Lunden Esterline set to defend title in Saturday championship match

By Andy Rennecke Forum News Service

Lunden Esterline is going for it again.

The Andover, Kansas, native, who spends his summers in Alexandria, advanced to the finals of the Junior 13-15 division at the 102nd Resorters Tournament Friday, Aug. 4, with a 3-2 match play win over top-seeded Will Thornburg.

The fifth-seeded Esterline won the Junior 13-15 division in 2022 and won the Junior 10-12 tournament in 2020. Esterline will take on Macoy Denny in the championship match, which begins with a tee time of 12:15 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 5.

Esterline had defeated No. 12 Ehren Anderson and No. 13 Blake Scholl before knocking off Thornburg. Thornburg had defeated Lunden’s younger brother, Bronx, in his quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday, Aug. 2.

Denny Esterline

Esterline def.

Thornburg, 3-2

Esterline took control of the match over Thornburg with an eagle on the par-5 sixth hole to go 2-up. Thornburg closed the deficit to 1-up after they finished the front nine, but Esterline birdied the 10th and 11th holes to go 3-up for good.

Denny def.

Crosby, 1-up Denny, the 11th seed, pulled a minor, but thrilling upset with a 1-up victory over No. 10 Adam Crosby Friday. Denny did it in comeback fashion after Crosby took a 5-up lead on the front nine. Denny shot a 39 on the front, and Crosby shot a 34.

Denny slowly cut into Crosby’s lead and had it down to 1-up after the 16th hole. On the par-3 No. 17 hole, Denny parred, and Crosby bogeyed to even things up. On No. 18, Denny birdied the par-4 hole while Crosby bogeyed to earn the victory in stun- ning fashion.

Denny finished with a 38 on the back nine, and Crosby had a 45. Denny had knocked off sixth-seeded Will Hacker and No. 14 Ellie Sticha before Friday’s match.

Resorters newspaper is published five times throughout the tournament, starting with the preview issue. The remaining issues will be available Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday mornings with the results of the previous day’s play. Copies are located at the Alexandria Golf Club and around the area and are free of charge.

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