Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2016 - 41

Yan Claims Spot at U.S. Women's
Open Sectional Qualifying
J
ing Yan carded an
even-par 144 to claim
the lone qualifying
spot in a field of 41 players,
edging Amy Anderson
and Sarah Burnham by one
stroke at the U.S. Women's
Open Sectional Qualifying
May 16 at Pebble Creek Golf
Club in Becker, Minn.
" I started out really well,
making a lot of birdies, and
got to 3-under on the front
nine, and then struggled a
bit on the back nine, " Yan
said.
She started quickly during
the opening round,
sinking a long birdie putt
on the opening hole before
reaching the green in two
at the par-5 fifth, where she
would two-putt for birdie
to get to 2-under. Chipping
in for birdie at the eighth,
Yan would turn at 3-under
before running into some
trouble on the back, carding
three bogeys and finishing
the first 18 holes at even-par
72.
" The second round I
thought I needed to play a
couple under to pull ahead.
I got off to a slow start [...]
I kept it steady with one
birdie and one bogey so I'm
pretty happy right now, " Yan
said.
Finding more consistency
during the second round
Monday, Yan carded a single
birdie at the par-5 fifth hole
before drawing even with
a bogey at the 10th, rolling
in eight consecutive pars to
card a second straight round
of 72, and fending off Anderson
and Burnham, who
finished as first and second
alternates, respectively.
Amassing more than
$90,000 in career winnings
on the LPGA Tour, Yan
most recently tied for 15th
at the Yokohama LPGA
Classic on May 5 and is currently
ranked No. 131 in the
Rolex Rankings. Her father
and caddie, Yan Ming, was a
longtime golf commentator
for ESPN Asia.
" I was thinking coming in
that shooting a red number
would be pretty good, " Yan
said of her expectations before
the qualifier. " To qualify
for the first time, I'm very
excited. "
+
PEBBLE CREEK GC
Becker
6,353 Yards, Par 72
FINAL RESULTS
1. Jing Yan-Qualifier
72-72-144
T3. Amy Anderson-1st Alt.
75-70-145
T3. Sarah Burnham-2nd Alt.
73-72-145
Anderson, of West Fargo, N.D.,
defeated Burnham on the first playoff
hole to finish as first alternate
after both Anderson and Burnham
finished at 1-over-par 145.
Yan advances to the championship
July 7-10 at CordeValle in San
Martin, Calif.
MPGA Four-Ball Championship
+
EMERALD GREENS GC
Hastings
7,057 Yards, Par 73
FINAL RESULTS
1. Jesse Polk/Sammy Schmitz,
62-68-130
2. J.T. Johnson/Nick Jarrett,
69-65-134
T3. Tommy Rymer/
Joe Conzemius,
66-70-136
T3. Craig Hirschey/Jon Hanner,
69-67-136
T3. Matt Swanson/Jordan Rykal,
67-69-136
A
fter opening the
2016 Minnesota
Public Golf Association
Four-Ball Championship
with a first-round
11-under-par 62, Jesse Polk
and Sammy Schmitz cruised
to a four-stroke victory at
16-under-par 130, carding
a 68 during the final round
May 22 at Emerald Greens
Golf Club.
" We played very well, "
Schmitz said Sunday. " We
both putted really well and
both made a few good-size
putts. We didn't do anything
crazy, it was all putting. "
Polk added that the two
birdied the final six holes to
close out the opening round
Saturday.
" We only had a threeshot
lead and you can easily
lose that after nine holes, "
Schmitz said. " The plan is
to try to birdie the first hole
and keep going; you don't
really put much thought to
it after that. "
J.T.
Johnson and Nick
Jarrett fired an 8-under 65
during Sunday's final round
to finish four strokes back
at 134 after a 69 during the
opening round Saturday.
Along with Trent Peterson,
Johnson won the event in
2013 at Eastwood Golf Club
before earning a three-shot
victory a year ago at Rum
River Hills Golf Club.
" We made a couple pars,
a couple birdies and then a
bad bogey on six, " Schmitz
said.
through six and we fought
our way through and birdied
a few of the par 5s and
didn't make any more bogeys,
which you can definitely
do out here. "
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Summer 2016 MINNESOTAGOLFER
39
" We were 1-under
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Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2016

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