Boraas and Lehman Survive Playoff to Claim MGA Mixed Amateur Team Championship

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  STILLWATER, Minn. – Dropping a birdie chance from 12 feet on the first playoff hole Tuesday at Stillwater Country Club lifted Hannah Boraas and Sean Lehman to a victory over 2016 champions Oliva Herrick and Trent Peterson at the 34th Minnesota Golf Association Mixed Amateur Team Championship.

Lehman sank the winning putt to earn his first state championship win, while Boraas earns her third state title in as many seasons.

“This win feels so good,” Boraas said Tuesday. “It’s so fun to win with someone like Sean. Everyone knows the Lehmans, so it’s pretty legendary to be a part of something with him and his family. It was thrilling and so much fun.”

“Everyone knows that Hannah is one of the best golfers from [Alexandria] ever, so I called her up and said, ‘Let’s go win this thing,’ and she came out and grinded this week,” Lehman said. “We played so well, and she was an even better teammate—very uplifting and very positive.”

Boraas and Lehman took a two-stroke lead following Monday’s bogey-free 64 before the championship’s format change for final round Tuesday.

“We didn’t think the scores were going to be that low with the alternate shot format,” Lehman said. “We thought two to 3-under was probably going to win it today, but that wasn’t the case at all. [Herrick and Peterson] went on a heater today and were firing on all cylinders.”

Carding a pair of tap-in birdies during their opening nine Tuesday, Boraas and Lehman managed a one-stroke advantage heading into the final nine holes of play.

Another tap-in birdie at the 11th put the twosome at 11-under before they would card their first bogey of the week at the par-4 14th to fall into a share of the lead with Herrick and Peterson at 10-under.

“We were a little upset with that one,” Boraas said. “Came back with a birdie, which was a huge momentum builder—we needed that.”

A charged up Boraas buried her birdie from 35 feet at the 15th to reclaim a thin one-stroke lead at 11-under.

Boraas sank a 4-footer for par at the 18th to help her and Lehman to a final-round 69 and into a playoff with Herrick and Peterson.

In the playoff, Boraas wedged her approach to 12 feet right of the pin before Lehman rolled in one final birdie to clinch the championship.

“I thought it was just outside of the right edge and [Boraas] said she loved it.” Lehman said. “She hit an amazing wedge shot and put me in a good position. Straightforward putt down the hill—loved everything about it."

Boraas earned her first state championship by winning the Resorters in 2022 at her home course at Alexandria Golf Club. 

The Montana State University sophomore edged Madi Hicks last season at St. Cloud Country Club to claim the MGA Women's Amateur Match Play Championship.

Posting the low round of the final day Tuesday, Herrick and Peterson came up short of their second win at the event, claiming the 2016 championship at Valleywood Golf Course.

Following a 3-under 69 to open the championship Monday, Herrick and Peterson rattled off five birdies during their front nine Tuesday to rapidly move near the top of the leaderboard, turning in 8-under for the championship.

Herrick and Peterson pulled within one shot of the lead after back-to-back birdies at the 11th and 12th holes.

Sticking her tee shot inside of three feet at the par-3 17th, Herrick left Peterson with a tap-in birdie as the two earned a share of the lead at 11-under.

Peterson had a chance for birdie at the 18th to take the outright lead, but his putt from eight feet slid past the high side of the cup and the two would settle for par, carding a final-round 64.

Peterson has a pair of victories for the 2024 season already, winning the MGA Mid-Players’ Championship at Deacon’s Lodge, and followed it by winning the Minnesota Public Golf Association Mid Public Links at Highland National Golf Course four days later.

Winner of more than 25 state championships, Herrick hasn’t won since 2018 when she claimed the MGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Legends Club.

Firing a 6-under 66 during Monday’s opening round brother-sister tandem Will and Celia Kuenster played their first 11 holes in even par before converting three birdie chances over their final seven holes to finish in a tie for third place with former North Dakota State University golfer Nate Deziel and his partner, Sarah Israelson, a former Augustana University golfer at 9-under 135.

The 35th MGA Mixed Amateur Team Championship will be played June 30-July 1 at Hastings Golf Club.