Anderson, Klasse Share Early Lead with Dean, Peterson at MGA Women's Senior Four-Ball

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  PEQUOT LAKES, Minn. – Winners of four consecutive senior women’s four-ball championships, Lynn Anderson and Leigh Klasse moved one step closer to their first title since 2018 by carding an even par 72 Sunday at Whitefish Golf Club, finishing the opening round tied for the lead with the team of Christine Dean and Adele Peterson.

Anderson and Klasse carded a pair of birdies late to move up the leaderboard during the opening round Sunday, while Dean rolled in a birdie from eight feet on the final hole to put her and Peterson into a share of the early lead.

“We had some good looks and nothing was falling,” Klasse said Sunday. “Lynn had a couple of nice birdies in a row, which was the key."

When the final round begins Monday, Klasse and Anderson and Dean and Peterson will be chased by 2020 champions Betsy Aldrich and Barbara Miller, who posted an opening-round 75 Sunday.

Starting the day on the third hole during Sunday’s shotgun start, a steady Anderson and Klasse carded eight consecutive pars before taking a bogey at the par-4 11th to fall to 1-over. Anderson answered by sticking her approach to eight feet at the 14th and converted her birdie opportunity draw even for the round.

Finding the green in regulation at the 15th, Anderson dropped a 20-footer for birdie to reach red figures for the championship and move into sole possession of the lead at 1-under. Anderson and Klasse would bogey the par-4 second hole to share the 18-hole lead.

“We struggled a bit last year, but today we both had putts for birdie, and that’s always your goal,” Anderson said Sunday. “The front side nothing dropped; we said to keep getting opportunities and something will fall, and they did.”

“Our goal tomorrow is to be on in regulation to have birdie putts,” Klasse said. “[The course] is a challenge and it’s a little long. We want to have birdie chances instead of scrambling to make par.”

The first win for Anderson and Klasse at the event came in 2015 at Northland Country Club before winning each of the next three seasons for the second longest winning streak in tournament history. Nancy Harris and Jo Ann Lindsay combined to win nine consecutive titles from 1997 to 2005.

Dean and Peterson began the first round on the second tee Sunday, playing blemish-free for 14 holes before a bogey at the par-4 16th. The two would draw even at the last when Dean’s approach stopped eight feet from the cup where she converted her birdie chance to help her team to an even par 72.

“We hadn’t been hitting our putts firmly all day, so I hit it a little firmer and it went in,” Dean said of her birdie at the last. “We played a practice round yesterday and I lost six or eight golf balls with my driver, so I did not hit driver today. I hit 3-wood all the way around."

“Lots of pars. If we could’ve made a few more putts today, it would’ve been key,” said Peterson, the 2020 MGA Women’s Senior Amateur champion. “Tomorrow, we need to stay steady and make some putts.”

Dean and Peterson carded back-to-back rounds of 1-over 73 to place fourth at Burl Oaks Golf Club last season, two shots behind eventual winners Claudia Pilot and Brenda Williams.

Back-to-back birdies at the eighth and ninth holes helped to team of Tracey Donesky and Cherie Riesenberg to a round of 5-over 77 Sunday to sit in fourth place, five shots back, while defending champions Claudia Pilot and Brenda Williams opened with a 6-over 78 to finish the opening round in fifth place.

The team of Sally Deyak and Lynnda Scott opened up the championship with a 1-under 71 Sunday to take two-stroke lead over the twosome of Lisa Lawry and Trish Olsen in the First Flight.

Jumping out to a big lead during Sunday’s opening round in the Second Flight was Debbie Enger and Joan Hasskamp, who carded an even par 72 as the two will take a five-stoke lead over Terri Fjosne and Renae Hultgren to Monday’s final round.

Luanne Cortesi and Darla Phillips combined for a 4-over 76 to begin the championship Sunday to better the team of Robin Goetz and Tracy Reilly by three strokes in the Third Flight, while Karla Ryshavy and Mary Williams’ 9-over 81 gave the pairing a one-stroke lead in the Fourth Flight.

Cathy Beck and Carla Rudisill played the first 18 holes of competition in 9-over 81 to take a two-stroke lead in the Fifth Flight. Beck and Rudisill will be chased by Jacqui Jarnes and Dale Ann Smith when the championship resumes Monday.

Posting a 91 to begin the tournament in the Sixth Flight, Cindy Kunkel and Jean Solheim moved to the top of the leaderboard Sunday and will have a two-stroke advantage over the teams of Patti Hade and Monica Overcamp, Paulette Heist and Gayle Vincelli, as well as Deb Hockett and Pam Knutson, all of whom carded a 21-over 93 to begin play.

The final round of the 2022 MGA Women’s Senior Four-Ball Championship gets underway at 8:30 a.m. Monday at Whitefish Golf Club.