2024 Golf State Tournament: Championship Day Recap

Outstanding play amid challenging weather conditions was the primary storyline during the final day of competition in the Minnesota State High School League’s Golf State Tournaments held on Wednesday, June 12 at three sites. The Class A tournament was at Pebble Creek in Becker, Class AA at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan, and Class AAA at Bunker Hills in Coon Rapids. 

Here is a look at how the golf season wrapped up for the state tournament-participating teams:

Class A

Boys

Entering the final round at Pebble Creek in Becker, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley junior Parker Brock stared at a three-stroke deficit behind frontrunner Carson Boe, a junior at Lakeview High School. But Brock reversed that with a final-round 69 for a two-day total of 140, which made it a two-stroke margin over Boe and a Class A crown. Brock finished fifth in 2023 and Boe was two spots ahead of him in third. Heritage Christian Academy senior Evan Villagomez was third on Wednesday with a 143.

Fertile-Beltrami captured the team championship with an eight-stroke advantage over Walker-Hackensack-Akeley. Legacy Christian Academy was third at 637. Fertile-Beltrami won consecutive team titles in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Senior Masen Nowacki was Fertile-Beltrami’s top finisher in a tie for 10^th place overall. Fertile-Beltrami was third as a team in 2023.  

Girls

Dawson-Boyd junior Lindsey Lund improved seven spots on her finish from a year ago after recording a one-stroke lead during the final day of weather-impacted competition at Ridges at Sand Creek. After an opening-round 80, which was four strokes off the pace, she recorded a 67 for 16 holes to finish with a 147 and a one-stroke margin over BOLD senior Kenna Henriksen. Fillmore Central junior Myleigh Scheevel, Dawson-Boyd sophomore Alyssa Swedzinksi and Border West junior Paige Beyer finished in a three-way tie for third. 

Fillmore Central opened Day 2 with a five-stroke lead over Dawson-Boyd in the team tournament. Dawson-Boyd made up that ground with a second-day score of 302 to lift it into a tie for the team championship. Each team had scores of 652. Park Christian was third at 664. It is the first team championship for Fillmore Central since 2016 and first ever for Dawson-Boyd.

Because of weather, the round was shortened to 16 holes. Nos. 9 and 18 were not played. 

Class AA

Boys

Hawley senior Jack Justesen carried a one-stroke lead into Wednesday’s second round and that edge was enough to capture the Class AA championship at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan. He had an opening round 70 and then followed with a nine-hole score of 35, which was enough to top Holy Family Catholic senior PJ Herron, who was runner-up at 106. Herron also fired a 35 on Wednesday but shot a 71 on opening day. Justesen finished in a three-way tie for 24^th during the 2023 state tournament. Staples-Motley junior Carter White, the defending Class AA champion, was third at 108. 

Holy Family Catholic captured the team championship with a two-round total of 438. Detroit Lakes was third at 454 and defending Class AA champion, Totino-Grace, was third at 464. It is Holy Family’s first team title since 2019 and third overall. 

Girls

Lake City senior Jordana Windhorst Knudsen began the final round four shots off the pace and with a weather-shortened nine holes to carve into the deficit. She did just that with a final-round 36 that carried her to a one-stroke victory at Pebble Creek. She finished with a score of 114, just enough to edge International Falls senior Kelby Anderson and Holy Angels eighth-grader Elizabeth Fong, who both had a score of 115.

Knudsen is just the second player from Lake City High School to win a golfing state championship. The other was Holly Duncan, who won the second of two in a row in 1992. 

Detroit Lakes added to its rich golf history with another team championship. The Lakers finished with a two-day score of 486, 13 better than Lake City. Minnewaska Area was third at 499. 

Class AAA

Boys

Edina junior Torger Ohe was already in an advantageous position with a one-stroke lead after opening day, but to ensure no collapses, he followed with a 4-under 68 in the final to record a three-stroke victory at Bunker Hills in Coon Rapids. Centennial sophomore Cooper Daikawa was runner-up with a 138 after a pair of 69’s each day. Cretin-Derham Hall junior Sam Udovich was third at 140. Ohe, who placed third in 2023, wrapped up the championship with a birdie on No. 17. Defending Class AAA champion Jake Birdwell finished in a tie for fifth with his brother, Chase. 

Benilde-St. Margaret’s won the team chase by carding an 8-over as a team, but that was good for a one-stroke margin over Waconia, who was runner-up with a 597. Benilde-St. Margaret’s last won a boys golf championship in 2003. Maple Grove, the runner-up in 2023, was third a year later with a score of 599.

Girls

Owatonna sophomore Carmen Jirele had a two-stroke leading heading into the final day of competition and that advantage came in handy as she recorded a one-stroke victory for the big-school championship with a two-round score of 142. Maple Grove senior Amelia Morton was one stroke back at 143. Simley senior Reese McCauley, who was attempting to win a third Class AAA championship, started the day five shots back and rallied enough for a third-place finish at 145, which she shared with Orono junior Ava Hanneman. 

Jirele is the first girls golf champion from Owatonna High School since Karyn Stordahl won the title in 1999. 

Maple Grove was a repeat team champion with a two-day score of 611. That was 15 shots better than runner-up Wayzata at 626. Minnetonka was third at 650.