Golf 2025: Returning champions highlight the competition fields

Qualifying golfers from across the Minnesota State High School League’s Member Schools will come out swinging for championships this week when the Girls and Boys Golf State Tournaments are held at three venues. The tournaments are a two-round event and held at Pebble Creek in Becker (Class A), Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan (Class AA) and Bunker Hills in Coon Rapids (Class AAA).

Weather permitting, first round play begins at 7:30 a.m. for girls and noon for boys.  

Here is a look at what is ahead: 

Class A

• Girls --- Dawson-Boyd senior Lindsey Lund returns to defend her individual championship. A year ago, she recorded a one-stroke victory over BOLD senior Kenna Henriksen. Inclement weather forced the second round to be shortened to 16 holes. Others expected to contend for the individual championship include Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City junior Brooke Brekke and Lac qui Parle Valley junior Molly Halvorson. Dawson-Boyd, which shared the team title with Fillmore Central in 2024, is the top-ranked girls team in Class A. 
• Boys --- Walker-Hackensack-Akeley senior Parker Brock also is back to seek a successful title defense. In 2024, he recorded a two-round of 140, two strokes better than Lakeview’s Carson Boe. They will start in the same foursome in the first round. Look for Lac qui Parle Valley senior Carson Besonen to also be among the leaders. Fertile-Beltrami won the team title a year ago by 12 strokes over Walker-Hackensack-Akeley. Walker-Hackensack-Akeley looks poised to perhaps claim its first team championship this week. 

Class AA

• Girls --- Detroit Lakes is the top-ranked team in the field and favored to not only successfully defend its title but also add to its vast collection of championships. In 14 state tournament appearances, the Lakers have won eight team titles, have been the runner-up twice and placed third three times. This edition includes ninth-graders Isabella Seuntjens and Sophie Christianson, sophomores Jaycie Sliper and May Boeke, junior Tatum Gatheridge and senior Sydney Miller. Hawley senior Sophie Cook and Pequot Lakes senior Genevieve Birkeland are the top returners from last season’s state meet. Cooke was fourth and Birkeland tied for fifth. 
• Boys --- Staples-Motley senior Carter White is the returning champion in this field. In 2024, he shot a two-round rain-shortened total of 108, three behind champion Jack Justesen, a senior from Hawley. Also in the individual championship mix is expected to be Blake senior Ian Friederichs and Totino-Grace junior Collin Ramos, who finished one stroke behind White a season ago. A new team champion will emerge here. Southwest Christian, Blake, Totino-Grace and Detroit Lakes figure to be dueling for the team crown.

Class AAA

• Girls --- Owatonna junior Carmen Jirele returns as a defending state champion. In 2024, she outdueled a star-quality group by recording a two-round 142 at Bunker Hills. That was one stroke better than Maple Grove’s Amelia Morton and Simley’s Reese McCauley, who now plays for the University of Minnesota. It will be crowded on the leaderboard again with Orono senior Ava Hanneman, Minnetonka junior Selena Wu, St. Michael-Albertville ninth-grader Abigail Labrador, Benilde-St. Margaret’s junior Alyssa Raghuveer and Minnetonka sophomore Kieley Hanson. Minnetonka, which finished third as a team last season, is top-ranked, just ahead of Maple Grove, the defending team champion. Hanneman was selected Ms. Minnesota Golf by the Minnesota Golf Association. 
• Boys --- Edina’s Torger Ohe is the returning state champion. He fired a two-round 135 at Bunker Hills, good for a three-stroke victory over Centennial’s Cooper Daikawa. Cretin-Derham Hall’s Sam Udovich was third with a 140. This past weekend, Udovich was selected Mr. Minnesota Golf by the Minnesota Golf Association. Chanhassen senior Lucas Arntsen is top-ranked entering the state tournament. Joining the leaders is also expected to be Mahtomedi senior Jacob Wilson. While Benilde-St. Margaret’s is the defending Class AAA champion, it will be crowded in the team chase with Chanhassen, Cretin-Derham Hall, Maple Grove and Northfield also in heavy pursuit.