Jenkins leads after first round at Vandersluis

BEMIDJI – A pair of Birchmont champions and another recent Birchmont finalist are in the top three after the first round of the 2012 Vandersluis Memorial Golf Tournament held at Bemidji Town and Country Club.

Tom Jenkins, a Plymouth resident, Bemidji native and 2009 Birchmont champion, shot a 69 after 18 holes of play Saturday afternoon. Jenkins has also won the Vandersluis title five times – in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009. He took second last year.

Just behind him in second place was another pair of familiar names, Josh Bergrud and Kevin Krigbaum. They were tied for second at 71.

Bergrud, a Grand Forks native, won the Birchmont title this year and finished in the top ten at Vandersluis last year. Bemidji native Krigbaum was Birchmont runner-up in 2010.

In the senior men’s championship, Brett Armstrong of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Charlie Peterka of Little Falls were tied atop the leaderboard with scores of 74.

Play continues all weekend, with the championship round Monday.