Resorters Golf Tournament: All four former champions remain in Women's Division

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They’re all still fighting.

All four former champions stayed alive after the first round of the Women’s Division championship flight Wednesday to advance to today’s quarterfinals.

Leading the way is defending champion Emily Kvidera of Ramsey, who handed Maxine Carlson of Alexandria a 6-5 loss, while 2003 and 2008 champion Betsy Aldrich edged Alexandria’s Andrea Nelson 1 up.

Maggie Leland, 2007 and 2009 champ from Alexandria, upended Pam Marlow of Pratt Kansas 7-6, and 2010 champion Sarah Roering of Glenwood was a 4-3 winner over Bridget Cummings of Chaska.

Minnetonka’s Amanda Woodhull, Mankato’s Mariah Chesley, Elk River’s Andrea Dwyer and Chanhassen’s Brenna Lervick also punched their tickets to today’s quarterfinals.

That action will begin on the first tee at 12:54 and 1:03 p.m.

Kvidera tops Carlson

The former champion got off to a quick start with a par and a birdie to go up two, then added a win by par on No. 4 and another par on No. 7 for a 4-up lead before Carlson was able to work some magic.

She cut that lead in half by parring the final two holes on the front nine.

Rounding the bend, Kvidera heated up her game, taking four straight holes on pars to end the match with a 6-5 victory.

Aldrich edges Nelson

The former champion had her hands full with Nelson, who picked up two quick wins to start the match on a par and a bogey.

Aldrich managed to cut that advantage in half on No. 3 with a par win, but Nelson countered as she won by par on No. 4 to move it back to 2-up.

Again, Aldrich battled back, using a par on No. 6 to slice into Nelson’s lead, but the Alexandrian didn’t give up. Instead she birdied No. 7 for a 2-up lead.

Aldrich made another move on nine, using a par win to cut Nelson’s advantage to one at the turn.

Neither golfer was able to make headway on the first two holes of the back nine, and it was Aldrich who claimed the first advantage as she parred No. 12 to even the match.

On the following hole, Nelson slipped back into the lead as she parred, but Aldrich used a par on No. 15 to even the match once again, then took her first lead of the night on No. 16 with a par. She clinched the match as the two golfers bogeyed, then parred the final two holes.

Woodhull tops Golden-Beckendorf

The Minnetonka golfer allowed Heidi Golden-Beckendorf of Andover just two wins in their upper bracket match Wednesday as Woodhull earned a 4-3 win.

She started her march toward victory by parring Nos. 3 and 4, then birdying No. 5 for a 3-up lead.

Golden-Beckendorf used a par on the following hole to bring Woodhull’s advantage down to 2-up, but on the final hole of the front nine, Woodhull crept back to 3-up on a par win.

The 10th hole went to Golden-Beckendorf on a par, cutting Woodhull’s lead to two once again, and there it stayed until No. 14 when she earned a bogey win.

She capped the victory with a par win on No. 15 to close out the match.

Chesley defeats

Espeland

Kaari Espeland of Henning was a tough opponent for Mankato’s Chesley, battling until the final hole.

Chesley earned an opening hole win on a par, which held through three holes. She added to that lead with a bogey win on No. 4, then went 3-up on a par win at No. 8.

On the back nine, Espeland cut the lead to two on a par win at No. 11 and sliced that advantage in half as she birdied No. 12.

Chesley, however, regained her composure and used a birdie on No. 14 to go 2-up. Espeland was able to cut that advantage to one on No. 17 as she parred for a win, but Chesley held on for the 1-up victory.

Leland defeats Marlow

It was a powerful showing for Alexandria’s Leland, who walked off her first round match with a 7-6 win.

Leland opened with four straight victories on par, par, birdie, par before allowing Marlow a little breather on No. 6 when the Kansas golfer won her only hole of the match on a par.

The former champ then went back on the offensive, winning the next two holes by par to round the turn up by five.

She then birdied No. 10 to start the back nine and finished off the match with a birdie win at No. 12.

Dwyer downs

Bigger

It was late surge by Dwyer that cut this match short as she won four straight on the back nine for a 5-3 victory.

Dwyer had the early lead with a bogey win on the first hole, but Amanda Bigger of Alexandria evened the match on a par at the next hole.

Dwyer then won by bogey on No. 3 and par on No. 6 for a 2-up lead, but Bigger cut that down to one with her birdie on No. 8.

On the back nine, the two halved the first two holes before Dwyer won with four straight pars to end the match after 15 holes.

Roering TOPS

Cummings

Glenwood’s Roering came away with a 4-3 win over Cummings as she grabbed an early 2-up lead with a bogey and a par win on Nos. 2 and 3.

Cummings cut that lead in half with a bogey win on the following hole, but Roering rallied back to take the next two holes on a birdie and a par for a 3-up lead.

The two golfers played even for the final three holes of the front nine, and Roering made it 4-up with a birdie to start the back nine.

Cummings made a small advance as she won No. 12 on a birdie, but Roering picked up a win by par on No. 14.

The two parred No. 15, leaving Roering a 4-3 winner.

Lervick over Novotny

Lervick powered her way to a 6-5 win over Dee Novotny of Alexandria in the final match of the Women’s Division.

The Chanhassen golfer made the front nine all hers as she won holes 1, 4, 6, 8 and 9 on four pars and a birdie to hold a 5-up lead at the turn.

On No. 10, Novotny won her first and only hole on a par before Lervick finished the match with a birdie and a par to close out action after the 13th hole.

WOMEN’S

CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT

WEDNESDAY

RESULTS

UPPER BRACKET

Emily Kvidera def. Maxine Carlson 6-5

Betsy Aldrich def. Andrea Nelson 1-up

Amanda Woodhull def. Heidi Golden-Beckendorf 4-3

Mariah Chesley def. Kaari Espeland 1-up

LOWER BRACKET

Maggie Leland def. Pam Marlow 7-6

Andrea Dwyer def. Amanda Bigger 5-3

Sarah Roering def. Bridget Cummings 4-3

Brenna Lervick def. Dee Novotny 6-5

THURSDAY’S

PAIRINGS

UPPER BRACKET

Emily Kvidera vs. Betsy Aldrich, 12:54 p.m.

Amanda Woodhull vs. Mariah Chesley, 12:54 p.m.

LOWER BRACKET

Maggie Leland vs. Andrea Dwyer, 1:03 p.m.

Sarah Roering vs. Brenna Lervick, 1:03 p.m.

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