Eyeing Second Win in Three Weeks, Hitchner Holds 36-hole Lead at MGA Amateur

July 20, 2021 | 5 min.

 
By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  MAPLE GROVE, Minn. – Pepperdine University golfer Derek Hitchner entered this week’s Minnesota Golf Association Amateur Championship ranked 141st in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, moving up 57 spots with his win at the Trans-Mississippi Amateur earlier this month.
 
Following an opening-round 64 Monday at Rush Creek Golf Club, Hitchner carded his ninth consecutive round below par Tuesday to take a one-stroke lead over Caleb VanArragon to the final round, looking for his second win this season.
 
“I was a little unsteady early and felt a little erratic with my irons,” Hitchner said following his 3-under 69 Tuesday. “I didn’t think I managed it very well—I probably could’ve been a little more conservative on some starting lines and kind of had to pay the price for them.
 
“Obviously, I wanted to try to replicate yesterday and I knew that was going to be hard. I saw in the morning that a lot of guys were playing well and got passed by [VanArragon] before I even teed off, so I knew I had to play well because I didn’t have a cushion.”
 
A bumpy front nine saw Hitchner get up-and-down at the first after missing the green left and then sinking a 10-footer to save par at the second. He traded two birdies for two bogeys over his next five before settling into his game with a two-putt birdie at the eighth.
 
Wedging his approach inside of six feet at the ninth, Hitchner would earn a share of the lead at 10-under heading to his final nine holes Tuesday. Despite giving himself multiple birdie looks during his inward nine, Hitchner was unable to capitalize. His lone birdie came at the 14th where his approach spun to within a foot of the cup, leaving a tap-in birdie.
 
“It was similar to yesterday in that I was hitting greens and getting chances,” Hitchner said of his final 11 holes, which he played in 3-under. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get a ton to go in, but it was an easier back nine compared to the front. I felt like it was a bit of a roller coaster and I don’t think that’s the ideal way to play.”
 
Hitchner entered the final round of the Trans-Mississippi Amateur nine shots off the lead, eventually winning in a two-hole playoff. At the Minnesota State Open a week ago, Hitchner came back from a four-stroke deficit to force a playoff before falling to eventual champion Cecil Belisle.
 
The 21-year-old Hitchner said he prefers to enter the final round with a one-stroke advantage and a target on his back.
 
“I would rather be in this position—I don’t want to have to make up a ton of ground, but inevitably that comes with a little more stress and pressure,” Hitchner said. “I feel like if I stay within myself and control what I can, hopefully I can keep executing like I have recently. I’m going to try to have the same mindset in that I have nothing to lose.”
 
Hitchner’s only state victory came at the tail end of his sophomore season at the Blake School, where he set a tournament record at 10-under par to win the Class AA individual title.
 
Entering Tuesday’s round two shots off the lead, VanArragon wasted little time getting into red figures as he birdied his first three holes of the second round to quickly jump to the top of the leaderboard at 9-under.
 
Following a birdie at the 10th, VanArragon dropped a stroke with a bogey at the 12th, but would get back to 10-under for the championship by rolling in his birdie opportunity at the par-4 13th.
 
A wayward tee shot at the 14th led to a double-bogey for VanArragon, dropping him to 8-under for the tournament, but a resilient VanArragon rolled in an 8-footer for birdie at the 15th and one more at the 16th, sticking his approach inside of four feet to card a 4-under 68.
 
“Overall, I’ve been really happy with my mental game so far this week,” VanArragon said Tuesday. “My concentration has been very solid and I’ve been able to stay positive and confident even after bad shots or bad holes. My wedges have also really helped me get some good birdie opportunities.
 
“Tomorrow I’m going to have to stay in the present and play with confidence. Even though there are a lot of birdie opportunities out here, there’s also the chance to really get out of position on every hole. I’m going to need to focus and be committed to my target to give myself a shot.”
 
VanArragon, who will begin his junior season at Valparaiso University this fall, is looking for his second win of the 2021 season after cruising to a seven-stroke victory at the Twin Cities Championship by firing back-to-back rounds of 68.
 
A late eagle helped 2018 champion Van Holmgren to an opening-round 68 Monday before he got off to a slow start to the second round Tuesday, with a bogey on the opening hole. Holmgren answered by carding three birdies over his next eight holes to turn in 6-under for the championship.
 
The former Wayzata High School star would bogey the first hole on his back nine at the 10th, but bounced back with a birdie at the 11th.  A pair of birdies at the 13th and 16th put Holmgren to 8-under and he would finish the day with his second straight round of 68 to sit three shots back of Hitchner.
 
Holmgren looks to become the first two-time winner of the event since Tom Hoge won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.
 
Lucas Johnson carded a 6-under 66 during the second round Tuesday and will begin Wednesday’s final round in fourth place at 7-under 137, while Jack Johnson and 2007 champion Bryce Hanstad sit in a tie for fifth at 5-under 139.
 
The final round of the 118th MGA Amateur Championship is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Wednesday at Rush Creek Golf Club.
 

 

Contact Us

Contact Us

6550 York Avenue South, Suite 411 • Edina, MN 55435 • (952) 927-4643 • (800) 642-4405 • Fax: (952) 927-9642
© 2024 Minnesota Golf Association. All Rights Reserved