor and Sydney Brandt jumped out to a sizeable five-stroke lead in the First Flight, while Justine and Jeanne Hawkinson claimed the opening-round lead in the Second Flight, shooting an even par 73 to lead by three.
 
The twosome of Beth Rubin and Jeri Meola combined to card a 10-over par 83 in the Third Flight Tuesday, taking an eight-stroke lead over the team of Patricia Gries and Sylvia Logerquist.
 
The 2020 MGA Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship concludes Wednesday with final-round tee times beginning at 7:30 a.m.