Boraas Tops Hicks to Win MGA Women's Match Play Championship

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  ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Hannah Boraas played her final round as a member of the Alexandria High School girls golf team at the Class AAA championship on June 14 at Bunker Hills Golf Club, and left the course disappointed as she closed out her high school career with a second consecutive 10th-place finish.

“I was upset after state last week—I could’ve performed a little better,” said Boraas, “but I was happy to be there.”

In a quick turnaround this week, Boraas won her first four matches to begin the 2023 Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Amateur Match Play Championship at St. Cloud Country Club before edging North Dakota State University golfer Madi Hicks, 1-up, Thursday to claim her second state championship victory in as many years.

“I said before that any given player could win this week, so to put my name on that trophy means the world to me,” Boraas said following her win Thursday. “For me, it builds momentum and builds confidence, knowing that I can compete with anyone. I’m more excited to play in these bigger events to see better competition.”

Boraas, who will begin her freshman season at Montana State University this fall, opened the championship by slipping past St. Thomas University golfer Katie Foley, 1-up, before eliminating Grand Canyon University’s Becca Tschetter.

Needing just 14 holes during the quarterfinal round to get past Xavier University’s Emma Welch, 6 and 4, Boraas would defeat Tommie golfer Isabelle Lynch on the final hole of her semifinal round, advancing to the finals against Hicks.

“I was pretty stress-free coming into the final match today,” said Boraas, “Madi is a really good player, and I knew it was going to be a close match. At any given time, she can make quite a few birdies. My plan was to keep the ball in the fairway and give myself shots at the green.

“The start to the round was the best part of my day. I strung a few pars together—missed a couple of birdie putts, but I gave myself opportunities.”

Hicks came out firing by sinking her birdie putt from six feet at the first to take the early lead, but she ran into trouble over her next three holes, allowing Boraas to grab a 2-up lead through four.

Taking advantage of a Boraas three-putt bogey at the eighth, Hicks pulled within one before a second three-putt bogey by Boraas at the 13th tied the match.

Beginning at the par-4 14th, Hicks stumbled by making back-to-back bogeys, allowing Boraas to take control of the match with a 2-up lead with three holes to play.

With Boraas in trouble at the 17th, Hicks took a two-putt par to cut into the deficit heading to the final hole, where she sank a 10-footer for par before Boraas closed out the match with her par putt from eight feet.

“I lost a little momentum—my speed on my putting wasn’t great and a left a couple short that could’ve helped me out a lot today,” she said. “It felt very good to watch the last putt drop—it came when it mattered.”

The win this week comes after Boraas claimed her first state title at the Resorters last season at her home course at Alexandria Golf Club.

Since 2020, Boraas has now collected seven top-10 finishes at state events.

Owner of eight state championship victories, Hicks registers the 27th top-10 finish of her amateur career over the past seven seasons.

Hicks, seeded No. 4 to begin the championship, defeated Wingate University golfer Lauren Sutcliffe, 4 and 3, early Tuesday before ousting newly crowed Class AA individual champion Grace Petzold, 3 and 2.

Outlasting St. Catherine’s University’s Kyra Venne in 20 holes late Wednesday, Hicks advanced to the championship match to face Boraas.

“Today was a fight. I made some mistakes on the front nine, but was able to get my game back a little bit to tie the match on 13, so I was happy with how I fought back,” said Hicks. “Overall, I was happy with putting—today I missed a few shorter ones, which is tough because that’s usually the best part of my game.

“This week has taught me about endurance and playing a bunch of golf. Being a freshman this season, we got to play those 36-hole events, so that prepared me a little bit because I wasn’t used to that a year ago."

In 2022, Hicks earned six top-5 finishes in seven state events, including wins at the Minnesota Public Golf Association Junior Public Links Championship at Goodrich Golf Course and the Minnesota State Junior Girls’ Championship at Fox Hollow Golf Club.